Monsey, a house with a pool -- worth it?

amother

Ruby

Tue, Apr 16 2024, 8:04 pm

amother Vanilla wrote:

Wow. Can you tell me more about how you earn $20k-$40k renting it out?

I rent it out... if it's booked most the time the potential is there. We have a gorgeous heated saltwater pool which probably also makes a difference...

amother

Tue, Apr 16 2024, 8:22 pm

amother Ruby wrote:

I rent it out... if it's booked most the time the potential is there. We have a gorgeous heated saltwater pool which probably also makes a difference...

I'm happy for you for the extra income! Do you have to have a lifeguard on premises when it's rented out? If not, isn't that a liability concern?

amother

Ruby

Tue, Apr 16 2024, 8:28 pm

amother OP wrote:

I'm happy for you for the extra income! Do you have to have a lifeguard on premises when it's rented out? If not, isn't that a liability concern?

I have a large sign enter at your own risk, and I tell people that I don't have a lifeguard

amother

Chartreuse

Tue, Apr 16 2024, 8:57 pm

It's interesting to read the responses. My one regret in my house is that I do not have a pool. I do have lots and lots of relatives in the Monsey area with pools And I can get a pool to use. Basically whenever I want. Lots of my relatives put in their own pool.

If I ever move, one of my biggest requirements is a pool honestly.

On the other hand, we got to go swimming plenty since we have so many relatives that have pools and we can use them 90% of the time. (Over ten close relatives bh that I can always ask)

I do really wish I had my own though.

amother

Eggshell

Tue, Apr 16 2024, 8:57 pm

We have a pool in our basement.

No weather concerns, no neighbors wanting to use it because they don’t know about it. It doesn’t make our property tax more we have a separate insurance for it. Because we have many safety measures in place the insurance isn’t so expensive. We pay a company to maintain it.

I don’t know why anyone in NY would want an outdoor pool.

notshanarishona

Tue, Apr 16 2024, 9:09 pm

I don’t live in Monsey but also somewhere with a cold climate. We open the pool end of April and stay open through mid October. We have a heater. Some years it’s warm enough to swim in April, some years not till mid May.
As far as worth of a pool, it’s a lot of work and money. Expect your gas/ electric bill to double with keeping a heated pool and expect everyone to turn into your best friend and ask to borrow it all the time.
If you can afford it, a pool is awesome (just make sure you lock up well and teach all your kids to swim)

amother

Babypink

Tue, Apr 16 2024, 9:28 pm

I will caution you with renting it out in the areas you mentioned. Ppl are reported by neighbors and have been in lots of legal trouble. (Besides for the obvious liability if chvs something goes wrong)

amother

Black

Tue, Apr 16 2024, 9:31 pm

amother OP wrote:

I beg to differ. I don't agree that a house with a pool is only for the extremely wealthy and privileged. If you're doing OK financially but you're responsible and careful not to live beyond your means, it makes sense to ask: what is the actual average expense? How much are we talking about? I would like to try and factor that in.

I didn’t interpret the question that way. I thought she was just saying that pool people, Sun bathers, they know they’re pool people. They’re not asking themselves if it’s worth it because they know they’re going to use it. If you’re asking, you’re probably not pool people

amother

Navyblue

Tue, Apr 16 2024, 9:33 pm

I have a pool. In the Toms River area. My family loves it. We do the weekly maintainence ourselves. Which is easier to do since it’s a saltwater pool. So the only time we pay is for open and close. And to add salt when necessary.
And I had to get thick skin. I am scared to let anyone other than my immediate family use the pool. Cousins and friends have asked. We always say no. Sorry. The pool is like an extension of my house. Would you call someone to ask if you can come use their dining room? When you use my pool and need to go to the bathroom, you have to come into the house. So that’s why I mostly say no.
Honestly, once I got the pool, I never knew that I had so many friends. All of a sudden so many people I had nothing with started calling me.
My kids know that they can invite friends. But only if they are outside too. Meaning they want to enjoy their friends company.
And most of my Shabbos guest come and know that the pool is available for them. Cuz they are my guest and that was the intention.
So if you don’t want to always host. Start early and there is nothing wrong with saying no.

amother

Crocus

Tue, Apr 16 2024, 9:35 pm

amother Jetblack wrote:

A pool is the type of thing that if you have to ask how much? Then it's not for you. The expenses are a lot.

I’m sorry I really don’t like answers like this to financial qs -“If you’re asking you can’t afford it”. You think wealthy people don’t want to spend responsibly? Just because someone can afford it doesn’t mean they think it’s worth it to spend. And everyone can want to understand how much it is even if they would definitely be able to afford it.

amother

Wed, Apr 17 2024, 8:47 am

amother Crocus wrote:

Yes 💯, this rubbed me the wrong way. It's like, either you belong to the right class or not. It's elitist. I'm not trying to start a fight. This is just a conversation about pools. But to me, having a house with a pool isn't about making a statement. I do believe in working hard and enjoying the fruit of your labor. And it's always OK to ask questions. Especially, if not here, then where.

amother

Tomato

Wed, Apr 17 2024, 10:25 am

my dream is to get a really large swim spa. I LOVE hot tubs and a swim spa has the benefit of 1. a secure cover on the entire thing, so helps address safety concerns. 2. bigger capacity than a regular hot tub and 3. presumably cheaper than an entire pool to heat and maintain. 4. it stays hot so can be used for a really long time in terms of the season. and honestly everyone ends up in the hot tub when we rent a pool/ hot tub combo

we also don't have a huge property so this would work well.

amother

Rose

Wed, Apr 17 2024, 10:28 am

Yesterday I watched a video of parents in Miami crying and davening at their toddler’s bedside after she was in the pool for 9 minutes and is now in very critical condition. It reinforced my decision to never get a death trap in my backyard. These people had a gate but it seems it wasn’t locked this one time and now their toddler is very close to death 😥 Having a pool is very fun but it’s not worth raising my child’s risk of death.

Link to the video: https://www.instagram.com/reel.....keQ==

Please daven for Heleni orna bat Chen Chana.

amother

Babypink

Wed, Apr 17 2024, 12:14 pm

amother Rose wrote:

Unfortunately, accidents happen everywhere. Hashem runs the world we just have to do our hishtadlus.

mha3484

Wed, Apr 17 2024, 12:25 pm

I was a preschooler when my grandmother still had her pool. My mother took me out, took off the floaters and was going to give me lunch and my much older cousin decided to go back in and I apparently jumped in with him and obviously couldn't swim. My mother did CPR and I am here doing pretty well 40 years later but if you ask her about it she still looks traumatized all these years later. So the safety issues can go way beyond if you have a fence or not. Its no reason to not have a pool if you feel its good for your family but you cant just say oh I have a fence its enough. You need to have a lot of situational awareness, be a very good swimmer yourself and know how to act in an emergency.

amother

Salmon

Wed, Apr 17 2024, 2:32 pm

amother OP wrote:

You're not scared to rent it out? I would be concerned about liability if Chalila anything happens.

I make them sign a list of rules and include it’s at your own risk. My pool
Is just 6 feet deep so that helps

mha3484

Wed, Apr 17 2024, 2:40 pm

amother Salmon wrote:

I make them sign a list of rules and include it’s at your own risk. My pool
Is just 6 feet deep so that helps

An attorney can chime in but I think this is just as useless as when you sign the waiver at the trampoline park. Half my family are lawyers and they all say those waivers mean 0 when someone gets hurt. I would feel bad for you if you end up getting involved in legal action. You should discuss this with an attorney before you open your pool again this summer. Its not your guest who takes action against you its their insurance company and they dont care that they signed a list of rules. They want to make your insurance pay them back its called subrogation.

amother

Seagreen

Wed, Apr 17 2024, 2:52 pm

amother Ruby wrote:

I rent it out... if it's booked most the time the potential is there. We have a gorgeous heated saltwater pool which probably also makes a difference...

How do you rent it, through Swimply?

amother

Heather

Wed, Apr 17 2024, 9:12 pm

I have a pool, not in Monsey though. We generally use it from min/end of May until beg/mid September. Ours is quite small and shallow and we love it (we live in an area where most people don't have pools).
It is nerve wracking to make sure the gate is always locked and I am always right there if my kids are in the area but I'm very strict and vigilant about it. I've jumped in 2x in the 2 summers I've been here but since I am literally right, in both instances I hit the water before the kid and have since changed my pool rules accordingly.
Yes, people will ask you to use it constantly. I personally don't mind, I like the company. But as my kids get older it will probably get more complicated.
There are pros and cons.
I bought the house with a pool. It was not a factor in my decision. If I was building or buying the perfect house I don't know if it would be something I would choose but it is great once you have it.