When homeowner Lindsey Mullnix and her husband looked at their expansive backyard in Lake Nona, Florida, they knew it needed more than just the pad of pavers and a playground set for their three kids. “I knew exactly what I wanted,” Mullnix says.
The family envisioned a large pool, gatherings on the pool deck and a basketball court. There would be a shed and a gazebo with an outdoor projector for movie nights. They would have fruit trees, and more shade trees. The goal was to spend as much family time outdoors as possible.
American Pools and Spas built the family a 20-by-40-foot L-shaped pool with a 7-foot-deep end and a 15-foot sun shelf in their backyard. A large concrete decking area surrounds the pool. Another concrete pad at the corner of the yard serves as the location for the shed and the basketball court.
Financing made their dream come true
Mullnix hopped onto a local Facebook group of saltwater pool owners to ask questions about the process and how to make it all financially feasible.
The couple chose Lyon Financial after many other pool owners recommended it for their own construction projects. “After doing my own research, thinking about things, and talking to American [Pools and Spas] about pricing, honestly, everything fit perfectly,” she says.
Through Lyon, the Mullnixes were able to get a competitive interest rate, one that was much better than relying on home equity, Mullnix says. They also felt comfortable working with the builders through Lyon because Lyon communicated regularly with her. For example, she received forms to sign that acknowledged certain project milestones, which authorized payment release to the builder.
Jonas Anderson is the design and sales consultant at American Pools and Spas in Orlando, Fla., who built the Mullnix’s pool. Anderson says that the financing portion is what makes such dreams possible for many homeowners. While the Mullnixes had already set a realistic budget in place with the financing, other homeowners quickly realize how much more of their dream can be achieved through loans. “The financing tool helps upsell,” he says.
“Financing can make or break whether we can put a pool in [a customers’] backyard,” says Phillip Woody, sales manager for American Pools and Spas. He says that financing companies like Lyon help streamline the process between customers and builders by providing a customer portal, so customers can have a little more control. Such companies might also offer different packages depending on the customers’ needs.
Even though Mullnix knew exactly what she wanted for her family, the builders were able to help add some other features that were possible because of the financing. For example, they substituted out a beach entry for the sun shelf, added mosaic tiles, a sheer descent, and changing globe bubblers.
All that was left was to add water, which Mullnix says they recently did. “My plans are to swim every day. When I’m done with work I just want to jump into the pool.”
To learn more about financing, visit lyonfinancial.net.
