It’s a not too clever pun that may work for short sales like amusement parks, museums and convenience stores but let’s face it, a pool in the backyard does little to quell the dreams of workaday homeowners to basque in the sun on some FOREIGN stretch of sand. I think it is far more socially responsible and market savvy to market HOME BOUND AQUATIC LEISURE as a family friendly way to promote GOOD HEALTH and physical fitness.

For the record, have any of you builders out there ever closed a deal on $60K pool because Mr. Smith is tired of the shore house he’s been renting for the last 20 years?

Michael Phelps is a perfect example. Nevermind that he got caught sucking a bong instead of a snorkel tube. His loss could easily be our gain. Here is a man that is just dying for some good publicity and an invitation back into the world of corporate sponsorship. I’m certain that he could get himself booked all over the morning news program circuit to promote safe aquatic leisure at home which would do wonders to rehab his public image and just imagine the number of V.G.B. compliance sales that could be made in the wake of a publicity campaign involving someone with that high a profile, if you’ll pardon the pun.

But I still think it’s better than STAYCATION!

As for Mr. Gorlins comments regarding STAYCATIONS;

The yearly cost of professionally opening and closing a pool in addition to utilities, chemicals and repairs when necessary are likely to cost the average consumer the same amount he would pay for his week long family vacation at the Jersey shore. If said consumer has a maintenance contract for his pool, this would on average pay the airfare for his family to go to someplace a little more exotic. There are so many holes in the STAYCATION myth that I can imagine potential customers rolling their eyes in disgust when some self serving salesman tries to sell them a line of goods that a $20K-60K investment in his backyard will make his wife and children stop asking for a trip to Disney World or Paradise Island Bahamas so they can swim with jailed dolphins. Hell, I want to swim with the jailed dolphins!

In summation, I think we would all do better as contractors and consumers if we stuck to the legitimate physical and sociological benefits of SAFE aquatic leisure activities and the economic value of a safe, efficient, ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY swimming facility.

Isn’t that sort of nonsense best left to lonely home bound spouses with too much time on their hands and nobody to listen to them except small children?

Honestly, in this economic environment, any builder with any business sense at all would be focussing his or her efforts on RENOVATION and V.G.B. compliance. The reason is simple; you can’t sell your way out of your home and debt issues in this real estate market or economic climate so a homeowners best investment lies in a savvy renovation of his existing pool and equipment in anticipation of a recovering market. Similarly, eco-friendly sales are always sound in today’s economy although I feel our organization has missed the boat vis a vis; procuring government grant money for homeowners who make eco-friendly upgrades such as salt generators, Hi-E heaters/ heat pumps, solar, etc.

Home buyers are becoming increasingly aware of the hidden costs of poor purchasing decisions and nothing will queer the deal of a home sale than an outrageously substandard swimming pool in the backyard.