Does adding a pool increase home value?

[TheVillagesYoungster]

I was doing some research to see if adding a pool and spa increases the value of your home as much or more than the cost of the pool. My conclusions were inconclusive. Does the forum have any evidence or suggestions on where to search for better results?

[CarlR33]

Welcome to the forum. Depends on so many factors and location, etc. Look on The Villages Homes for sale and compare home with and without pool in same neighborhood. If I add a pool to my home I would get most of it back as I have a view. You don’t say if you have a home already and want to add a pool and spa to it?

[retiredguy123]

I would never expect to recover 100 percent of the cost for any upgrade. But in the case of a pool, it would decrease the value to me because I would never buy a house with a pool. Too much maintenance and liability.

[patfla06]

I would never expect to recover 100 percent of the cost for any upgrade. But in the case of a pool, it would decrease the value to me because I would never buy a house with a pool. Too much maintenance and liability.

We had a pool and hot tub in our previous house for 17 years. Loved and enjoyed it. But this was also when our Son was growing up.
When we moved here we didn’t want either. It’s a responsibility we no longer wanted as we got older.

[tophcfa]

If it has privacy and a view I would say probably yes. If it’s looking out at the back of other homes probably not.

[bmcgowan13]

Keep in mind once you have the pool installed there is no going back.

You will have limited your pool (no pun intended) of interested buyers to those who *want* a pool. We did not want a pool in our new home so any home with one already installed was out of the running and we had no interest in seeing the house. More than just a few consider a pool an expense and liability they want to avoid.

OTOH--if you have *room* for a pool then your field of interested buyers is everybody.

Best advise would be to assume you are putting it in for *your* enjoyment during the years you are here and then see what happens.

[shut the front door]

Keep in mind once you have the pool installed there is no going back.

You will have limited your pool (no pun intended) of interested buyers to those who *want* a pool. We did not want a pool in our new home so any home with one already installed was out of the running and we had no interest in seeing the house. More than just a few consider a pool an expense and liability they want to avoid.

OTOH--if you have *room* for a pool then your field of interested buyers is everybody.

Best advise would be to assume you are putting it in for *your* enjoyment during the years you are here and then see what happens.

My realtor informed me that WAY more prospective buyers prefer homes WITH pools than without.

[retiredguy123]

According to the National Association of Realtors, an inground pool will return only 56 percent of the cost to install it upon resale.

[BrianL99]

I was doing some research to see if adding a pool and spa increases the value of your home as much or more than the cost of the pool. My conclusions were inconclusive. Does the forum have any evidence or suggestions on where to search for better results?

Probably the worst "investment" you could make.

With the over-priced pools in TV, expect to get back about 20¢ for every 1$ you spend.

You can search on Google all day and you won't find a single source (other than TOTV), that will tell you a pool is a good "investment".

[Danube]

My realtor informed me that WAY more prospective buyers prefer homes WITH pools than without.

And realtors always tell the truth. It's a rule. Don't believe me, just ask one.

[jrref]

My realtor informed me that WAY more prospective buyers prefer homes WITH pools than without.

That's because they don't understand the extra costs and liabiliy of owning a pool. All they see is something that looks nice.

[jimbomaybe]

That's because they don't understand the extra costs and liabiliy of owning a pool. All they see is something that looks nice.
They understand SALE, closing = commission

[BrianL99]

My realtor informed me that WAY more prospective buyers prefer homes WITH pools than without.

If real estate sales people were even 1/2 as smart and qualified as they think they are, they would have retired at 40 years old. Instead, most of them are still working in their 70's, spreading their "knowledge" far and wide.

[Topspinmo]

Yes and no, depends?

[thelegges]

Probably the worst "investment" you could make.

With the over-priced pools in TV, expect to get back about 20¢ for every 1$ you spend.

You can search on Google all day and you won't find a single source (other than TOTV), that will tell you a pool is a good "investment".

How much of a loss did you take on your TV pool, or multi TV houses with a pool. To give first hand perspective to future residents in TV on buying or building a home with a pool, is great I tell instead of an article

[jimhoward]

The economics in the Villages with respect to pools seems to be different than everywhere else in the planet. In most places the pools don't add much to the value of a home, because as many people don't want them as do.

But in the Villages its different. If you search listing in either MLS or on thevillages.com you will find asking prices for homes with pools are $100-$150K more than similar homes without pools.

The cheapest home right now on thevillages.com that is at least 1700 SF and has a pool is $750K.

There are also a couple of small 1200SF cottages for sale with small pools for which they are asking $575K.

Also, because there are so few pool homes on the market relative to the total number of listings. They probably sell fast. I only counted 26 pools homes for sale on thevillages.com.

[tophcfa]

Supply and demand drives prices. There are typically several relatively expensive high end homes available with pools, so a pool in a home like that would tend to add less value simply because of the supply. On the other hand, it is very difficult to find a relatively modest home, at a more affordable price point, that has a pool, especially one with a view and privacy. A pool would most definitely add value to such a home. That’s one of the primary reasons we felt comfortable adding a pool to our very modest home with a private wildlife preserve in the back yard. We searched long and hard to find such a home and it simply wasn’t available, so we bought our modest home and had the pool built. Our home has approximately doubled in value since we bought it 10 years ago, even after taking into account the cost of adding the pool. Also, it doesn’t hurt that the cost of building a pool has about doubled since ours was built.

[Rainger99]

Do those of you that have a pool know how much that increases your property insurance?

That is one of the first questions that I always get when talking to an insurance agent. I always answer no so I don’t know how much owning one increases your insurance.

[USOTR]

New homes, built designed around the pool feature, in increase the value accordingly. Take an existing home and add a pool, and you may increase the value 30 to 50 percent.


As some have stated, the bad news is you now removed your home from consideration by all the citizens who do NOT want a pool. Considering our membership comes with pool rights to over 70 pools, I would think those wanting a private pool would be very limited.

[BrianL99]

New homes, built designed around the pool feature, in increase the value accordingly. Take an existing home and add a pool, and you may increase the value 30 to 50 percent.


I'd love to see some evidence to support that conclusion.

[Berwin]

Having owned a home with a pool before, the last thing I wanted when we moved here was all the work involved in maintaining a pool. With several pools, including an indoor one, just a short golf cart ride from our house, why bother? It was great back when we had kids and then grandkids around but I'll take a community pool any day now.

[BlueStarAirlines]

As some have stated, the bad news is you now removed your home from consideration by all the citizens who do NOT want a pool. Considering our membership comes with pool rights to over 70 pools, I would think those wanting a private pool would be very limited.

If you REALLY want to get a understanding on how popular having your own pool is, read the ARC submissions each week for the districts. There are anywhere between 3-5 new applications for a pool each week. The desire for them seems to be pretty steady.

I think the actual number of folks that do not want a pool are relatively small. I think the majority of folks just don't want to pay the additional cost for a home that has a pool...so they say that they don't want a pool. Most people would say they don't want a 4 car garage, but if their lot could accommodate it and it was free they would take it....just like a pool. There are very few that are adamantly against it.

[MandoMan]

Keep in mind once you have the pool installed there is no going back.

You will have limited your pool (no pun intended) of interested buyers to those who *want* a pool. We did not want a pool in our new home so any home with one already installed was out of the running and we had no interest in seeing the house. More than just a few consider a pool an expense and liability they want to avoid.

OTOH--if you have *room* for a pool then your field of interested buyers is everybody.

Best advise would be to assume you are putting it in for *your* enjoyment during the years you are here and then see what happens.

While you are right, there’s a complication. True, a lot of people aren’t interested in buying a home with a pool or in-ground hot tub, so if you have one, they won’t be interested in your house. But there are also a lot of people who WANT a pool and won’t consider your house if you don’t have one. I’ve been told by agents that there are a lot more people who want pools than there are pools to be had, so they keep the price up. I understand that these days a pool (with heat pump, heating tubes on the roof, concrete work, bigger bird cage) can easily top $100,000. I’ve been in a couple here that had to be much more than that. The fancier your house is, the fancier your pool should be.

You should also have enough patio inside the birdcage for lots of patio furniture. A wall to wall pool doesn’t cut it. I had a pool in my first home in The Villages. The sellers probably made a profit because pools were much cheaper when they had it put in. It was 15’x30’. That was long enough to swim laps, but it’s nicer to swim laps in a bigger pool. I had a heat pump installed. That cost $6,000, and it was loud. There was already a tube heater on the roof, but that isn’t enough in the winter. Combined with one of those bubble wrap pool covers, the heat pump could keep the pool at 90° in January. I soon realized, though, that I only rarely used the pool, as I live alone. I only used it with guests, and I rarely had guests. I soon took to heating the pool only when I knew guests were coming who would enjoy the pool. That was cheaper. When guests were there, though, we never swam. We just sat on the concrete benches in the pool or walked back and forth and chatted. I saw an in-ground hot tub here a few years ago what was about 8’x15’. It had benches along both sides. It seems to me that that would be a lot of fun at a party, and it would need a much smaller heater. Ideal. (In my experience, people who don’t have heat pumps don’t use their pools six months a year, and if you rent a home with a pool for a couple months in the winter, if you don’t have a heat pump, you won’t be using that pool.

I found that my pool was costing me $2,000 a year for cleaning and water testing (it was a salt water pool, which I highly recommend), and about $2,000 more for maintenance. Given how rarely I used it, it was costing me about $1,000 per use.

[Bassdeer]

Having owned a home with a pool before, the last thing I wanted when we moved here was all the work involved in maintaining a pool. With several pools, including an indoor one, just a short golf cart ride from our house, why bother? It was great back when we had kids and then grandkids around but I'll take a community pool any day now.

I agree, just sold our house with a pool in TX and got to TV a week ago. Although I loved the pool and we used it all the time, I won't miss taking care of it. My buddy that's an appraiser said it really only adds around 16k to the house. I'm like yea right, tell a pool builder you want a pool in your back yard for 16k. House was only on the market 15 days, and we got a full price offer.

[Worldseries27]

according to the national association of realtors, an inground pool will return only 56 percent of the cost to install it upon resale.
this is a tricky equation to analyze. Assuming that number is accurate is it applicable to the tv ? Obviously not. There are no definitive answers here. People who spend upwards to 200k a lot and are bidding against a minimum of 50 people for that lot are more than likely going to build a pool without a second thought. People who buy interior lots will see the logic of swimming in the community pool. Neither decision is wrong. Any analysis that says you're going to lose money in tv on a real estate purchase with or without a pool is certainly a suspect analysis .

[Cuervo]

If you go on to the internet in general states you will never get 100% of the cost back, The Villages might be different. Putting the cost aside you have to decide if you really want it and are going to take full use of it. We had a large pool in Staten Island N.Y., it was great the first year, then I found myself spending more time maintaining it than swimming in it.

[jerseyjoy]

Our first house in The Villages had a beautiful pool. We were in it almost daily, and at night in the summer. Maintenance cost was the cost of weekly pool service. Five years ago it was approx $120 per month. When we put the house on the market, it sold in one day, because of the pool.

[frayedends]

Count me in the minority that think in Florida it absolutely adds value. At least in the southern, newer areas it does. It seems houses with pools are getting about 200K more and the pools are generally in the 150-175K range.

I am building a pool now and it was mandatory for me when I bought here. I much prefer the convenience and lack of silly rules at my home. Pool maintenance is super easy these days with the salt water systems. I've never seen any different in insurance premiums. My pool in Massachusetts is probably used only 20-30 actual days per year and I still wouldn't go without a pool.

[BlueStarAirlines]

I agree, just sold our house with a pool in TX and got to TV a week ago. My buddy that's an appraiser said it really only adds around 16k to the house. I'm like yea right, tell a pool builder you want a pool in your back yard for 16k. House was only on the market 15 days, and we got a full price offer.

We really need to stop comparing real estate from wherever we came from and applying the logic to The Villages. No one had bidding wars of 40-50 people willing to spend up to $250k on a plot of land just to then build a house of top of that....multiple times a month every month.

[BrianL99]

We really need to stop comparing real estate from wherever we came from and applying the logic to The Villages. No one had bidding wars of 40-50 people willing to spend up to $250k on a plot of land just to then build a house of top of that....multiple times a month every month.

I don't know where you come from, but there's nothing special about The Villages Real Estate market. It operates like the real estate market all over the USA, other than perhaps a little more manipulated than most, because of the Developer's interests.

In other words, the market here isn't different than anywhere else, other than for the most gullible, dazzled by the Developer's smoke & mirror show.

[Worldseries27]

we really need to stop comparing real estate from wherever we came from and applying the logic to the villages. No one had bidding wars of 40-50 people willing to spend up to $250k on a plot of land just to then build a house of top of that....multiple times a month every month.
amen

[Nana2Teddy]

New homes, built designed around the pool feature, in increase the value accordingly. Take an existing home and add a pool, and you may increase the value 30 to 50 percent.


As some have stated, the bad news is you now removed your home from consideration by all the citizens who do NOT want a pool. Considering our membership comes with pool rights to over 70 pools, I would think those wanting a private pool would be very limited.
The Villages is up to 115+ pools now. Of course it’s not practical to swim at all of them considering the size of TV, but some do take on that challenge. We’ve enjoyed 5 so far, with the one that’s a 2 minute walk from our home the least used one for us. For us though the downside to TV pools is the water gets too hot in the warmest months of July/August, which for us personally is not a refreshing experience.

[Nana2Teddy]

Having owned a home with a pool before, the last thing I wanted when we moved here was all the work involved in maintaining a pool. With several pools, including an indoor one, just a short golf cart ride from our house, why bother? It was great back when we had kids and then grandkids around but I'll take a community pool any day now.

As far as we know and have been told, there’s no indoor pool in The Villages.

[gldfin]

The Villages is very different from most places in the country when it comes to pools. In The Villages you can recover 100 percent of the initial cost of building a pool if done efficiently on the right lot less maintenance and operating costs.

[Ptmcbriz]

Look at homes that are for sale that are similar, only one with pool and one not. That will tell you. In our neighborhood of Hawkins a few homes (all Verandas) have sold recently with similar views, square footage, pools, and upgrades as my home at $1M -$1.2M. All of us bought our homes 4 years ago new in the low to mid $600K. You do get your money back in my opinion.

[asianthree]

I have met people who don’t want a pool because in previous life it wasn’t fun, and those who can’t take on the financial aspect say they never want a pool. I swim everyday 2-3 miles 11.5 months a year. That isn’t going to happen at 4 am in any public TV pool. Plus after I sat in any of the 6 areas of comfortable cushion loveseat, sectional, rockers, or polywood chairs read a book with only sounds of birds and the waterfall. No noise of conversation with 10+ people rudely talking on speaker phone

We had opportunity for pool at build, but definitely chose not to use T&D. I know 80% say it’s the only way to go. However we used a family owned company that has been in business more than 50 years, with employees averaging 40 years with the company.
We built larger, with exactly what we wanted in design, (T&D @ build 2 designs no exception) and better equipment than T&D offered. Still saving money, complete in 9 weeks, and customer service better Costco:p.

I don’t understand all the complaints about upkeep. I test the water once a week add appropriate chemicals in less than 2 minutes.
As far as cleaning it does take 30 seconds to drop C-3PO into the pool. 3 hours later, every wall, step, and floor is cleaned just like the first day it was new.

My monthly cost including cost of robot, is at $23.56, less during December to March, more July and August. Still averaging under $24.

According to Seco my added bill is $19-26 a month. Theoretically if one can afford to build the pool, $50 a month isn’t a problem. As far as insurance it was $264 more a year. The dog up north added an extra $109 a year. So the pool wasn’t that much of a step up.

[Keithtama]

I was doing some research to see if adding a pool and spa increases the value of your home as much or more than the cost of the pool. My conclusions were inconclusive. Does the forum have any evidence or suggestions on where to search for better results?
New England no, Villages yes!

[Johnnybgood]

We have a pool/spa in the villages. As far as maintenance it’s more work cleaning the toilet than a pool. Since pools are enclosed and have salt generators very little maintenance is needed. Up north our pool was total work. Also values do go up on homes with pools. Just look at your sales of homes in the villages

[Rwirish]

No and they are a total waste of money. TV has plenty of pools you already pay for.

[jimhoward]

Do those of you that have a pool know how much that increases your property insurance?

That is one of the first questions that I always get when talking to an insurance agent. I always answer no so I don’t know how much owning one increases your insurance.

It does increase it, as does the birdcage which surrounds it. I don't know numbers since I have never priced it both with and without a pool. But I don't think it is exorbitant.

[ron32162]

Yes it will increase the value here in The Villages .Other areas in general pools usually increase the value by may be 20% return but here as told to me by a independent appraiser in the Villages you will make all of your money back and make your home more desirable for buyers when selling. Pool homes do not stay on the market for long.

[merrymini]

Pools seem to be a Florida tradition and certainly people love them. However, many people I know, I never owned a pool but only a hot tub, are relieved when they no longer have to take care of a pool and use them less and less as time goes by. This is one of those individual preferences issue, however, the cost of installation is daunting. I have never heard of any improvement returning 100 percent.

[Bwanajim]

I've always had a pool and the first thing I did when I bought my house was put a pool in. I jump in it every morning to swim a little bit and wake up. Especially when it's cold. I didn't pay for a heater. It never really gets below 60°, and after the first lap, you're not cold.
I'm not worried about resale or getting the money back, I put it in because I love having a pool.

[elle123]

I was doing some research to see if adding a pool and spa increases the value of your home as much or more than the cost of the pool. My conclusions were inconclusive. Does the forum have any evidence or suggestions on where to search for better results?
I wouldn't spend more than $100,000 to install a pool just as a future investment, especially if your home has "no" view or privacy. However, if you really want a pool and have the funds then do it.

[La lamy]

I have no use for our pool up north. It would be a deterrent for me if I was to buy again.

[retiredguy123]

The OP's question was about recovering "ALL" of the money they paid for the pool upon resale. In my opinion, the chances of doing that are very slim.

[dstewart83161]

What kind of pool are you planning on putting in that you expect to get full value out of? The answer on this varies based on your intent. If you spend 200,000 to put an extra extravagant pool onto a lot where the pool is approaching the price of the home then you’re never gonna get your value out of it.

Most people in this thread are forgetting that there’s a buyer for everything so making a statement that you think it’s a bad idea to put a pool in because you don’t want to pull yourself is actually a rather silly statement. There are tons of people that are moving into the villages, like me that have lived in the north and have always dreamed of having a house with a pool. Quite frankly, I don’t think spending 150 bucks a month to have it maintained by somebody else as unreasonable in that to me is quite acceptable for owning a home with a pool. Other people think that that’s a ridiculous expense. You have people that would only want a two bedroom house in the villages and wouldn’t even think of buying a four bedroom house so they would think I was crazy for having built mine as a four bedroom with a pool. But quite frankly, I was looking for how I want to spend the next few years of my life having family and friends and to enjoy a nice relaxing environment that I’ve created for myself.

Bottom line is there is a buyer for everything so build what you want knowing that somebody out there is gonna find value in your home at the point in time when you are ready to sell it. Just pay attention to the area that you’re building in or buying in and the type of balance between what you’re spending on the pool matched with the type of home that is included.

[MrFlorida]

It's a deal breaker for me, Had pools for years in the past, don't want one now. I would pass on a house with a pool...

[jimjamuser]

Personally, I would NOT want a pool even if it would be added for FREE to my home. The neighborhood pools are fine with me. They have at least 2 advantages. One is that I can swim longer distances than I could in a home pool. Second, I can meet more NEW people at a Village pool. Another is that it is easier to work on your suntan at a Village pool.

[Kevco]

I was doing some research to see if adding a pool and spa increases the value of your home as much or more than the cost of the pool. My conclusions were inconclusive. Does the forum have any evidence or suggestions on where to search for better results?

People that want a pool AND can afford a pool do so. Are you worried about resale value? Consider your age, just where are you taking all that resale money? You’re retired, you have worked hard to get to this point in your life. Buy a home with the “fun stuff” that YOU want, not what others say.
Look at your car, have you ever gotten your money back on that bad decision? You lost 20% - 30% the day you drove it off the dealers lot. It’s been diving in value ever since.
Pool companies: Do your research, get referrals. Don’t believe a single bit of the hype about this company or that company. They all make you wait, they all are terrible at communication with you after the deposit.
Gotta go, if you need me I’ll be out in the pool. ((((( SPLASH )))))

[BrianL99]

there’s a buyer for everything



... at a price.

[jrref]

When you add a pool you also have to add the bird cage.

Added Expenses:
1) Monthly pool maintenance. Chemicles, cleaning, etc..
2) If you want it heated you need to purchase, maintain and run another heat pump system.
3) If you want a solar heater, you need to purchase, install and maintain that too.
4) When we have storms, your bird cage screens could get damaged and you need to replace them, big bucks if you have a lot of screens to be replaced.
5) Added homeowners and liability insurance. Anyone getting hurt using or from the pool area, major lawsuit.
6) The pool tile, liner, pump, filter, etc, won't last forever so at some point you will need to do maintenance on those items as well.

If you want your own private pool, great but don't say it's cheap to have, it's a luxury.

When I play golf I rarely see people in their private pools. Maybe I'm missing something.

[Larryandlinda]

I thought it would be a waste of money and time for upkeep.
Even though we’re a 4 minute bike from Savannah sports pool,
Linda uses it once or twice a day for a few dozen laps when we are in TV 5-6 times a year.
It’s 54’ x 9’
Renters like it and helps ‘premiereify’ and justify the rent cost.
Birthday suits are fine and the only beings that can see us have never made any comments except for a quack quack now and then

[Worldseries27]

i have met people who don’t want a pool because in previous life it wasn’t fun, and those who can’t take on the financial aspect say they never want a pool. I swim everyday 2-3 miles 11.5 months a year. That isn’t going to happen at 4 am in any public tv pool. Plus after i sat in any of the 6 areas of comfortable cushion loveseat, sectional, rockers, or polywood chairs read a book with only sounds of birds and the waterfall. No noise of conversation with 10+ people rudely talking on speaker phone

we had opportunity for pool at build, but definitely chose not to use t&d. I know 80% say it’s the only way to go. However we used a family owned company that has been in business more than 50 years, with employees averaging 40 years with the company.
We built larger, with exactly what we wanted in design, (t&d @ build 2 designs no exception) and better equipment than t&d offered. Still saving money, complete in 9 weeks, and customer service better costco:p.

I don’t understand all the complaints about upkeep. I test the water once a week add appropriate chemicals in less than 2 minutes.
As far as cleaning it does take 30 seconds to drop c-3po into the pool. 3 hours later, every wall, step, and floor is cleaned just like the first day it was new.

My monthly cost including cost of robot, is at $23.56, less during december to march, more july and august. Still averaging under $24.

According to seco my added bill is $19-26 a month. Theoretically if one can afford to build the pool, $50 a month isn’t a problem. As far as insurance it was $264 more a year. The dog up north added an extra $109 a year. So the pool wasn’t that much of a step up.
care to share name of your pool company builder. Have people interested. Thank you

[MoeVonB61]

I was doing some research to see if adding a pool and spa increases the value of your home as much or more than the cost of the pool. My conclusions were inconclusive. Does the forum have any evidence or suggestions on where to search for better results?
LOCATION, LOCATION, - The average sale price per square foot does NOT include pool measurements.......but ask a Realtor they have the answer..

[BrianL99]

When I play golf I rarely see people in their private pools. Maybe I'm missing something.

In 5 years in TV, playing golf on Championship courses at least 5 days a week. I have yet to see someone in a pool.

For that matter, I could go two weeks without seeing someone in their Lanai. I'm convinced the vast majority of Villagers, are delusional. I keep reading about all these people who need a pool, because they use it all the time ... need a huge lanai, because they have so much company ... throw all that in with the "I see golf carts every day, going 35 MPH" and I start to wonder if folks are smokin' the really good stuff.

[Larryandlinda]

Unless you’re a duck in the ‘lake’ behind us, you’ll never see us either, and it’s used daily as is the birdcage - in fact we spend over half waking hours out there knitting, working on bikes, reading, writing to lawmakers, and running the family store back home by remote control.
For climate control we open windows at night and close up and lower insulating shades when the inside/outside temps
reverse.
A dip in the pool lowers the core and we ok only use ac for guests that request it or when we can’t get the inside to 85.
We’re lifelong acclimators, headed towards 80, and aren’t suffering.
We have solar electricity , dry clothes on a line, and our electric meter goes backwards more often than forward - hence they pay us

[DrMack]

We have had several pools. I wouldn’t recommend a pool EVER as an investment. If you want to sell your home with a pool, the potential buyer group will be limited. You still have crazies who think basically a bathtub in a backyard here will somehow double the value of their home. The smaller the pool, the less the chance of ever recouping anything. Buyers with a million dollars aren’t interested in anything less than a top shelf type pool.

[frayedends]

Personally, I would NOT want a pool even if it would be added for FREE to my home. The neighborhood pools are fine with me. They have at least 2 advantages. One is that I can swim longer distances than I could in a home pool. Second, I can meet more NEW people at a Village pool. Another is that it is easier to work on your suntan at a Village pool.

I am not much of a swimmer, but unless you are at the sports pools I don't think you are able to swim much distance in the Village pools. Always some people in the way or annoyed at swimmers since they just want to sit around and relax. But then again, I have taken the cart for a 20 minute ride to pools that are rarely used and they are empty.

I do agree on the socializing aspect. We are building our pool now and asked each other if we would go to the public pools again. We agree that we may go if we feel like socializing or meeting new people.

I don't know how suntanning would be different except maybe the screen. But I see that as a positive. Anything cutting out the sunburn is not a bad thing. No shortage of sun.

[Cdj1040]

We have a pool. We travel quite a lot and are away as much as 2 months every fall. We hire a pool service because of this. It is $135 a month for weekly treatments and cleaning. It's lovely to look at and we use it occasionally. We are both in pools almost every day but not our own. My husband is a water volleyball addict and I enjoy water fitness classes. So....it depends on how much you actually plan to use it. Your electric bill spikes a lot of you want to heat it in cool weather so we don't use it then. Think it over before you add one. Many people have them and don't use them much and would not build one again. Others save money by servicing it themselves but it needs weekly treatments and cleaning.
QUOTE=TheVillagesYoungster;2441909]I was doing some research to see if adding a pool and spa increases the value of your home as much or more than the cost of the pool. My conclusions were inconclusive. Does the forum have any evidence or suggestions on where to search for better results?[/QUOTE]

[CoachKandSportsguy]

I was doing some research to see if adding a pool and spa increases the value of your home as much or more than the cost of the pool.

Only if you are flipping houses. If you aren't flipping houses, having/not having a pool doesn't matter.

If you want a pool and can afford a pool, buy a pool. Who cares what your resale will be if you get your money's worth in enjoyment.

If you are flipping houses, make sure your financial analysis doesn't have a lot of hopium in the numbers. And if you are flipping houses, then you should probably already know this answer

[Ptmcbriz]

We use our pool a lot. I provide water aerobics 3 hours a week for 5 of my neighbors. No one likes to have to stand in line over an hour to get get a spot on the sports pools here.

My pool is 2 years old and it’s zero maintenance for me. I pay $125/mo for weekly cleaning and chemicals. My pool is heated pretty much year round except for July and August and it costs me on average an extra $100-$150 in electricity to keep it warm although I do have a underground roll out blanket for the winter.

Well worth it !

[thevillager1988]

Back in 1999, we put a lot of effort into making our first home more appealing for sale. I remember thinking at the time, Why didn’t we do all this while we lived here so we could have enjoyed it ourselves? Since then, every improvement we've made to our homes has been with our own enjoyment in mind. For example, we added a pool here—not for resale value, but because we wanted to enjoy it. Whatever return we get when we sell is secondary.