What's wrong with this house in McLean?

[Anonymous]

http://www.redfin.com/VA/Mc-Lean/7923-Falstaff-Rd-22102/home/9375681

It seems pretty, looks like it is in a good school district, close to the new silver line metro, etc. But it has been on the market for a while. Is it the proximity to the toll road? Is there something else wrong with this neighborhood? We are interested but can only see a limited number of houses when we come out to the area next weekend.

[Anonymous]

I assume its road noise. Nice home but you will always have to deal with the noise, including when YOU try to resell it. But at the right price, it makes sense.

[Anonymous]

It is the existing road noise, plus the noise from the construction of the Silver Line (often done at night), plus the noise from the metro when it starts running. We looked at a house backing to 267 and the noise from the cars alone was too much for us. We ended up in a house about a mile (and many many lots off 66) and at night, when all is quiet, I can still hear the metro trains running. It would be much, much louder if your lot is right next to 267.

[Anonymous]

I'd check it out and assess first-hand how much noise there is. It's a great neighborhood and this is a nice house, although the interior does look dated. Sellers may have asked too much initially. Assume that you saw that another house in the neighborhood not as close to the DTR went under contact quickly.

[Anonymous]

This house backs to what looks like state (maybe federal) land and then a sound barrier wall between it and the toll road. The rest of the neighborhood (community pool, parks), schools, location, etc are awesome. So it's all personal preference regarding your willingness to have a noisy back yard. If your budget is tight, I'd look at this house (you're gonna have to compromise on something, it may be backyard noise). But, if you know the noise would drive you crazy, then skip it.

[Anonymous]

I live very close to that house. While I am not crazy about the kitchen, the neighborhood is great; lots of families with young kids. You won't hear either the construction of the silver line, nor it running. You will definitely hear the Toll Road, which is maybe 1/2 from the house. The house sits in the langley pyramid, Tysons is 2 minutes away, and DC via Chain Bridge is maybe 15 minutes even in traffic. They are only asking $880K. I think it is simply a tough time to sell.

[Anonymous]

Houses in this neighborhood routinely go under contract in 2 days. (And most all the houses are 50ish years old and in need of updating.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I live very close to that house. While I am not crazy about the kitchen, the neighborhood is great; lots of families with young kids. You won't hear either the construction of the silver line, nor it running. You will definitely hear the Toll Road, which is maybe 1/2 from the house. The house sits in the langley pyramid, Tysons is 2 minutes away, and DC via Chain Bridge is maybe 15 minutes even in traffic. They are only asking $880K. I think it is simply a tough time to sell.

People that live in McLean are in such denial about all the driving they do. 15 minutes to DC even in traffic? Right. That's some funny shit. It's certainly a cheap house for the DC area though.

[Anonymous]

the price is very, very attractive, but I'd be concerned about more than noise pollution. OP, check out older DCUM threads that have referred to studies about the health hazards of living near busy roads. 267 qualifies as a very busy road.

[Anonymous]

The location would not bother me one bit about this house. I've always lived close to 66 and the road noise and metro noise becomes like background noise after awhile and not very noticeable. If the house has good windows you shouldn't hear anything inside. And other houses in the neighborhood appear to sit even closer to the DTR/Beltway interchange.

That said, 15 minutes to DC via Chain Bridge is misleading. Maybe it's 15 minutes to cross Chain Bridge into DC (on a good day), but it's not as if your office is right there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The location would not bother me one bit about this house. I've always lived close to 66 and the road noise and metro noise becomes like background noise after awhile and not very noticeable. If the house has good windows you shouldn't hear anything inside. And other houses in the neighborhood appear to sit even closer to the DTR/Beltway interchange.

That said, 15 minutes to DC via Chain Bridge is misleading. Maybe it's 15 minutes to cross Chain Bridge into DC (on a good day), but it's not as if your office is right there.

I looked at a Tradition Homes house in Arlington right next to 66. The noise was pretty loud, so we passed, but I don't think this hoise would be that bad.

[Anonymous]

We looked at a house in McLean Hamlet about 2 years ago on Falstaff. The only problem with the house was that it backed to the Toll Road and that was not something we could get past and we really wanted to live in the Hamlet at the time.

[Anonymous]

I live near there. Very nice neighborhood for young kids. Most of the streets have sidewalks and street lights so it's a great area for trick-or-treating for the young kids. There is also a small park. However, all the houses have the same layout. Ceilings are too low. Kitchen and bathrooms are very dated. Noise, as said, is loud. Lewinsville bridge very near this house has been under construction forever (to upgrade it) and we have been able to hear the night noise even where we live, a few miles away. A secret counterterrorism center is also located right across the bridge which would worry me. Don't try to find it on the map, it's not marked. Price has been cut $19K.

[Anonymous]

It's OLD. like 60s.

And the Toll Road is in the backyard!

[Anonymous]

I thought about buying this house.

There is slight road noise (to my ears), a warm buzzing if you will. Definitely doable and much better than another Hamlet house that I saw that also backed to the Toll Road. That one was on the market for a bit and sold for low to mid 800s, but it was a smaller (but added onto) split foyer.

I saw it at 925k so I was colored by that pricing.

For me it needed an updated kitchen, but the real kicker was that access to the backyard was difficult. Floorplan could be better. I'm used to having a walk out deck and this house, though big, has the back access from the mud/laundry room - thinking about carrying food out from the kitchen to the bbq for cookouts with friends turned me off from the house.