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I don't want to live in this house... do I?

27 replies

BroccoliSpears · 07/06/2008 17:50

This morning we went to see a house. It's perfect. It's a beautiful old cottage, it's got character, it's got everything we need - and as soon as we walked in it felt like it could be ours. We would just fit right in that house. AND we can afford it because it needs work doing to it, which really suits us. I love it. I love the garden. I love the village it's in. The house has a duck pond and a stream and looks over beautiful fields full of horses and there's a wonderful enormous sun room perfect for a family room and an open fire and a utility room with an old butler's sink... oh, I love it.

BUT...

It's on a horrible, fast, busy road. Backing out of the drive is terrifying. The thought of the children or the dog getting on to the road is chilling. There's no way of fencing off the drive so every time we got in the car we'd have to be on red alert making sure the children weren't giddying about. Sitting in the garden, conversation is drowned out every time a lorry or a motorbike goes by.

Repeat: I do not want this house. I do not want this house. I do not want this house.

Do I?

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maidamess · 07/06/2008 17:53

I've got three words for you

LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION

(You're welcome)

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ComeOVeneer · 07/06/2008 17:53

We had this last year when we were looking. Lovely huge period property, converted cellar, 5 bedrooms, beautiful kitchen and 3 bathrooms, lovely garden, but on a very busy road and no off street parking. As much as we loved the house we knew we couldn't live there. Mind you if it had been in a better location it would have been totally out of our price range!

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ButterflyBessie · 07/06/2008 17:53

Backing out of your drive onto a road is also illegal, you need to either turn around in the drive or reverse into it.

Could you plant along the road in order to muffle the noise of the road?

I would imagine that after a while you would get used to the road, I would also imagine that the road would make it hard to resell later.

Good luck with the search

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QueenMeabhOfConnaught · 07/06/2008 17:54

No, you don't want it!!!!!

It's not just the day-to-day difficulty of living there yourself but in the future it would be difficult to sell.

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hf128219 · 07/06/2008 17:59

Where is it?

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windygalestoday · 07/06/2008 18:02

i lived in a house (a beautiful one as well) on a very busy road (the a17 actually)you do get used to the noise and after a while being safe isnt as nerve wrcking as it is initially- we had no choice of property we needed a house quickly and this one was available - we did sell it easily enough but this was a few years ago.

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newgirl · 07/06/2008 21:59

can you put a gate across the drive?

how old are your kids?

how busy is the road in the evening - eg will it keep you or the children awake at night?

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findtheriver · 08/06/2008 11:39

The drive wouldnt be the biggest worry for me, because you just establish a really strict routine for getting in/out of the car. eg When I had 3 little ones, we lived for a while in a lovely old house but parking was on street (not a busy road, but nevertheless I couldnt guarantee parking right outside my house). I bought a playpen specifically so that I could get children in/out of the car one at a time safely. eg child out, into house, pop in playpen, out to car for next one. I'm not a fan of playpens and only used it for this. So, I think that problem is surmountable. Also, children grow up - they arent little forever!
The noise issue would bother me. I would get no pleaure sitting in a garden where every time a vehicle went by, I couldnt hear myself speak. So, no, I don't think you want this house!

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themoon66 · 08/06/2008 11:54

Is it on RightMove? Can you post a link so we can judge?

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Earlybird · 08/06/2008 12:59

How long has it been on the market?

Wondering if the current owners are finding it tricky to sell for the reasons you outlined.

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BroccoliSpears · 09/06/2008 17:24

I think the reason we can afford it is because of the road. Children are little now, but even when they're bigger it's still a worry - learning to drive straight onto that road; walking home from the village pub in the dark along that road... lorries thundering along at 60... weekend bikers zooming by...

Here it is if you fancy a judge though I liked it better irl than on the brochure.

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expatinscotland · 09/06/2008 17:27

no, you really don't want to live in that house.

because you'll never be able to fully relax there with that busy road.

let it go.

the real one is out there waiting for you.

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noddyholder · 09/06/2008 17:29

The drive looks big enough to turn {sorry}

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NotABanana · 09/06/2008 17:32

Last year we viewed a house very similar and it was right on a main road too. We dismissed it for many reasons and the road was one of them.

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expatinscotland · 09/06/2008 17:33

i think my main problem with house on busy road would be young children and/or pets.

move on.

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annh · 09/06/2008 17:54

You're right. You don't want to live there. DH and I used to live in a house on a busy road (although we did have a bit of front garden and I suspect the road was not as busy as this one). We thought we were used to the noise and it wasn't until we moved to our current, quiet house that we realised how much of an effect it had on us and how, subconsciously, we were always waiting for the next vehicle to thunder past the door. Your kids will probably also want to use that drive for scooters and bikes and you will never have a minute's peace wondering if they might wander onto the road. The problems don't finish when they stop being toddlers and have the sense not to deliberately run into the road - in fact, we found it was probably even worse then, fearing that they would forget and run after a stray football etc.

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SoupDragon · 09/06/2008 17:57

"Sitting in the garden, conversation is drowned out every time a lorry or a motorbike goes by"

Safety aspects aside, this would seriously p*ss you off in no time at all. Any washing you hang out will be grubby, there'll be black grime everywhere, think of the effects of that pollution on your children...

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WonderingWhy · 09/06/2008 17:58

Oh what a horrid decision to have to make
I can relate - saw and nearly signed for a wonderful, huge house last year, it was also on a busy road - no drive at all, narrow pavement etc.

I loved the hosue but couldn't sleep for the thought of the kids getting out and bam, your life would be over.

I would check the planning dept at your council, in case there is any likelihood of road changes in the area - that might be the only thing you could do. They might be about to put in speed humps etc, or a bypass... Or airlift the house to a better location

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BroccoliSpears · 09/06/2008 20:30

You're all right. This house is not The One. So close. No cigar.

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newgirl · 09/06/2008 22:00

crikey just saw the garden -that looks amazing

also you could put a gate across the drive, load the kids, open gate, off you go

it does sound like heavy traffic though - that is a shame

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WonderingWhy · 10/06/2008 07:26

I've just had a look - it is a massive house isn't it! I can see why it appeals. I don't think there is any reason why you couldn't put a very large pair of gates across that drive. Then only open one when you are ready to go, ie the kids are already in the car. Although there might be a problem with space to open the gate, not sure from the picture!
One good thing is no doors opening toward the road, so at least there wouldn't be a case of child running straight out iyswim.
I am not sure about the house for a few other reasons - it looks underappreciated at the moment, like they didn't know what to do with the space. That massive room with just a sofa and books! Also it looks kind of sad, if a house can look sad?
Mind you I'm just about to move somewhere very similar and that also looks sad - probably haunted!!!
I think what I mean is that if you have that feeling, that nagging doubt, it is probably not right for you.
Hope you are feeling more decided one way or another.

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WonderingWhy · 10/06/2008 07:28

I think the reversing out would bother me more than anything though. I hate that at the best of times!

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Stephen99 · 10/06/2008 16:23

i'd be more worried about all the watery things nearby...keep the nippers safe.

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moopdaloop · 10/06/2008 16:24

if you can hear lorries in the garden then you really don't want the house

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moopdaloop · 10/06/2008 16:25

oh noise and air pollution - not great for young children

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