Pool cost

[AtlJan]

Originally Posted by No2Monsanto

With the South having a solid five, five and a half months of very warm weather a year, I've always wondered why more people in Atlanta don't have homes with pools. I mean, when I lived in California, they were everywhere! Even if it wasn't the fanciest, or most expensive; even people in middle class neighborhoods had pools. Some say the upkeep is a money pit, or they only use it 2 or 3 times during the summer season. HOW???! I absolutely LOVE to swim, and I'd be in that thing every other day and the weekends unless I was sick or out of town!!

What LD said, as well as it's so dry in California--it's expensive to grow grass or anything in CA b/c it's so dry--might as well fill the backyard with a pool.

[jeanniereese]

Thanks for the input. We are moving from Southern California, we have a pool now and use it everyday in the summer. We have 4 kids ages, 8,6,4.5, 2.5 and they all love to swim. We definitely want a pool, hopefully we find a house with one. But, wanted to estimate the cost if the house we choose does not have a pool. Thanks!

[ATLTJL]

You're unlikely to find a house with a pool in Atlanta, unless your budget is close to the million range. As you can tell by some of the comments here, filling in pools is common, a lot of people destroyed the pools their houses can with. Such a travesty if you ask me!

But since you're coming from California, maybe you're expecting to spend that much for a house?

[Mattie]

Originally Posted by ATLTJL

You're unlikely to find a house with a pool in Atlanta, unless your budget is close to the million range. As you can tell by some of the comments here, filling in pools is common, a lot of people destroyed the pools their houses can with. Such a travesty if you ask me!

But since you're coming from California, maybe you're expecting to spend that much for a house?

Maybe within the city, but here in North Fulton they aren't uncommon. The house next to us sold last month for under $600,000, and it has a built in pool. Two other homes in our small neighborhood sold for under $700K last year, and they both had pools.

OP, swim/tennis neighborhoods are very popular here. They often provide a built-in social life for newcomers too, with swim teams, BBQs, etc. It's a great option to owning your own.

[Clayton white guy]

I know I am not from the northern suburbs, but much of what is said here sounds like dribble to me. Here in the two places in Clayton County where I have lived: Morrow and now in the Lake Spivey area, there have been MANY of my neighbors (not a majority mind you, but several) who have pools. Most of these homes would range in price from $200,000 down to around $100, 000 ( yes Clayton IS a different / less expensive housing market than the northern suburbs, but goodness, $600,000 plus seems like a real stretch to me) My brother and sister in-law recently bought a house in Henry County's Ola area and they bought a house with an existing gunite pool in the $230's. Another relative put in a vinyl liner type for a little over $20,000 a couple of years ago (They did say a gunite model would be in the $40,000 plus range.)
You are right that there are few homes for sale that have private pools. There are two reasons for this: First, the "swim and tennis" model has been popular for new home subdivisions all around the Metro for several decades now. Some see it as "the best of both worlds" with having a pool to use without the extra insurance/ upkeep. Second, many Atlanta area buyers shy away from houses with pools therefore making homes with pools often harder to sell. Pools in Atlanta (unless one of the super expensive custom jobs mentioned in earlier posts) are generally NOT considered a selling feature and sometimes can even makes houses sit on the market longer and sell for less. It is also not true that you are able to use a pool for "five and a half or six months" of the year in Metro Atlanta. I have lived here all of my life, and the "Memorial Day to Labor Day" pool season is the norm around here. Nightly lows in early May and Mid-September actually average in the 50's (much too cold for a comfortable swim unless you have a super fancy heated type)
Still, I can personally see why a pool would be an attractive feature for a family. My recommendation for you is to buy an older home with an EXISTING pool. My brother-in-law tells me that his salt water model only runs about $20.00 a summer for "a couple of bags of salt" and of course a slight increase in his electric bill for the pump/ etc. If you already own a home, call around and get several bids. Liner pools do have to have their liners replaced every now and then, but perhaps that is the most cost effective approach. Gunite pools are nicer, but having to have one should not deflect your "pool dream". After all, as an earlier poster stated, it is about "quality family time and memories". Good luck.

[vwgto]

The prices quoted here seem extreme. Our old house in the city of Marietta recently sold again for approx $220K, that included a 30,000 gallon pebbletec gunite pool w/diving board and spa. It has been a few years, but we did the total resurface for less than $15K. Get an older house with a structurally sound pool, and the premium (and/or repairs) will be relatively minimal.