Buying a house with a pool (Phoenix: maintenance, live, fence)

[oak999]

One of the reasons I love Phoenix is cause of the extended time of the year you can be in the pool. I like swimming and do not have a pool where I am at now. I am having a bit of a problem buying a house and here is why. As stated I would love to have a pool. But I live alone. So I would like to hear some opinons from Phonecians who have pools and are adults. I hear from some people that someone should never swim alone but lets face reality most adults do in their own pools.

I would just like to hear some opinons on this. Would I be taking a dangerous risk by buying a house with a pool and swimming alone in it?

[firsttimeowner]

what areas are you looking in? I want to move there and get a pool too. I plan to swim alone and am not worried. I would say it depends on your health issues.

[KarmaPhx]

Why would it be dangerous to swim by yourself? You know how to swim right? Plus I doubt the pool your going to get is going to be more than 5-6ft deep, good luck drowning in that.

I swim laps almost every morning since it got warm, I am the only one down there, never worried about anything.

[Captain Bill]

Not swimming alone is always good advice, and it's really up to you whether you should take that risk or not.

One can drown in water no matter what the depth is if they lose consciousness, become incapacitated with a heart attack, stroke, or anything else.

My wife doesn't swim, but she is always by the pool doing some skimming, with the risk of falling in and drowning. She does it whether I'm nearby or not.

When I swim, she may or may not be there, but if I had a heart attack she would probably not be able to get me out.

Anyway, just know what the risks are and decide yourself.

[roosevelt]

Originally Posted by oak999

One of the reasons I love Phoenix is cause of the extended time of the year you can be in the pool. I like swimming and do not have a pool where I am at now. I am having a bit of a problem buying a house and here is why. As stated I would love to have a pool. But I live alone. So I would like to hear some opinons from Phonecians who have pools and are adults. I hear from some people that someone should never swim alone but lets face reality most adults do in their own pools.

I would just like to hear some opinons on this. Would I be taking a dangerous risk by buying a house with a pool and swimming alone in it?

Buying a house without a pool was a big problem for me. Most houses had pools in the area I was looking. They were priced better than houses without pools. Pools are one big pain in the neck. If there are trees, they are constantly dirty, chemicals cost a lot and the pump and filter needs maintenance. The plaster in the pool always deteriorates; worst scenario is someone who drained the pool and painted it to make it look good. After you move in it all starts flaking off. One huge problem with pools these days is liability. Kids do stupid things, if you have company over, and you are going to get sued if they run and fall, or some other kid gets in your pool when you are not looking. It only takes a few seconds. My last pool was huge and about 6 feet from the back my 2 story house that had a flat roof. I came home one day and the little angels were jumping off the roof into the shallow end of the pool!.......... As far as swimming alone, another house I had had a pool and the woman, who was alone, was found floating in it dead. She was cleaning it and slipped somehow and hit her head. As you can see, I do not think having a pool is worth it all, especially not for the owner.

[oak999]

Originally Posted by roosevelt

Buying a house without a pool was a big problem for me. Most houses had pools in the area I was looking. They were priced better than houses without pools. Pools are one big pain in the neck. If there are trees, they are constantly dirty, chemicals cost a lot and the pump and filter needs maintenance. The plaster in the pool always deteriorates; worst scenario is someone who drained the pool and painted it to make it look good. After you move in it all starts flaking off. One huge problem with pools these days is liability. Kids do stupid things, if you have company over, and you are going to get sued if they run and fall, or some other kid gets in your pool when you are not looking. It only takes a few seconds. My last pool was huge and about 6 feet from the back my 2 story house that had a flat roof. I came home one day and the little angels were jumping off the roof into the shallow end of the pool!.......... As far as swimming alone, another house I had had a pool and the woman, who was alone, was found floating in it dead. She was cleaning it and slipped somehow and hit her head. As you can see, I do not think having a pool is worth it all, especially not for the owner.

Wow! lol You really hate pools with the passion.

[AzDreamer]

This won't address your swimming alone question, but we just rented a house with a pebble pool and after a couple days everyone was complaining how rough it was. One of my sons started having to wear aqua sox his feet were so worn out. There must be pros for this kind of pool but I wouldn't build one.

[YAZ]

Pools aren't for everyone, that's for sure. While I'm quite surprised at the cost and maintenance of having one, I still enjoy it. There are many things you can do to reduce the cost and maintenance. Pool covers, a new efficient pump and filter, and simple things like adding chemicals at night.

Unfortunately, our pool does not have a fence (six foot walls around the yard though), and we might have to "re do" our patio area to incorporate a gate.

We'll have to replaster our pool this winter, which ain't cheap. Also have to remove the diving board, we don't want the liability. Still, I wouldn't have it any other way. Skinny dippin' in your own 'lil pond is cool....

[oak999]

Originally Posted by YAZ

Pools aren't for everyone, that's for sure. While I'm quite surprised at the cost and maintenance of having one, I still enjoy it. There are many things you can do to reduce the cost and maintenance. Pool covers, a new efficient pump and filter, and simple things like adding chemicals at night.

Unfortunately, our pool does not have a fence (six foot walls around the yard though), and we might have to "re do" our patio area to incorporate a gate.

We'll have to replaster our pool this winter, which ain't cheap. Also have to remove the diving board, we don't want the liability. Still, I wouldn't have it any other way. Skinny dippin' in your own 'lil pond is cool....

YAZ- As a adult do you ever swim alone though? And if so do you worry at all of something happening to you and no one being around?

[YAZ]

Once in a while I'll take a dip alone. Never worried.

Remember though, I grew up in Michigan and have been around water all of my life. It was quite common for me to jump in the lake after work alone. We had a floating raft about 200 yards or so out in a "deep" part of the lake we lived on. Right next to an artesian spring.

If I should die of a heart attack while sittin' on my "floatie" in the pool.....well, I can think of worse ways to go.....