Homebuyer weighs the costs of purchasing a home with an in-ground swimming pool

I realize the internet is probably not the best way to ascertain this expense. I want to be smart about this, so I wonder if you could provide additional information, research or your own personal experience? Thank you.

A: We don’t own a pool (inground or otherwise) and live in Illinois, where right now there is about six inches of snow covering our backyard.

While some of our neighbors have in-ground pools or indoor pools, they’re not as prevalent as in warmer climates. And different pools require different levels of maintenance. So, the best thing to do is contact the owners of the home (or their agent) and ask. Or if the homeowners are reticent to share that information, ask them which company they use to maintain their pool.

Once you get the name of the pool company, call and find out how much money the owners spend (roughly, as they may not want to be too specific) maintaining their pool. The pool company should have a good sense of what the annual costs are, but you should ask them what sort of expenses you’ll run into down the road. For example, if the pool is old and leaks, you may have to retile it at some point, which can be expensive.