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Original poster

House near train line

53 replies

Arrowedheart · 23/03/2015 23:10

We have seen a gorgeous house but it is backing onto a local commuter line. Trains go by at least 3-4 times per hour but are not particularly noisy and only a few carriages long (no freight or mainline). I don't think it would bother me but am concerned about resale. Does anyone have any advice/experience?

OP posts:

DesperatelySeekingSanity · 24/03/2015 15:15

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

whatsagoodusername · 24/03/2015 15:22

I lived in a flat next to a railway line for a year. The freight trains made the building shake.

Didn't mind the noise too much, and I barely noticed the commuter trains, but the shaking building was annoying.

But, tbf, the wasn't building wasn't in great condition and it was about 20 feet to the tracks.

CloserToFiftyThanTwenty · 24/03/2015 15:24

I wouldn't mind it, but make sure you have been in the house when trains go past to see what the mouse and vibrations are really like

CloserToFiftyThanTwenty · 24/03/2015 15:25

Actually, I'd be more put off by buying the house that is already at the top end on the street - "worst house in best location" is my buying mantra

LikeABadSethRogenMovie · 24/03/2015 15:28

How close to the line? We had a house that had a train line running along the bottom. It benefitted from a large garden and, like the house you're looking at, the trains were only 3-4 times an hour. Much less at weekends.

I LOVED that house! After the first day or do, you barely notice. And when I did it was quite comforting to know the world was going on while I was home with the kids.

As for resale, we sold it 3 days after putting it on the market, at full asking price, and received 3 separate offers. And that was in 2008 when the market was in free fall. So there are definitely other people who don't see a rail line as a downside.

RaphaellaTheSpanishWaterDog · 24/03/2015 15:31

It would bother me, but then we recently sold a house on a (rural) A road with a 30mph limit and that really got on my nerves. Being an old house it fronted right onto the pavement and despite fitting DG with acoustic glass the noise kept me awake at night. Also the house (three storeys) regularly vibrated when a heavier vehicle went by - no structural damage.....yet.....

We almost looked at a couple of houses with train lines out back but however lovely the house (and low the price) I really wouldn't consider it.

Also, when we were selling our last house (in Wilts) one EA refused to even come out to do a valuation because of its location - we were intending to market to London second home owners - saying their London buyers wouldn't contemplate a weekend home with either traffic or rail noise!

We did achieve a considerably lower price than a similarly sized/renovated house in a more peaceful location, so resale is a consideration. Our buyers said they couldn't have afforded our house were it not on the main road.....

Zinxie · 24/03/2015 16:50

I agree that road traffic noise is a big drawback for a house. I have friends who have moved to countrified locations, only to have bought houses where there is a 'zoooom' noise all the time as cars go past.. so much faster than they ever could in London. I find it awful.

Double glazing, and 'Zoooom" is my idea of a NO location.

stonecircle · 24/03/2015 17:31

I have a friend who lives close to a railway line and they do have an issue with rats. I think that would put me off ....

Zinxie · 24/03/2015 17:51

Gosh, stone, they should get in touch with the council, that is very unusual for houses by railway lines, or, I should say, I've never heard of it despite knowing streets abutting tracks and people that live therein! I wonder what is going on that the rats are migrating to your friends house?

They say we are never more than 9 feet away from a rat, but they are in sewers etc!

Spickle · 24/03/2015 19:23

My old house backed onto a mainline railway line. Like other posters, I didn't notice it after a while and the house didn't shake when the trains went by, perhaps the long garden softened the blow! We had no problem selling it as it was within a 6 minute walk of the station with a fast train into London. We never had a problem with rats, just the occasional fox from time to time.

UnexpectedItemInShaggingArea · 24/03/2015 19:27

Our house is next to a train line. It's a branch line with 2 trains an hour and the occasional freight. I like it, it's a friendly noise

SaltySeaBird · 24/03/2015 19:33

Don't back onto one but there is one that runs maybe 300m from the house. We are in a rural area. Very rarely hear or notice them to be honest - I might hear the sound of a train once a month and never at night. We are in walking distance to a station and that certainly was a selling point for us - in fact in an ideal world we would limit future house searches to within 1km of a train station.

On the downside, being a small rural station very few actually stop there!

SaltySeaBird · 24/03/2015 19:36

Traffic noise is far more off putting to me than a train line. Also lived on a busy lane/road into a village and couldn't stand the swoosh of passing cars.

Welliesandpyjamas · 24/03/2015 19:38

My police friends always maintain they don't get called as often to burglaries in houses with railways behind them (no easy escape route through the back).

Sobek · 24/03/2015 19:47

Check there's no Japanese Knotweed....you get lots of it growing along railway lines.

FinallyHere · 24/03/2015 19:57

Our first house had a lovely long garden, with a railway line at the bottom. Never disturbed us, except one weekend when work on the lines stopped the trains: we kept waking up wondering why the comforting noises had stopped.

Of course, DNiece was pretty startled the first time an intercity when past, while she was happily playing in the garden. She still talks fondly of that house.

No trouble selling it, either. But around here, there is pretty much a choice between a road, trains or airplanes. Pay money, take choice. Good luck with it.

TheSingingMonkey · 24/03/2015 20:11

We had a house with a line at the back which ran 4 times an hour, small electric line. It was no problem. We barely noticed it.

Don't let it put you off OP, we got a lovely house (it's not my old one is it?)

Iwasbornin1993 · 24/03/2015 20:26

The houses opposite us on our road back onto the railway with 8 trains an hour (4 in each direction) going past every hour. We can hear them in our house quite clearly but can't say it bothers us, we've just gotten used to it now. I would be concerned re: rats etc but not sure how much of a problem that would actually be? I'd find it a big positive being so close to the station for work, we're about a ten minute walk from the station here and it's really handy not having to drive to and from the station then trying frantically to find a parking space!

I say go for it!

AlphaBravoHenryFoxtons · 24/03/2015 22:07

It would put me off. Don't you worry about children playing in the garden and hopping over the fence? My boys would have explored the track when they were younger.

Quiite apart from the noise and smell.

TheSingingMonkey · 24/03/2015 22:10

If it's an electric line there is no smell and little noise.

mousmous · 24/03/2015 22:12

alpha we have a 20 ft fence between us and the track. no climbing there...

the level crossing not far away is another matter.

Seriouslyffs · 24/03/2015 22:17

We lived right under the platform- friends would look over to see if we were in the yard! It was no problem at all; we all remember the train announcements fondly.

woodhill · 24/03/2015 22:27

our house backs onto the underground. we have a long garden and it's fine.

MrsBungle · 24/03/2015 22:34

My house backs on to a track. Around 7 trains a day including 1 freight about 7pm. Doesn't bother us at all and feels very secluded as no neighbours backing on to us.

yomellamoHelly · 25/03/2015 19:39

We have a train line nearby. Doesn't really affect us as we hardly notice the noise of trains going past and can only really see them in the winter when there's not really any leaves on all the trees and bushes. Downside is the commuters cars as we're also very close to the railway stations. That said it's those commuters that keep the trains stopping so regularly. So swings and roundabouts.

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