We have an in ground on the west side, and it has a waterfall. This has a great cooling effect. I still don't swim in the hot sun - but early and late, even in the dark.
It's not the water, but the sun I don't like. However, the water in an inground heats up too, even with white plaster sides. You could go either way, but I would suggest a big umbrella for the water, or keep the water full of reflective air mattresses.

Here's the lecture young lady. In ground or above ground doesn't matter for this particular lecture. It's about any body of water and sunlight. The sun here in TX is very strong. Sunburn!!!! The water (in or out of the pool) will reflect sunlight. It can burn you sitting in the shade next to the reflected sunlight. For example, an above ground surrounded by a deck with someone sitting on the deck counts. It also counts if you're in the shade on a boat. Wear waterproof sunscreen and make sure your kids do too. My brother was in water and didn't wear sunblock. We were used to the sun BTW. He got 3rd degree burns.
In ground is expensive and adds to the value of your house. Get a people proof(walk on able)pool cover. In ground pool is a permanent solution. ARE YOU SURE YOU WANT A POOL FOR A LONG,LONG TIME???? Add in the cost of an auto locking gate for safety/insurance reasons. Talk to hour home insurance before doing anything with an inground pool.
Above ground. More maintenance. Less permenant. Detracts from the value of your home but you can easily get rid of it. Kiddo proof cover and a locking gate should also be included in the price.
I know people that get a pool and use it all the time. I know people that get a pool and it just sits there,unused. Maybe you could start off with above ground and see how you like it? You could always turn it into a pond or something if you don't. If you find it being used a lot maybe and inground is a good idea? PJ

Well, from what I have read, with an inground you may or may not get your money back. We have had both and I prefer the above ground. Things have changed I think in that market and they a made better and are more attractive.
Where we lived in Dripping Springs more people had above ground because to have an inground meant you had to blast to do it.
Another thing (could've been the area)but we always had snakes in the inground pool and if it did rain for days like it used to, it would fill up with mulch and thatch
If and when we get another pool it will be above ground
Just my opinion

My brother lived in a house with a great inground pool. It had a diving board, was 12' deep on the deep end, heated...BUT, you knew there was a butt didn't you? It was so hot in the summer you couldn't swim in it. The water was generally over 88 degrees, kind of like the beach water. It was in sun for about 1/2 of the day & still got that hot! And the pool at the Elks lodge is really warm in the summer here.
Given all that I'd still put one in, especially if you like to swim. I don't have one, would take up too much of my garden and the elks are only 2 houses away.
Tally HO!

My pool came with the house!!! I love the way it looks and use it a lot during the hot summer months, but I can tell you that the maintenance is very hard and very time consuming. I don't think I will ever have another one to care for. And, PJ, I do have the cover for mine, not for safety reasons as I do not have small children visit me, but mine is to keep the leaves and blooms out during the fall and early spring.

We just love our inground pool. It's very easy to take care of. We just keep the chlorine tabs in the big thingie in the pool shed and sometimes test the water and add anything it needs.

Our pool has only had maybe 4 at the most grass snakes in it, about 3 moles, lots of frogs (mainly tree frogs).

There's an aggregate (sp?)rock decking all around it so I think snakes and other critters don't like to go over it cause it's so rough.

We have a game pool and no diving board. Our garden club plays volleyball in the pool all summer long. We have more fun than my grandkids in it.
All 3 grandkids could swim by the age of 3. Little pollywogs is what I call them.

The pool is shaded by trees by around 3 pm. The only times it's a chore is in the fall when the leaves fall in it but that only takes a few days of getting them out.

I just wish I had a pool earlier in life.

Susan, let me tell ya pools are a lot of work and money, we have already spent about 2000.00 on ours and it's that way every year with one thing or another needing replaced, repaired. Motors cost around 500 buck and up, skimmer 300 to 400 bucks on and on. Just for the maintenance guy to come out and do something it cost $292.00 in labor, this is even if it's to change out a 50 cents part if you can't do it yourself. I don't like missing with trying to fix anything on the pool cause there is so much to know about them. Pressure gauge has to be kept at a certain setting or you can do damage.
I am so ready to have our inground pool filled in with dirt and make a really nice big patio.
DH is the water baby, me I only get in it in the evening because I don't like the sun beating down on me.
I've never had an above ground pool so I can't say anything about them.
Well, as you can see everyone has an opinion and you'll have to make up your mind if it's worth having a pool.
BTW, Don't get a big pool ours is 35,000 gal and it's a lot to clean, takes more salt, takes more money to keep up.
From what I have learned watching HGTV most pools do not add value to a home so if you ever sell you may or may not get your money in return. Don't not ask anyone that your looking at pools if it adds value they'll mostly tell you yes, ask a real estate person.
Now for the fun part, our inground does not get hot, it is nice and refreshing, the water is at least 20 degrees cooler than the outside temp.
As for a fence I think that you would have to have a fence so no one can get to it, at least I would want it for my own state of mind knowing no one could get in and drowned and it would keep you from being liable should something like that happened. You do have teenagers and should you ever leave town and no ones at home kids find out even if it for the day they have gone to peoples home to swim, the temptation is there.

We ended up choosing a big oval above ground. We are swimmers no way that thing will go unused. Not really concerned about resale value, I have no plans to move again EVER. Cardboard box trauma is still too raw in my memory. 4 little snakes are 4 too many, hehe. I am more worried about the initial fill up water bill than the upkeep, DH is pretty handy. May go over to the water company and start schmoozing with promise of pool party. =D

Susan, filling up our pool had me scared too but it wasn't that bad.
We had to drain our pool once to have the pool company repair a patch where the rebar made a rust spot and it only cost $70. over what our water bill was the month before.

It all depends on the size of the pool, and how many gallons it takes to fill it. Mine was considerably more than $70 over the normal bill. My water rates are pretty high, and it costs me that much per month to replace what the sun draws out. They are costly to maintain, but if you guys like the water, I would say it is a bargain, no matter what, on hot Texas summer days.

Have another water meter dropped in. Make sure you tell the water co. that it is for the pool (or the irrigation system). That way you only pay water and not sewage, which is often twice what the water is. Last time I checked it was around $500 to drop a meter, it will pay for itself in about a year.
Tally HO!

For my two cents, we love our above ground pool. It's easy to set up and take down, so we only really have to maintain it during the summer months when we use it the most. We have an Intex 16'x48" pool with an Intex Chlorine Generator System & 1000gal/hour pump/filter (http://www.intexcorp.com/saltwater.html) and the water feels great and looks clean and sparkling clear. It was comparatively cheap compared to an inground and we have used it for several summers now, so have definitely got our money's worth. If you're not sure, I would go with an above ground pool, that way you won't have spent too much money to find out.

The pool at the Elks has finally been drained. Talk about gross! Every pool on this island was and for the most part still is disgusting. They were all filled with debris and salt water. Then sat for days, weeks, months full of that disgusting stuff. All the pumps, filters, etc. were destroyed. There are cracked pools, pools that started to float up. Electrical systems are fried.
Jacuzzis, hot tubs, ponds, all in the same boat.

So I probably wouldn't put in a pool after seeing all this. But we are digging a big pond so will have some of the same issues.

I know the Elks spent thousands of dollars two years ago for extensive renovations on the pool. It remains to be seen if it can be repaired now.
Tally HO! Swimming in the Gulf I go!