Community pool vs Own pool - from those with experience, is having your own pool worth it? (Plano: sale, house)

[loves2read]

the problem is that if you get a pool installed by the builder (which some people buying new homes will do) the cost will be rolled into the mortgage and you won't need a separate construction loan for the pool

adding a pool later is rarely cost effective...
our realtor who did the comps for the house we are selling in Bedford said that the cost to install a pool is effectively halved after 10-15 yrs -- partially that depends on the house/neighborhood you are checking...not all neighborhoods would be the same but
if it costs you 60K when new to install and do the surrounding tile deck and landscaping--you will have lost half the value in 15 yrs...
maybe the house/land will have appreciated but to just make up for what you lose in pool value, it would have to be a significant amount...

and anyone buying an older home in established neighborhood--say 20 yrs old--trying to add a pool--I think you are likely never going to see that money come back to you...
but have seen some people do that if they were really in love with the house/neighborhood and just had to have a pool...

[PlanoGirl]

Originally Posted by loves2read

plus it tends to be an "event"

If you have kids, this is true no matter how far away the community pool is...even if easily walkable. You have to load up with swim stuff, snacks and drinks, sunscreen, floaties, pool toys, etc. It can be a real beating if you like to swim a lot. For adults only (who require much less "stuff"), or a family that doesn't plan to swim more than once a week, a community pool can be fine.

We didn't intend to have a backyard pool, but the house we fell in love with had one, and now we love it! We have two kids, 3 and 7, and they pretty much swim every day in the summer...often twice a day. Then tend to play in the backyard in the summer more too, even when hot...because they know they can just hop in the pool to cool down when they want to. Our pool also makes our house the go-to house for our 7 year old and his friends (which WE like, but that's not for everyone I know). My fav time for a family swim is right before dinner. The sun is off the pool by then (so no sunscreen...one less thing to deal with), and swimming builds up the kids appetite. I'll prep dinner before swimming, then we will all jump in the pool for a bit while dinner is cooking, then just dry off and plop down at the patio table to eat. Makes for some really pleasant summer evenings. We are also the go-to house amongst OUR friends for summer parties, which we also enjoy, because we are social and love hosting.

We still visit the community pool a few times a summer (because our pool has a "beach" the kids like and the HOA sponsored kid/family events there sometimes), but it doesn't come close to the convenience, privacy (yes,my kids like to swim naked....NO idea who they get that from , and enjoyment of having a pool in our backyard. That said, I think it can be very family and individual specific. And time-of-life specific too...when hubby and I were married but kid-less, our rental house had a pool, and I think we went into it a total of two times during our entire year there.

[pinipig523]

Yeah - our builder is giving us about 15K for anything we want on top of the standard stuff that he puts into the custom home. He says that we can even use that money to roll the pool into our mortgage. That said, a half-decent pool will probably cost $30K...

I was going to use that $15K for better trim, plantation shutters, upgraded carpets and hard woods. Probably a small patio outside the dining and study. I was also going to use some of that money to get a phantom screen with ventilation into the outdoor space.

[pinipig523]

Originally Posted by PlanoGirl

If you have kids, this is true no matter how far away the community pool is...even if easily walkable. You have to load up with swim stuff, snacks and drinks, sunscreen, floaties, pool toys, etc. It can be a real beating if you like to swim a lot. For adults only (who require much less "stuff"), or a family that doesn't plan to swim more than once a week, a community pool can be fine.

We still visit the community pool a few times a summer (because our pool has a "beach" the kids like and the HOA sponsored kid/family events there sometimes), but it doesn't come close to the convenience, privacy (yes,my kids like to swim naked....NO idea who they get that from , and enjoyment of having a pool in our backyard. That said, I think it can be very family and individual specific. And time-of-life specific too...when hubby and I were married but kid-less, our rental house had a pool, and I think we went into it a total of two times during our entire year there.

Very true... something to think about now.

[skids929]

Originally Posted by pinipig523

Yeah - our builder is giving us about 15K for anything we want on top of the standard stuff that he puts into the custom home. He says that we can even use that money to roll the pool into our mortgage. That said, a half-decent pool will probably cost $30K...

I was going to use that $15K for better trim, plantation shutters, upgraded carpets and hard woods. Probably a small patio outside the dining and study. I was also going to use some of that money to get a phantom screen with ventilation into the outdoor space.

trim, shutters carpets etc can all be done later..Pool is much more disruptive to do later..I always use the logic of prioritize your upgrades and make sure and put the money into the things that are most difficult to change later. e.g. 10 foot ceilings, wall relocation, bonus rooms, pools (if you have your heart set on owning one). Anything cosmetic is easy to swap out later, and I bet what the builder provides isn't bad if it's a custom builder. Usually provide a nice finish-out

[Rakin]

Originally Posted by pinipig523

Yeah - our builder is giving us about 15K for anything we want on top of the standard stuff that he puts into the custom home. He says that we can even use that money to roll the pool into our mortgage. That said, a half-decent pool will probably cost $30K...

No... a decent pool will run $40-60K. A bare bones pool will run $30k.

[TheRedTelephone]

Everyone I know in the pool maintenance business says the same thing... "I wouldn't do it, but I'm obviously glad others do."

Most people want access to a pool. Not so much the pool itself. Unless you are a physically active social person with lots of family/friends and extra money to burn... there may be another way to get your fix. For example, I swim at a gymnasium, community pool, and/or friend's houses. Indoor pools also have the advantage of being available year-round. Will yours?

If you get one, it's usually best to hire a company to take care of it. It's like owning a '35 Chevy. Great for parades & everyone loves them, but most of the time they sit around sucking up time and money.

[ggolf]

Originally Posted by TheRedTelephone

Everyone I know in the pool maintenance business says the same thing... "I wouldn't do it, but I'm obviously glad others do."

Most people want access to a pool. Not so much the pool itself. Unless you are a physically active social person with lots of family/friends and extra money to burn... there may be another way to get your fix. For example, I swim at a gymnasium, community pool, and/or friend's houses. Indoor pools also have the advantage of being available year-round. Will yours?

If you get one, it's usually best to hire a company to take care of it. It's like owning a '35 Chevy. Great for parades & everyone loves them, but most of the time they sit around sucking up time and money.

That's the most spot on post about this pool thing.

I know folks that own 57 Chevys and I'm jealous. I'm fighting my wife to get an older 2000 version Mercedes 2 door coupe which was $80K new and now is $15K, but like a pool it might be something I'd enjoy on summer weekends and then dump money into.

Aging stinks.

[pinipig523]

Originally Posted by Rakin

No... a decent pool will run $40-60K. A bare bones pool will run $30k.

60K is a lot of dough man...

[SVTRay]

We have a community pool and our own pool...two separate residences. A community pool is nice since we don't have to wrangle with having it fixed or cleaned. The private pool is nice being private for one thing and can invite whom ever. The issues we run into with owning our pool is being located in an area that has experienced a huge growth/economy boost. Locating people to get stuff fixed or clean can be challenging...took a month to get someone to fix a simple leak, we was out of own and couldn't do it our selves. Another issue is our private pool is located in an area that is seriously effected by the recent droughts. Our water bill has escalated greatly because of it.