Buying a house with an underground pool. Is it worth it?

[clutterbox1830]

I live in SW Pa and looking to purchase a house with gf. We found a decent house and it has a gigantic underground pool in the backyard. Overall, the rest of the house is good/fair and it is in a decent area. The house itself is a little pricey, but hoping to negotiate a bit if it comes to that.

My question are pool worth the trouble in SW PA area where I assume weather permits only get a good 20-30 days use of it? I know this depends on the person's attitude on having it. We swim on occasion but are not avid swimmers and we have no kids or expected to in the future. I'm pretty sure I can find a cheaper home without one. Can someone with a pool at their home indicate if there are untold issues/cost on having one beside the maintenance and additional water/sewage cost?

[CurtEastPoint]

1. You mean an inground pool?

[clutterbox1830]

8. Ya. Sorry. I'm a pool noobie.

[CurtEastPoint]

11. It's OK. I was picturing something like the grottos in Capri! LOL!

My neighbors on both sides have a pool. The boys keep theirs immaculate and use it daily. The girls on the other side, not so much.

[Generic Brad]

10. I prefer underground pools

They are very quick-sandish.

[The empressof all]

2. I had a pool for years

If you aren't going to use it and love it don't do it. It doesn't sound like you love that home that much. It is a lot of work and things break and need repair

[defacto7]

3. If you need a place to store your plutonium rods

or are searching for neutrinos.

[Croney]

4. I suspect you mean in-ground pool?

Some people use an in-ground pool as a negative bargaining chip, offering less because they have to fill in the pool for liability purposes or to avoid high maintenance costs. You could try treating it as an unwanted nuisance when you're negotiating.

[Xipe Totec]

5. By underground you mean in-ground?

Because my relatives in Mexico have what are called aljives,

Basically underground pools or reservoirs of water. About 30' x 30' x 6'. Enough to hold 50,000 gallons of potable water.

https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aljibe

[lunasun]

12. I have seen cenotes in southern Mexico but never these... Interesting

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

6. A real estate agent I know always said pools reduced the value of a property

rather than raising it because they end up costing too much to maintain and repair. Some neighbors of my parents ended up filling theirs in because the upkeep was so expensive. I assume you mean in-ground and not actually underground, so the pool is outside. That means there is also some liability to worry about - a pool can be considered an "attractive nuisance," so if somebody, particularly children, get into your yard and use your pool you can be held liable if they drown or are injured even if you didn't give them permission to be there; many cities require pools to be fenced in for that reason. Your homeowners' insurance might be more expensive for the same reason.

If you really like swimming or expect to do a lot of entertaining around the pool in the summer it might be worth the extra expense and hassle. Personally, I wouldn't want one.

[clutterbox1830]

13. Thank you for your response.

Yes, I meant in-ground pool. Yes, luckily the pool area is fenced in. However, I didn't think about the possible increase in homeowners insurance. With the additional cost and extra work just to maintain one, I'm thinking this might not be the house for me either. Thank you very much for your input.

[djg21]

23. This is correct.

I bought a home with a pool. A pool does not add resale value to a home, and dissuades some potential purchasers who do not want to deal with a pool for one reason or another. Pools cost a decent amount to maintain, and take work. Where I am, the season is less than three months unless the pool is heated. I use mine a couple times each season. My Golden Retrievers love it and use it more than my wife or me. When it is closed, I must use a safety cover that the dogs can walk across it without falling in. The cover is a big expense. I’d never have another pool.

[Warpy]

7. An inground pool requires a considerable amount of maintenance

so look into the cost of things like pool maintenance companies. It would be usable probably late June through mid September, depending on the weather and whether or not you can stand cool water. I lived in an apartment in Boston with a pool and one dunk in that thing in June would keep me cool all day. It was great.

Another thing to consider is whether or not it's adequately secured against wandering children. Pools in some places are considered public nuisances if they're not fenced with locking gates.

However, if you and the gf are not avid swimmers and not social butterflies who'd attract guests with the offer of pool parties, then keep looking. They're great for people who love them, liabilities for people who don't.

[clutterbox1830]

14. Thank you for your response.

With the additional cost, maintenance, and other problem mentioned by ppl on these post, I'm thinking this might not be the house for us. Thank you very much for your input.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

21. Agree.

My friend would freak the fuck out whenever she would visit her parents house that had an in ground pool. They had to install high up locks because they were afraid the little one could wander in to the yard.

Now that the child is a little older and can swim, the pool is a blast.

Some other friends had to leave their roll on cover on for the same reason. The pool was too warm because it was always covered. Now their five kids are a little older I swear the kids are all part fish.

[FakeNoose]

9. Put a glass dome over the pool

Then it's no longer a nuisance and you can use it in the winter months.

It's not underground but it could be considered indoors.

[WinkyDink]

29. And in the summer you and the ants can be fried by the sun!

[FakeNoose]

30. Newsflash - it's not that hot here

I live in Pittsburgh and we don't have hot summers. I'll bet it got up to 90 degrees only once or twice this summer. Mostly it's in the 70's and 80's. This summer has been particularly cool and wet, but I haven't even used my air conditioner for the last 3 years in a row. We don't get many sunny days here either.

Also: domes are usually made with air vents.

[WinkyDink]

31. It's to laugh.

[lunasun]

15. No way but you can make the house a bargain if they accept how it lowers value and you plan

to stay awhile.

[TomSlick]

16. Definition of "Pool."

A hole in the yard into which one pours money.

[rainy]

17. We had an inground pool but when

my daughters had been out of the house for a few years my husband caved it in and covered it. He hated taking care of it and the pump. We never swam in it.

On the other hand, if you do want to use it you can actually heat it with solar panels.

[Fla Dem]

18. I have a pool. We're not avid swimmers or sun bathers.

It's great for entertaining and a quick cool off after working in the yard on a hot day. Get a lot of those in Fl, but really kind of a waste for us. Costs overall aren't too bad. Used to maintain ourselves, but now have a pool service. They do a better job. Service includes chemicals, so no longer have to purchase or store them.

Have friends that use their pool all the time. They really enjoy it. So it's really an individual thing.

[woodsprite]

19. My BIL put a solar heater and cover on his inground pool

He's in SE PA. Keeps the water right around 75-80, even into the start of fall. We've been in it as late as Oct. 16th. I'd say "go for it"! We have wonderful parties and family gatherings around the pool. Other than pool chemical, his other expenses are electricity to run the filter, and he did have to replace a part of the pool tile one time thanks to a huge branch that split off his tree.

[Major Nikon]

20. I wouldn't have one and I live in Texas

I'm sure there a plenty of folks that find them worthwhile, but to me it was just a large expense in terms of money and time when we have two large public pool complexes within a mile of my home. I know plenty of folks that have them and they are constantly complaining about maintenance issues, but rarely talk about using it regularly. So the question you have to ask yourself is what happens if you get tired of using it after one or two seasons? The answer is you still have to maintain it unless you use it for skateboarding or fill it up with dirt.

[Rhiannon12866]

22. When I was a kid, I used to bother my father about having a pool

And his answer was always the same: "You going to clean it?"

[Orrex]

24. I really wanted this to be about a Lex Luthor swimming pool

[MissB]

25. As long as the pool isn't in the basement

There is one in my neighborhood like that. I have never understood locating a pool in the basement of a wood framed home.

[mainstreetonce]

26. A realtor told us

An in ground pool greatly limits the resale potential of a home.

Unless you want the pool ,don't think of it as a home asset.

[SethH]

27. would that be a grotto?

if you can afford it, that sounds awesome

[WinkyDink]

28. I dreamt of having one my entire life (avid swimmer here). NOT WORTH IT! I just now, for $165,

joined my community center, have swum laps in the outdoor pool, and will enjoy the indoor pool ASAP!