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I've been looking at homes in the area and am mystified as to why there are so few homes with pools. I live in the NY metro area, and they're so common.
Why do so few homes in NC have backyard pools...?
Is it the bugs?
Is water too costly?
Is it because of zoning restrictions?
I've been looking at homes in the area and am mystified as to why there are so few homes with pools. I live in the NY metro area, and they're so common.
Why do so few homes in NC have backyard pools...?
Is it the bugs?
Is water too costly?
Is it because of zoning restrictions?
Can someone shed some light on this?
Community pools and swim clubs just seem to be the 'thing'. Also, keep in mind that before the recent influx, the wealthy natives that could afford a pool....went to the coast instead.
I wondered the very same thing. When taking the LIRR home I'm always amazed by the overwhelming number of backyards that have above-ground, semi-inground or inground pools. But in Raleigh they are far and few between.
My realtor explained that so many neighborhoods have community pools or swim clubs available and that was likely the primary reason. However my wife and I were disappointed that our soon-to-be community only opens the pool in early June and closes the day after Labor Day. With temperatures already in the mid-eighties in April we're suprised the season isn't extended. So now we're already discussing putting in our own pool in 2008 so that we can swim as long as he weather permits. Our kids love being in the pool and making them wait until nearly mid-June makes little sense.
Of course now we'll have to submit plans to the HOA for putting a pool in and work our way through the political machine.
I'm a native and community pools/private swimclubs are just part of the culture here I guess. I don't know exactly why, but it's a question people ask each other: "what swim club do you go to?"
My guess is that historically, most NC natives didn't have money for back yard swimming pools, and swim clubs developed as a result. I grew up my whole life belonging to a swim club and now as an adult, we belong to a swim club as well.
I agree with the other posts in that since most communities have pools, people don't have their own pool put in. I think another reason is pools are expensive. They're expensive to install, they're expensive to run, and they're expensive to maintain. They also are time consuming to maintain, unless you hire someone, and that just increases the cost. I came from Florida where almost every house had a pool. I don't miss mine. Granted, I'm at the the mercy of my HOA for the hours and opening and closing dates, but I don't have to maintain the pool, and that offsets the hours and dates for me.
There is Chapel Hill Tennis Club (which has a very nice pool, swimteam, etc). There is also Hollow Rock, which is technically in Durham but it's about 100 yards outside the Chapel Hill line. Also has tennis, swimming. Also has a 2nd lap pool, which they cover in winter with a bubble so you can swim year-round. Both are private pools with annual and/or summer memberships.
Meadowmont allows outside people to join its pool, but it gets VERY crowded in summer.
I had a pool when I lived in MD, and have never wanted one since! Even when we lived in AZ I did not want one. For one, I have small children and although I know I would always have it gated and locked, I don't think I'd ever want to even go out for dinner b/c I'd be nervous that the babysitter let them into the pool or something! For another thing, I LOVE the swim club. It's a really relaxed social situation for adults and kids alike. Just sitting around the pool, kids playing with other children...I prefer this to staying in or behind my house all summer long.
I've been looking at homes in the area and am mystified as to why there are so few homes with pools. I live in the NY metro area, and they're so common.
Why do so few homes in NC have backyard pools...?
Is it the bugs?
Is water too costly?
Is it because of zoning restrictions?
Can someone shed some light on this?
In some parts of the country (Florida and Arizona), a swimming pool is a must have. However, in the Triangle, a pool does nothing to increase the value of your home and can potentially drive away potential buyers.
I have had several clients in town recently from Florida, Texas, and Arizona. They are all used to having pools. I thought I'd write about the drawbacks of having a pool in North Carolina.
A small pool in the Raleigh/Durham area is going to run you a minimum of $10,000 to install. However, comparitavely, there is little value that is added to the home as a result of this "improvement."
In addition, if the potential buyer of your home has small children, the pool becomes a liability. Parents of young children consider swimming pools a risk. At the same time, the insurance companies consider them a risk and the rates will be higher.
Put that on top of the costs associated with operating a private pool, and the monetary impact is just too much to consider building one in the back yard.
To add a little more fuel to the fire, keep in mind that many communities these days have their own swimming pool. Also, there is an abundance of "members only" pools where a family can purchase a membership, so the need for a pool in the back yard is not as great as it once was. I believe a couple of other posters noted the abundance of community pools in the area.
Put that on top of the costs associated with operating a private pool, and the monetary impact is just too much to consider building one in the back yard.
All excellent points. I'd add that pools have significant environmental impacts. Thus I prefer to utilize one that many people can use instead of just a family of four. Smaller environmental foot print that way.
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Me too!
In My Market Pools Aren't Worth It
