To add or not to add ... ... a small, cozy swimming pool.

[Teebyrd86]

What about a high end above ground pool with a nice deck around it? My parents neighbor has one and honestly it is just as nice as an inground pool and if your buyers dont want it there they can take it down..
http://www.swimmingpoolideas.com/ple...ve-ground-pool Above ground pools are/can be a lot nicer than they use to be if you "dress it up" like this site says you can hardly tell its above ground, this is what my parents neighbors did.

[ShannonMilligan]

I didn't read through the entire thread but here is my thoughts

You will limit your buyer pool. Some people like them others don't.

You probably won't get the money back you put into the pool...so spend wisely

That being said, my husband and I put in a pool this summer and LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it. We have two 4 year olds and we take neccessary steps to be safe: we have the required fence, but we also padlock the fence so no neighborhood kids can wonder in and fall in. We also have the required door alarm. In addition, we bought 4 life jackets (thinking ahead that if kids have a friend or 2 over they are protected) My kids have been drilled that they NEVER leave the deck without mom and dad and they NEVER enter the pool without us and without wearing the life jacket unless we are in the pool with them.

For us, the enjoyment we have gotten out of it thus far has been well worth it. We go out basically every day and swim. It has created more family time and it helps spend the kids of their energy So narrowing the buyer pool was worth it to us. If we have to sell one day we will offer to fill in the pool if anyone wants that done.

Good luck! (Oh, and salt system is the way to go!)

Oh, and ours in inground. Make sure you check, if you have one, HOA regs.

[mominbristow]

I echo what others have said -- if you're looking for resale, don't get the pool. However, your house is yours to enjoy...if a pool would make you happy, by all means go for it. My husband and daughter tried to convince me for the longest time to get a pool, and I finally succumbed and agreed to it. Despite my misgivings at the start, I LOVE having it! There's nothing like a warm summer day spent at your own pool, relaxing on the float, without the noise, lack of privacy, and, um, "accidents" that occur in a public pool. With the new salt systems and automated vacuum, upkeep is minimal. We have a company open and close it for us, and we may throw a bag or two of shock in at the beginning of the season, but once it's up and running we really don't do anything -- and our water is sparkling blue all the time. As an added bonus, our dog loves it, and since most of his hair sheds off in the pool, vacuuming in the house is minimized during the summer

As others have said, though, don't limit yourself to a small cozy pool.... You'll soon outgrow it and wish you had something a little bigger to swim laps in. Once you've resigned yourself to the cost of a basic small pool, it really doesn't add much more to the price to go a little bigger. Also, research the heck out of pool builders -- there are some good ones out there, but also quite a few fly-by-night companies, ones who don't build for quality, and ones who don't stand by their product.

Good luck!

[ReblTeen84]

Pools are expensive, but if you keep up with it they're minimal maintenance. I grew up with my grandparents having a big inground and it wasn't hard. Took us about 8 hours to open and close it (we used a regular cover, didn't need an auto because of the 6 foot fence around the yard). Takes an hour or two to clean it if you don't use an automatic cleaner. Chemicals are fairly expensive, but buy them in bulk and you're ok. It's definitely nice to have - my wife and I have talked about having a pool either installed in our next house, or just buying a house with a pool already in. However, I will say one thing...I would never buy a house with an above ground pool. I know too many people who have had problems with them leaking, bending, collapsing, etc. Plus my uncle had a tree drop on his.

[Nancy in Nokomis]

One thing I noticed when we lived in NOVA is that most people did not have a pool - activity was centered around community pools and swim teams, etc. - the season is so short it was not worth it to us. But - if you have the money and the time - why not? You only live once.

And I must say that now that we live in Florida - we love our pool - but then again we use it year round - there is no community pool in our neighborhood so that is how must people live down here.

[Old Guard]

"backs to woods"

I hope you enjoy fishing leaves and branches out of a pool. In the off season when I walk past a pool and see leaves piled up in it or on it with the seemingly required brown water I always think how dirty and nasty it looks.

Having read the first 2 pages people mention that families with kids may not want pools. I think a lot of older couples will also skip on the pool in this area as well. To me that demographic makes up a large chunk of the 700K plus market though I may be wrong.

[newnewsmama]

It depends on how much you will utilize the pool. If you will use it very often (I.e almost everyday when the weather is warm) and you'll live in the house long enough, I'd say why not.

However, if you won't be using it much, then the construction and maintenance cost is not worth it. You can't get back your investment 100% for a pool when you sell your house. It's just easier signing up a club or a gym with a pool. Plus, the weather in Virginia is bad enough to limit your enjoyment of the pool for most part of the year.

One third of my neighbors have pools. But I don't see most of families in the pools, even in the nice summer months.

[choff5]

Wonder if OP ever put in a pool, given the original question was asked three and a half years ago.

[newnewsmama]

Originally Posted by choff5

Wonder if OP ever put in a pool, given the original question was asked three and a half years ago.

An old post revived :-)

Hopefully, it'll be useful for people with similar questions in the future.