Would you buy a property near a motorway?

C

crellow4

Well-Known Member
Joined
20 May 2009
Messages
467
Location
Cornwall
Visit site
As the title really. I've found a house for sale, within budget - 13 acres, 5 bed farmhouse and loads of useful buildings. The only problem is that the fields run down to the M5 - would this put you off? Everything else about th property is good, great hacking nearby, spacious house etc Just trying to decide if the traffic noise would be too much to live with.....
 
I'd buy it if it was perfect in every other way.

Without the motorway it would be a lot more expensive

I'd want a double row of fencing though
 
Find which way the prevailing wind direction is i.e. does the wind blow from motorway towards house most of the time?
 
I lived for a while on the A171 and it was too much for me despite being a wonderful house with fabulous land etc. the road noise got me in the end. Living next to a motorway would be a nightmare for me personally.
Peace and quiet is my priority these days, I don't even have a next door neighbour now and about two cars a day go past. lol
 
Agree really go to town on fencing....suppose mway are busier at certain times. Decent double glazing, bedrooms on non motorway side.....
 
There's an access lane to an adjacent field running between 'our' fields and the motorway - o in effect a double fence arrangement. The current owner grazes sheep - notorious escape artists lol.
 
It's always a compromise buying a property (unless you're a multi-millionaire). Personally, I'd rather compromise on the house than the location. I could not stand the roar or a motorway near me and would prefer to cope with a crappy house in a nicer spot. But it just depends on what ticks your boxes.
 
Only you can judge whether the noise is enough to put you off but if it is the only way to afford what you want it may well be the compromise needed to get it. If you can get the perfect house away from the motorway then I guess that would be better. Horses will be bombproof with traffic after a while so that would be one thing
 
Very little noise can be heard in the house, obviously it's more obvious when you're outside. The property would be way out of our price range if it was in a better location :-(
 
I live near a dual carriageway. The traffic noise isn't too bad; the traffic volume along the road I need to take to get to my hacking is taking some getting-used-to. But there's no way I could afford a place this close to the city, with land, if it weren't for some small draw-backs.
 
Would you be concerned about health issues due to the car fumes? Especially if the horses are in a field close to the motorway all day. I don't know if there are any health concerns with this, but it's something I'd want to find out.
 
We are fairly close to the motorway and I love to lie in bed and listen to the distant noise. Outside we can hear it depending on the wind direction but you get used to it very quickly. It doesn't bother me at all and makes for fantastic access to fast roads for shows.
 
What would interest me more is the rest of the area, is there good hacking and community ? Riding clubs etc ? Is the area going to give you what you want ? If it is then try and visit a couple of times a week to see what noise you can cope with
 
I think as said above unless you have a bottomless pocket then every property has something that keeps its price affordable. Only you can decide what you can live with. Visit a 2nd and third time and spend time outside and see how you feel about the noise level.

We go to an event at a lovely property backing onto M6 and it always amazes me how little it affects anyone, the horses just do not bother about the traffic and if you plant some trees along the line of the motor way they will help diffuse noise and any polution as they grow up.

When you are busy working and concentrating with animals, it is surprising how background noise and objects melt away.
 
The house is nearly 3 hours drive away from where I currently live so I'm limited to how often I can pop up to see it. The riding out looks great, good equestrian area, fantastic house. Road noise appears to be the only issue.
 
We used to live about a quarter mile as the crow flies from the M1 in the south east. You just get used to the noise to be honest. Only time it was noticeable was when there was a serious accident near us and they stopped all the traffic for the air ambulance. The silence was deafening.
If you can put in trees, hedges etc between you and it, it will also help deaden the noise.
 
I've lived within 500m of the M25 for the last 10+ yrs in a two different houses and never had an issue, although admittedly we have sound barriers .. it is the motorway that never sleeps ;)

Also keep horses at two separate yards that have had fields adjacent to the M3 and again no problems, horses have been happy and last one lived to the age of 26 so don't think it did her health much harm!
 
Going for a second viewing on Friday. I've researched the riding and it's really good. I currently live in rural Cornwall and the hacking is atrocious! There is virtually no off road riding so anything would be an improvement to be honest. The house we are looking at has more or less direct access to common moorland and lots of woodland trails all of which are open to horses.
 
Another point re the prevailing wind is ragwort.
Motorways embankments are often plastered with ragwortand the if the prevailing wind runs off the motorway across your land it will dump shed loads of seeds onto the pasture.
 
Posted before i had finished!

This wouldnt put me off if the property was perfect in every other way but it is just another thing to consider in terms of land management
 
I've lived right next to the A1 for the past 5years, i have no problems with it :) Livery yard i used to be at is 1 mile down the road also right next to the A1, none of the horses were bothered, and as far as i know, it didn't affect their health. :) I'd say, go for it, you will have great hacking, great house with your neddies at home and great quick access to main roads so easy to get anywhere :D
 
Thanks guys. It's my dream to have my horses and house together - currently they are 10 minutes up the road. Although we have £500000 to spend it still doesn't go that far when you start looking!
 
If you don't mind me asking, how far away from your current place would you be willing to move? It's just that i know of an equestrian property near me that is really good and is within your budget :) pm me if you prefer :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top