Post # 1
Member
44 posts
Newbee
Hello! my fiancé and I found the perfect house for us. It was recently flipped and is completely remodeled from top to bottom. There is about 1/3 acre of yard, perfect for kids t. Run around and play in 🙂 the house is on a cul-de-sac road, so it does not border a busy street. The only issue is… There is a highway about 50 feet past the backyard up a slope. It is just two lanes each way, but you definitely hear the noise from it. You can’t hear it inside at all but you can hear it a lot when out in the yard. There is no way to get to the highway from the yard so there isn’t a safety issue, just noise. The house is also about $40k less than what it would cost in a different neighborhood.
Have any of you bees ever lived near a highway? Was it an issue? For what it’s worth, we currently live next to an airport and don’t even hear the planes anymore because we’ve gotten used to them. I am a little concerned about resale as we’ll, because I know many people may be turned off by the noise. Would you consider buying in this situation?
Post # 2
Member
4377 posts
Honey bee
I would say if you’re unsure it means future buyers would be too. I wouldn’t.
Post # 3
Member
1839 posts
Buzzing bee
If you can’t hear the cars from inside I would say go for it.
For when you’re outside you can always plant some hedges or other bushy trees along the back fence line to help absorb some of the noise in the yard.
Try to spend some time in the house while it is very quiet though. You may think you can’t hear it, but possibly could when all else is silent and you’re going to bed (for example)
Post # 4
Member
7887 posts
Bumble Beekeeper
If you live in an area with a really hot real estate market (e. g. California), it might be ok. Otherwise, it will hurt resale value in the future, and the street sounds could get annoying when you live there.
Post # 5
Member
638 posts
Busy bee
Fi lives near the highway. It def annoys me in the morning because its wooooosh wooosh wooosh but I’m a VERY sensitive sleeper and I only sleep there occasionally. I don’t think its ever bothered him. Any other time of the day, I don’t really hear it. We can’t hear anything if he closes his window. I also live next to a very busy street. Only time it bothers me is when I’m trying to sleep in… but again, I’m a very light sleeper, like when my grandma gets up in the middle of the night in the next room, I’ll wake up too.
Post # 6
Member
246 posts
Helper bee
I think it would come down to whether or not it’s going to be your “forever” home. If so, then go for it! If you don’t mind the highway, then who cares?
If you know you’ll be selling, then that’s something to keep in mind. Some people won’t buy a house near a highway no matter how nice it is.
Post # 7
Member
1336 posts
Bumble bee
kimberlypaige28:
I looked at an awesome house that was near the highway and I couldn’t deal with the noise or sooty/dirty feeling air. The noise was white noise and couldn’t be heard from inside. But we’d never be able to spend time entertaining outside or even just hanging out just the two of us eating dinner with music on because the traffic noise was too difficult for me to talk over or enjoy music over. I also felt our outdoor furniture/house exterior would be covered in soot all the time and I read a lot about the bad air quality near busy highways and that was also a turn off.
I think the resale is very difficult in these houses. It was an older couple that was selling after like 30-40 years in the house & they’d gone through one price drop after another over the last 7 years, I felt bad for them.
That all said, there are lots of homes near major roads/highways and someone is living in them. You have to decide if the noise & air quality are a bother for you or not. And do some research into the resale value on other homes nearby.
FWIW we have a family vacation home near an airport and that sound doesn’t bother me like the constant white noise. At the vacation home I might have to take a pause while talking when a plane takes off but outside of that we can converse freely, listen to music, etc.
Post # 8
Member
2180 posts
Buzzing bee
kimberlypaige28: Just remember that on top of the noise, you’ll likely be dealing with exhaust fumes and brake dust as well. Studies show that the pollution that comes with living in close proximity to highways ups children’s risk of developing asthma.
Post # 9
Member
3298 posts
Sugar bee
I live on a VERY busy road that is two lanes each way right now. The road is about 5m from the front of the house. At first I noticed the traffic noise a lot, but now I don’t notice it at all.
Post # 10
Member
3898 posts
Honey bee
I lived in an appartment building on the 18th floor when I was 10 y.o. and the noise was significant, there was another building between ours and the hwy and it was still too loud. Ever since then I’m like noooooooope. I’m the kind of person the gets bothered by too much noise, and if doesnt stop and I can’t go away it will drive me insane. I want to be able to sit in my back yard in peace and quiet.
Post # 11
Member
1351 posts
Bumble bee
DONT DO IT!!! We built a new home backing onto a 4 lane road, ( not a highway). The builder said it would be fine, as there was a 9 ft cement wall. After only two years we sold and built a new home in a different area with no traffic noise!!! I hated it!!! The sound of the buses and motorcycles, especially drove me nuts! I can’t stand noise!!! I slept with earplugs at night and it still bothered me! It also took us a long time to sell, despite it only being a 2 year old gorgeous house because potential buyers didn’t like the road either!!! I would NEVER buy near a road ever again no matter how awesome the house was!!!!!
Post # 12
Member
47432 posts
Honey Beekeeper
You will get used to the noise. We lived by a railroad track when I was a kid. There will be higher levels of pollutants that may, or may not, affect your children.
It will definitely affect resale ability and value.
Post # 13
Member
7794 posts
Bumble Beekeeper
It will impact resale and quality of life. So–how long do you plan to live there? Is there a tall wall between your property and the freeway or is it open? Does this location give you an opportunity to get into a desirable neighborhood/public school system you otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford? ($40K less at $200,00 is one thing, at $600,00 not so much.) Do you think you can get it for even less than the listed price?
Post # 14
Member
653 posts
Busy bee
Well my parents had two interesting experiences with noisey locations. The first was living next to a train station which proved to be very difficult for resale. You could hear them inside and outside but after several months on the market it did sell. Then, they bought a house probably about 150 feet away from a major highway (8 lanes each way). Fortunately they can’t hear it inside the house and the windows are probably 15 years old. Outside though you definitely have the white noise of the rushing wind. They’ve set up two water fountains to kind of lessen it but you still hear it. Plus they have a somewhat busy street just behind them. They had to experience a bidding war though to get that house and it certainly wasn’t discounted. Then again they don’t plan on selling for quite some time so if it’s your dream house how long do you plan on staying there? No house is absolutely perfect, even if you think it is when you buy it you will soon discover things. It’s just a matter of how you feel about it and how long you want to stay there.
Post # 15
Member
5891 posts
Bee Keeper
It’s not the noise that’s an issue. It’s the exhause, microscopic tire particles and brake dust, like
Speck_: said, and even the vibrations. Do some research on the health risks to you and your children. And also look at the increased learning difficulties.
kimberlypaige28.