Would you buy a house next to a railway line?

hethmar

Just toying with the idea but seen a pretty little place surrounded by woods and with a stream and no near neighbours :j BUT next (and I mean may be only 10 ft away) to a railway line separated by a high hedge. Its been on the market since March (though agent said July ).

Would trains passing perhaps every half an hour or more bother you? I dont want to buy somewhere which I cant sell if I want to in the future (yes, I know at the right price anything sells but obviously, dont want to sell at a loss).

Has been on at £175k since March- is it worth a cheeky offer? And what would that be do you think? Needs updating, small rooms but potential for extension.

Mallotum_X

Having grown up on the other side of a road from a railway I wouldnt want to live next to one. Noise, vibrations etc, just not worth it.

evoke

No. You may becomne accustomed to the noise, as I did in my childhood living very close to an airport, but the rumble and ground shaking (if it occurs) may be a real issue for a very long time. The air will be polluted with tiny particles of steel which will ruin the paint on your car and probably not do your lungs any good either.

Jowo_2

There was a thread on this a couple of months ago which you might be able to uncover on the search tool or via Google.

All offers should be cheeky, it's a buyers market in most places.

I bought a house right next to a railway line - just over the back of my garden - and it was fine. The estate agent made me listen when a commuter train went past and it was just a whisper in terms of noise. Of course, the first night I moved in, I found out that freight trains scream past everynight and made the house shake but I got used to feeling that a train was coming through my property...Also, Eurostar diversions from time to time and they are noisy.

I now live in a flat right next to a railway line - I can leave my flat and be on the platform in one minute flat. A couple of nights a year there is noisy maintenance work, such as replacing the track or cutting back trees, and sometimes I hear tannoy announcements but the fact that the station is right next door is much handier than it is disturbing.

sammyjammy

Depends if its a mainline/high speed track, if it is then not a chance. If its a local line and trains are quite slow and stop mid evening and I had a full survey done then yeah why not. It sounds lovely

Bean_Counter

Our last house had a main railway line at the end of the garden but it didn't bother us really. It's not ideal of course and other aspects of the purchase more than made up for it.

hethmar

Well, value wise, had it not been for the railway, I think it would be £100k more in that area. I was thinking of downsizing to it. Love the setting, always wanted a stream in the garden and the bonus is no neighbours. Had lovely neighbours for 20 years but one died and the nightmare began when the new people bought the house.

But it would be a main line - if only a country one, so not on the same level as city multi line jobs. I shall check out the timetable and go and sit there I think. Its empty by the way.

What would be an offer worth making? 20% off?

danielwhitehouse

You know what, I'm moving at the moment and someone recommended an estate not far from where I live now. It's got a railway track going right through the middle. I woudn't unless you really have to. They are so noisy!

lolly_896

I grew up near railway lines approx 15ft from a railway line, and would certainly move that close again It caused us no problems - Good Luck

hethmar

Ive just checked and its not on a city to city line, rather a rural one with lots of stops, so I wouldnt think it could get up a great speed. So I guess, that would be 4 trains in an hour. 2 going down and 2 up.

hazyjo

I wouldn't, as I have cats and wouldn't like to think of them wandering across the track (one's a bit daft and would probably try using the track as a headrest). Also, wouldn't fancy the noise, etc. Might only be one every half hour, but don't forget they have to go in 2 directions and therefore might end up being every 15 mins or so (depending on timetabling, obviously).

Jx