The "Cool" Neighborhood Feature You'll Never Regret

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The first time I brought my kids to our neighborhood pool, a mere two days after our interstate move to Knoxville, Tennessee, I had no idea how much this space would impact our lives. We were moving from Tallahassee, Florida, where so many households have their own pools that neighborhood pools aren't necessary. But Knoxville's milder climate means a shorter pool season overall, and fewer homes with private pools. Although our summers in Florida revolved around going to our neighbor's pool every day (sometimes more than once!), I didn't give much thought to the pool situation in our new home.
We're now on our fourth summer in Knoxville, and pool season is our favorite. The neighborhood pool I initially took for granted has turned out to be one of the best things about our new place, so much so that, if you're looking for a home in a similar type of area, I'd tell you that a pool needs to be at the top of your must-have list.
What My Neighborhood Pool Has Meant to Me
A neighborhood pool is great for all the obvious reasons. It keeps my kids busy, it's a great place to invite friends for hangouts, and it's a reliable summer activity. I can take the kids to the pool, sunscreen them up, and relax on a lounger while they play for hours. There are almost always a few kids there that my kids know and play with, and they have since forged meaningful and lasting friendships there, too.
Last year, my teen son met several other boys at the pool and they've become a close-knit, year-round group of friends who work out together, run on the cross-country team, buzz and bleach each other's hair, and hangout at each other's houses. These boys have come over for carrot cake, root beer floats, movie nights, and freshly baked cookies; gotten in trouble for playing too loud and waking up my little kids; pranked us with their Halloween bush costumes; and been there with their arms around my son (literally and figuratively) through some adolescent heartache. It's a mother's Leave It to Beaver dream and it wouldn't have happened without the pool.
But it's not just my kids who've found connection. With school years that are so busy, many parents (*raises hand*) can hardly come up for air. The summer pool scene offers a low-key, no-planning way to foster connections with other women in the neighborhood. Over time, the repeated contact the pool has allowed has turned these connections into friendships and community that I most definitely do not take for granted. Being able to chat with other moms and get to know new families — without having to find a time that we're all free or host — is invaluable. It staves off loneliness (this isn't talked about enough) and makes me feel woven in with a group of people nearby who I can count on to let me borrow a cup of sugar or bring a package into the house when I'm out of town.
Are Neighborhood Pools a Rising Real Estate Trend?
I feel like I discovered a special secret with our pool, but I know I'm not the only one who has experienced the impact of these neighborhood gems. I reached out to the Realtor who helped us buy this house, Kelly O'Connor of Wallace Real Estate, to find out more about both the history and current trends of neighborhood pools.
Turns out that O'Connor, who grew up in the same town we live in now, has her own fond history with neighborhood pools. 'I spent every summer from sun up to sun down at the pool, which resulted in amazing childhood memories with all of the neighborhood kids,' she says. O'Connor shared that a neighborhood pool was on her list of must-haves during her house search so that her children could experience the same childhood summers she had.
But do others feel the same? I asked O'Connor whether neighborhood pools are on the rise or fading away. 'During the pandemic we saw a large uptick in private backyard pools being installed,' she says, 'but neighborhood pools, especially in the South, are certainly not a thing of the past. They bring a great sense of community to subdivisions.' And it's not just about the pool itself. In newer subdivisions, it's all about the amenities surrounding the pool, too, O'Connor adds, such as splash pads, firepits, nice clubhouses, and even pickleball courts. Additionally, O'Connor says that pools themselves are getting modernized — with eco-friendly and lower maintenance options available (saltwater and solar-heated pools) — and current design trends ranging anywhere from plunge pools to resort style pools.
Do Neighborhood Pools Impact Home Value?
While we find tremendous personal value in our neighborhood pool, I wondered about whether this is a feature that reliably translates to home value. O'Connor weighs in: 'Community pools can absolutely be an added value when it comes to home sales,' she says. However, she suggests a few things to keep in mind when it comes to assessing how much of a value-add a community pool offers. Specifically, she suggests considering how well the pool is maintained, and whether the HOA fees are reasonable.In the end, 'having nice, well-kept amenities in a subdivision will always add value to your home,' O'Connor said. 'We have seen a lot of buyers moving to Tennessee from out of state, so choosing a subdivision with a community pool has been a fantastic way for new owners to meet their neighbors in a laid-back and fun environment.'
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