Float Away Any Summertime Blues: 7 Homes With Lavish Lazy River Pools

fun pool home ideas from realtor.com

May flowers are in full bloom, the school year is winding down, and temperatures are creeping steadily into the sweat zone.

While most of us simply crank up the AC and scroll through resorts for a respite, a lucky few just amble into their backyards. For those charmed homeowners with resortlike pools on their properties, we cop to a serious case of lazy river envy.

Lazy rivers are the finest pool-related amenity—allowing an aimless sunbather to float along, with jet currents so gentle a cocktail in hand won't spill.

It's the dreamy warm-weather experience most of us get only occasionally, on vacation—if we're lucky. What if you could indulge yourself whenever you wanted? To indulge in our own lazy river–fueled fantasy, we scoped out the coolest pools for sale from coast to coast.

We found seven homes on the market with lazy rivers, swim-up bars, grottoes, and other manner of high-end water experiences that might make your next trip to the resort feel downright dreary. This is how you do summer the right way.

Pass the (waterproof) sunblock and take a dip.

38508 N. 34th Ave, Phoenix, AZ

Price: $935,000
Desert dream: This home's pool cost a cool quarter-million dollars to build in 2006 and has been recognized among the top 10 in Arizona. More than just a spot to cool off, this home's backyard has a lazy river, grotto waterfall, tunnels, a slide, misting system, and much more. The rest of the five-bedroom home is more subdued, but it's all arranged to soak in the views of all the fun out back.



16810 Saddle Ridge Pass, Cypress, TX

Price: $4,999,500
Playtime perfection: This five-bedroom estate sits on more than 4 acres and was built first and foremost for fun. The interiors are luxurious to be sure, but it's what's on the outside that gives this home the feel of a resort. Out back, there's a covered kitchen, pond with pier, and pool with spa and dreamy lazy river.



42 Island Estates Pkwy, Palm Coast, FL

Price: $3,950,000
Island ideal: This five-bedroom estate was built in 1992 and sits on nearly 3 acres with 300 feet of Intracoastal Waterway frontage. If boating out of the floating dock or swimming at the private beach a short walk away aren't appealing, head out back. There you can take a dip in the 4,500-square-foot, glass-tiled pool with rock structure, waterfalls, spa, lazy river, swim-up bar, and grotto.



5 Wood Creek Ct, Las Vegas, NV

Price: $6,200,000
Million-dollar marvel: This pool connected to a 9,400-square-foot, Tuscan-style estate cost $1 million to build in 2006 and was featured on HGTV's top 50 pools series. In addition to the lazy river, the pool area includes waterfalls, a swim-up bar, and hot tub.




3720 Krenek Rd, Crosby, TX

Price: $2,500,000
50 acres of fun: In addition to over-the-top amenities like an indoor breezeway, loggia, and pet grooming room, this enormous 50-acre estate outside Houston has a bountiful backyard. There's a free-flowing pool, which includes a lazy river, waterfall grotto, slide, fire pit, and cabana.



6949 Chartwell Dr, Riverside, CA

Price: $1,999,900
'White House': Dubbed the "White House," this Colonial-style home from 1999 has seven bedrooms and more than 6,600 square feet. In addition to lavish interiors, this home has a backyard with a new lazy river pool, spa, shower, gazebo, and kitchen with barbecue and pizza oven.



2802 E. Benders Landing Blvd, Spring, TX

Price: $1,675,000
Best of benders: Built in 2008, this 10,000-square-foot mansion is big even for Texas. While the interiors boast extras like custom millwork and built-ins, rotunda ceilings, and a grand staircase, this 2-acre property truly shines with its outdoor spaces. Experience outdoor living at its finest with a heated pool with waterfalls, slide, spa, and beach entry. Apparently, sometimes even a spectacular pool isn't quite enough.

Mortgage Rates Just Hit a New All-Time Low

from Money.com

Those who were holding out on buying or refinancing a mortgage in the hopes of getting even lower rates finally have their patience rewarded. Interest rates have reached a new all-time low for the third time since the beginning of the year.

The average interest rate for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage was 3.15% with 0.8 points paid, for the week ending May 28, according to Freddie Mac. That’s 0.08 percentage points below the previous all-time low of 3.23% set April 30. A year ago today the average interest rate was 3.99%. It is the fifth consecutive week where interest rates have remained below 3.30%.

Average interest rates on 15-year fixed-rate mortgages fell by 0.8 percentage points to 2.62% with 0.7 points paid. Meanwhile, the average rate on a five-year adjustable-rate mortgage decreased to 3.13% with 0.4 points paid, a decline of 0.4 percentage points from last week’s 3.17%

Refinance loans continue to be in high demand as they make up almost two-thirds of all mortgage loan activity. Conventional refinance loans increased 2% over the previous week thanks to continued low interest rates. More recent refinance activity has also seen a $70,000 decrease in the average amount of refinance loan size. “This means a broader base of borrowers are taking advantage of the record low rate environment, which will benefit the economy,” said Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s chief economist in a statement.

Home purchase mortgage applications continue their six-week rise as lock-downs orders ease throughout the U.S. According to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA), applications were up 9% over the previous week and 54% over their level in early April. New York continues to lead the way with an increase of 19.7% over last week, while California saw an increase of 11.6%.

New listings plunge across state

With limited market supply, it's a good time to sell...see Denver Post Article...

New listings plunge across state
Single-family home sales drop 20.3% amid stay-at-home orders in April

Stay-at-home orders dealt a heavy blow to home sales across the state in April, but they didn’t knock the market off its feet, according to a monthly update from the Colorado Association of Realtors.

Open houses were not permitted and in-person visits were limited until the final walk-through, which made marketing homes difficult. Concerned about their health and job losses, sellers and buyers alike pulled back.


Yet, contracts were closed on 7,590 residences across the state, with minimal discounting, and 6,761 properties were put under contract. And once showings were allowed again at the end of April, buyers came back out.

“Everybody expected there would be this massive tanking of our market when it opened back up, but on the contrary, we are back to where we were. It isn’t doom and gloom,” said Denver-area Realtor Matthew Leprino.

Yet, Leprino said he maintains a cautious outlook. Unemployment rates have spiked to their highest levels since the Great Depression, consumer credit scores are taking a hit, and lenders are tightening their loan standards, all of which could sideline many would-be buyers in the months ahead.

“We have rebounded, but now what is next?” he said.

Single-family home sales dropped 20.3% statewide, from 7,444 in April 2019 to 5,930 this April. Townhome and condo sales fell a steeper 32.4%, from 2,455 a year ago to 1,660 last month.

Buyers weren’t the only ones holding back. The number of single-family homes that Colorado sellers listed fell 24.1% last month, from 9,591 in March to 7,281 in April. Condo and town-home listings dropped from 3,024 to 2,064, a decline of 32.1% over the month.

Single-family listings took 40 days on average to sell statewide in April, down from 47 days the same month a year earlier, while condos and townhomes took 42 days to sell compared to 46 days last year.

Median home sales prices largely held up. Statewide, they fell 1% month-over-month, to $419,900, and are still up 5% over the year. Condo and townhome prices dropped 4.3% to $315,000 on the month but remain up 3.3% on the year.

A report last week from the Denver Metro Association of Realtors showed similar declines in metro Denver. There were 3,603 homes and condos sold, a 24.3% drop month-over-month and a 30.8% drop year over year. New listings came in at 4,679, down 29.8% from March and 37.8% from April of 2019.

Jill Schafer, chairwoman of the DMAR Market Trends Committee, said in the report that buyers mostly avoided making low-ball offers, asking for big discounts or stretching out the sales process. Sellers in metro Denver received 99.96% of the listing price on average last month.

The median price of a single-family that closed in metro Denver and surrounding counties last month was $475,425, down 2.2% from March and up 3.35% from April 2019. The median price of a condo sold was $322,000, down 2.4% from March but still up 6.9% from a year earlier.

The drop in buying activity was especially pronounced in mountain resort counties, which were hit earlier and harder by the novel coronavirus outbreak, according to the CAR report. Sellers held back listings at a higher rate in metro Denver and in some of the counties on the Eastern Plains.

Across the state, high-end homes saw the biggest drop in demand. Some agents in higher-priced mountain communities argue that wealthy buyers escaping congested cities will fuel a rebound, while others noted that the collapse in oil and gas prices could reduce demand from Texans and push current owners from that state to sell.

“We really are unsure of our real estate and tourist economy in that none of us have ever experienced a health pandemic like we are in now,” said George Harvey, a Telluride-area Realtor, in comments accompanying the CAR report.

Back to work: As property showings resume, builders and agents see a quick resumption of spring interest from buyers, sellers

good article from Denver Post with what I'm seeing as well:

"Back to work: As property showings resume, builders and agents see a quick resumption of spring interest from buyers, sellers
“Indications are that we’re still going to have a positive market coming into rest of the year.”

In the few days since statewide restrictions were lifted on the showing of properties, Colorado builders and real estate agents were already seeing a quick upswing in buyer interest that’s being heralded as a sign of a possible early market recovery.

“We’ve already seen plenty of showings; there’s pent-up demand,” says Matt Leprino, spokesperson for the Colorado Association of Realtors who tracks data for the association.

“How long that will last is hard to tell, but showings are back up after dropping off,” he adds.

Initial stay-at-home orders had drastically cut into numbers of showings in the Denver area, by over 90 percent; but the orders were rescinded last week, as real estate was reclassified as an essential ‘field service.’

“Indications are that we’re still going to have a positive market coming into rest of the year,” says Rike Palese, who heads up Re/Max Professionals’ DTC office—just under $1 billion in residential sales last year.

“Sellers want to sell, and there’s a lot of buyer momentum,” Palese adds.

Office stats from last week indicated showings in the few days following the lifting had gone way up, already 20% above levels in mid-March when the virus crisis was descending.

“Are we back to normal? No, but we’re working our way to that,” Palese says. He notes that lending is now more of a challenge for some buyers, facing higher credit score requirements for some programs.

“The important thing to know is that there’s availability for financing at great rates, with reasonable down payments.” Some lenders have restricted jumbo market loans, but others are still offering them, Palese adds.

Meanwhile, some agents were marking how well they had done even during maximum restrictions. “It’s still been pretty stable,” says Jason Cummings with Compass Real Estate—noting that he had tracked eight homes closed during the height of the quarantine, with three new ones under contract and 11 new listings that arrived.

“As with 9/11 and other catastrophes, people want to move on in a positive way,” adds Re/Max’s Palese.

“People are getting out, experiencing more freedom, and will feel even more positive. We’re already seeing people who were holding off when the stock market dropped off now thinking about coming back in.”

CAR’s Matt Leprino cautioned that the national market, in the shadow of 30 million job losses, presented significant challenges to recovery. The Mortgage Bankers Association released new stats Monday showing that numbers of the loan in forbearance—with borrowers requesting a suspension of their loan payments—had jumped over the crisis from around a quarter-percent of all loans to 6.99%, with expectations the levels would increase.

Leprino cautioned borrowers contemplating forbearance, particularly if prospects for returning to work are imminent. “You sign on the line and say I don’t have to pay, but a lot of banks will require a lump-sum repayment,” he notes.

Although the CARES Act states that borrowers shouldn’t incur penalties, Leprino adds that credit scores could still be affected.

“Humans tend to like to forget the negative and move on,” adds Palese."

What Your Real Estate Agent Wants You To Know About the Housing Market Right Now - Realtor.com - April 29, 2020

Spring is typically a busy time for buying and selling homes, but the coronavirus pandemic has pushed homeowners and shoppers into new, uncharted territory. Shelter-in-place orders and concerns about contagion have forced many real estate agents to cancel open houses, while unemployment is at a historically high level.

But even in the midst of a deadly pandemic that is devastating the economy, many Americans still want or even need to buy a home in the near future.

"I definitely have clients that are still interested in viewing homes but have been honest that they won't put pen to paper and write an offer until they know the health crisis has passed and they can assess the impact on real estate and the economy,” says Noah Grassi, a Realtor® for Compass in San Diego.

So, what does the current state of the housing market mean for buyers? With so much uncertainty these days, buying—or planning to buy—a home during a pandemic requires extra careful consideration. That's why we reached out to real estate agents to get their honest takes on what's really happening in the housing market in the time of COVID-19, how buyers can prepare, and what we can likely expect when the pandemic subsides.

There may be some reductions in home prices
The federal government has provided relief through cash payments, and lenders are also offering mortgage forbearance options. But with unemployment numbers rising, more people could be forced to sell their homes or enter foreclosure, potentially leading to reductions in home prices.

“Due to millions of job losses per week, and the long-term impact of COVID, I expect housing prices to shift into a downward trend,” says Justin Brennan with Brennan Real Estate Group, Pacific Sotheby’s International Realty. “To what extent they go down will be determined by how many job losses become permanent versus temporary."

If the price cuts materialize, that would be good news for buyers in locations where affordability was already stretched thin.

More homes will come onto the market
A bigger inventory of homes on the market may soon be on the horizon for buyers.

“There's an inventory of sellers on the sidelines, and it is growing every day,” says Grassi. “These are owners that still reside in their property and don't want strangers—agents and potential buyers—walking through their home at the moment due to the health crisis. Once it is clear the risk is minimal, I think we are going to see a big increase in the number of homes for sale.”

There's a chance that buyers are also waiting in the wings for the coronavirus pandemic to end and the economy to get back on its feet. But the likely big inventory of homes for sale could put buyers in a good position.

Interest rates are likely to stay low
Over the past few months, mortgage interest rates have been lower than we've ever seen. And experts expect that trend to continue.

“The general consensus of the experts is that mortgage interest rates will remain attractive for many months to come,” says Grassi. "If buyers are hoping to try to find a deal on their mortgage during this health crisis, they should be writing offers now."

If low mortgage rates and being stuck indoors have convinced you it's time to find a new home, this may be a time to consider buying.

Keep in touch with your mortgage lender
Serious buyers should always have their mortgage lender on speed dial, but in these unprecedented times, this advice is more relevant than ever.

“Make sure you are constantly speaking with your lender on updates in the lending market,” says Brennan. “If you fall in love with a home, focus on the long term and getting a great interest rate and payment versus trying to time the market.”

Link to Full Article

“Make sure you are constantly speaking with your lender on updates in the lending market,” says Brennan. “If you fall in love with a home, focus on the long term and getting a great interest rate and payment versus trying to tim

Should I Sell My House Now? The Essential Guide To Selling in the Age of Coronavirus - Realtor.com - April 13, 2020

Spring is usually prime home-selling season—but this spring is a whole different ballgame. With the coronavirus crisis intensifying and the economy in a tailspin, some homeowners may be asking themselves: Should I sell my home during the coronavirus pandemic, or wait?

To be sure, this spring's home-selling season will be anything but normal. So far, the latest National Association of Realtors® Economic Pulse Flash Survey conducted mid-March—which already feels like a very long time ago—revealed that 48% of real estate agents have noted a dip in buyer interest compared with a year ago.

“The coronavirus is leading to fewer home buyers searching in the marketplace, as well as some listings being delayed," says Lawrence Yun, chief economist for the NAR. But this news shouldn't necessarily serve as a dark omen or an intractable obstacle to all home sellers.

Is it safe to sell your home amid the coronavirus outbreak?
For starters: If you need to sell your home for personal reasons—because you are relocating for a job, in need of more/less space, or facing new financial circumstances that require a move—you shouldn't let the coronavirus stop you.

In late March, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency under the U.S. Department of Homeland Security declared residential real estate sales an "essential service" that will be allowed to continue. That said, check with your real estate agent and local government for what's allowed in your area, and keep in mind that things could change as this pandemic progresses.

In certain areas, in-person home showings are still happening, although how they are held (and how many people are allowed to attend) has changed. The NAR has released open house guidelines urging real estate agents to limit the number of guests per open house to 10 at a time. They also require potential buyers to wash their hands or use hand sanitizer when they enter the home, and remove their shoes or wear booties over their shoes.

“Sellers incorrectly assume that there will be no showings,” says Adam Kruse, a real estate agent with the Hermann London Group near St. Louis. “We haven’t experienced a significant reduction in showings."

This is particularly true for certain types of properties. Specifically: If you've already moved out and the home you're selling is vacant, you should have an easy job enticing buyers. Let's face it, an empty house seems far safer to visit than one where people still live.

Why your home's listing online matters more than ever
While certain hard-hit areas (such as New York City) have forbidden in-person home showings, this doesn't mean all is lost, thanks to the increased use of virtual home tours using tools such as Facebook Live, Immoviewer, Matterport, Kleard, and others. While virtual tours and showings are a great way to keep home sellers and buyers safe, this new reality has also raised the bar on how homes should be presented and marketed online.

In other words: A few nice photos of your home may not cut it during this period.

“You only get one chance at a first impression, so you don’t want to be using poorly shot and lit iPhone photos and videos," says Ressie Krabacher, a residential broker with the Chicago Home Partner team of At Properties.

So make sure the real estate agent you hire is well versed in digital technologies that will be used to show off your home in the best light. (We'll dive into this topic in more depth in a later installment.)

Coronavirus' impact on the housing market and buyer behavior
While your local real estate market could dictate whether this spring is still a good time to list your home, housing inventory is low nationwide. According to realtor.com®’s March Housing Trends Report, there were 15.7% fewer homes for sale this March compared with a year ago.

Low inventory spells good news for sellers, since there are fewer homes for buyers to choose from. Plus, prices are up, too, with the national median listing prices 3.8% higher than a year earlier, at $320,000.

That said, most of the home sales that closed in March were likely agreed to in February or even earlier, points out realtor.com Chief Economist Danielle Hale. April and beyond may be a different story.

“Our inventory and listing data can provide some early insight into how housing markets may be impacted by COVID-19, but the situation and reactions to it are still rapidly evolving,” Hale says. "I expect a slightly higher number of contracts to fall apart, either because mortgage market volatility or, in some cases, job or income loss prevents buyers from getting the mortgage they expected."

Mortgage interest rates remain low, enticing buyers, but uncertainty in the economy and layoffs have led some potential buyers to hold off on a home purchase.

“That doesn’t mean all transactions are going to stop, but everyone is taking a second look at if buying right now is the best decision,” says Noah Brinker, a real estate investor and owner of Cash Homes NWA in Northwest Arkansas.

While home prices remain fairly steady right now, if economic conditions worsen, more buyers might give up and home prices could drop. So, if your home is ready to list right now, you might want to strike while the iron is still (somewhat) hot.

“With uncertainty at a peak, it seems to me that if the market is going to teeter one way, it would be down at least temporarily,” Kruse says. “So why wait to sell when prices are possibly going to go down?”

Why a home sale might take longer today
If you do land a buyer, be warned that your sale might take longer than usual. On average, it takes 50 days to close on a house, but the pandemic could drag things out even longer.

What's the holdup? Specifically, buyers are asking for more contingencies on their offers in light of COVID-19, such as longer home inspection windows and extended closing times. Along with closings potentially taking longer, some buyers may face delays in mortgage pre-approval because of changing financial circumstances. Home inspections may be delayed, and it could take longer to get repairs made.

Worried your home might sit on the market? The stigma around stale listings is changing fast, too.

"Sellers also assume that their days on market will be high," says Kruse. "But we don’t think that people will be as interested in DOM in the upcoming six months."

In fact, the Real Estate Board of New York recently asked real estate listing sites to suspend the DOM clock on residential listings, and more areas might follow suit.

Link to Full Article

Sellers face unique and uncertain times, and, as such, patience is essential. In our next installment, we'll explore the various ways you can sell a house safely. Stay tuned!

In-Person Showing Regulations for Denver, Boulder, Broomfield and Jefferson Counties - Mountain Metro Association of REALTORS - April 30, 2020

The current regulations on real estate showings have been changing on a weekly basis and are subject to county regulations and city ordinances at this time. In-person real estate showings are permitted in several counties. Here are the breakdowns by county:

Jefferson and Boulder Counties:
- For unoccupied (vacant) homes and land only
- By appointment only (no open houses)
- Face coverings required for all participants
- Number of in-person participants limited to the greatest extent possible and participation by children is strongly discouraged
- Social Distancing Requirements must be met at all times by the clients and the Realtors
- Individuals shall maintain at least a six-foot distance from other individuals, wash hands with soap and water for at least twenty seconds as frequently as possible or using hand sanitizer, cover coughs or sneezes (into the sleeve or elbow, not hands), regularly clean high-touch surfaces, and not shake hands.
- Realtors must maintain a detailed log of customer interactions in case contact tracing becomes necessary. This log should include name, date, and location of contact, as well as the contact’s phone number and/or email address.
- Realtors must ensure or provide gloves and face coverings for any customer interactions
- Realtors should perform tasks remotely or virtually whenever possible, including pre- and post- visit conferences.
- Open houses are not permitted

Denver City and County:
- Open houses are not permitted
- Properties must be vacant, with no one living there, unless the only occupant in the home is the owner and not a rental tenant
- Social distancing requirements must be followed at all times
- All commonly-used surfaces must be wiped down and sanitized before and after the showings

Broomfield County:
- No in-person showings are allowed through May 8th
- In person-showings will be allowed beginning on May 9th (likely, with specific regulations that have not yet been posted)

Other Counties:
At this time, most counties in the Denver Metro area have extended their stay at home orders through May 8th, and have not stated whether in-person showings are now permissible. The regulations are changing constantly, so please contact me directly to get the latest information for your county.

In addition, specific HOA Communities, especially those with high risk populations, may have additional provisions which can exclude in-person showings in an effort to keep residents of these communities safe.