House near canal

gcoopermax

Hi,

Wife and I are l first-time buyers and looking for houses in (expensive) Warwick/Leamington Spa area. There are some properties near canal and I am wondering what are the pros and cons of living in such a property in terms of living there and also during the resale when we want to move up the property ladder. I have been doing a bit of reading and there seems to be a bit of apprehension when it comes to living near canal, because of possible flooding risk, rats/midges and also the smells emanating. Since we are concerned as a buyer, the future potential buyer when we want to sell would also have same concerns and hence I am doubtful about the appreciation of house price. Any thoughts/advice?

Thanks

AnotherJoe

Flooding risk is generally going to be very low because canals have their levels maintained much more so than rivers. Indeed usually the issue is more to do with finding enough water to keep the level up. There may be exceptions to this of course.

Rats are more likely in urban areas where there's more food. . Midges a possibility same as any damp area, depends how close. Is this backing onto the canal or huntdreds of meters away ?

Smells ? Go and take a sniff !

Other buyers put off ? I'd say equally more would be attracted to the idea of towpath walks. I'd be in the latter camp.

House prices should already include any adjustment, up or down, that being near the canal causes.

Stubod

..personally I would love to live near a canal. As per above, canals can't flood, (unless there is a "breach"). Rats more likely in a town (food). We regularly holiday on canals and have never noticed a problem with midges or smells. It would certainly not put me off...

Doozergirl

I don't live that far away from that area and my favourite house is on a local canal tow path. It's also my favourite dog walk. I have friends who have just moved into an ugly house near the canal because the location is better than the house.

Our local one did flood once back in 2007 in the really extreme rain that turned Tewkesbury into an island, but it was caused by two streams that burst their banks and poured into the canal, subsequently bursting its banks. I have other friends that bought one of the 5 houses that did flood, so even that doesn't put people off!

diggingdude

As this is the expensive area you should be fine

Marvel1

Increase premium on insurance.

Flood risk.

Thats just my thinking and It wouldn't get a viewing from me.

jolester

Our house currently backs into the canal and it's the most amazing village location.

Our house is raised up so we are overlooking the water, have put a glass fence around our decking and there's not much in life better than sitting in the garden with a glass of wine watching the boats go by, or the little families of ducks and swans.

Canals are designed not to flood, there is zero implication to house insurance, and I can assure you that living on a canal will open up your viewers in future to a whole other market of people that love or dream of living by the water and not having it is a deal breaker

Oh, and canals don't smell and I've never seen a rat just lots of birds!

Annie35

I believe houses on water have more demand? Anyway I live on a (quiet) canal, towpath side which is steel lined so we don't get damp unlike the river edge houses; as above they don't flood as controlled by the locks,; don't smell as just fresh water no waste goes in & its not stagnant; midges you need to stand outside to check, we're in a clearing & it's fine all through the village but go the other way along the treeline to the pub & you need a scarf!

If I knew how to put a picture up I would lol

The odd boat we get is charming, not sure I'd like loads chugging thou. There are walkers, bikes & kids daily along the path & fishing so a consideration if you're right on it (its not isolated as it looks in parts) & dog poop (no one picks it up but the council spray it blue lol!)

The canals are maintained by the canal & river trust as a tourist attraction, they do look after it cutting grass &maintenance so they're a good neighbour to have.

happyandcontented

I would absolutely love to live by a canal if the house and other aspects of the location were right. I would pay a premium for it.

Pickle_Lily

Flood risk is easily checked (zone 1 = low risk / zone 3 = high risk). As others have said a canal is unlikely to be a flood risk issue.


https://flood-map-for-planning.service.gov.uk/

Cakeguts

Don't buy anything where you cannot park the car next to the house. So nothing where that is only approached by the towpath or only has on street parking unless it is very cheap.

If it is modern and has allocated parking you need to read through the threads on here regarding problems with allocated parking.