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AIBU?

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Original poster

To move house to busier road to keep DH happy?

105 replies

BeethovenNinth · 18/07/2024 05:50

We live in a fine enough house; was always temporary as we are a big family. I’m ashamed to say my DH himself is too ashamed to bring people back (work colleagues etc) as our house is very modest. (Please no judgement here- this is the way it is).

thing is, I like our little house. We have nice neighbours and a sunny enough little garden. DH is desperate for more space - he has a hobby that needs more space.

we have been looking a very long time and can’t find a house we agree on. In short - I’m a picky nightmare. Every house I look at, I find fault with (eg aspect of house, sun, a not so good walk for the kids to school, too far from bus stop).

new house is fine. The garden is a little darker but it’s on a busier road it gives us much more space and a huge garage.. ( We currently live on a through road to an estate already and our back garden is already about 25 m from a busy town road). New house fronts to a previously rural road which leads to next town so a quieter road in some respects but still a lot of cars at peak times eg sometimes need to wait to cross at 0800. Very quiet road at night. (This is small town in rural ish Scotland so not massively busy)

DH desperate to move, we offer at 10am. I will be fine with it but worried about traffic noise annoying me. (Although I type this listening to a fair bit of traffic noise as it is - just further away).

also not sure how bad the extra pollution is in terms of the kids playing out.

sorry for length of post. This is the first house we both like and I’m nervous and can’t sleep!!!

OP posts:
WhyIhatebaylissandharding · 18/07/2024 06:01

Is the new house on a ‘B’ road? If yes I would stay where I was. The traffic would be too annoying.

Original poster
BeethovenNinth · 18/07/2024 06:05

It’s officially an A road. But has the traffic of a B road, yes. (The road near our current house is a B road ironically but very busy town road).

OP posts:
CoralReader · 18/07/2024 06:09

If you don’t mind, feel free to

WhyIhatebaylissandharding · 18/07/2024 06:09

I think living near a road is very different to actually being on the road. I would worry about buying a house on a B road (even if rural). An A road would be a definite no.

nooobeginnings · 18/07/2024 06:11

Does the garden catch sun, where and if so what time of day?

I live in SE England on a flight path so hard to relate to noise concern but I appreciate in rural area it becomes a key concern. I live with a constant hum but I imagine when it's quiet then punctuated with noise that becomes more annoying! A constant whirr becomes something you just zone out to.

Pollution more of a concern in cities TBH. There's a link with respiratory conditions in densely populated urban areas.

Original poster
BeethovenNinth · 18/07/2024 06:13

Gardenia east facing with a side strip (near the road!) which faces west. Trees at back block morning sun until 1030, then it’s there until 1630 at back and then side until 2000. But the side garden is pretty near the road….

OP posts:
tulippa · 18/07/2024 06:14

The last house I lived in on a was on a busy road. It was a pain to get in and out of the driveway at busy times and you had to close the living room window if you wanted to watch TV when it was raining because of all the 'spray' noise from the traffic. The actual house was lovely though and had more space than our current one in a very quiet area. If I could choose, I'd have the house on the busy road.

It's up to you though and what your preferences are.

cryinglaughing · 18/07/2024 06:15

I lived on a road that was busy in the day, didn't bother me.

It was during the night when traffic was light and the odd car went past that I found disturbed me.

We moved.

Doingmybest12 · 18/07/2024 06:17

I find the low level him of distant busy traffic worse than local individual car traffic , the new house sounds quietish a lot of the time. For me it would be about if the new house felt like it was just on a drive through road rather than part of the community. How fast is the traffic moving there? What's the house accommodation like and how cramped are you now, what else can your budget afford?

BeingATwatItsABingThing · 18/07/2024 06:17

Are you going to have lorries regularly? I’d hate that.

CactusUmbrella · 18/07/2024 06:18

Traffic noise is one thing. Traffic pollution is what would put me off about living on a main road. It's linked to reduced cognitive performance in children and heart disease in adults. I think it can also be linked to Dementia and Parkinson's?

(I grew up with our house backing onto a motorway so this always worried me! On the other hand, even the noise from the motorway wasn't too bad and fades into the background eventually).

Original poster
BeethovenNinth · 18/07/2024 06:19

Thanks this is all helpful.

its actually partly set back a little bit in its own little cul de sac, it’s just ours is at the end of that and so the side garden is close to said road - basically in that main road effectively. The road is now a 20mph (Scotland makes all town roads that aren’t major transport roads 20mph).
the outlook at the front of thr house (over the road) is also lovely and playing fields that can’t be built on.

OP posts:
PuddlesPityParty · 18/07/2024 06:20

I think you need to consider the house your in was suppose to be temporary. Not every house will be perfect and there’s an element of compromise to everything. Plus some of the “issues” you mention will in reality not be issues. It’s only you who can say if living on a main road will impact you. I do and it’s fine - doesn’t bother me. Like a PP said getting off the drive can be a bit annoying when it’s busy but other than that it causes me no issues.

PuddlesPityParty · 18/07/2024 06:20

BeethovenNinth · 18/07/2024 06:19

Thanks this is all helpful.

its actually partly set back a little bit in its own little cul de sac, it’s just ours is at the end of that and so the side garden is close to said road - basically in that main road effectively. The road is now a 20mph (Scotland makes all town roads that aren’t major transport roads 20mph).
the outlook at the front of thr house (over the road) is also lovely and playing fields that can’t be built on.

Right so it’s not really what you said in the OP at all. You’re need to stop being so picky.

Original poster
BeethovenNinth · 18/07/2024 06:20

beingatwat yes some rural farm vehicles do thunder through. Not many lorries as there are three other routes out the town but there are some taking logs and what not.

OP posts:
Original poster
BeethovenNinth · 18/07/2024 06:22

Ha ha puddles. I know. I am appalling.

when I bought my current house I wasn’t. It just fitted all my requirements. It’s small though.

but the side garden and garage of the new house are basically on this busier road. The house is raised up a bit and there are trees.

what worries me is that on second viewing it was wet, and the windows were open and to me the cars sounded very loud going past (it was 1700)

OP posts:
ricecrispiecakes · 18/07/2024 06:23

I do think that if you've agreed that your current home is temporary then it's only fair to at least give the new house a go, especially when your DH is clearly pretty unhappy and you admit yourself that you keep finding fault in every new house you see.

At the end of the day, the next move doesn't have to be permanent either.

northernballer · 18/07/2024 06:24

I have moved from a quiet road to a busier one and was worried, but it's been fine. We moved for exactly the same reasons as you, no regrets so far!

Original poster
BeethovenNinth · 18/07/2024 06:24

Thanks cactus. Me too. I know nothing about this stuff but wonder whether busy ish road at the front only it’s ok as trees and nothing at back. Our current house is only 25m from a road with buses and cars all day in the day and I figure it blows up the garden anyway…

OP posts:
DustyLee123 · 18/07/2024 06:40

Any road has the potential to get busier if they suddenly decided to build new houses etc along it.

Longlazyday · 18/07/2024 06:44

Was once in your situation- we moved and only created a whole new set of problems for ourselves. I would never move now unless absolutely compelled to. Immediately comes to mind if we had new neighbours who proved to be antisocial or compulsory purchase of garden to drive through a motorway. I think you get my drift.

Instead I would always find the reasonable compromise. The money saved through not moving might fund additional space for the hobby or even hosting. As I have matured, I am more and more reluctant to host at home. I’d rather pay the restaurant bill.

Tangled123 · 18/07/2024 06:50

The problem with being picky is husband may get so frustrated he’ll accept any old thing to get out, even if it isn’t as good as houses you’ve already said no to.

Would it help to make a list of the things you like about the house?

I live in a neighbourhood with a lot of dogs. There also was a pub, off licence and Chinese nearby. Those are all potential deal breakers, but the house was exactly what I wanted apart from that, so I just accept it. Then, the pub and then rest closed last year, so we don’t even have that issue at the moment.

Tumbleweed101 · 18/07/2024 06:51

I live with my garden backing onto an A road. It isn't massively busy but I definitely notice the difference when there is less traffic - for example, during lock down or if the road is closed for any reason.

I wouldn't say it's a deal breaker, you get used to it, but it is noticeable and probably will be for a while.

needsomewarmsunshine · 18/07/2024 06:58

Dh sounds a bit up himself if he is worrying about his 'modest' home. What is the hobby that needs more space? I guess gym equipment.
Whatever you decide, hope it works out for you and if it doesn't, you might be able to move at a later date, finances permitting.

TargetPractice11 · 18/07/2024 06:59

In 10-20 years most cars will likely be electric. In 20-30 they will probably be driverless.

Buying on a main road might actually be a good investment if you plan to be there a long time. Soon the pollution/safety aspects won't matter and your house will increase in value.

That said, we bought last year and I wouldn't look at houses on busy roads as I have very small children and I was worried about them inhaling poor quality air while they are small.

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