Imagine sitting on your deck on an extremely hot day in the dead of the summer, maybe the temperature is in the 80's or 90's. You hear your neighbors laughing and screaming, enjoying their pool directly next door but you are embarrassed to ask them if you can come over to cool off and enjoy the day with them. Or maybe, they have company and you don't want to impose. You certainly cannot say "hey, would you mind if my family came over to take a dip? " That would be extra weird.
I remember purchasing my first home when I only had my first child. I was adamant about buying a home with a pool. I did not even want to look at a home that had a pool. Years later, as my children got older, I wished that I had a pool for my children to play and unwind in, and a place to entertain their friends and mine. Or you wake up on a Sunday morning and wish that you can roll out of bed and into your clear blue water pool. Maybe it's time to think about purchasing a home with a pool, especially if you don't have the room for one in your present home.
Purchasing a home with an outdoor pool is a major decision. Although there are expenses and responsibilities that go along with having a pool, there are also many benefits.
With this "new age" of technology, we all spend less time with our families. Actually, we may be spending time with our families in the physical sense, but the real quality time is not there for many of us. I cannot even remember the last time that I spent quality time with my family without any devices in hand. There are so many distractions at home such as the t.v., mobile phones, ipads, laptops, etc. All of these electric devices take us away from the old simple pleasures in life. Your entire family would enjoy the refreshing water in the pool and it's an excellent way to share time together.
One of the best benefits of purchasing a home with a pool can be reducing your level of stress. You can come home at the end of your work day and jump in enjoying splashing around in fresh water, stretching and getting rid of all the added stress completely.
Another great benefit is promoting better fitness. Instead of you and your family sitting on the sofa in your den eating cookies and chips on a hot summer day, you can all enjoy the refreshing water and family time together.
For those of you that have small children, you know how hard it is to put your children to bed sometimes, especially during summer vacations. Imagine being able to let your children splash around in your backyard for hours and seeing how exhausted they get at the end of the day. This will not only offer exercise, but will also help them to hit the hay a lot faster!
If you are parents of older children that face the common problem of your children not spending more time at home because they would rather spend time with their friends, then a pool may help. We are always worried as parents that our children are not getting enough quality time at home. Having a home with a pool can certainly help by letting your children invite their friends over to hang and swim. At least you will know that they are safe at home and spending some of their free time in a constructive way.
If you are like me, and love to entertain and be part of activity groups, then a pool is key for you. A pool will definitely help you to enjoy social life with your groups and friends. You can invite your friends over for a barbecue and a dip at a moment's notice.
If you suffer from back pain, or any other health ailments that require water therapy, a pool could be golden for you. You can work up a schedule to follow right in your own backyard.
Having a pool at home could possibly even increase the value of your home. It will certainly not bring the value down. If someone doesn't want a pool, they won't be willing to pay anything to purchase; whereas someone who would like a pool, may see the added value and pay your more for your home.
I am at the point where my children are grown and hopefully I will look forward to grandchildren sometime in the near future. Selfishly, I would love a pool just to bribe them to spend more time at home. People tend to want to be where the fun is. I know that they would make it a point to come visit more if they had free time on a very hot summer weekend if there were to be a pool involved.
If you are a homebody like myself who loves to enjoy being home rather than traveling during the summer sitting in traffic to visit the beach, or going to the pool where there are lots of people and have to fight for chairs and a space to sit, then having a pool is your answer. There is nothing better than enjoying a pool in your own backyard. You can relax and exercise in the privacy of your own backyard and on your own schedule, not to mention a very short commute from your sliding glass doors. You will also be guaranteed that you are swimming in a clean pool. In public pools, hygiene and cleanliness cannot be assured. You also don't need to own a subscription of a swim club to enjoy the water or have to abide by any type of dress code or not being aloud to have any snacks outside by the pool. Many public pools have many rules. In the hot summers, it will be the best way to spend time even when you are back home from work and on the weekends. You have access 24/7 whenever you get the urge to take the plunge.
Another thing to keep in mind is that if you don't have a pool presently and want to build one, it may cost you more in the long run to put one in where you are living presently. Prices keep increasing and you never have a guarantee that the quote you receive from your contractor is where you will end up. There are frequently additional unforeseen costs because you either run into a glitch along the way that needs to be addressed that was not planned, or you keep adding more bells and whistles as you go along. At least when you buy a home with an existing pool, you know where your end dollar is.
I am now looking back at my past ... that young mom that I was, who didn't want a pool because I was afraid of the responsibility. Although yes, owning a pool is a major responsibility, it is also has its major rewards. Now that my children are grown, I wish that I had purchased a home with a pool. I could have had a fence or covered it up while my children were young if I was concerned about safety. Yes, you should all be concerned about safety, but with the proper safeguards, there are so many benefits to having one!