Living next to a road or railway line - how much is a deal breaker is it?

Housebuy12345

I’m getting no houses that are within my criteria. I haven’t lived next to a busy road or railway for many years, since my parents. At the time it didn’t bother me, and it doesn’t bother me now when I visit, but how much of a deal breaker will it be to resell a house?

As British cities are crowded and we want to live near to public transport, it’s inevitable it will happen. I would like thoughts.

novelty-socks

Living next to a railway? Fine with me. I actually quite like trains and noise doesn't overly bother me.

Living in a busy road? No way. Not because of noise, but because of pollution. When I look at air pollution data for my part of London, it's quite obvious that there are big pollution spikes on the main roads. Why would I want to breathe that in every day?

[Deleted User]

I think most people have to accept some kind of noise in the majority of places people want to live. It just depends on what you compromise on.


For me I'd rather live next to a busy roads as you tune out the noise whereas rumbling trains periodically would drive me crazy, you'd always be waiting for the next one, I viewed a house with a railway line close by and it was awful because outside it was really loud and inside the walls rattled. Even the estate agent was shocked by it.

Yellow_mango

It will certainly impact on both the price and the saleability of any property.

The extent of such impact I think depends a great deal on the type of property, and hence the likely target market for that property. A small one bed city centre flat is likely to be less impacted than a 4 bed family house for example.

It will also of course depend on the exact distance involved and the extent to which which the road / railway is actually audible from inside and outside the house. A low hum when you’re in the front garden is quite different from the whole house shaking every 10 minutes 24 hours a day.

NaughtiusMaximus

Railway lines don't bother me at all, I once lived in a house which backed onto one and after a while you barely notice them. Living next to a station would be a different matter, the noise of the constant stream of PA announcements train companies feel the need for these days would I think REALLY annoy me.

In the case of busy roads, I'd rather not given the choice but for the right house I'd consider it, it's not an absolute deal breaker.

Rosieandjim

As long as there is a driveway I would prefer both of the above verses an estate. I have lived by a railway in the past and after a couple of weeks we never noticed the noise, luckily our home did not vibrate.

ka7e

Personally I'd never buy on a busy main road. I live about 100 yards from one and I'm still aware of the noise and pollution it creates.



Houses in my area are priced about 10-15% lower on the A road through the town if they have an area of garden at the front. Terraced houses that are straight on the pavements are probably 20%+ cheaper than on side streets.


We have a new development built next to the railway line in the town, which seems to be selling OK. But we have a huge demand for BTL in this area that skews the market a bit.

need_an_answer

Its what you get used to...or indeed what some people will allow as an acceptable compromise.

You'll always get people who wont want to live next to a railway line,I'm not sure if I'm honest,that I would although if it were my perfect property that in a "correct" location would be well out of budget I could easily change my mind.

If its all that someone can afford but takes them out of renting and into their own home then its a step forward.

Roads...most pople who live in a town will have some sort of noise so in this day and age its probably becoming less of an issue.

...and actually the countryside in the middle of nowhere can be even more of a dealbreaker than some people think.

I wouldn't worry too much about resale values at this stage...of course a lot can change once you even purchase a property and if you plan to stay for 10 years the whole landscape of where you buy now could be different by then....it doesn't make it unsalable just that it appeals to a different market of people.

I wouldn't buy a new build...but they appeal to many....and the thought of buying something "fully refurbished " would be my ideal hell...so its not always even just about location.

Theres a property for everyones tastes out there.


People change according to their life circumstances too...so for example what suits you now will possibly not be suitable in 10 years time,so you move on...in some ways that's what keeps the housing market flowing...a collection of people who buy something suitable,find situations change and move on.

A continual flow of the demographics through the ages from FTB to downsizers will probably ensure that at some point when you come to sell your property someone will be interested in buying it.

NaughtiusMaximus

Rosieandjim wrote: »

As long as there is a driveway I would prefer both of the above verses an estate.

Depends on the estate. If your budget only stretches to the less salubrious areas of the particular town/city you're interested in I would agree but if you're looking at nicer areas I would prefer an estate to a house on a main road.

MobileSaver

Housebuy12345 wrote: »

but how much of a deal breaker will it be to resell a house?

I used to live around 100 yards away from a main railway line, after a very short period you automatically tune the noise out and only notice it when friends comment.

I sold the property about 10 years later for around £200,000 more than I paid for it...

AdrianC

Will a house next to a main road or railway line be cheaper than an identical house that isn't? Yes.
Turn that around - for the same money, you can buy a bigger/better house next to a main road/railway line.

Some buyers will be happy with that trade-off, some won't. You only need one.