Buying a house located next to the community pool/center?? help (Dallas: for sale, HOA)

[May-be]

Hello, This is my first post on city data. I come here in desperate need of advice about purchasing our first home. We fell in love with a home and when we mapped it, learned that is was right next to the community pool. To be more specific, it's right next to the driveway. There is an iron fence and tress between the driveway and pool. This makes it difficult to see our driveway from the pool, but not impossible. I'm not even as concerned about that as I am about the noise that could come from the pool. Kids screaming, splashing, etc. This community has about 150 homes and over half of them have their own pool. So I don't know how many people would be out using the community pool. What's your advice on this? The house has been on the market for 6 months. I assume no one is buying because it's located next to the community pool. I always promised myself to never by a house that I would have a hard time reselling. But then, I saw this house and I keep asking myself, "what if we put in a sound-proof fence?", "what if no one uses the pool and it's not really a problem?", and "It would be so convenient to have the pool right next door because I could just walk my kids over so easily".
Advice??
Location- Dallas Fort Worth Suburb

[May-be]

Hello, This is my first post on city data. I come here in desperate need of advice about purchasing our first home. We fell in love with a home and when we mapped it, learned that is was right next to the community pool. To be more specific, it's right next to the driveway. There is an iron fence and tress between the driveway and pool. This makes it difficult to see our driveway from the pool, but not impossible. I'm not even as concerned about that as I am about the noise that could come from the pool. Kids screaming, splashing, etc. To describe the community-It's an affluent neighborhood. This community has about 150 homes and over half of them have their own pool. So I don't know how many people would be out using the community pool. What's your advice on this? The house has been on the market for 6 months. I assume no one is buying because it's located next to the community pool. I always promised myself to never by a house that I would have a hard time reselling. But then, I saw this house and I keep asking myself, "what if we put in a sound-proof fence?", "what if no one uses the pool and it's not really a problem?", and "It would be so convenient to have the pool right next door because I could just walk my kids over so easily".
Advice??

[May-be]

Anyone have advice?

[Maanu]

I would also personally think that having home next to pool - is like having to walk over to your pool - easy for kids

[May-be]

Originally Posted by Maanu

I would also personally think that having home next to pool - is like having to walk over to your pool - easy for kids

Yes! My first thought is having a pool so close, but don't have to maintain or pay for it! I have 3 kids and I know they would all put it to good use. I just don't know about the noise factor of other kids when we're in our house. Also, the house has been on the market for 6 months and that makes me nervous.

[TR95]

Not sure what city this is in, but given this market a home that has been on the market for 6 months is either over priced or something wrong with it. Even houses that are backed to a 6 lane road are selling.

[cully]

I wouldn't do it. I'll tell you why.

First, the kids. If they need to walked there they are probably young. They are probably impressionable and, whether you tell them not to or not, children's minds don't work to obey you to stay in till you wake up if the pool is open and they hear other kids screaming and having fun over there. They could go without you. Too much of an attraction.

Next thing, we looked into this ourselves. We saw a neat little community with a street wrapped around the pool and very nice landscaping and span of grass. And, of course, the usual basketball court on the other side of the pool. With a street with houses across that ran alongside it. Off that last street were more streets. Not a large community. But a family community with homes with at least 4 bedrooms.

I noticed there were several for sale signs up so I asked residents how they liked living so close to the pool.

Answers were "we loved it, it was so useful when our 6 kids were all at home but now we only have two. "

Another, "oh, never again. I never expected all these vehicles for swim meets. " (After that I have seen dozens and at special meets probably hundreds of vehicles lining the sub-division streets)

Two happy young boys directing vehicles into their driveway during a swim meet: "The board won't let people park on the lawns so we charge $2 for them to park in our driveway."

"I love to set up a picnic on the grass during swim meets."

"I can't hear inside my house during those meets...all the tents on the grass, mic blaring..."

"We're moving because the kids are really want to be outside now and traffic is dangerous right here."

One addressed the basketball court: "I don't mind it at all. When the young people take the chain down and play in the middle of the night I hear the ball bouncing and just walk across the road and tell them they have to go home and I lock it back up. I don't mind because I'm an insomniac and I look for things to do in the middle of the night."

_____________

When you say you fell in love with the home but discovered it was next to the community pool when you mapped it...you mean you haven't seen it in person? You might fall out of love with it if you do.

You might also want to find out if that pool sells summer memberships to people outside the hoa. The one I'm talking about did. Althought, with the newer ADA requirements I think that might be a deterrent this year. I heard in some areas the ADA requirements are lenient for members of the hoa (as in private club style members) but as soon as outsiders use the facilities then ADA comes in to play.

Also, whether there's a lifeguard or just a monitor on duty. And what hours they are there. And what the pool rules are and how well they are enforced.

Is it a team pool? Do they share as special events location?

[Okey Dokie]

I wouldn't buy it, because of the noise factor (also trash). Do teenagers park in the lot in the evening and "hang out"?

You could possibly go knock on a few doors of nearby houses and ask them their experiences and how much use the pool gets.

[May-be]

Originally Posted by TR95

Not sure what city this is in, but given this market a home that has been on the market for 6 months is either over priced or something wrong with it. Even houses that are backed to a 6 lane road are selling.

That's my fear.

[Rakin]

Originally Posted by Maanu

I would also personally think that having home next to pool - is like having to walk over to your pool - easy for kids

Absolutely. Most families would love being close for the kids.

It does not hurt resale at all.