If I had a dollar for every time the issue of pool or no pool came up in discussions about buying a home in Marlboro, NJ, I would be living quite the high life right now.   Most people searching for a home in Monmouth County go truly one way or another.  Either they would love a pool, or right off the bat it’s a hard “NO”.  However, I will say many buyers have changed that position by closing day! 

Hey everyone, welcome back! I’m Cori, with Monmouth County Dream Homes at RE/MAX CENTRAL.  If you want to stay up to date on all things Monmouth County  and Real Estate then you’re going to want to subscribe to my YouTube Channel  While you’re there, you’re also going to want to hit the bell icon so that you’re the first to know when my new videos are posted every single Monday!

Thank you for joining me for another episode in My Series All about Marlboro Township.  In todays video I’ll cover the question,  “Pool or No Pool?”

Homes with a gorgeous yard and a beautiful pool absolutely stand out when you are home shopping, especially if you are out looking during the summer months.  But, if you have never owned a home with an pool, you may have some major questions and concerns.  

A quick search of the under contract listings today in Marlboro Township shows that 18 of the homes that are waiting to close have pools in the yards and 32 homes that are waiting to close do not.  

The decision to have a pool is really a personal choice.  It depends on you, your family, and your financial situation. 

 Keep in mind, if you live in Marlboro, you always have the opportunity to join the Marlboro Swim Club.  I hope to do a future video on that soon, so keep your eyes open.  The swim club is situated on seven acres of grass covered hills. There are 4 pools to enjoy including; an olympic size pool, A dive pool, and intermediate pool and a kiddie pool.  Keep in mind there are playground, tennis courts, a snack bar and more, so there are plenty of things there to keep the kids busy and having a great time all summer long. 

Here are the things you should consider before deciding whether or not to purchase a home with a pool in the yard:

Safety: Having a pool comes with great responsibility. Keeping the pool and pool area safe and supervised for children and adults can be a full time job.  Safety measures must be in place at all times regarding a pool.  Drowning in backyard pools is  a real issue and it’s more common then you may think.  Here in Marlboro Township, the rules and regulations are pretty darn strict, so i’m quite confident that any homes you look at here with a pool have a fence with the proper latches, and all other safety requirements have been met.  

If diligent supervision and safeguarding the  entire pool area seems too much for you to take on, do not get a pool! The community pool just may be a better option for you.

How much will you use a pool? The most common issue I  hear about pools is not really about safety or the cost of maintenance.  Here in New Jersey, some people feel they only get to use a pool a few months out of the year.  While that may be true, and I don’t want to persuade you either way, I can tell you, that we open our pool the first week of May and usually keep it open right up to the end of September. So almost 5 months of usage isn’t so bad!  

Other people have mentioned they do not use the pool as much as they thought they would.  This means that they have a pretty big investment in their backyard that costs them a pretty penny to run, without really getting any benefit from it. 

So if you are planning to move to Marlboro, NJ  and you know you’re just not going to have the time or inclination to hang out in the backyard and use your own pool, maybe not having a pool in your backyard is a better decision.  As I mentioned earlier  you’re always welcome to join your neighbors at the township pool.

Maintenance:   Pools can get expensive; trust me on that one.  The cost of chemicals alone each summer can add up quickly.  You can save some money by taking on the regular cleanings and the maintenance by yourself,  but always plan on some unexpected costs along the way should there be any issues with the mechanics of the pool system.  There is also a time factor involved if you take this on by yourself.  Weekly, I take a sample of water to the local pool store and they test the water for me.  At that time, they tell me if and what chemicals need to be added to the pool.  This is something you don’t want to simply ignore.  Not maintaining a pool and it’s chemicals property can lead to major issues not only with the pool itself, but with the health of those swimming. 

Another expense to figure into your budget is the opening and closing of your pool.  This is also another task you can take on by yourself, but in my opinion, this is definitely one i’d leave up to the experts.  I would budget about $800 to open and close your pool, and the expense may go higher if the company you choose adds chemicals on opening day.  

Let me run down a quick list of reasons people choose NOT to buy a home with a pool!

  1. Pricey to maintain
  2. Time consuming to maintain
  3. Repairs are costly
  4. Safety Risk
  5. Liability Insurance
  6. Electric bill definitely goes up
  7. Water bill increases
  8. Can’t be used year round in NJ
  9.  Constantly entertaining guests
  10. Some people claim it causes the spread of germs and ear infections

Even though there may be some drawbacks to owning a home with a pool, it can also positively impact the home value.  But you should also be aware, not everyone wants to purchase a home with a pool.

But let’s talk about the positives for a moment.  Having a backyard with a pool gives a ton of enjoyment for the homeowners and their family and friends.  Have a yard with a pool is often compared to having a resort right outside your back door.  Speaking from experience.  The best thing we did for our family, was to put in a pool.  When we were searching for a home, we didn’t find anything we liked that currently had one, so we were sure to look at homes that had enough space to have one put in. 

Here are reasons owning a home with a pool is a plus

  1. Family time
  2. Fitness and exercise
  3. Keeps your children home
  4. Staycation
  5. Increases the value of a home by around 5%
  6. Really is beautiful to look at 

Now I want to know what you think. Do you have a pool in your yard?  How did you make that decision? Let us know below.

So there you have it.  A few things to consider to answer the question, Pool or No pool.  If you want to stay up to date on all things Real Estate, Monmouth County and Marlboro Township, make sure you like my  instagram Page at ‘Monmouth County Dream Homes’ or subscribe to my channel on youtube. 

Do you have a question you would like me  to answer?  Have something awesome that you’d like to share about Marlboro Township.?  We want to hear from you; leave us a note in the form below.