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Old 06-14-2011, 06:18 PM
 
Location: San Antonio-Westover Hills
6,884 posts, read 20,338,140 times
Reputation: 5175

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We've been considering building a pool since we moved to San Antonio. I realize it isn't something you should build based on a profit, but I would think that in a few years, the pool might actually be a good selling point (and maybe, just possibly add some value?).

We live in a very small gated neighborhood in Westover Hills. We have no community pool. The mean home price is $240K, but we bought the cheapest house in here at $195K.

Ultimately the pool would be for our enjoyment. We LOVE to swim. Love love love it. We use the pool often at Lifetime Fitness but it can get really, really crowded. I grew up with a pool and just loved it, even though it was sometimes a big pain in the butt.

Thoughts?
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Old 06-14-2011, 06:39 PM
 
1,276 posts, read 3,813,473 times
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In my opinion---you have to do what is best for you and if you're planning on staying for a few years and the cost and the pain is worth it to you, then go for it. Although all the DIY shows I've watched say pools add little to no value to a property, I believe that when you do sell this will be a selling point and a draw to buyers who might not have otherwise looked at your property. And if your community doesn't have one either could be an additional draw for you. That's just the hadleyzoo opinion though.
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Old 06-14-2011, 06:47 PM
 
Location: San Antonio
2,216 posts, read 4,524,221 times
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every friend that I have that's a realtor has always said it does not add value. However if you have the green for it and don't mind it, I say get it. I certainly would!!! We are water rats too.
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Old 06-14-2011, 06:48 PM
 
Location: New Braunfels, TX
7,105 posts, read 11,758,603 times
Reputation: 7988
It will add little to no value to the home. It will limit your resale market as well - because not everyone views a pool as a positive thing. You will incur additional potential liability - and perhaps an increase in your insurance rates. You may well find that you'll be required to fence the pool area separately from the rest of the yard (SA was talking about that recently, but don't know just how far the rediculous, feel-good proposal went).

In a nutshell, there are the downsides. Now you need to weigh just what your personal upsides are, and go from there. When the kids were younger, the pool was great. Once they were grown and gone, I think we might have used it once a month at best. Others will use it more often....
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Old 06-14-2011, 06:53 PM
 
6,691 posts, read 8,717,613 times
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I had a pool installed and dont regret it. Many do say that there is little to no value added but if someone wants to live in your neighborhood and there is no community pool then the pool in your yard will probably make your house easier to sell should that time ever come.

You probably already know but the tax increase might bite you in the butt. I had to fight bcad when they tried to value my pool twice as high as my next door neighbor's pool which was much bigger and deeper.
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Old 06-14-2011, 08:20 PM
 
Location: Arlington, VA
62 posts, read 104,948 times
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I thought I'd chime in here since last year we ended up buying a home with an existing pool. We looked at lots of different homes in different areas, but didn't look in planned communities that had pools. We put having a pool in the "added bonus" column when looking at places, but didn't consider it a necessity. The pool is only a couple years old and we love having it. That said, it is definitely a fair amount of maintenance - chemicals, cleaning, etc. We also put a baby fence around it since we have a toddler. With the current drought, we've also had to top it off probably once every 10 days or so. That will add to your water bill (though, frankly, not a lot).

It will definitely add to your property tax bill. When we purchased our home, BCAD had no idea the previous owners had put in a pool. Now it's on the records and our tax bill shot up (they also made some other improvements that weren't in the records, though).

Anyway, just a few thoughts... I have to say that it's pretty darn nice to have access to a pool during these really hot days!
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Old 06-14-2011, 11:22 PM
 
4,307 posts, read 9,521,617 times
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If you do it, it has to be because YOU really want it and all that goes with it. It won't pay for itself with resale.

I grew up with a pool, we both love to swim, if we stay forever in this house we'll eventually put one in. (I am used to all the upkeep and am fine with that) At the moment, we have too many other things to restore/sink our money into, so a pool isn't in the cards. When we were looking, we would have definitely fallen in favor of a house with a pool, but there's only one in our neighborhood (which was a higher priority) and that wasn't for sale at the time. Lucky for us, the owners of that pool are very happy to have all the neighborhood kids over to use it

FWIW - my sister and BIL put a pool in at their place (in CA) when their kids were teenagers, and are now out of the house. They use the pool just about every day. For them, it was helpful not to have to worry about safety issues with small kids.

Just 1) find a way to shade it without dropping lots of leaves into it, and 2) don't put a black bottom in it! I was amazed at the idea of a pool being "too hot to swim in" as in CA that's never an issue. it is in Texas though!
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Old 06-14-2011, 11:56 PM
 
1,316 posts, read 3,395,819 times
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I'll answer it very simply: do you have loads of cash on hand? Yes, build it.

No cash on hand? Then you'll go further into debt with another loan or some kind of financing for the pool. Don't do it.
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Old 06-15-2011, 05:07 AM
 
Location: Wiesbaden, Germany
13,815 posts, read 29,293,083 times
Reputation: 4025
Don't do it. The only thing worse than wasting the money I wasted on my pool was wasting the money I had to waste to get rid of the pool. Tons of cash lost and nothing but headaches to show for it. Maintenance sucks and is also expensive, especially when you get flooding rains, which is how it usually rains around here when it finally decides to rain..
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Old 06-15-2011, 07:13 AM
 
Location: 78108
667 posts, read 1,562,300 times
Reputation: 322
Our first house had a pool, was well landscaped, and when we went to sell it in 2009, we got more than we should have for it and it sold in five days (we had seven competing offers). Everyone looking to buy it said it was mostly due to the pool and ladscaping. So, I say go for it. It was definitely worth it for us.
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