OK but who is going to buy this house?

[RapunzelHadExtensions]

I'm looking to sell so have been looking at those in a similar budget to get an idea of the others selling/not selling in the area, and have seen this one:

Surely those who's budget is 250k isn't going to have enough to maintain an indoor pool??

www.oscar-james.com/property-details/34477004/north-northamptonshire/burton-latimer/langley-court-2

Meant to say, it's been on for ages. Think I'd be tempted to take the pool out (can you do that??)

It depends on how hot you want to heat it as to how much to maintain. Chemicals aren't too bad once you get the ph levels sorted aa you can just use chlorine tablets. And you can swim in a wetsuit to keep heating costs down. My kids would love it.

Oh really? I thought indoor pools were ££££ a month to maintain!

Maybe they had it put in for a specific reason i.e. child needs lots of practice for a squad
or it helps a disabled child with mobility ( hence the downstairs bedroom too ? )

Bear in mind when you post links to other peoples houses that there is a human story behind each home. Unfortunately all the property portals provide people a telescope into other peoples lives, so tread lightly because it could be yours everyone is gawking at one day.

Honestly if I was local I’d buy it and set up a dog hydrotherapy business there. Would be perfect.

A decent indoor pool doesn’t cost much to maintain. They are however expensive to heat. It depends how it’s heated, I don’t think it says anything about that in the description? If it’s got an ASHP and PVs it will be relatively cost effective. If not, it depends on the size of the pool and whether they’ve got a Calorex. You would hope they have, otherwise that room will be damp and grim. And yes, you can fill it in.

They may have thought that they were getting a bargain when they bought it for £265K at the end of 2023. But prices are the same now as they were then in that location, and "odd houses" with unusual features have a very niche appeal. They are now having to discount the price after being on the market for over 3 months.

We have an indoor pool, it costs us less to maintain and heat each month than it would cost us to have family membership at the nearest public pool, and as we use it every day it’s worthwhile for us. Obviously putting it in originally cost a lot! But the actual maintenance is not a huge expense or out of reach for an average middle class family.

I don't think it would put me off particularly but I've bought several project houses.

The pps idea for the animal hydrotherapy is genius and that does sound like a perfect solution as that building is not well insulated or in good nick, it's basically a shed.

The thing is you can't just leave it as it is really. You would either need to spend 10-20k at least to up-spec it. Or pay to fill in/remove.

If I were interested in the house I would put in a lower offer to reflect the cost of one or the other depending on what I was planning. Tbh it needs a whole new building.

I can see however that some people who don't want a project would be put off.

It's not well maintained now.

The dog business could work but would you need change of use planning?

There will be someone, a family with a keen child swimmer, or a swimming teacher, or someone needing swimming therapy or some other set of circumstances who will buy it.

I’d be tempted if I wanted to
live in the area, depwnding on running costs of the pool. I’m disabled and it would be a way for me to
get a tiny bit of exercise. But I agree, the pool probably is off putting for many or most.

I’m seriously thinking about adding a pool to my £350k house, knowing it would probably reduce the value. So me… except I wouldn’t buy a semi detached so I still wouldn’t buy that specific house.

Friends of mine have a lap pool built at the end of their garden, the DH uses it every morning. The initial cost was high (including the resistance mechanisms) but the run cost is covered by solar panels on the roof. Maintenance is fairly low and rarely requires a specialist.

It does take a sizeable chunk of space but if you have the space, money for the initial build and use it regularly I can see the attraction.