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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Why wouldn't you research an area before you move?

191 replies

GlitterGiraffe13 · 13/04/2021 19:37

This popped up on facebook earlier.. A woman bought a house next to the A446 and is now complaining about the noise from the road..For those who aren't really familiar with the A446 it's a really busy road in Birmingham and is used as an alternative route whenever theres a crash/traffic on both the M42 and M6...

She says;
"Before we moved in we had several viewings that all took place on a Saturday morning which all meant that the road was relatively quiet. We absolutely fell in love with the house,"

There was also another article which says she didn't research the area before she moved?

We're relocating soon and we've spent ages researching the new area, good and bad locations to move to and we're going to go and stay for a few days as soon as we can to get a feel for it? Which I thought was normal behaviour?

Even if that was the only time the estate agent could do (unlikely but how else would they sell the house) why wouldn't you drive past it yourself at different times of day to get a feel for the traffic? She's moved from Kings Heath in Birmingham so it's not exactly far for her to go and scope the place out?

I feel like i've missed something here? Confused

Link:
www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/property/couple-forced-wear-earplugs-bed-20350434

OP posts:
ClarkeGriffin · 13/04/2021 19:40

Some people are stupid. Simple as that really.

There's often more money than sense in some people these days.

CinnabarRed · 13/04/2021 19:41

I’ve never gone to quite the lengths you’ve described.

MadMadMadamMim · 13/04/2021 19:41

Yep. We get that a lot round here. It's very rural and people think it will be lovely to move here.

Then they spend a lot of time complaining that there are no services and you have to drive miles to get anywhere...

Umbivalent · 13/04/2021 19:43

Some people are quite stupid, I think. All she could see was that she was getting a bargain. Obviously didn't stop to think why...

Aroundtheworldin80moves · 13/04/2021 19:43

I don't know the area. But it is logical to presume a house next to a duel carriageway would have traffic noise...

Different to the usual complaints about tractor noises or church bells or school parking...

SpnBaby1967 · 13/04/2021 19:46

Stupid woman!

Butchyrestingface · 13/04/2021 19:46

I didn't do much research. I was looking to buy before Lockdown 1 kicked in and shut the market down. Didn't manage to find anything then. The minute the housing market reopened last summer, I was desperate to find somewhere which would enable me to stop paying £££ on rent every month when my job security was so uncertain (self employed).

So that's one reason. I was in a hurry. It worked out reasonably well, thankfully.

Roselilly36 · 13/04/2021 19:59

Yes odd complaint given the dual carriageway was there on her previous visits to the site. Hard to have sympathy if I am honest.

Camandmitch · 13/04/2021 20:01

Yes it seems logical that it would be noisy.

We have someone on our local FB seeking advice about minimising train noise. His house is maybe 5-10 metres from the track with fast trains and freight trains regularly going past. He said he was suprised about the noise and didn't think it would be that bad. I don't know how he managed to view without a train going past.

Butterflyfluff · 13/04/2021 20:02

This is insane!

The garden is literally the equivalent of a lay-by on a dual carriageway and they are surprised it’s noisy

The most bizarre part is their willingness to show the world how daft they are!

OolieMacdoolie · 13/04/2021 20:05

Does anyone else get the impression she was really keen for people to know she has an en suite Grin

I feel sorry for her, but honestly it ought to have been obvious. That road is practically in her garden.

TheChosenTwo · 13/04/2021 20:08

Well she was a bit stupid for not realising that living next to a very busy road would be quite noise but I’ve never done the research you have when moving areas.
Each to their own I suppose and would be different it I were moving from a massively rural location to a busy city and vice versa, I’d perhaps conduct some more thorough research but usually a day time drive about and a little Google has been enough for us!

Hidinginstaircupboard · 13/04/2021 20:10

Hehe. You make a good point OP

Seems daft not to have checked the main road in weekday and busy times. But to be fair during Covid lockdown times it also might not have been busy

MrsTophamHat · 13/04/2021 20:10

I did read that and she claims that she viewed it several times but the estate agent always seemed to make the appointments on Saturday mornings. She said in hindsight that they realised that was the quietest time for traffic.

I can understand her being swept up in thinking she had a bargain but it is EXTREMELY close to the road and I can't believe it didn't cross their mind that it might be an issue.

the80sweregreat · 13/04/2021 20:11

I read that article and was gobsmacked that she viewed it and didn't notice that it was near a busy A road!

RubyFakeLips · 13/04/2021 20:12

I saw this earlier and thought about while I was driving today.

They really must be stupid but also the front of the woman, she now wants the road changed to be slower thus inconveniencing everyone else for her silly mistake.

Childish mentality to not understand choices have consequences.

Surely you would take one look at the dual carriage way and figure it might need more investigation or present a noise problem.

Fluffycloudland77 · 13/04/2021 20:14

I wouldn’t pay that much to live there.

That roads notoriously busy. It is never quiet.

drpet49 · 13/04/2021 20:16

She is extremely stupid. And now she has broadcasted that to the world.

If I was here, I would be more worried about a car crashing and coming through her garden.

User5747384 · 13/04/2021 20:16

I was the same when I moved OP I came up and stayed to get a feel for it, I really researched.
I said the same when I saw the article but I also thought when watching the video what a strange place to put houses, there isn't even a crash barrier there.

HeddaGarbled · 13/04/2021 20:16

Well, that was my initial reaction, but then I thought, actually, she has a point. Isn’t it unscrupulous to build a housing estate in that location (or a busy road so close to a housing estate - whichever came first)?

Chouetted · 13/04/2021 20:18

I'm not sure what a convector fan is, but is there some reason she can't put a filter in to stop the grime? Or use positive pressure?

It does seem a rather large thing to miss!

GreyhoundG1rl · 13/04/2021 20:19

Is she claiming the vendor deliberately held viewings on a Saturday to conceal how busy the road was? What a nut job Confused

PinkiOcelot · 13/04/2021 20:20

They’ve only got themselves to blame. How stupid can you get.

The garden is really close to the road. I wouldn’t want to be sitting in that if there was an accident close by.

IseeScottishhills · 13/04/2021 20:20

We bought a house in Scotland last year (we lived 400+miles away) and much of the time Scotland was in some sort of lockdown. We google map/earthed every property we liked the look of looking for busy roads railway lines quaries army shooting ranges etc. before even arranging to view it.
Because of the distance travelled we usually stayed locally over night and tried to get a bit of a feel for the area if possible but it was difficult during lockdown,
But having said all of this the house we eventually bought we spent 1 hour looking at it and a couple of hours walking around the area its very rural, and they never saw the house or visited the area again till we picked up the keys. Everyday I marvel at how lucky we were we love the house, our village, our nearest towns, the walks in the surrounding area. Its completely exceeded our expectations. But I often joke that in reality I spent more time researching my £22k car that I did this house and the surrounding area which is ridiculous the most expensive purchase you'll eve make and you spend 1 hour looking at it. .

Butterflyfluff · 13/04/2021 20:20

I would be more worried about a car crashing and coming through her garden.

I just relooked at the photo and thought exactly that

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