house with swimming pool... (Plano, Richardson: houses, buyer, utilities)

[dunkky]

Hi all,

there's a house i am very interested in.... but it has a swimming pool.

yes, it is bad thing for me.. cuz I am not gonna use it at all.. maybe 4 or 5 years later when my unborn child is old enuf to enjoy the water activity.

My question is, can i drain the all the water out and leave like that for a long time, and when time comes around, fill the water and use it? What are the consequence of doing that and if not recommended at all..

Thanks.

[SouthernBelleInUtah]

No. It will heave itself right up out of the ground. You can buy a cover for it but they tend to be expensive. You can fill it with dirt and never use it again.

[Ryan Kirkpatrick]

SouthernBelle is right-those are your two options. From a buyer's perspective here in Texas-you're cutting down on your potential future buyer candidates by around 80% who don't want a pool with a house at this point. The other 20% typically only are looking at houses with pools.
As they say, that pool or hot tub would be even more awesome in your neighbor's yard vs. yours so you can use it from time to time w/o having to maintain it!

Now you fall in that very small percentage that love the house enough to buy it despite the pool. I would recommend getting some quotes on what it would cost to fill in the pool or get a cover before you buy.

Ryan

[Rakin]

If you don't want a pool, don't buy the house.

Do not empty the pool and if you leave it full you should maintain it which can cost you about $150 a month in additional utilities, repairs & chemicals.

[EDS_]

We've had pools with out last three homes (Richardson, Plano, Plano). No issues selling any of them and the last one sold in July of last year to the first family who looked.

[loves2read]

agree--don't buy the house if you would only empty the pool--don't you realize how that is a health hazard from having rain/sprinkler water collect in there and go stagnant not to mention an eye-sore and a danger to have someone fall in...

and you can't drain the water and then several years later refill it and expect it to work again--
pool systems are finicky enough as anyway--

[dunkky]

thanks for all your advice. i am not going to pursue that house.. don't like to deal with all that maintenance..