Looking at a house...

DH & I went to look at a house today in the neighborhood we want to live in & in our price range. It has everything that we want (needs some updating) but..... one of the big cons is that its on a busy road & has railroad tracks in the back. Its on 2 1/2 acres of property. So would you but in an offer on it or keep looking? Its in a very good school district & there is a possibility that in the future they may be a new road put in to reduce the traffic.

Looking at a house...

Personally? No. I didn't want to be anywhere near a railroad and never on a busy road. I think it's a matter of personal preference though.

ETA: I live 2 miles from the RR tracks and I can hear it on a quiet night.

Message edited 10/5/2013 8:04:16 PM.

Re: Looking at a house...

The busy road might be a deal breaker for me bit I would need to know more about the RR tracks. Is it a line that runs constantly? Is there a buffer of any kind? Is there a crossing nearby that would cause the whistle to blow?
I lived very close to the Oakdale line for over 10 years although it wasn't directly behind my home. I really didn't notice it after a while and that line isn't as busy as some others. I actually really liked the sound of the train sans the whistle.
I would be apprehensive about counting on a new road as a solution.

Re: Looking at a house...

sorry no. You can't move a house. I would not buy on a busy road but that is me. I would choose a smaller house or one in worse condition if needed but the busy road I wouldn't compromise on.

It's different for every person - do what is best for you. If the property is that big and the train doesn't run frequently, maybe it won't bother you. All about what you are comfortable compromising on as unfortunately, most of us can't get everything we want.

Looking at a house...

The busy road would be a deal breaker for me.

Re: Looking at a house...

I think you really have to weigh what's most important to you.

A house that is on a busy road and/or has railroad tracks running behind it is always going to be a better deal (priced lower) than the same house would be on a more quiet street not near the tracks. And I know you said the house has "everything you want." So -- without even knowing your budget or where you are looking -- I would say it's likely that you won't be able to get everything you want at this price in the same area unless you compromise on location a bit.

HOWEVER, as others have said, location is one of those things that can't be changed. You can always put in central air or add a bathroom or renovate a kitchen, but the house will still be on a busy road and on the railroad tracks. I think you need to really consider whether this will work for you and your lifestyle down the road. And also think about the fact that even if YOU truly don't mind it, other buyers surely would. So if resale value is even potentially an issue (if you may not stay in the home forever), know that this will be harder to sell than another house in the same area in a better location AND that it will need to be priced at a discount to reflect the location.

If you are leaning toward moving forward with the house, I would definitely advise you to go at different times of day to gauge the activity on the road, how frequently the train goes by, how noisy it is, etc. Also, think about how ALL aspects of the location could affect you... for example, most people who consider a busy road think about noise or the fact that their children won't be able to play out front safely. But they don't consider things like, how hard will it be to back out of your driveway in the morning to get to work if there are a lot of cars flying by at that time of day? Where will your guests park if you have a party or host a holiday? (Is there ample street parking? a huge driveway?). These are things I would point out if you were my client.

Re: Looking at a house...

We bought our house in the dead of winter and did not realize that our street is a main road for not only the rest of the community, but the town park.

I've gotten into it on several occasions with people who treat our block as a raceway. I am sure this is common in a lot of neighborhoods when your street is just a dead end, however, being on a main road is going to be a lot worse IMHO.

If you say, grew up in the city, or see this as your forever home, I don't see it being as big of an issue.

But if there's any thought in your mind of selling in the future, I'd probably say keep on looking.

Looking at a house...

I wouldn't buy the house. Being on a busy street is tough and rr tracks are annoying. I grew up with lirr tracks outside my apartment and even now a few blocks away I hear one pass by. Il since I grew up with it I barely notice but most people that visit find it to be an annoyance.

Looking at a house...

We wouldn't even look at houses on busy roads. Do you have young kids? If so, that would definitely be a deal breaker for me. I think you could have a big problem when you want to sell.

Re: Looking at a house...

Thanks everyone for your responses. We will continue to look. I have a feeling that this is the reason this house is not selling. Houses in this area don't come up for sale very often so we will wait it out. We are not in a rush.

Re: Looking at a house...

Busy road would be a deal breaker for me.