Many Canadians and Americans feel that they would like to have a pool in the back yard of their vacation home. Traveling down from colder climates, many want their home to be their own personal resort and yearn for warmer temps in the sun enjoying the pool atmosphere. The hunt for homes with pools is ongoing…Laurie Lavine is constantly searching for pool homes within many price ranges throughout the Greater Phoenix Real Estate area.

Is having a pool a necessity for all? No…..it’s not for all…..many seeking warmer winter climate are here for just that and it’s not really very warm to get out of a pool that is heated to 30 Celsius to air that is 20 in December & January. To many the golfing is more important and/or going to NHL Hockey & NFL Football at Westgate Entertainment District. Many enjoy some of the best hiking in North America! To many, just being able to hang around outside chatting, dining and entertaining with an outdoor TV or stereo or perhaps around an outdoor fireplace or in a hot tub is plenty of enjoyment. There are so many awesome day trips for scenery, interesting activities, festivals, events, etc that is part of the Phoenix lifestyle making time spent here in milder winter climate so enjoyable.

Most homes here don’t have pools ( 70% +/-) and out of the ones that do, how many are available at any given time? Not a huge selection at the best of times…. and add to that the challenge of finding the right floor plan in the right location and with a pool? Also, would the pool be the right size and in the right part of the yard for you and finished in materials of preference such as plaster finish vs longer lasting pebble-tech or pebble-sheen finish? Are they equipped as you would want such as energy efficient pumps, salt-water equipped for eye/skin comfort & easier maintenance or in-ground pop-up cleaners vs the long hose scrubber like what you see in the picture above?

We think that it’s a good strategy to consider all homes….with and without pools. If you do that, you will have a much better selection to choose from, be less likely in a multiple offer situation and then you can add exactly the pool that you would want and where you would want to put it. This is what we are doing (in stages) and also several of our clients have done this. We assisted them to get great value based on our referring power.

There are many reputable pool builders that we can refer you to that can install a pool reasonably including all permits & the fence down-fence up as well (for excavation access) and get it done in 2 months time. You can get a basic pool for about $24000-28000+ and if you want to equip it with a heater, in-ground cleaners and the best finishing & pumps as well as an abundance of concrete deck with acrylic coating surrounding for lounger chairs & tables, then you can spend around $35000-40000+ to accomplish that. On a resale home you won’t pay that much for a pool (as the property appraiser doesn’t value a used pool for that much) but at least you’ll get what you want, where you want it and have the availability of life-time warranties on the equipment and workmanship. You can get a pool guy to come once a week to service & check on your pool for about $85-100 a month.

Should you heat your pool?  These are the months that most Canadians are traveling down for a vacation however heating a pool can be somewhat expensive and that is what would deter the locals from heating their pool. Most existing pools are not heated here due to the expense and the locals use their pools primarily between May- October to refresh themselves from heat. Thus, when we find a suitable pool home in the Greater Phoenix Real Estate area, about 9 times out of 10 you’ll have to add a heater. The main exception to this is when there is a spa that is attached to the pool which is heated and then the pool would be as well but these are not very common.

Heater installation can cost around $5000+/- dependent on how long the trench is from the gas and/or electrical source and whether you install a gas heater or an electric heater. When you’re buying a house for a fraction of what you would pay for one back home this investment isn’t likely to break the bank however it’s the added heating bills that cost the most in the long run. We know of home owners that will come down for a week or two, crank up the heater to 85-90 Fahrenheit and then turn it off before leaving subsequently receiving an energy bill of $300-700. Alternatively, we have friends that turned their pool on in November and left it on till April averaging about $260 a month gas bill last winter. To some that would be worth it but to others it may be an unnecessary expense or better invested in golf, entertainment, sports, day trip expenses, etc.

Still wanting the pool? That’s great! We can certainly understand the desire but perhaps let’s consider some alternatives? How about buying a home in an area that has a community pool? For some this can make more economic expense especially for those that don’t plan on using a pool that frequently and don’t want the utilities & maintenance expense. Or buy in a community pool area so that you have a pool that you can use while you are saving or budgeting for a pool project? Or how about considering a hot tub instead? This can save you a bundle on heating expense and there are many sizable ones that you can relax in to enjoy milder day or night time air. Or how about installing a pool with an attached spa but only heat the spa when you come down? The spa adds about $5000-6000 to the pool installation expense but you can heat the spa in 30 minutes and then turn it off when not in use which will save you a bundle in energy costs for the long run. The water in the pool right beside the spa would be a little warmer as the spa overflows in to the pool. You still have the pool atmosphere and resort appearance in your yard. Condos are another alternatives as many of the apartment style and some townhouse style have heated pools and/or spas where everyone contributes to the expense through their HOA fees.

The Lavine Team has your best interests at top of mind and at heart. We are always thinking of possibilities that exist for you in your quest for just the right little piece of desert paradise. We pledge to work hard and diligently for you……

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