Keep or fill small ponds on rental home?

Question

I have decided to rent out my single family home in KY. It has two beautiful ponds with waterfalls. I am debating whether to keep them or fill them in before renting to avoid upkeep and liability. What would you recommend? Pertinent info below:

House is approx 2500 sqft and sits on 2.5 partially wooded acres in a subdivision. House size and upgrades are similar or slightly nicer than the market and the lot is about double the size of most comps. There is a small berry patch and veggie garden behind the house. Basically, the exterior is what really sets this home apart from the competition. I plan to keep this as a rental indefinitely.

Both ponds are lined. Pond in front yard is 4.5' from house at the closest point and is located next to the front porch. It measures 9'x5' at widest points and is 17" deep. Pond in backyard is 12' from house at the closest point and measures 11'x19' and and is 2' deep. Would you recommend keeping both/either pond(s)? Why or why not? Thanks in advance for any insights you can provide.

Amy Koch · Answer

Thanks for the compliments. They were definitely a labor of love. We thought we'd be here longer to enjoy them and then sell, but plans change and when we ran the numbers we'd be stupid not to rent.

@bjornahland Yes, I am concerned with the up keep and having to deal with any possible mechanical or leakage issues. There is a pump filtration system for both. They are cleaned every few weeks in summer and we skim out leaves when necessary. Tadpoles and snails naturally do a good job of keeping algae to a minimum.

@gregm. Great questions. I hadn't considered permitting or insurance. I think the previous owner installed them himself so I would guess no permits were pulled.

After doing more research, at a minimum it looks like I'd need to fill the large pond to be no more than 18" since there is no fence and that seems to be a pretty standard requirement. Also, the large pond liner just started leaking. I am leaning toward filling the large pond and turning it into a planting bed and leaving the small front pond for curb appeal. If I did this I would include an amenities and structure addendum stating that amenities, e.g. the pond, could be rendered unusable at any time, so I could fill it if it became a hassle down the road. I would also include a filter cleaning schedule in the lease, much like you would for a pool.

Scott Mac · Answer

Hi Amy,

Those ponds sure are pretty.

But if it were my SFH rental I'd pull them out and try to sell them for 10 cents to 25 cents on the dollar in craigslist.

Good Luck!

John Teachout · Answer

I would certainly keep them. They can always be removed at a later time if that seems like a necessity.

Greg M. · Answer

Are they up to code and permits, if necessary, were obtained? Is your insurance company aware of them on the property? If so, I would keep them. I think they look very nice and match the overall look of the property and while a turnoff to some renters, I think it would be a selling point to many others. I would not remove them.

My main concern would be with their upkeep. I assume they have filters. How often do they need to be cleaned. Does the water need to be regularly treated? Who takes care of this?

Bjorn Ahlblad · Answer

@Amy Koch Those ponds are really gorgeous! I had a pond in my primary in Ca. It was beautiful, deep, concrete lined, lots of fish, big circulation pump, leaf strainer etc and it was a lot of work and studying a variety of stuff. Mine was larger but not as beautiful as yours! I think in a rental situation it would become a mess, and a liability. Can you make them into planted areas? Or just remove.

Amy Koch · Answer

Here are pics of the ponds.  Also, the ponds were already installed when I bought the house, but I spent a significant amount of time improving them.  Trying not to let the emotional aspect of that cloud my decision making.

Rod Hanks · Answer

I'd remove the ponds because the upkeep and maintenance will be a problem as a rental.

Carl Millsap · Answer

@Amy Koch I’d ensure the tenants had renters insurance of $100k which is about $10-20 a month.

First to cover the repairs if they don’t maintain the filter system / cleaning etc. Also God forbid a kid falls into one.

I’d put the house in an LLC, get a $1m umbrella policy ($300 for the year) and ensure it covers the pond.

While the ponds are nice and a selling point for potential renters unfortunately we have to look at worst case scenario.

Even if you keep the front pond at 2” or is it 2’ it’s still a liability.

Amy Koch · Answer

Thanks, @Scott Mac. Unfortunately they are just soft liners. If I filled them I was planning to sell the pump systems and stones. Would help offset the cost of fill dirt.

Keep or fill small ponds on rental home?

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