Pool or No Pool? (Scottsdale: sales, homes, neighborhood)

[ElleTea]

Everyone is different, of course, but I vote pool. I am in mine every weekend and many days after work during the week as well, April-October. It is the reason i bought the house!

I was doing some maintenance on mine yesterday and the water temp was 66. Ten more degrees and I can get in on a float as long as the sun is nice and hot! (76 is still chilly but on a float I can manage) I'm ready!

I love being in the water but it has spoiled me from ever wanting to use a public pool at a resort or whatever.

[KO Stradivarius]

Originally Posted by observer53

Better to find a house with a pool than to build one. The cost of the pool is almost never reflected in the appraised value of the home.

I don't agree that a pool doesn't add value, that doesn't make sense to me. We just bought a house with a pool a year ago. Now when I check Realtor.com I've seen several listings of our exact model house for sale (must've been popular), and it's about a $30k premium.

I do agree that it's probably a better deal to get a house with an existing pool. It's like any other feature in a house. It adds value if it's desirable and well-maintained.

[beez74]

We had our pool built in Oct and while most will say it wont add value and buy a home with a pool we were unable to find homes we liked with an existing pool so we focused on a home we loved with enough yard and had our own built. while we may not get our return on investment if we sold anytime soon I love the fact that it was our design, we wont have any undisclosed issues from a previous owner, we have warranties on the whole pool for a few years and it may seem irrelevant but I know exactly where all the plumbing,drains and underground work is located in the yard if I ever want to dig or plant things. we plan on getting a lot of use out of ours this summer and already used it a few times so far since install the was complete

[ringler24]

Originally Posted by KO Stradivarius

I don't agree that a pool doesn't add value, that doesn't make sense to me. We just bought a house with a pool a year ago. Now when I check Realtor.com I've seen several listings of our exact model house for sale (must've been popular), and it's about a $30k premium.

I do agree that it's probably a better deal to get a house with an existing pool. It's like any other feature in a house. It adds value if it's desirable and well-maintained.

My understanding is that about 50% of the cost of the pool will add to the value of the home, so while it adds value it doesn't get the best return on investment. We wanted a pool and wouldn't consider homes without one for that reason.

[patrick85395]

Originally Posted by Mac58

We've heard from the folks with the pools in backyard, small or otherwise. What about folks in multi-residential settings or HOAs with community pools? Do they use the pool(s)? Or is the communal setting, distance from home, or "condition" of the pool enough to discourage regular use?
Can one get the Arizona pool lifestyle in a condo setting?

Why would anyone want to take a bath with all the kids in the neighborhood ? Public pools are gross. Kids pee in them, parents put their toddlers in diapers, allow them to crap their pants in the pool and then get mad when theyre criticized. No thanks.

[skydude24]

Originally Posted by patrick85395

Why would anyone want to take a bath with all the kids in the neighborhood ? Public pools are gross. Kids pee in them, parents put their toddlers in diapers, allow them to crap their pants in the pool and then get mad when theyre criticized. No thanks.

Baths are not chlorinated. Properly maintained pools are. Big difference.

[observer53]

Originally Posted by MN-Born-n-Raised

It depends on the hood you are looking at, the time frame, and how much you spend. Years ago, you would get a fraction of the cost out. But now, it scales in some areas. In the areas we are looking at, a decent pool has about a $30K-$40K premium. I suspect they are $50K pools new today.

In our current home if we had a pool, it would fetch an additional $30K. That's cheaper than buying a new one. But back in 2005 when the past owner built, that's about what they cost.

Good to hear if it's changing somewhat at least in some areas, but if I were thinking about putting one in, I'd be checking to see what was happening in the area where the home is to see if any of that "scaling" is happening, and factor that into any decsion.

[observer53]

Originally Posted by KO Stradivarius

I don't agree that a pool doesn't add value, that doesn't make sense to me. We just bought a house with a pool a year ago. Now when I check Realtor.com I've seen several listings of our exact model house for sale (must've been popular), and it's about a $30k premium.

I do agree that it's probably a better deal to get a house with an existing pool. It's like any other feature in a house. It adds value if it's desirable and well-maintained.

I did not say it did not add value (for buyers who want a pool) Apparently it's changing in some areas (yours included), according to another response to my post, but for a long time, and I'll bet still in some areas, appraisers tacked on only a fraction of the cost to build to the appraised value of the house. I'd be doing some research about the effect of pools on appraised values in the area in question before I put in a pool.

[DetroitN8V]

I've seen a change over the last few years where houses with pools do now seem to command a premium and also seem to sell faster. This is purely anecdotal and is perhaps more true in the historic districts that I've been keeping an eye on, where pools seem to be less common.

[flint8ball]

In Yuma, pool homes command a higher price. I'd say $20k at least. I think in other areas of the country, like MI where I came from, pools are not as desired and therefore don't add as much or any value. The short season vs. maintenance, insurance, risk to small children etc. makes pools less appealing elsewhere.