would you buy a property on a busy road?

[supercalifragilicious]

It is literally our dream house, but the major downside is that it is located on a busy-ish road - not terrible, but more busy than I'd normally be comfortable with. There is only one lane each way, but it is a drive through road that many people use to get from one point to another quickly, without having to bump about on humps in quiet residential roads. There is also a bus passing through - only one line.
The windows of the lounge and one of the bedrooms would be on the road's side.
Generally, there's plenty of greenery in the area, but not immediately adjacent to the house.
I am not sure as this would be a long-term purchase and I am worried about long-term effects of pollution on DCs health. What would you do?

It's a deal breaker for me - because I hate noise. I imagine there is the difficulty of reversing your car out on to the road. But - obviously there are often nice properties in less that ideal locations and not everyone is in a position to be so choosy. The noise would bother me greatly - that's why I chose a cul-de-sac to live in and I really appreciate that any passing cars of people walking by generally live nearby. The pollution would be on my mind if I had kids and even for myself TBH and in the summer you probably want a few windows open.

Is there any space you could plant some nice screening vegetation or trees? What have other people done along the same road?

About 20 years ago we looked at a lovely old house which the owner had lived in for decades - so many original features - sunken garden - lovely stand alone garage built by a boat builder, etc - it was about 800m down from the cross-roads at the heart of our small town/large village - a road used to get to the entrance to the local high school only another 800m down the road. I'm glad be decided against it as the village has grown into a town now with more house building and the traffic is several times heavier now. Meanwhile - my cul-de-sac is completely unchanged bar the odd house extension.

I'd prefer a busy frontage to the house if it gave me a quiet garden.

My last house was on a cul de sac, quiet, but backed into a busy Road. Was annoying when sitting in the garden.

My current house is on a busier Road, but is peaceful in the garden

We are moving from a modern house in the corner of an extremely quiet cul de sac to a Victorian house on a fairly busy road. It's one way traffic out front but near a park and has lots of plants in the front garden. I can't wait. I hate the quiet in the current street and actually like to see people passing. We lived in the area before and quickly got used to road noise.

The windows are double glazed, and there is no driveway

The busy road wouldnt put me off but no driveway would be a deal breaker.

We live on a pretty busy road. We do have buses from 9.00 am to. 6.00 pm, although none on Sunday and no bus stops near our property and we get some HGV’s that are delivering to the Co-op in the village or cutting through to the next village along.

We have a long driveway (I’m hopeless with distances, but roughly four cars in length from the road) and there’s enough room to turn around on it too, so never a need to reverse out.

We also back onto open fields, which makes a big difference.

I am a light sleeper, but my bedroom is at the back of the house and I tend to be woken by birds rather than traffic.

It so depends. Our house is on a main B road, but set back about 20m (v large driveway) and elevated (so road is below) and behind a massive hedge. Our house on the side road adjacent to us is probably another £300k which is bonkers. Our garden is quiet and lots of trees everywhere and I am currently spending a packet in an extension so plan to stay. We don't seem to have a dust problem.

I wouldn't live on a main road where you were closer though or a country house with the pass through road near by. My in laws lived in the middle of no where but the rumbling of lorries used to wake me up in the night.

No I wouldn't.

Wouldn't bother me at all tbh . I lived in London for many years and am totally used to heavy traffic noise .
What I would say is that once inside the property you won't hear the noise so generally you won't hear noise in the winter because we don't throw our windows open , you also become noise blind, advancement in electric vehicles will diminish noise aswell.
For me I wouldn't lose my dream home because of road noise .

No, I wouldn't.

We're 3 streets back from a busy rd and if we have our windows open at night it's so noisy I can't sleep, I'm forever having to dust and I worry about the pollution.

It's a no for me. Pollution is a real worry, plus traffic noise. I wouldn't even live on a residential road that was used as a cut-through. All the residential roads near me are now dead ends due to LTN measures. The difference in traffic is amazing.

I wouldn’t.
I like to have my windows open and at night I would be disturbed. I’d have to live at the back of the house.

Deal breaker for me because I don't like the noise or smell of busy traffic and also I have a cat.

Total and utter no from me. We did it as we couldn’t have afforded the same standard house in a decent location. It so so wasn’t worth it. The pollution turning the windows, curtaains, front and back black. We needed to keep cleaning it. The not being able to open the windows in summer due to the noise.

honestly if I could avoid it, never ever again.

We did for reasons similar to yours. We sold up and moved on recently but that was after 11 years. I’d say if everything else is good about the house go but don’t assume it will be your forever home. The noise honestly didn’t bother me initially but after a few years it did. It bothered me too that I could never have a dog/cat there so think about that too. However it remains my kids first “home” and I think they will remember it fondly. As do we, mostly,

I wouldn't

Ps we lived at the back of the house and the traffic noise never bothered us there at all even with windows open. At the front of the house with windows shut was fine too. But the noise was an issue with windows open at the front and always in the back garden.

I wouldn't, but then I've got several cats.

Presumably the price of the property takes its location into consideration, so I suppose it depends on whether you are prepared to compromise on that.

My last house was almost exactly ad got describe - the same other than it wasn't on a hill. I didn't like it personally, the noise at night was annoying, especially in in the summer when we had windows open, our bedroom was at the back and it was still loud. Getting on and off the drive was a pain at rush hour too. My asthma has drastically improved since we moved to a quieter road, of course it could be a coincidence but who knows.

Saying all that, there are some benefits, easy to get out and about in the car, close to main bus routes etc. I suppose you need to weigh up what's important to you and what you're willing to compromise on. Good luck with your decision, I hope it works out well either way.

Nope

I bought on a busy road. Never again. The only time I couldn't hear traffic was for about five minutes at 3am! Hated it. I moved to a quieter road and honestly my first night there was blissful in comparison.

Doesn't sound like a very busy road really - I wouldn't be concerned.

You would probably get used to the noise after a while but the pollution would concern me

Cheap? you get more for your money??

Generally yes.

Never. I hate the sound of traffic!