Anonymous wrote:Depends on the noise level. 35 MPH is not very fast if you are not right on the road though. I am super sensitive to road noise and refused to buy anything on a busy road at all but I think it is mitigated a lot by having a house in between unless it is a very continually busy one.

Legal speed limit of 35 mph on 4 lane road means 50 mph+. One house back from that & the noise is not going to be good. No way would I buy.

We basically have that. I nixed all the houses that had that where the road was the beltway. But honestly a four lane 35-mph road doesn’t generate that much noise. There’s almost no traffic on it on the weekends or after 6:30, which is when we are most often using the backyard. Even during rush hour, it’s basically just a hum— not particularly loud unless there some weird rattly truck. It’s just really not an issue for us. We have a 6 ft wooden fence plus trees and then the back neighbor that is on the road has some trees as well. Our side neighbor put their fence up to 8 feet since they had to rebuild it anyway but they are out there all the time and it doesn’t seem to bother them either.
The upside is that we have such a short walk or drive to get to the commuting area. If we were further into the neighborhood it would add significantly to our daily commute.

Anonymous wrote:I hate hearing traffic sounds, so that would be a dealbreaker for me personally. But others may not care.

There are a significant number of people who care about road noise. It does affect real estate values. I don't mind that much, but it is a big no for my DH.

Anonymous wrote:You want to be close to downtown, but you want to be more than 1 block in from any street over 35? I think you are setting an extremely arbitrary and limiting criteria.

+1

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is a non negotiable for me, but is it too picky? Getting a lot of flak because I am hung up on being in an interior lot. I’m talking about your backyard backs up to a house that faces a four lane 35 mph Road.
Anyone else have this as a no no or am I being too picky because I still want to be close to downtown so everywhere is busy (so people say!)

Wait, so there is a whole house in between your house and the road? Then no, I wouldn't be that picky. Put up a substantial fence. Line the fence with a tree screen, like western red woods (thuja) and call it a day.

+1

What the PP is describing is similar to our lot and it's fine. With the fence it's safe and it doesn't feel like we are on the road since there is. Another house and its yard and some trees etc in between.

I wouldn't buy directly on that road though. There is a huge price gap between on the road and one layer in, and I assume a small price jump to be further into the neighborhood.

Total dealbreaker

Depends on the noise level. 35 MPH is not very fast if you are not right on the road though. I am super sensitive to road noise and refused to buy anything on a busy road at all but I think it is mitigated a lot by having a house in between unless it is a very continually busy one.

Big fence and trees

Depends on the road noise.

I would not, personally. We passed up several great houses because of road noise.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is a non negotiable for me, but is it too picky? Getting a lot of flak because I am hung up on being in an interior lot. I’m talking about your backyard backs up to a house that faces a four lane 35 mph Road.
Anyone else have this as a no no or am I being too picky because I still want to be close to downtown so everywhere is busy (so people say!)

Wait, so there is a whole house in between your house and the road? Then no, I wouldn't be that picky. Put up a substantial fence. Line the fence with a tree screen, like western red woods (thuja) and call it a day.

+1

Anonymous wrote:NO way.

Can you please elaborate? I feel like you get it…