house hunting - I hate pools

[Jezebel]

I think you should keep looking. If having a backyard is this important to you then you NEED to find a house with a backyard. Don't even consider messing with a pool if you don't want it - there are tons of houses out there waiting to be snatched up by you. :D

[Texentric]

Find another house. My house had a big-ass pool(57x21ft) it seemed all the neighboring trees made it a point to dump their leaves into it. It lived with a continuous layer of leaves on the bottom despite cleaning it twice a week. A professional service was not any better at it than I was, but the time involved was just a royal pain. We finally filled it in. The straw that broke the camel's back? My then 14 month old son fell in, right in front of my wife and mother who were sitting in lounge chairs. What if he had snuck outside without them noticing?
Bill is right, it's not worth it if some kid drowns in it, and there is always that mischievous neighbor kid that doesn't listen, and has to show us Darwin's theory in action. Not only that, as I look outside the fill is higher than the surrounding land, and it does grow less grass than the rest of the yard.
Not a big pool fan from the start, but this is the house the wife "had" to have.
Oh well, didn't mean to sound depressing. Happy house hunting!

[LoungeLizard]

OK...one final comment on this. I lived in Florida where on a normal week you'd get at least one report of a child drowning in a pool. If you're going to have a pool - fence it in. There are (relatively) inexpensive "mesh" fences that can be easily removed but a child can't easily unlock it. Kids that are old and want to go swimming can/will get in, small children can't.

About $1,300 will encircle a 32x16 pool. Peace of mind well worth it.

[David_3]

Originally Posted by suzyjazz

...... Right now I would just like to get some darn feedback from the whole 2 people that have been through......

I know that feeling. Years ago when I was trying to sell my house in Pensacola, the market was dead, and it was difficult to even give a house away. I found the best way to get people to come look, was to raise the price of the house $5000, and then put a $2000 bonus out for the buyers agent. It was amazing how many people the realtors started parading through my house after that.

[adirty1]

have you thought of buying a new home and renting your old house out for a few years until the market gets better than sell your old home.

that's what im probably going to have to do. I have looked into the leasing companies and they will take care of renting the house out. they dont get paid if the house is empty.

than you dont have to move twice. I am probably going that route as soon as I can find 2 acers of land to build a house and studio on. I will not pay studio rent again unless i can own the building...and if it's on the land that the house is on you get the tax breaks.

[suzyjazz]

We really wouldn't buy a house with a pool. I can just imagine us finding houses that are awesome -- except for that *one* thing!

Originally Posted by adirty1

have you thought of buying a new home and renting your old house out for a few years until the market gets better than sell your old home.

We didn't even really think about that. It's a "business" I don't think we want to get in to, worrying about people not taking care of the house and keeping it clean and all. But I guess we can see how it goes.

Originally Posted by David_3

I know that feeling. Years ago when I was trying to sell my house in Pensacola, the market was dead, and it was difficult to even give a house away. I found the best way to get people to come look, was to raise the price of the house $5000, and then put a $2000 bonus out for the buyers agent. It was amazing how many people the realtors started parading through my house after that.

We have money at closing to the buyer, but I am wondering if we should add on a bonus to the buyer's agent, too. If we don't get feedback at the open house (or if no one comes!) we will have to do something.

[EOC_Jason]

Yes pools are a pain in the butt... if you just want to cool off a smaller spa is a much better investment unless you have kids. A good automatic pool cleaner is definitly worth the money than pulling out the gear weekly and manually cleaning it. All you have to do it pull the little guy out of the water and empty the bag. Yes, there is the constant adding / maintaing chemical levels and brushing too, but that is really a minimal amount of time and it does give a little exercise / tan, plus when you are done you can jump in and cool off.

It's a definite love / hate thing...