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Owning a Home with a Pool

Pros and Cons of Owning a Home with a Pool

Dreams of living in a tropical paradise usually include a pool somewhere in the fantasy. In reality, a home with a pool also comes with responsibilities and some downsides. While there are plenty of wonderful reasons to own a home with a pool, it’s important to consider the entire picture.

Perfect Relaxation

A pool offers more than an inviting place to take a dip. It’s an extension of your home and a focal point, a place to entertain and relax. Landscaped with native plants, it’s truly an object of beauty. The pool is the place where you and your family make memories.

Resale Value

In colder parts of the country, pools don’t necessarily add strong resale value to the house. That’s not the case in Hawaii and other warm climates, where winter doesn’t come into play. Buyers in these areas love pools.

Fencing

The state of Hawaii doesn’t set fencing or barrier requirements for private pools, but there are county and local requirements. Your insurance company will likely set a minimum, so if you’re planning to install a pool, expect to put in at least a 4’ fence.

Pool Upkeep

There is upkeep involved, and you can either do it yourself or hire out the work. Robotic pool cleaners are also available. Standard upkeep is not that expensive, even if you use a service, but repairs are another story. Perhaps someone, somewhere, once had an inexpensive pool repair, but they are the exception.

Insurance

Liability insurance for your home covers your pool, so you don’t need an additional policy per se. However, it’s a good idea to increase your liability limit, and most insurance companies will insist on this. Your insurance advisor will likely recommend adding an umbrella policy, which supplements regular insurance coverage. A $1 million umbrella policy is well worth the few hundred dollars it costs annually, because if the worst happens in your pool and there’s a death or serious injury, a lawsuit is inevitable.

An Attractive Nuisance

Lawyers refer to pools as an “attractive nuisance,” because children may become attracted to them and trespass on your land. As pools are inherently dangerous, your insurance company is going to want to know everything about your pool. If a pool falls to meet the company’s standards, you won’t receive coverage without making the changes or upgrades.

There’s no reason your Hawaiian dream home shouldn’t include a backyard pool. Take basic precautions to ensure your pool is as safe as possible. Extra insurance also gives you peace of mind, the kind of tranquility experienced on a gorgeous Hawaiian day poolside.

Owning a Home with a Pool