RANT: Why do HOAs not allow above ground pools?? (Houston: HOA, crime)

[NTexas2010]

Originally Posted by Htown2013

We are in Telfair subdivision of Sugar Land. Pools are extremely rare here, except for a few of the really pricey $700k+ houses. I've noticed that in ground pools are much more common in places like Katy, the Woodlands, Memorial, and certainly Clear Lake, but they are much less common in Sugar Land. I don't know why, but that makes me much more hesitant to make the pricey investment.

One could speculate regarding the majority demographic makeup of Telfair and said majority's attitude toward conserving versus spending money on wants versus needs, and whether an in-ground pool constitutes a necessity or frivolous purchase.

Whether that is 100% truth, 100% fabricated stereotype, or somewhere in the middle, you are welcome to draw your own conclusions. I have read on this very forum about the diverse makeup of Sugar Land specifically and why a good portion of restaurants (especially in Town Square) don't do as well in Sugar Land versus the likes of Katy or the Woodlands, having in part to do with the a portion of the population treating dining out as unnecessary spending.

YMMV with said speculation.

[gwarnecke]

Originally Posted by NTexas2010

One could speculate regarding the majority demographic makeup of Telfair and said majority's attitude toward conserving versus spending money on wants versus needs, and whether an in-ground pool constitutes a necessity or frivolous purchase.

Whether that is 100% truth, 100% fabricated stereotype, or somewhere in the middle, you are welcome to draw your own conclusions. I have read on this very forum about the diverse makeup of Sugar Land specifically and why a good portion of restaurants (especially in Town Square) don't do as well in Sugar Land versus the likes of Katy or the Woodlands, having in part to do with the a portion of the population treating dining out as unnecessary spending.

YMMV with said speculation.

I was about to say something similar in my earlier post, until I noticed that nearby neighborhoods such as Sugar Mill have a lot more pools.

[NTexas2010]

Originally Posted by gwarnecke

I was about to say something similar in my earlier post, until I noticed that nearby neighborhoods such as Sugar Mill have a lot more pools.

I could be speaking out of term here, but wasn't Sugar Mill and most of the older parts of SL (Sugar Creek, First Colony, etc) built out long before Telfair and the changing demographics Sugar Land began seeing in the 80s-90s?

I would have to go back and review the data, but that was certainly the "perception" in Fort Bend county (I lived in Greatwood '93 to 2010.)

Edit - Sugar Land is still majority white, but only just so (52%).
Second edit - I am seeing conflicting information on the demographic makeup. Some sources cite 52% white, others 42% white (and thus ethnic pluralities exist).

[Waffleton]

FWIW when house-hunting I eliminated any house with an in-ground pool, but it seems like many of my (now) neighbors do have one.

Realtor said that pools generally cost 50-100k and can only expect 20k on to price when you go to sell. Plus the maintenance.

[Spartacus713]

Originally Posted by a_guerrajr

You want the truth?
99% of them look tacky. Most hoods here want to keep a certain level of prestige.
It is rare that someone adds an above ground pool look good.
Plus I think privacy comes into play.

This^^^.

[WRM20]

Originally Posted by Waffleton

FWIW when house-hunting I eliminated any house with an in-ground pool, but it seems like many of my (now) neighbors do have one.

Realtor said that pools generally cost 50-100k and can only expect 20k on to price when you go to sell. Plus the maintenance.

$20k on price is optimistic. My experience has been it's more like $5k to $10k

[gwarnecke]

Originally Posted by Waffleton

FWIW when house-hunting I eliminated any house with an in-ground pool, but it seems like many of my (now) neighbors do have one.

Realtor said that pools generally cost 50-100k and can only expect 20k on to price when you go to sell. Plus the maintenance.

I had a similar mindset when we bought our previous house in the Energy Corridor - I didn't want to deal with the maintenance and safety risk, so I sought out a house with no pool but with a nice neighborhood pool within walking distance.

Eventually, my wife and kids started clamoring for our own pool, and last summer the neighborhood pool was shut down because of COVID (this summer, it operated on reduced hours because of staffing issues). I didn't want to deal with building a pool (and the pine trees in our backyard would've made maintenance difficult), so we ended up moving (not just b/c of the pool, but it was a major factor in the decision).

Since we bought that house in 2017, two more neighbors on the cul de sac have installed their own pools. At this point our house is one of the only ones without one. We listed it for sale or lease, and heard from so many prospective buyers "the house is great, but we really wanted a pool..." Ended up leasing it.

I think the value that a pool adds depends a lot on the neighborhood and what buyers in the area expect. It definitely adds less value than replacement cost, but it adds more value than it used to, simply because new pool build costs have increased so much. In family-friendly neighborhoods, pools seem to help homes sell more quickly.

[Jtxg]

Originally Posted by WRM20

$20k on price is optimistic. My experience has been it's more like $5k to $10k

My recent experience (in July), with regard to the actual appraisal of the house was this: The appraiser allowed $15,000 for the pool and $4,000 for a 480 sq ft covered patio with electrical, composition shingle roof, etc. The sellers had receipts for everything done to the house - they paid $64,000 for the pool and $22,000 for the covered patio back in 2017. I paid slightly over asking price for the house, but it was still on the low end for a house with a pool in the neighborhood.

I heard from one of the neighbors that the previous owners hardly ever used the pool. I, on the other hand, have used it nearly every day I've lived there thus far. Everything has a trade off though, as I am about to spend a rather significant amount of money replacing to HVAC units....they function but they're 25 years old and run non stop.

[Oskar_Z28]

Originally Posted by Waffleton

FWIW when house-hunting I eliminated any house with an in-ground pool, but it seems like many of my (now) neighbors do have one.

Realtor said that pools generally cost 50-100k and can only expect 20k on to price when you go to sell. Plus the maintenance.

I did too, but wish I would have gotten a pool. Not because it raises value of the house, but for enjoyment.

[Htown2013]

Originally Posted by elnina

Visibility and potential effect on home values
Also, an HOA may deny the installation of an above-ground pool because it is visible through the backyard fencing. Plus, some homeowner associations see these pools as “cheap” and are worried that they may hurt home values—a major concern for everyone. Noise could be another factor.
Depending on the area you live, even above-ground pools may require a permit pursuant to a municipal code, and is something that many HOAs may not want to have to police or deal with.
https://waterfrontcentral.com/unders...ools-hot-tubs/
It's not TX, but that's probably what HOA's everywhere have in mind.
When you asked your HOA what did they say?

BTW: didn't you know that you were signing up to allow yourself to be controlled and restricted in your rights to live in your home as you want to? Did you ever lived in HOA controlled community? Did you read the contract before signing? Read it again, very careful, see if you can argue your case.
There should be documented proof in the written Covenants Conditions and Restrictions that prohibit above ground pools.

You should know that the pool restriction isn't the only one you will deal with. HOA controls your home paint, any exterior changes, your fence, your laundry on your backyard, expansions, covered patio or carport ideas, anything on your front and back yard including plants, plus dozens of other things you can or cannot do with your property.

All you can do is think about right strategy.
You might make your case to the board and explain how this pool you want is no cheap Walmart pool.
Demonstrate that it will enhance the property and will be the envy of your neighbor's. Talk to your neighbors and see if anyone else is interested in having such pool.
Get your three or four direct neighbors on your side and have them with you or have written comments signed by them.
If there are board members that you are friends with that can be a big help. Even better - try to be a member of that board.

This seems to be a Houston thing. Most of the non HOA areas in Houston metro are rural, urban, or in undesirable suburbs with lousy schools. In plenty of very nice suburbs with good schools in the Northeast and Midwest people frequently have above ground pools.

I just wanted a temporary inflatable shallow pool WELL BELOW FENCE LINE (30" high vs. 6ft tall privacy fence) for my young kinds to have fun so they are not stuck inside all summer - not some permanent tacky pool that will keep up year round.

So you need a permit for a temporary inflatable toy? Seriously? With all the crime happening in Houston, people worrying about that is ridiculous.

I cannot afford $75k cash for an in ground pool, especially for something that the buyer demographics in my area, for whatever reason, do not value.

For Houston, I seriously wonder if the pool builders are in cahoots with the HOA. I mean, I see not wanting a large 4 or 5 ft "permanent" above ground pool, but I don't see what's the issue with a small shallow temporary inflatable pool for kids to have fun and learn to swim when they're too young for the big pool.