Viewed a property on a busy road...wwyd?

[Zeeky]

Briefly this is our story - Relocating to a different county. Spending this weekend viewing properties. Saw one that we really like - period property that has been beautifully renovated, plenty of space, huge garden, just the kind of thing we're after BUT it is on a busy main road. It was Saturday afternoon & the road was busy so god only knows what it's like in rush hour! DH says it wouldn't bother him but he grew up in a city. We're looking to move to a village & this place I a village, but with a busy A road running through!

Tricky one . We do live in such a house . At peak hours 60 ish cars/lorries pass per minute but on Sundays and overnight it is quiet. Is it the noise or traffic that bothers you ?

I've got friends on busy A roads (though we are in the city) and once you're in you don't notice the noise of the roads. They have big hedges outside as well for privacy. I don't know how old your children are, but there is a bit of an issue about them not being able to play out as easily as on smaller roads, though it's not impossible, probably easier in a village. I live in a small side road and I can hear the noise of the the A road in my garden more than they can because there's a park between my garden and the A road rather than a house. I grew up on an A road too, you do get used to the noise but it tends to get quite dirty, so depends how you feel about dirt / cleaning!

In Dec we moved to a grade 2 listed building just off a busy road. Despite the council having removed all the original features and our neighbours having fitted double-glazed windows, our application was refused. It's very noisy and we fantasise about selling and moving. So check what noise prevention is possible before making a decision.

Think of the everyday practicalities - is there parking off road? can you get in and out easily? would it be safe for children/pets?

What sort of traffic is it? Is it cars or do lorries/tractors use the road too as these can literally make your house shake if you're very close to the road.

And also, if it's making you think twice about it then it will do the same to any potential buyers in the future when you come to sell.

So, I would keep searching if I were you as you may still be able to find what you want and not next to such a busy road.

I wouldn't buy it.

I lived in a similar property for a few years. The road bothered DH a lot, especially the footpath running along the house so people could see into most of our rooms.

It was an enormous deterrent to buyers when we came to sell, everyone was worried about the road, lack of privacy and road noise in the garden.

I didn't like the noise, or dirt on the windows. We had to be super careful around doors and letting dogs and cats in and out. Pulling out of the drive was a nightmare in busy times, especially if someone had parked on the road and reduced your visibility.

I wouldn't do it again, IME you get used to the good features of any house very quickly, and the bad points just annoy you more over time.

It would be a deal-breaker for me, it's not just the noise but the vibration of big lorries etc rumbling past your house. Onlyaphase's point that a house's good points vanish and the bad points grow is a very good one.

Thanks for the comments everyone. We've decided to rule it out. I think I would be paranoid about one of the boys running out of the front door onto the road or if someone forgot to shut the gate after driving onto the driveway. DS' are only 4 & 16mths.

We viewed more yesterday which were better located.