Pros and Cons of Buying a Home with a Pool
Your move has just grown to new heights as you consider buying a home with a pool!
Relocation companies will tell you to go ahead and get all the extras you need for your pool and those will be included in your move! But you may want to consider a few things about owning a home with a pool before you sign the paperwork.
Pool owners will tell you there are advantages and disadvantages.
- Pools are fun! At first thought, having a pool means a lot of enjoyment for your family and yourself.
- Pools can improve your health. Everydayhealth.com says pools can help you live longer. Swimming, along with other forms of exercise, is great exercise and adds to your longevity. “According to a 2017 report commissioned by Swim England, swimmers had a 28 percent lower risk of early death and a 41 percent lower risk of death due to heart disease and stroke compared with those who don’t swim.” Are you thinking: Sign me up?
- Pools can add a sense of calm to your life. Exercise, in general, is associated with improving cognition, but when researchers studied the specific benefits of swimming on cognition, they found a unique benefit.
“In one small study from the journal Physiological Reports, participants who did a 20-minute, moderate-intensity swim processed visual information and responded faster on cognitive tests conducted right before and immediately after their swim.” (everydayhealth.com)
- Swimming has also been associated with better sleep patterns. According to the National Sleep Foundation’s 2013 Sleep in America poll (PDF), which focused on sleep and exercise, people who participated in aerobic exercise reported sleeping better; 76 to 83 percent of those who did light, moderate, or vigorous exercise reported very good or fairly good sleep quality versus 56 percent of non-exercisers.
- Owning a pool can help with chronic pain. The sheer weightlessness of being in the water helps, but swimming adds more: less joint pain and stiffness, as well as improved muscle strength.
- Having a pool can also expand your social life. Everyone loves a pool party, especially if you are young and looking to meet others.
While this list sounds wonderful, a pool also comes with some serious considerations. There are maintenance costs, higher insurance premiums, safety of loved ones to consider, and the impact—good and bad—on your property value. When it comes to owning a home with a pool, the following points will give you more to think about.
Pros and Cons of Pool Ownership
Pros: Good clean, Family Fun
Before you buy, get that pool inspected! Your first step when looking at a home with a pool is to get an inspector—a pool inspector. You want to have that person look at the pool’s operating system, interior surface, main drain, and deck surfacing as part of the same due diligence.
A pool is great for recreation. You can swim anytime you like.
Parties and Entertaining A pool is great for entertaining friends and family. Your pool will become the place where people like to be, especially on hot summer days.
Your Kids Will Love You Having a backyard pool can be a great source of recreation during summer breaks from school. A pool provides endless summer entertainment. Just make sure there is supervision!
Cons: You Could Also Take a Dive
Maintenance Time and Money These two things should be at the top of your list of considerations. Maintaining a pool means skimming, vacuuming, and chemical balancing almost every day. Experts say you should expect to spend about three to five hours per week on care for your pool. If your pool is heated, it can be used year-round. If not, you will only use it a precious few months a year. Opening and closing a pool requires time, effort, and money.
On average, expect to pay $50 to $100 per month to maintain your pool. If you opt to hire a pool service that expense can run into hundreds of additional dollars.
If you are thinking about buying a home with a pool, ask the seller for a report on regular maintenance and any repair work that has been done. If there are repetitive problems, beware!
Higher Energy Bills: In addition to chemicals and treatments, you’ll see a rise in utility bills. During your pool’s “open” season, plan to factor in at least an extra couple of hundred dollars per month for your utilities. Yes, you can install a solar heating unit on your roof, an expense your state or local government might partially cover.
Safety: Know the facts. Sadly, drownings and having a pool are often mentioned together. The leading cause of injury-related death in children 1 to 4 years old and the second leading cause in kids ages 1 to 15,” according to Parents Magazine, is having a pool.
When buying a house with a pool, it’s absolutely necessary that you take precautions. Preventative and protective measures include installing a safety fence around the pool, putting locks on the doors leading out to the pool, teaching your children to swim at a young age, and setting pool rules with your family will all help.
Have a set of Pool Rules and list number one as being: young children are not allowed in the pool areas without an adult present.
Higher Insurance Rates: Will you pay more for liability insurance? Yes. Insurance costs are already at a staggering high, so brace yourself for an increase. That said, if a pool is in your future, installing safety features like fencing, gates, and alarms can lower rates significantly.
According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission installing a fence is highly recommended along with door alarms on all doors leading to the pool area, including the entrance to the fenced-in area. Many experts also recommend that you ask the seller to have any diving boards removed before the closing date on the property.
Will having a pool increase your property value? Not necessarily.
If you live in a warm weather climate, you may see a jump in value. In fact, if you live in Florida, Arizona, Southern California, or any other warm-weather state, you may be likely to resell your home if the property has a pool.
House hunters in these locations often list having a pool as one of their top priorities. But, if you live in an area like New England or the Midwest, you are better off skipping the pool. People who live in a cold weather climate view owning a pool as a hassle.
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