Buying near a motorway

MalMonroe

Salemicus said:

We've seen a house we really love but - everything has a compromise - it is approximately 85m from a motorway. I don't mind the noise at all, but I'm concerned about the possibility of pollution etc, particularly as we have young children. I've had a look at this map which makes it seem like the effect is pretty small - according to that the pollution is far less than where we live now, which is nowhere near a motorway! - but I was wondering if there is anything else I should be looking at or concerned by.

My heart is telling me this would be a great house, but my head is telling me to worry about pollution and re-saleability.

Your intuition is telling you that this won't be a good buy. And it doesn't matter what anyone else advises, either on this forum, in 'real life' or anywhere else, you have that feeling yourself. If you ignore it, you may come to regret it. That's all I'm saying. Every time I've gone against my instincts, I've regretted it. You've heard of buyer's remorse? That. And it won't be easy or cheap to offload a house once you're in it and regretting buying it. Pollution can only get worse over the years. There must be other houses, they may be more expensive but I do believe that you get what you pay for, whichever way - good/bad. 

Another thing, surely this will have to be a joint decision? What does your partner think/say? You start off by saying 'we' but then suddenly it's 'I'.  What are your partner's head and heart saying?

Salemicus

> I think you are adamant about buying it, so you should just go with your gut instinct.

Absolutely not. And I'd like to apologise if I have come across as set in my opinion. There is nothing worse than someone who asks for advice then just proceeds to argue against it. My mind is open, but I am genuinely perplexed by some of the responses I've gotten, which seem to bear no relation to what I've seen with my own eyes.

Salemicus

Another_Level said:

Knowing the property location would be helpful . The road surface, acoustic reduction barriers, fences and a few more infrastructures will have an influence on noise transmission.

Previously lived in Rickmansworth before & after the M25 was widened.  Was quieter after widening   

Google, 'M25 noise pollution' 

As it happens, this is in the vicinity of Rickmansworth too.

Salemicus

@benson1980 this is real food for thought, thank you. That basically matches my experience, so it's a cautionary tale. 

Salemicus

> Another thing, surely this will have to be a joint decision? What does your partner think/say? You start off by saying 'we' but then suddenly it's 'I'.  What are your partner's head and heart saying?

An excellent question. My wife is very enthusiastic about the house, but we would both have to be fully on board. Neither of us wants to buy a house where either one of us wasn't fully convinced.

lookstraightahead

I can't help but say this .....

Please don't 😟

Wyndham

I live about 100m from the M6 in Lancashire.
It may well be quieter than the M25 in general, but is definitely busier in holiday periods as people go north to the Lake District or Scotland.
The town I'm in is such that if you don't live by the motorway, you are by the railway line, or by the main A road that runs through the centre. We knew this when we bought.
We do hear the motorway, but it's a constant sound, and it really doesn't bother me, You can hear it from much further away than our house. I've got used to it. And, I'll be honest, when lockdown started and the motorway was significantly quieter, I think the lack of noise added to my stress levels - it rather underlined the feeling that 'something was wrong'. I think what I'm saying is that I find it comforting in some way!
Those who live by the railway line do get used to it, but we decided against it as it isn't a constant, it comes and goes. The same is true for the main A road, which I'm told often has emergency vehicles (with sirens) going past in the early hours. I know this would drive me mad.
We do not have any black dust or mess. I'm a bit confused by those who have mentioned that, as it's not part of our experience.
It is louder when it's wet - but so is every other road.
Finally, the motorway is at the back of the house. At the front is a road which is used as a rat run. I get more bothered about the sound from that - because it isn't constant - than I do about the noise from the motorway.
Hope this helps!

x_gemms_x

Wyndham said:

I live about 100m from the M6 in Lancashire.
It may well be quieter than the M25 in general, but is definitely busier in holiday periods as people go north to the Lake District or Scotland.
The town I'm in is such that if you don't live by the motorway, you are by the railway line, or by the main A road that runs through the centre. We knew this when we bought.
We do hear the motorway, but it's a constant sound, and it really doesn't bother me, You can hear it from much further away than our house. I've got used to it. And, I'll be honest, when lockdown started and the motorway was significantly quieter, I think the lack of noise added to my stress levels - it rather underlined the feeling that 'something was wrong'. I think what I'm saying is that I find it comforting in some way!
Those who live by the railway line do get used to it, but we decided against it as it isn't a constant, it comes and goes. The same is true for the main A road, which I'm told often has emergency vehicles (with sirens) going past in the early hours. I know this would drive me mad.
We do not have any black dust or mess. I'm a bit confused by those who have mentioned that, as it's not part of our experience.
It is louder when it's wet - but so is every other road.
Finally, the motorway is at the back of the house. At the front is a road which is used as a rat run. I get more bothered about the sound from that - because it isn't constant - than I do about the noise from the motorway.
Hope this helps!

I agree with this post!
Sometimes it can be weirdly quiet and I know to check on Google maps which tells me what's going on, ie an accident on the motorway. We have not experienced black dust or grime on our house either yet and it's been over 3 months so OP please make your own decision! 

Sistergold

Salemicus said:

> I think you are adamant about buying it, so you should just go with your gut instinct.

Absolutely not. And I'd like to apologise if I have come across as set in my opinion. There is nothing worse than someone who asks for advice then just proceeds to argue against it. My mind is open, but I am genuinely perplexed by some of the responses I've gotten, which seem to bear no relation to what I've seen with my own eyes.

If you have really “seen with your own eyes” that it’s all good and the house is within budget and ticks all boxes then the next thing is to go ahead? There will always be someone who buys next to a motorway! The taste of the pudding is in the eating really?

Salemicus

But I didn't say it was all good! I said there was no "black dust" - which some people have claimed is pervasive - but that the noise gets a bit annoying at the back of the garden. 

Plus @benson1980 has terrified me! I'm going to try to arrange a third viewing.