What would dissuade you from buying a house? Version 2.0 - the your suggestions version! (traffic noise, homestead)
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Having never bought a house, I created the first poll not really knowing what to put down. Your text responses to the first poll are the inspiration and basis of the second poll.
I voted none -- almost all these things are fixable, if the house is good.
Yes, but at what expense?
Foundations and water intrusion issues are definitely repairable, but might not always be cost effective depending on what is involved. Highway and railroad proximity are beyond one's control.
Several aspects in both this and the previous poll still boil down to the old adage: location, location, location.
foundations issues would be an automatic no, i odnt mind a fixer, but once the foundation gives out...well those issues become incredibly difficult to fix at a managable cost.
cig smoke, house fire smoke and mold odor would all be nos for me, while smells can be fixed id forever be worried about structural issues fomr a house fire and im HIGHLY sensitive to mold and cig smoke...
dead an ddying trees and a desert lawn could be issues for me becaus im looking for fertile land, so id want enough water and id want to know why those trees are dying...
strict zoning laws and homesteading just dont mix lol...i want ot be able to keep my chickens without worrying that i might have 1 too many or my roo might bother a neighbor ect...(or be flat out told i cant have any at all)
The polls are fun but I have to admit there is one thing I said I would never do and did anyway surprising myself. I bought a house not too far from a major freeway. I live close to 80/90. It becomes a smaller toll 2 lane freeway (in each direction) with a large island in the center. Its off in the distance but the exit ramp is fairly close. I can't see any of the traffic due to all the oaks and pines but I can hear it. It is louder in the winter. I can't hear it all in the house but in the backyard I can. When we relocated here we wanted to live in the nicest city with the best school district and this was it. I always lived in large cities with lots of noise so to me it just sounds city like at times. Its an upscale area that was built on farmland and really boomed during the 90's. There are subs further away from the freeway but those homes cost a million plus which wasn't an option. My concern was resale but even in this down economy when homes go up for sale in my sub or the ones next to us, they sell. The university is close by and we get a lot of transplants to the area. We had two homes in our sub sell within just a week. Its a sleepy community until some Ex-football coach goes on a nutter and makes national news.
Now train tracks? I don't think I could do that. Even if it was a deal of a lifetime. I had an aunt that had train tracks in her backyard and the house would shake something terrible.
Funny how it’s all about perspective, a lot of the things you listed I would consider positives. For instance I see that I’m the only person who voted they wouldn’t by a house with no nearby neighbors, I guess a lot of people like that sort of thing but as someone who grew up in a very crowded city one of my prerequisites when we moved to a semi rural community was that the house HAD to have neighbors within what I call “screaming distance”. If I’m being murdered I want to be able to have neighbors who can hear my screams; living in seclusion freaks me out!
Near a hunting area reminds me of a house that my brother and his friends rented many years ago. It was next door to a huge state park. It was really cheap. They could not understand why it was so cheap (until deer season opened).
Usually they did not even hear the rifle. Suddenly "whack" a bullet would fly through the walls and embed itself in the cieling. After about four times they moved out for two weeks. Odd thing was they stayed in that house for several years. Moved out for deer season opening every year. Took their TV with them (after one got hit). I guess the house was pretty nice for its price, and they liked being out away from things where no one would bother them (except the bullets).
Until I read the "deer season" option in the poll, it never crossed my mind as I've never wanted to live in an area that would even be close to hunting grounds.
I live two streets away from in interstate. It is noisy. There are only two benefits I've found from this location: don't have to drive far to access it; when having parties outside, the traffic noise somewhat drowns out the noise from my parties. This was my first home purchase. It's not my dream home so eventually I'll be able to get the house I want. Someday.
You missed a major one: It IS controlled by a HOA.
If it is, THEY own your house you never will.
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