Neighborhood Pools Don't Count

By
Real Estate Agent with CENTURY 21 Goodyear Green Edmond, OK

No matter what industry you're in, there are undoubtedly little pet peeves you pick up along the way.  It might be things the weird guy in your office does or maybe its demanding customers.  For me, it's something that others in the real estate biz do that ends up effecting my clients.  And frankly, it makes us all look bad.


My pet peeve is when Oklahoma Realtors don't paint an accurate picture of their listing on MLS.  Especially about pools.  Private pools aren't as common in Oklahoma as they are in other parts of the country.  Like, when I was growing up in Phoenix, every house had a pool.  Not having one would have been akin to not having air conditioning!  But here in Oklahoma, not the case.  Many neighborhoods have pools.  But not that many individual homes have them.


When entering a listing into the OKC MLS, we have two available (and searchable) fields related to pools.  The first is a simple yes or no question.  Is there or isn't there a pool.  The second field relates to the type of pool.  Is it in-ground, above ground, concrete, vinyl lined, or fiberglass.  Far too often I find Realtors answering yes to the first question when the neighborhood has a pool but the home in question does not.


This becomes a problem and pet peeve for me when it effects my clients.  When I have folks looking specifically for a home with a pool, they usually mean a pool in the backyard, not down the street by the club house.


When I have a buyer looking for one, I can manipulate their home search to only display listings that have a YES to the pool question.  These listings are then sent to my clients.  Because pools aren't super common in our area, it can be a big deal when one hits the market.  Especially this time of year.  When they get the new listing notification, they open the listing pictures and details right away.  Boy are they disappointed to find there really isn't a pool there.  Or even worse, they think I haven't listened to them.


If you're searching for an Oklahoma home with a pool in the backyard and occasionally receive listings that really just have a neighborhood pool, I'm sorry.  Unfortunately, some of my colleagues don't know that a neighborhood pool doesn't count.


Talk to you soon!

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About the author, Kristyn Grewell.  I'm an Active REALTOR with CENTURY 21 Goodyear Green in Edmond, Oklahoma. I love to help my clients buy and sell homes and investment properties in Oklahoma.  I specialize in Edmond, NW Oklahoma City and the surrounding areas.  I am also an Oklahoma relocation specialist.  As a member of the Cartus Broker Network I can connect you (or your friends and family) with a qualified real estate specialist virtually anywhere!

For more information, visit SellaMetroHome.com or e-mail kristyn.grewell@century21.com.  For faster service, you can always text or call me at 405-615-2796. License number 151697

Please note that individual listings periodically mentioned in this blog are accurately described in terms of availability and price at the time of the posting. Because properties are constantly coming on and off the market, please contact Kristyn for the latest information on those that are of particular interest to you.

Comments (3)

Karen Fiddler, Broker/Owner
Karen Parsons-Fiddler, Broker 949-510-2395 - Mission Viejo, CA
Orange County & Lake Arrowhead, CA (949)510-2395

That's too bad, we have extensive fields for community amenities, so we can clearly define if it's a private or association pool. 

Apr 13, 2012 02:37 AM
Carla Muss-Jacobs, RETIRED
RETIRED / State License is Inactive - Portland, OR

We don't have many homes with pools here at all.  For some buyers, it's a negative.  One of my pet peeves is when the listing agent includes the basement sq. ft., and then I read the basement description and it's "unfinished" . . . hmmmm, so how does that work for living space. It doesn't.  Why don't you try to cherry pick the listing before you send them out to clients who want pools.  I cherry pick all the time, especially when there are buyers who do not want a home on, near or backing a busy street.  I do a map search.  I'm sure you can Google map the address and see if there's a pool.

Apr 13, 2012 02:47 AM
Dale Bledsoe
Crown Key Realty - Tracy, CA
Realtor in Tracy, California

I live in California where of course pools are quite common. It would never have occurred to me to say that a property has a pool because the development or neighborhood has a community pooll. Your pet peeve is deception, and I sure don't blame you for that, and sure don't blame you for being mad. In my area we work hard to keep the MLS free of deception by reporting any and all violations. Is that an option for you? Hope you have a great weekend.

Apr 13, 2012 02:59 AM