Living opposite the entrance for the massive new Universal theme park in Bedfordshire- what would you do?

[PodMom]

Was just reading about someone who lives on the road where the entrance to the new theme park will be. This is currently a fairly quiet small country road. Theme park is meant to rival Disneyland Paris.

owner was saying Universal have offered to buy her property but she thinks she will stay. Assuming you were only offered market value and maybe moving costs would you stay or go? The traffic would drive me nuts so I don’t think I could live there. But I bet if she hangs onto the property but moves out she could make a fortune renting it out?

I'd only keep it in the hopes a Starbucks or similar would pay huge amounts later. You wouldn't want to live opposite a park like that if it's anything like the Orlando ones. The roller coasters get sent around with light flashing well into the evening, the pipes music is deafening, the rubbish alone would be awful.

Depends really. If she’s otherwise settled and happy I’d be minded to live there but prepare to rent it out at times to benefit financially. If she’s wavering then sell up now.

I haven’t been to Disney but my experience of other theme parks is heavy traffic for an hour in the morning, same / bit longer in the evening, and obviously a higher density of tourists in the local restaurants, shops etc than otherwise.

I’d move. It would be a nightmare to sell otherwise as no one will want to live there.

There is alot smaller than that Tourist Attraction in our village. 1.5mil visitors a year. Traffic is hell in summer.... the question can be several miles.

So I'd take the money now really.

I’d move too. It will be very noisy for hours on end. Plus the constant traffic. No I’d go now.

I’d keep it. I live near the Warner Bros studios and people round here have been offered crazy money to sell. If universal want it, I reckon they’ll play the long game and keep offering more over time.

Make loads as an Airbnb

I’d try to hold on to it in the hope that I’d be offered a lot more further down the line, or could rent it out once the park is open. However, I don’t think I’d want to live there.

Im so glad I moved. I used to live there. Im in Somerset now. It would have been awful.

My brother lives in Kempston Hardwick. Generally the residents there are delighted about the new park. The only people it doesn’t thrill are those who are not motivated by money or job prospects. So it’s a shame for this woman who likes where she lives. She will be in the minority which is what makes it news!

Depends on my cash flow / earnings bracket as an Airbnb/ holiday room it would be highly lucrative with very low void periods that would be my first port of call.

Otherwise sell....

There is zero chance I'd stay living there.

I think I’d have to be offered at least double market value 😀. If not by Universal then like someone said a company like Starbucks might be interested.

i always feel sorry for people in that small village of Alton that you drive through to get to Alton Towers. Little cottages right in the road side with big coaches going right last them.

AirbnB I guess might make more money long term but not sure I have the time for the hassle of it all.

It's the smell of the fried food. You'd never be able to hang your washing out again

I’d sell up.
It’s not even the park that’s the worst part, it would be all the construction & construction traffic that comes beforehand that would have me tapping out. It’s only bricks and mortar at the end of it all.

Yes me too, I'm sure I read it won't open until 2031 which is a long time for noise and disruption before the visitors traffic even starts

I live in that area and use that particular road as a short cut to get to some clients houses. Once they have changed the layout or closed that road it will take me 3 times longer to get where I need to be. Also from my house I will probably hear all the screaming, rides, fireworks and whatever else. It might be a good thing for our town but the infrastructure and damage to the wildlife will be horrible. And those houses down that road might be quids in but some of them are rented by long term tenants.

I'd play the long game! No way it will become unsellable.
I'd definitely hold out for an offer I couldn't refuse and then move. Hopefully, before it opens.

Option 2 is definitely air bnb.

I would stay put. That house will be a golden goose once is all done.

It would depend how much I liked my house and how much I was being offered by Universal.

Is it Beamish by any chance?

I’d move in a flash. There’s no way I’d want to deal with the traffic or noise from a monstrosity like that and she wouldn’t be able to sell later down the line if it became too much.

I came here to say this. Run it as an airbnb for a year or two and see how things go.