Should I get a pool? If you've been trying to decide whether or not
you should build a pool at your house, you're in the right place!
Today I'm dishing out five things you need to consider before you take a shovel to the backyard.
If this is your first time here, welcome! If you've been here before thank you so much for
coming back and for spending your time with me. My name is Lindsay and I'm proud to be your Anthem,
Arizona REALTOR® with the Wise Move AZ Team at Realty ONE Group. On this channel we have a lot
of fun talking about all things Anthem and real estate, every single Thursday, and we absolutely
love having you along for the ride. If nobody's told you building a pool is messy, time consuming,
and pricey. Seriously, the equipment tearing up your flower beds on their way into the backyard
is just the start. So, if you build a pool you want to make sure that you do it right, eyes wide
open and knowing that the benefit of having a pool outweighs the cost of building it. Sound good? If
you aren't debating whether or not to build a pool at your current home, but rather whether
or not you should buy a home with a pool, you're going to want to click and watch this video. Now,
of course, I can't make sweeping statements like 'yes, everyone should definitely build a pool'
or 'no, are you crazy?! Under no circumstances should you build a pool'. That would be rather
ridiculous... This is a very personal decision that depends on you, your family, and your goals.
So, instead of making blanket statements, in this video I want to share five vital considerations
for you to think about before you decide to start building. #1: HOA Approval. First things first,
do you live in a community that's overseen by a homeowners association? If so, I want
you to get your hands on all of the governing documents and review them carefully. Are pools
allowed? Are there rules about design approval, setbacks, and so on? If yes, I recommend that you
talk to the HOA and learn a little bit more about their process. Do you need to submit an
application before building? Is there a committee you should be talking to? What needs to be
included in your application? Does the pool need to be in ground or can it be above ground? Learn
as much as you can about what's allowed in your community and what the timeline is for getting
all of the necessary approvals. In Anthem, where we live, you are able to build a pool in your
backyard. There's an application process and there are a few rules regarding setbacks and so on.
Overall, I've heard that the process is pretty easy to navigate. In many cases you'll be able
to find local contractors who can work closely with you on putting together your application
and submitting it to the HOA. Ask neighbors and friends in the area for recommendations.
If you don't have an HOA are there other bylaws that come into play? Overall,
the goal here is to make sure that you can in fact proceed with building a pool in my opinion.
This is one of those situations where you ask for permission rather than forgiveness. #2: Use.
This one is kind of a two-parter. Next, I want you to think about what you want to use the pool for.
Will it be for lounging, playing with the kids or grandkids, or for fitness? Maybe it's one or
all of those reasons. What you intend to use the pool for will dictate the type of pool you should
build. If you just want to be able to pop in with a cocktail at the end of a long day at the office,
a small pool or spool may be perfect for you. If you want to swim laps or if you need
to accommodate the kids cannonballs off a diving board, you're going to need to think bigger. Going
larger and deeper with the pool usually adds to the final bill. So, I want you to think long and
hard about the pool you realistically need to achieve your goals. In addition, I want you to
think about how you currently use your backyard and how you'll use your backyard when the pool
is built. Will you still have enough room in your backyard to enjoy the activities you currently do?
Will there still be room for grilling, playing basketball, letting the dog out? Will you lose
some of the functionality your yard currently has by building a pool? Are you okay with that?
I want you to think about the use of your pool and the use of your backyard in depth. #3:
Ongoing Costs. Before you sign the paperwork to start building your new pool
you need to make sure that you can afford the ongoing costs of pool maintenance and ownership.
The cost of regular cleanings, annual maintenance, and repairs can add up. You can save yourself some
money by taking on the regular cleanings and the labor part of the maintenance and repairs,
but remember if you're doing this work yourself you still need to budget for all of the supplies.
Costs may also pop up in unexpected ways. For example, your homeowner's insurance may be
higher because you have a pool. Your utilities will also be higher if you have a pool. These
added costs are usually quite manageable if you know what to expect and can budget accordingly.
If you know someone in the neighborhood who has a pool you may want to chat with them
about their utilities and compare their usage to yours. While there are a lot of things that
can contribute to utility usage, this can give you a good starting point. You can also contact
local pool maintenance and supply companies to understand the costs in your area. If you decide
to heat your pool in the cooler months your costs can increase dramatically. Additionally, every
once in a while your pool will require major work, like resurfacing. This can set you back thousands
of dollars depending on the finish and the cost of labor. We recommend setting money aside every
year to soften the blow when these bigger ticket items pop up. If you can afford the ongoing cost
to care for your pool you're in great shape. #4: Reason for Building. This one might feel a little
philosophical, but I want you to take a step back and think about why you want to build this pool in
the first place. Is it because you're planning to use it and enjoy it for years to come, or are you
hoping that it will add significantly to the value of your property? If you're building it because
you know that it will bring you and your family years of enjoyment, that's great! If you want to
build it solely because of return on investment or you're hoping that it will increase the value of
your property dramatically, I want you to pause. Now, this video is on YouTube and you could be
watching from anywhere in the world, so, I want to avoid making blanket statements about the value of
adding a pool to a property. What I can tell you, is that where I live in Anthem, Arizona,
the cost of building a pool is typically higher than the value added to the property.
If you want some tangible numbers on how your home's value will increase by building a pool,
I recommend that you contact a local REALTOR®. They'll be able to run comps for your home and
be able to give you an idea if home prices are trending upwards or downwards in your area.
If you happen to live in Anthem or North Phoenix we would be happy to help with
this information. Throughout the process of deciding whether or not you should build a pool,
I want you to keep your sights on why you started this project in the first place.
#5: Does it make more sense to just move? This might sound completely ridiculous on its face,
but hear me out. Building a pool is expensive and disruptive. Think really loud equipment,
all day long, for weeks on end. Before you move forward with building your own pool,
should you consider selling your existing home and buying a home with a pool? You might be thinking,
'oh yeah, here's a REALTOR® trying to get me to spend money on a new home and I promise
that is not my intention. This is just research I encourage you to do so that whatever decision you
make, you're doing it fully informed. Maybe there are other things at the same time that you wish
you could change about your home, a little more space, a walk-in closet, a different neighborhood,
etc. I recommend chatting with a local REALTOR® about what your home would be worth on the market
today, as is. I also want you to ask for a net sheet so that you can see what you would walk away
with. Then you want to get an idea of how much it will cost to get you into the new home. Are there
homes currently on the market that check off all of your needs with a pool? Ultimately you want to
determine if you could buy a home with a completed pool for less than the cost of building your own,
while taking into account all of the costs associated with moving. The answer may be yes,
or maybe no, but again, you'll be fully informed and more comfortable with your
decision either way. So, there you have it! What do you think? Is a sparkly new pool in
your future? I would love to hear if your 'Team Pool' or 'Team No Pool' in the comments. If you
found this video helpful let me know by hitting that like button, subscribing to our channel,
and leaving me a comment. Lastly, if you want to watch the video that I mentioned previously
where we tackle the pool versus no pool debate when purchasing an Arizona home you can click
to watch that up top or if you've been thinking about doing other renovations around the house
you're going to want to click and watch this video on the bottom where we share 10
home renovation pitfalls to avoid to save you big money. Enjoy those and I'll see you next Thursday!