A house with no backyard but a big pool???? (Boynton Beach: for sale, new home)

[jer2911]

We are house hunting and we keep coming across homes with big pools and no yards. Is this a common Florida thing? Is there a bonus to having no grass in your backyard that we don't know about? Why would you take away and entire yard with a gigantic pool? What about resale? All opinions welcomed

[SAKIRAV]

I think it depends where you're looking.

????

[smartygurl]

Less grass to mow.

[skylinet]

Many new homes are built on 1/8 of an acre, there isn't much yard left after you put a pool in.
Pool homes go pretty quick whether they have a yard or not. So many neighborhoods have a playground and or a pool.

[Godskid316]

Originally Posted by jer2911

We are house hunting and we keep coming across homes with big pools and no yards. Is this a common Florida thing? Is there a bonus to having no grass in your backyard that we don't know about? Why would you take away and entire yard with a gigantic pool? What about resale? All opinions welcomed

Having lived in South Florida for all of my 40+ years, maybe I can shed some light on the subject. As others have mentioned, many homes here are built on tiny lots so what little yard you have could easily be swallowed up by even an average size pool. We live on a 1/4 acre lot on a huge lake. We chose to put in a large pool and spa which takes up a good chunk of our yard. We still have some green space between the pool and the lake but we never use that space. First of all, it's so darn hot here for more than half the year, that truly, the only sane place to be if you're outside is either in the pool or by it! My kids are in the pool nearly everyday from April until December! In the evening, and during the cooler months, the kids on the street all gather and play in the cul de sac. Parents sit out in the front yards talking while the kids ride bikes or scooters or chase each other with Nerf guns! Unless there is a trampoline, I never really see kids playing in backyards. Pools are just part of that "Florida Lifestyle" - I couldn't stand living here without one!

[DaniellaG]

Many homes that are even millions you can touch your neighbor there is so little yard space. Not a fan of that at all. Many of the pools in these areas are for looks and not so much for use. Also for resale

[mayorhaggar]

If you think lots in South FL are small you should see lots in the older parts of Northern California where houses can be like a foot from one another and just a few feet from the sidewalk. Lots in S. FL differ in size but generally they have quite a bit of land. In the older parts of Wellington typically a backyard pool would be on one side of the backyard, and the other side would have a lot of grass where you could plant a garden, set up some benches, grow fruit trees, etc. But as has been said, people in Florida don't spend a lot of time outside so most people don't really care about their backyard other than a pool.

If you want bigger lots you either need to move somewhere in the sticks like Clewiston or Loxahatchee or buy an expensive house on a big lawn. Anywhere in the US with middle class homes on bigger lots will probably be somewhere more rural than South Florida which is generally nothing but suburban sprawl.

[ra1007]

Originally Posted by Godskid316

Having lived in South Florida for all of my 40+ years, maybe I can shed some light on the subject. As others have mentioned, many homes here are built on tiny lots so what little yard you have could easily be swallowed up by even an average size pool. We live on a 1/4 acre lot on a huge lake. We chose to put in a large pool and spa which takes up a good chunk of our yard. We still have some green space between the pool and the lake but we never use that space. First of all, it's so darn hot here for more than half the year, that truly, the only sane place to be if you're outside is either in the pool or by it! My kids are in the pool nearly everyday from April until December! In the evening, and during the cooler months, the kids on the street all gather and play in the cul de sac. Parents sit out in the front yards talking while the kids ride bikes or scooters or chase each other with Nerf guns! Unless there is a trampoline, I never really see kids playing in backyards. Pools are just part of that "Florida Lifestyle" - I couldn't stand living here without one!

Godskid: you have the perfect life! (imo). Are you in West palm/ Boynton? Maybe our family should buy a home in your neighborhood!!!!!! thanks for the post.

[Godskid316]

Yes, We have a wonderful neighborhood! We Live in a subdivision called Lakeview Estates. It's in Western Lake Worth, right next to Boynton Beach. I've posted about it before because most folks don't know we're here! We've lived here for 11 years and I'm happy to say that the neighborhood hasn't changed very much since then, except for the fact that the kids are growing up and there have been some new babies born! We know our neighbors and folks watch out for one another. We have Egg Hunts and holiday progressive dinners. Kids can ride bikes to the local elementary school and catch the bus at the resident entrance for the middle school. We have grocery stores and Target close by but we drive to either Boynton or Wellington for mall shopping or "big box" stores. We have two libraries within 10 minutes drive, many churches and temples, the YMCA and the JCC. Come on down and take a look. There are only a few houses for sale in here right now (that I know of) - you should be able to find something for the mid 300's.

[flguy123]

If you ask your kid(s): would you rather have a yard or a swimming pool, which do you think they'd rather have? We gave up our yard and had a huge pool built, and trust me the kids never say "gee, I wish I had a yard." Plus all their friends want to come over to our house, which is a good thing in my opinion. So like others said, since FL is so hot most of the year, the best place to be is in a pool (screened, preferably). If you can get both a yard and a pool, great, but it's rare in the "normal" price range.