Property type guide
Lake Havasu pool homes: what to know before you buy
A pool in Lake Havasu is not a luxury extra. For a lot of owners it is how the backyard gets used from May through September.
Short answer
Buying a home that already has a pool is usually faster and simpler than adding one, but you inherit someone else's design and its condition. Adding one later lets you build what you want, if the lot allows it. Before you count on building, check side-yard access for equipment, the slope, and any HOA rules. Either way, have a pool specialist inspect an existing pool during your inspection period.
How much will you use it?
More than you might in a cooler place. Here is the rough pattern.
| Time of year | Unheated pool | What helps |
|---|---|---|
| Winter | Too cold for most people | A heater, and a spa for evenings |
| Spring | Warming up. Usable by late spring. | A heater stretches the season earlier |
| Summer | Used daily. Water can get very warm. | Shade, a water feature or aerator, evening swims |
| Fall | Comfortable into October | A heater stretches it toward the holidays |
If the home is a weekend place, ask who will be in the pool. A family with kids will live in it. A couple who spends every day on the lake may not.
Buy the pool, or add one later?
| Buy a home with a pool | Add a pool later | |
|---|---|---|
| Time | Swim the week you close | Design, permits and construction take months |
| Cost | Built into the price and the loan | Paid separately, usually in cash or with a second loan |
| Design | What the last owner wanted | What you want |
| Condition | Unknown until inspected | New, under warranty |
| Risk | Surprise repairs | The yard may not allow it, or may cost more than expected |
| Choice of homes | Only homes with pools | Any home with the right yard |
Before you count on adding a pool
Lake Havasu lots are not all easy to dig. Check these before you buy a home with the plan to add a pool.
- Access. Can excavation equipment get to the backyard through a side yard? Measure the narrowest point.
- Slope. A sloped yard may need retaining walls, which add cost and need engineering.
- Ground. Parts of the city have rocky soil. Ask builders what they have run into nearby.
- Setbacks and easements. A wash or utility easement along the back can shrink the buildable area.
- Buried lines. Know where the sewer line and other utilities run.
- Power and gas. Does the electrical panel have room for pool equipment? Is there gas for a heater?
- HOA approval. Design review can add time and limits.
- What else wants that space. On many lots a pool, an RV garage and side parking compete for the same ground.
Paige can meet a pool builder at the property during your inspection period so you have a real answer before you are committed.
Inspecting a pool that is already there
Hire a pool inspector in addition to the home inspector. Ask them to cover this list.
- Interior surface. Plaster or pebble. Look for rough patches, stains and cracks.
- Tile and coping. Missing or loose pieces along the waterline and edge.
- Deck. Cracks, lifting, and places where water runs toward the house.
- Pump and filter. Age, noise, leaks. A variable-speed pump costs less to run.
- Heater. Does it fire and hold? Gas, heat pump or solar?
- Leaks. Ask the seller how often they add water, and whether a leak test has been done.
- Salt system or chlorinator, and when the salt cell was last replaced.
- Automation and lights. Does everything respond?
- Safety. Barrier, self-closing gates and door alarms where required.
- Spa and water features, each run on its own.
Features that matter in this climate
- Shade next to the water. A covered patio or ramada you can sit under while others swim.
- A shallow shelf. A ledge a few inches deep gets used more than the deep end.
- A deck that stays cooler. Lighter stone and coated surfaces are easier on bare feet in July.
- Which way the yard faces. Late-day sun on a west-facing pool is intense in summer and welcome in winter.
- Privacy on a slope. Because the city climbs, a neighbor uphill may look down into the yard. This rarely shows in photos.
- Equipment location. A pump outside a bedroom window is something you will hear.
- A heater and spa, if you will use the home in winter.
What to ask about cost
Paige will not quote averages that may not fit your home. Ask the seller and local companies for these.
- What does the current weekly service charge, and what does it include?
- What do the summer electric bills look like with the pool running?
- How old is the surface, and when was it last redone?
- How old are the pump, filter and heater?
- Has there ever been a leak, and how was it fixed?
Also ask your insurance agent how a pool affects the policy.
Pool care when the house sits empty
If this is a part-time home, the pool needs a plan. Weekly service is the baseline. An auto-fill keeps up with evaporation. After a summer storm, someone should clear debris and check that the equipment restarted.
The second-home guide has the full empty-house checklist.
Mistakes pool buyers make
- Judging by the photo. A wide-angle shot at sunset hides surface wear and a small deck.
- Skipping the pool inspection because the home inspector "looked at it."
- Assuming a pool can be added without a builder seeing the yard.
- Forgetting the uphill neighbor.
- Trading away the garage. If a boat or RV has to fit too, settle that first. See boat garage homes and RV garage homes.
For everything else to look at beyond the photos, see what listing photos do not show.
Questions buyers ask
Can you swim year-round in Lake Havasu?
With a heater, most of the year. Without one, an unheated pool is comfortable from about late spring into October. In mid-summer the water can get warmer than you want, which is why shade and water features that cool the pool are popular here.
Is it cheaper to buy a home with a pool or build one?
It depends on the homes you are comparing and on current builder pricing, so get real quotes. As a rule, an existing pool saves you the wait and the construction mess. Building lets you choose the size, depth and features. Ask two or three local pool builders for bids before you decide.
Does Arizona require a pool fence?
Arizona law and local codes set barrier requirements for residential pools, with details that depend on who lives in the home and when the pool was built. Ask your home inspector to check the barrier, gates and door alarms against current rules, and confirm with the city if you plan changes.
Who inspects the pool when I buy?
A general home inspector may look at the pool briefly, but a pool specialist goes further. They check the surface, the equipment, the plumbing for leaks and the safety features. Schedule that inspection inside your 10-day inspection period.
Can any backyard fit a pool?
No. A builder needs a way to get equipment into the yard, enough level space or a plan for retaining walls, and clearance from property lines, easements and buried utilities. Have a pool builder look at the yard before you buy a home with that plan.
How is a pool cared for when I am away?
A weekly pool service handles cleaning and chemicals, and an auto-fill keeps the water level up as it evaporates. Tell the service how to reach you and who has a key. A pool left alone for a few summer weeks can turn green.