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we saw a house that we like that comes with a nice 5-yr old heated inground pool. i wonder about the practicality of a pool - we'd probably only get to swim like 4-5mths out of a year here in New England?
but i look in the neighbouring houses in the same area (near CAPE COD) and i realised that many of the homes have got swimming pools too! the area is actually not too far from some really great beaches...and it's a upper-middle class neighbourhood i'd say.
i was told by the realtor that it'd cost less than a hundred dollars each month to have someone service the pool/test the water and another 2-3 hundred dollars to open/close the pool once every year. and the pool uses a 100-gallon tank of propane for heating for the entire year.
while i don't really mind having a pool...i'm more concern if it's a money pit and whether or not it'd affect the resale potential of the house in future. on the other hand, i thought a pool might be a nice selling feature if we want to rent out the house during summer. how much would it cost to take away the pool and fill up the ground?
Can't really comment on that area, as I'm in AZ where pools are very popular. But I'm skeptical that a 100 gal propane tank would last a year without refilling, especially in a colder climate. Heating could get very expensive. Of course, depends on how much you use the heater and it's efficiency. The monthly maintenance cost is about right. It's about $80/ month here, but again, there are lots of pool companies and competition.
You might call a couple of local appraisers and ask them what effect a pool has on value there.
Here in North Carolina your pool is just about free to buyers, or even a detriment to pricing and sales.
Liability is an issue, too.
I'm in MI, and although a lot of people have them, I have to side with the opinion of them (inground) being a detriment when trying to sell. Above ground is ok as they can be removed and hauled away. Also, less than a couple hundred a month to maintain doesn't sound like much to you, for many buyers that's an unnecessary expense and a lot of work. I'd rather put that money towards a membership to a club that has a pool.
It all boils down to how much you'll use it and enjoy it. If I had a house full of kids and didn't work full time I'd absolutely consider it because it would get a lot of use. But in my situation, I avoid them.
thanks folks for your replies! =) there are only 2 of us in my household....and only 1 of us (me!) swims. i do prefer swimming in a pool (vs the sea) so i'd see myself using it all the time during the warmer months as i don't work. but it's more like using it because it's there....rather than wanting it so badly that i have to have a house with a pool in it.
the house seems to be priced quite low, prob because of the pool. i asked my realtor about the resale potential of a house with a pool in this area but he just gave me a vague answer i.e. he said that "there are some buyers who are looking for a pool..and some who are not". i mean OBVIOUSLY! geez
would it cost a lot of money to remove an inground pool?
You should call around to contractors in your area for cost estimates.
thanks so much for the link. looks like it's gonna be hell of a job and cost big $$$. hmm....i shld seriously reconsider.
i had wanted to increase everyone's rating 'cos you folks have been so helpful...but am unable to do so for some of you 'cos i had done so already previously. nevertheless...thanks again for all your replies.
We have a heated inground pool here in Ohio. We only get to use it really for about 4 mos from May-Aug. But still, we love it and feel it is worthwhile. It does cost a bit to maintain- however, the 'opening' and 'closing' part is not rocket surgery and I do that myself.
The costs for us are the gas costs plus chlorine tabs and bags of DE powder for the filter. I reckon I spend about $400 bucks a year on chemicals.
Aside from the chemical costs, if you do the weekly maintenance yourself it can get to be a chore. I would recommend at least getting some sort of cleaner (like the kreepy krawly) which scoots around your pool sucking up the debris.
A solar cover can really help keep down the gas costs as well. It helps keep the heat from dissipating at night.
Bottom line is, yes, a bit of work, and a steady financial expense. but nothing extreme, and worth it if you like to hang out in a pool. I'm not a huge 'swimmer' myself but I love to float around with a beer!
Where "near Cape Cod" is the house and do other houses within a 1 mile radius have pools?
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