Another way to gather information about the potential of the pool business is to attend the trade shows. There are numerous trade shows throughout the year and throughout the country. These shows will have service companies, builders, manufacturers, trade schools, pool brokers, etc... There is one caution I might put forth at this time about trade schools and seminars. If you are not in the business, I would not attend the seminars. The instructors of the seminars are under the impression that everyone taking the class is a service technician. If you can't keep up with the industry jargon, they will leave you behind. IT IS BEST TO BE TRAINED AS A SERVICEMAN BEFORE YOU TAKE A CLASS. Click here for a schedule of trade shows.

There are also several trade publications servicing the pool industry. Rather than go into a lengthy explanation of each publication, click here to go to our publication page.

Let's get to the big questions on most people's mind when they purchase a pool route. Can I build a company out of my purchase? Is there any growth? The answer is yes. There are more accounts out there than you will ever want or need (depending on where you live). Thousands of pools are built each year, but there are already millions in the ground. You just have to know the right way to get at them. That is where we come in. If you are interested in building on the route you are purchasing or have already purchased, just click here to learn about growth potential.

Many sellers are only concerned with the sale of their route, and how much money they receive from this sale. They are not concerned with the quality of service provided by the new owner. This is the type of Seller you should try to avoid. If a Seller's interest lies only in the money received from the sale, more than likely, he will not care about how well you are trained or, if you succeed at all in your new venture. While this is a simple business, you will need to be trained properly.

Try to find a Seller who is concerned with who purchases his route. This will go a long way in assuring that you will receive proper training. A Seller, who is concerned about his customers, is usually a good Seller. He should have some compassion for the way his customers are treated after the sale.

Verification of the accounts is another reason not to purchase from a FOR SALE BY OWNER. A Buyer should have a Pool Broker involved in the sale and purchase for his protection. A Pool Broker has no interest in taking the accounts away from the Seller or, in causing the Buyer any harm. A Pool Broker should be able to take the list of customers being sold, and contact a percentage of the accounts to verify their authenticity. If you do purchase a route from a FOR SALE BY OWNER, you should complete this process prior to giving the seller ANY funds. A Seller may say, ì give me half of the funds now, and half after the verification, or half after training. If the Seller is dishonest, you could still lose half of your money. It is always better, for your protection, to have a Pool Broker involved in the sale and purchase of a route. The purchase price will remain the same. There is no discount in the purchase price when you purchase a route directly from the owner. However, there is a discount in your protection.

Using a Pool Broker in the sale and purchase of a route will also assist you in case a dispute arises between you and the Seller. Usually a Pool Broker can resolve any dispute before it escalates into legal action. It is also important to have a sounding board. If you have a business idea, it is important to have a Pool Broker who will listen and discuss the positive or negative aspects of the idea.

An experienced Pool Broker can also help you to maximize your companyís profits. He can also assist you in growth ideas, as well as the most painless ways to get customers to pay for services for which they are not currently being charged.

An experienced Pool Broker should have access to a pool route Escrow. The fee should be minimal, and the escrow should be exclusively for the transfer of pool accounts.