Pools in TN? (hotels, buying a home, buying)

[mich2fla]

We started to look into Florida and found there are many homes with pools.

We shifted gears to look at TN because more of my kind of work is located there. TN can be warm/hot 6-8 months of the year - does anyone have a swimming pool? Where do they go to cool off? Stay inside all summer long?

Here in Michigan, there's plently of pools. What gives?

[Joe P]

Pursuant to Tennessee State Statute 1416.19 (2) pools may not be installed, built or constructed after the inception of bill HR9-89-148.2 which went into effect January 1, 2004.

There was a grandfather clause so basically if you had a pool prior to 1/1/2004 you can repair or replace it but you can't add one or build a new one as part of a house.

Joe

[theqbaby]

Do you know why that is ?

[mich2fla]

Yes, I'm curious like theqbaby!

So what about hotels and schools?

[MrsMichelle]

I have never heard of that statute. People in Shelby and Tipton county put pools in when ever they want. Also, the new YMCA has a nice pool and water park. There are plenty of hotels with pools also.

[Joe P]

Originally Posted by theqbaby

Do you know why that is ?

Yes. It's because if people are going to ask a stupid question like "Does anyone in Tennessee have a pool" then I feel compelled to give just as dumb an answer as "No, they are illegal in these here parts."

Joe

[Adream]

Originally Posted by Joe P

Yes. It's because if people are going to ask a stupid question like "Does anyone in Tennessee have a pool" then I feel compelled to give just as dumb an answer as "No, they are illegal in these here parts."

Joe

You bugger - that was funny!

[jriecke]

it was funny, BUT I was asking the same questions, I was house hunting and looked at hundreds of houses, no pools, it made me curious if it was because of water costs etc.

I don't think it was a dumb question, just an honest one.

Here is the answer I received.......

"I think the pool issue goes like this: For the most part the Mid South has the old history of a port and cotton town. So as the area grew, it grew from working class. The majority of pools would be in homes in a high price range. You do see the occasional lower prices home with a pool. But if you are buying a home say in the $130k range and want to put in a pool, you are looking at another $10k. Pools do not add value so, unless someone in really into swimming they just don't do it."

Thank you to the person who responded to my email.

Jamie

[mich2fla]

Originally Posted by jriecke

it was funny, BUT I was asking the same questions, I was house hunting and looked at hundreds of houses, no pools, it made me curious if it was because of water costs etc.

I don't think it was a dumb question, just an honest one.

Here is the answer I received.......

"I think the pool issue goes like this: For the most part the Mid South has the old history of a port and cotton town. So as the area grew, it grew from working class. The majority of pools would be in homes in a high price range. You do see the occasional lower prices home with a pool. But if you are buying a home say in the $130k range and want to put in a pool, you are looking at another $10k. Pools do not add value so, unless someone in really into swimming they just don't do it."

Thank you to the person who responded to my email.

Jamie

I did receive a PM explaining similar to what Jamie posted.

I was just covering my bases. I want to move the family so that I can advance my career. That's one thing we noticed when searching for homes on line, almost no pools were listed. If I can make the wife and 4 girls happy, the move will be easier.

Good one Joe P!

[mrradio]

in Tennessee and wondered about it. Coming from the Northeast where pools are popular, after talking with my neighbors and locals it seems to come down to a question of values. A lot of emphasis in our media and culture is placed on beaches, swimming, seaside resorts, glamorous vacations and perfect-body models by pools and surfside but here in TN people seem to be more interested in horses, hiking, fishing and hunting, the latter a definitely PC-incorrect attitude in the Northeast.

I spent a lot of money for a pool at my former NY home but after calculating the cost of installation and maintenance, the relatively short swimming season and the labor of upkeep, I now feel I would have been better off with whole-house air conditioning there, something that was nice (and expensive to run!) but not absolutely essential. Here A/C is everywhere and cheap to run.