Hi All,
We are in hunt for a house and the one we liked have a standard size (ie not kids one) swimming pool. Can you please share your experiences with a house with a pool. I was reading somewhere that it is a liablity than an asset. How much does it cost to maintain the pool (when we inspected the property the motor was continuously running, so I am assuming some additional electricity bill unless it runs off Solar - I am getting clarification).
What are the pros and cons of having a swimming pool in the property? We are looking to this rent this house out for first year or two - how will possible renters react?
Thanks in advance,
b_sean.
Don't do it!
It's not that pools have to be expensive to maintain, but they require know-how and labour. You have to clean all the fallen debris from the pool with a net, clean out the catcher baskets, clean out the bits that get stuck in the pool cleaner vacuum thing, cycle the pump, test the chlorine and buffer levels, add more chlorine/buffer, maintain the pump. If it's an above-ground or partially-above-ground pool you need to know how to check for leaks and how to patch them.
If there's off-peak or solar power at the property then it's not super expensive to run the pump (you don't run it 24-7 for a domestic pool), nor buy the chlorine and buffer solutions. Or replace the plastic bits that crack in the sun or from too much chlorine.
If you are renting it out, pay a pool cleaning company to look after it and add that to the rent. It'll be more expensive, so reduce the number of renters, but that way it will get cleaned.
I've lived in 2 houses with pools as a child/teen and I would never, ever, ever buy one. They are just way to much work for too little reward. Unless you have a need of one, such as an illness or disability that improves with regular swimming, don't do it.