Should we consider buying houses very very close to Train Tracks?

[BroglieBoy]

Hi All,

Need some guidance.

I came across this lovely property
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/133629803#/?channel=RES_BUY on Rightmove and noticed that it is very close to the train tracks.

All Trains running through Wokingham train would pass through this track.
I wouldn't say it is a very busy train track but reasonably busy with trains running every 30 mins.

Is it okay to consider such properties or better to give it a pass as it is too close to the tracks?

1. Will it be too noisy?
2. Will the train movements cause vibrations and therefore issues for the properties such as cracks?
3. Future sellability for such properties?

What are your thoughts?

Good luck. I also love trains. The sound is wonderful - of engineering and progress and hope and nostaligia and journeys.

We live in a house where there is a branch line at the end of our garden (down a bank) and we love it too! There are not too many trains per hour though, so not sure how different it would be to living close to a mainline. Houses along our road alway sell quickly and we didn’t even consider living close to a railway to be a problem when we bought it.

I’d be more worried about the school than the train noise. Depends how busy the trains are.

For nearly 20 years I lived just as close to a busy mainline track and station. I loved hearing the trains, but you get used to them so won't really notice them after a while.

Some points to consider:

1. Check if the house is near a 'W' board (whistle board), which is where trains must sound their horn. If so, bear this in mind.

2. Network Rail will give you notice of engineering works (unless an emergency) - these can be very noisy.

3. Check that any fencing etc is secure and doesn't have holes, especially if you have pets. Network Rail might be able to assist in repairing or even supplying safety fencing.

4. Check who is responsible for treeworks to trees on your land but by the track - is it you or Network Rail?

5. Visit at various times, especially when freight trains are due past, to get an idea of noise levels.

HTH.

You might not get any noise. DP live a 5-10 minute walk away from an extremely busy train track - you can hear nothing. Not even horns

But a '5 - 10 minute walk' from a train line is completely different from having one run alongside the length of your garden and house
I mean, they are incomparable.
I have a trainline at the bottom of my (long) garden, and it is completely different from our neighbours even facing us, across the road, let alone 5 - 10 mins walk away.

I'd be more worried about exiting the driveway onto what is effectively a narrow one-way road at that at point, than the train line.

I love them as well

Our old house was on a road that had a train track - we were the opposite side so there was the width of the road and the opposite houses between us - but we still on the 'road' with the track. I loved it. London suburb with trains to waterloo every 30 mins or so but I really didn't notice it after a while (except when they weren't running and then I missed it). Occasionally a stream train would pass and although noisy - sometimes really magical about steam trains. So it wouldn't put me off.

When we bought, our agent pointed out that it was priced competitively for a similar house in the same postcode (it was) and that any 'concession' we had to make when it was time to see was not really a concession because we were making a saving at the purchase stage (we were). Buying near the track allowed us to buy a four bed period house in the postcode we wanted, so we were glad of that track every day.

OP, the agent and vendor will have already factored in the track when pricing the property and so whilst I think you should make an offer, I think £650 is not 'cheeky', it's time-wasting.

We have a train line down an embankment at the bottom of the garden. I love hearing the last trains at night when I'm in bed, it's so soothing. And we are super lucky and get the steam train going past during summer with the whistle and the steam billowing. I would always pick trains over a busy road. I don't even notice them during the day.

I've always lived very close to train lines. Including the midland mainline. Barely noticed it.

It's a no from me. You already have concerns. It would impact resale.

Where is the 4th bedroom?

I'm not sure if it would bother me. I think you get used to it and I find train sounds quite cosy. We have a train line about 1.5km away and I love to hear it faintly in the distance, especially at night. That's me though. That line is very close and every half hour is a lot.

I live a 7 min walk away from the train station and that's close enough to hear the trains.

I would absolutely not buy it. I used to live on a main road with trams running by and it was loud and a lot of dust and dirt seemed to get in. My sleep was disturbed too.

In terms of re-sale, it does impact it. I used a buyer's agent to buy my current home and he would not show me houses near main roads or train tracks. He called them compromised.

I would time a viewing to be able to hear the trains and that would make my decision.

I would get rid of the white wall nearest the bridge and the grass and all that bloody ivy and have the OSP extended . It'll make it much easier getting in/out as you've got the narrow bridge with restricted views . Especially if the traffic lights fail that would be a pain getting onto the road .
Extend the red fence

Then the magenta tiles in the kitchen.

People often say............ "in time you'll stop noticing the noise" - We lived on a main road for 5 years. I never did stop noticing. We now live on a super quiet road and its blissful. I adore trains but I dont think I could cope with them going past my house all day long tbh (even if only every 30 minutes).
Also......... and I totally know this isnt the point but that house looks like it has pretty much an entire kitchen....... in the garden.
And wtf is the thing that looks a bit like a bird bath............ in the kitchen?

I bought a house last year within a stone's throw from a railway station inner London. A cul-de-sac that nobody would notice. Love it although a beach would be preferable. Next time maybe 🙂

This is how close the train line is to my garden it's not an issue

I would say no. I used to live in a flat which overlooked the train line. The trains were very frequent. You only get half the story by looking at the trains servicing the station. There were lots more freight and non-stopping trains too. The noise was enough to make listening podcasts a strain, but unlike white noise it was not always in the background and so I noticed it more. The flat was double glazed and closing them got rid of all the noise, but during summer it’s always unbearably hot .. 27C and so that’s not an option.

At 650k that is a whole lot of house.
There is a lot to like about it too.

I'd hate it personally as you cant even grow trees to block the sound as the track is to the side not the back!

But! Every house will for the right price / to the right buyer

Christ that is a bit close! Though my cousin lived on quite a busy line, about the same distance away, in a much smaller house. Eventually you just got used to it. Like within an afternoon you didn't hear it anymore. As long as you've got decent double glazing and don't mind a bit of noise I reckon it'd be fine.

I'm more concerned about the weird layout downstairs 😂

The traffic light wouldn't bother me, having looked at the road markings you won't have people backed up outside the house.

I don't think the school would bother me as you obviously won't be affected by people parking across your property which is the thing that always puts me off living near a school. I would assume you'll hear playground noise as it carries quite a way.

The house and garden are lovely though and I would definitely consider it.

I'd absolutely love that. It would be a big plus for me.