House near rail line

BMTH

Hi, we are FTB and we've seen a house we really like the look of. It's a semi-detached 3 bed well within our budget which we've requested a viewing on. The only issue is it backs onto a mainline for trains. Commuter trains will be running all day (not sure about the night but imagine there will be some). Me and my partner have spoke and we've agreed if the house feels and looks right when we view it we will put an offer in. We've spoke to one of our friends who also lives next to a trainline and they told us they got used to it.

But we aren't entirely sure sure how to approach the market if we decide to offer. The house was put on with an EA back in September - listing history as follow.

6th September - first listed at £240k

14th November - reduced to £230k

26th December - reducted to (offers over) £220k

End of January - viewings paused

From next Saturday viewings are to re-commence. However, the propery has now been put on with a second EA (guide price 220k).

2 things I guess... has anyone any opinions of living so close to a traintrack? (anything from general noise to re-selling issues in the future). Secondly, is offering under risky if this has only been put on with a new estate agent? If I put myself in the sellers shoes and someone had viewed my house straight away and offered under I'd probably hold off and wait for higher offers. Excuse my naivety here, just after a bit of advice.

Doozergirl

If you're prepared to live next to it and your sellers were prepared to live next to it, others will be. 

You'll get a raft of replies from people telling you they wouldn't, but everyone has very different criteria and not everyone is going to be your market.  I might live happily next to train line but I don't need or want a three bed semi, so I'm not the market for a different reason.  🤷‍♀️

As for offering lower, you can only offer what you think it is worth and see what happens.  None of us have any idea what is in the vendors heads or what other buyers might be thinking.  Make your own decision and go with it.  

TadleyBaggie

What is the line, i.e. between which stations?

JReacher1

I live with a trainline right behind my house.  I don't really hear it.  It will put some buyers off though. 

On price its obvious they have struggled to sell.  If you like the house think of an offer of around £210k sounds decent.  As a FTB you won't be in a chain which will make you an attractive buyer.

Section62

BMTH said:

2 things I guess... has anyone any opinions of living so close to a traintrack? (anything from general noise to re-selling issues in the future).

Lots of previous threads on this topic with a multitude of views.

It all depends on personal susceptibility to noise, and factors to do with the type of rail line.  E.g. a railway on an embankment at the end of the garden is likely to be more problematic than the same railway in a cutting.

One of the things there is some common agreement on is that having a station at the end of the garden tends to be more disruptive than just a running line.  Stations come with tannoy announcements, beeping doors, and to a greater or lesser extent more noise from trains braking/accelerating at/from the station. Engineering works can also be an issue anywhere on a line.

My own view is that unless someone is particularly susceptible to noise, most people generally get used to noise sources and 'tune it out' within a few months of moving in.  Then it becomes a case of noticing when the noise stops.

The main issue may be convincing a future buyer there isn't a problem.

And if the line is currently screened by trees, don't assume they will be there forever.

MFWannabe

JReacher1 said:

I live with a trainline right behind my house.  I don't really hear it.  It will put some buyers off though. 

On price it’s obvious they have struggled to sell.  If you like the house think of an offer of around £210k sounds decent.  As a FTB you won't be in a chain which will make you an attractive buyer.

This 👆
Also have you researched sold prices in the area? How does this house compare 

FreeBear

BMTH said: The only issue is it backs onto a mainline for trains. Commuter trains will be running all day (not sure about the night but imagine there will be some).

A friend moved in to e new build bungalow that backs on to a railway line. It is currently freight only serving the local docks, so long lines of slow moving wagons at all hours. She says it didn't take long to get used to the noise. Me personally, I wouldn't have moved there.

There are plans to reopen the line to passenger traffic subject to funding & approvals - As this is a branch line, there won't be high speed trains whistling through..

BMTH

Some helpful replies here, thanks all.

I've done some research regarding sold prices but it's hard to guage as the town is so big with multiple housing estates. I personally think 220k is a cracking deal but I don't know if i'm missing something (bar the train track). A 3 bed semi at that price would be snapped up anywhere else within the town.

mark_cycling00

I lived about 5 meters from a train line and had a bidding war when I sold. 

People will always decide that they'll get used to the noise.

A welded line is much quieter than a normal one. Try to check.

Also trains may be on the line outside passenger schedules. Moving rolling stock around, freight, post office etc. Don't assume the "last train" is actually the last train

Trains that are breaking will be noisy so check if that is a possibility.

mi-key

BMTH said:

Some helpful replies here, thanks all.

I've done some research regarding sold prices but it's hard to guage as the town is so big with multiple housing estates. I personally think 220k is a cracking deal but I don't know if i'm missing something (bar the train track). A 3 bed semi at that price would be snapped up anywhere else within the town.

Are they selling by auction ? having a guide price is unusual for a normal listing. If its a normal sale I think the EA is meaning basically offers over £220K, but that doesnt mean you cant offer a bit less and see what they say.

Or if you view and really want it, offer the £220K as over time £5K or £10K is going to make little difference anyway

Brie

I'd check how close it is to a station.  This might make a difference in the noise - braking that someone else has mentioned - and the congestion caused by the station itself. 

There's lots of things reported about parking issues for those near a station - if you have off road parking it may not be a problem but people might block you in if they are in a hurry to catch a train. 

A friend who lives near a small station claims the noise of the trains isn't an issue - even in the summer when the windows are all wide open.  What is an issue for him is if there are announcements being made outside the normal train schedule and the fact that this station is, unfortunately, known for being a "good" jump spot for suicides.  These tend to happen later at night and then the police etc are there all night making all sorts of noise.  

For myself - I wouldn't want to be right beside a line as I've normally had cats and I would worry about them versus trains and whatever foxes the lines might attract.  That said - we used to live a couple hundred yards from a line and never noticed any noise except occasionally on a Sunday afternoon a steam train would go by - and that was quite delightful.