Chuck Fazio of Alexandria says he hopes he will always live in a house with a pool.

Its primordial, he explained. Im at peace when Im in the pool, mentally buoyant.

Located on the well-named Neptune Drive, the home also features a hot tub, a hammock, a bar with a built-in fireplace and canal dock on a .05-acre lot. The property is listed for sale at $1,675,000 with Phyllis Patterson at Coldwell Banker. (Call 703-518-6158.)

The geometric, heated pool stands behind the 42-year-old California-contemporary house  in Yacht Haven, off the Mount Vernon Highway. Inside the house, a glass-walled Florida room stands above an outdoor living area, so Fazio can always enjoy the view.

He says he especially enjoys sitting beside the pool, gazing out over the water and getting lost in the tranquility it brings. Swimming is an afterthought for him.
A lot of the joy of having a pool has nothing to do with going in, it comes from just looking at it, he said.

Mia Fazio,16, says she is even fond of this feature when it fs her turn to clean the tiles.”Especially” at night, when the lights are on, she says.

The house features four bedrooms, four baths and two kitchens, but the pool area is a major selling point.

The owner insists his next house will have some kind of body of water, whether it be a pool, hot tub, canal or ocean.

A pool owner herself, Patterson said that home swimming pools are becoming even more popular because maintenance has grown easier over the past 20 years. Self-propelled automatic cleaners can be turned on to move around the bottom, scrubbing as they go. Advanced chemicals make it easier to measure and harder to over-chlorinate, leaving more time for fun.

The front door opens onto a living room with a wall of windows. A deck off the parlor overlooks the backyard. To the right, a large kitchen boasts granite counters beneath a skylight. The adjoining dining area leads to the Florida Room, with its high ceilings and dramatic view.

The main-floor master suite includes two full baths, four closets and a sitting area. One bath features a soaking tub, separate glass-enclosed shower, dual sinks and marble floor.

On the lower floor, a second full kitchen seems designed for parties at the pool outside the door. This cooking area features stainless-steel appliances, granite counters, a two-burner mini stove, a dishwasher and a microwave.

Also on this level, a family room with a wood fireplace adjoins an office area. Three bedrooms and two full baths are located in the hall.

The schools are Washington Mill Elementary, Walt Whitman Middle School, Mount Vernon High.