Would you live near the fwy? (Los Angeles, Santa Ana: buying a house, neighborhood, buying)

[russlancea]

I know, my post are related to house buying, because I'm hoping to get one.

Do you live or own a house near a freeway? Like 3 or 5 houses away from the fwy wall? I won't be buying anything right next to the fwy, but I'm on the fence about properties a few houses away.

I don't mind the sound or noise. My concern stems from studies that show that car exhaust and pollution can cause asthma, heart problems and possibly other health issues. Of course, I can't smell the fumes, but I'm sure it's still there.

Another problem with being so close to the fwy is Caltrans can always declare eminent domain and take a chunk out of my property, but hopefully, being a few houses away won't affect me.

Being a mom with a toddler and soon to be newborn, I think I should go with my gut instincts and avoid it, but maybe I'm desperate enough to consider it.

Talk some sense into me--any pros and cons?

[EscapeCalifornia]

Every objection you can think of, so can the next buyer. That'll make it that much harder to sell in the future. The same goes for high voltage power distribution lines near your house. I wouldn't do it.

[preppyglam]

Hummmm.....hard one. On one hand, it can get you into something since I'm sure its cheaper. On the other- I would also worry about the health aspect, the noise (but if its doesn't bother you- then that's fine), the safety and desire to play outside for your kids, but most of all the resale value and opportunity.

On the bright side- there are TONS of houses in CA that are right by the freeway- so its not like you would be the only one. I sometimes wonder how mad people were when the freeway decided to take over their front or back yard, though! ha!

Which freeway and city? If we are talking 405 or 5....I would say absolutely not. But if its a connector freeway like the 55, 57, 22....then, maybe? Those freeways can get pretty jammed, but they aren't as bad as the 405 + 5 (in my opinion, anyway).

Either way, I think *right* by the freeway is less desirable for buyers and just less desirable in general. But, you have to do whats best for you and your family. Good luck!

[EscapeCalifornia]

You say you don't mind the noise but have you spent the night there? Things tend to sound a lot louder and more aggravating at night when the rest of the world is quiet and the air is denser. Its not so much the constant background noise of the general flow of traffic that's a problem. Its the harleys, rice rockets with coffee can exhaust, lifted bro trucks, jake brakes, etc that gets old quick.

[Count David]

I've slept many a night near the freeway (lived within yards of the 91 from 1997-2003, the 210 for half of 2004, a trailer near I-90 in Idaho for a month, a freeway here in Denver for six months).

The good thing about it is close freeway access. It's not so bad comfort-wise, unless you are purposely trying to hear the noises of it.

Yet, I'd take the other comments in this thread into consideration.

[Fontucky]

Heart disease rate twice higher near freeways - 2/15/10 - Los Angeles-Southern California-LA Breaking News, Weather, Traffic, Sports - abc7.com

[timelesschild]

You can get to things SO MUCH faster, if you have immediate fwy access, than if you have to schlep 15 minutes across the surface streets before you get on it.

I'm one to check all alternate routes before deciding which one is fastest, and even though the freeways can be a bane, they are still usually faster than the surface streets. I said "usually". Living really really near an on-ramp can save you tons of time.

OTOH, if it's going to increase your odds of cancer by a significant percentage, that sounds less worth it, doesn't it...

[DewDropInn]

When the Santa Ana (5) freeway was widened during the 90's Caltrans bought up a bunch of houses in my neighborhood and we ended up being two houses from the freeway and, basically, having a flyover off-ramp in our back yard.

First off Caltrans is he-- to deal with. So be forwarned. If there are any freeway-related problems they will bend over backwards to make life as unpleasant as possible for you.

The health concerns are huge. There was a lot of cancer in the neighborhood and all of us wondered if it was freeway-related. It's noisy. Interrupt your sleep noisy. We got what I called sticky-dust. (Of course in earthquakes the sticky-dust kept the nicknacks nice and secure.) Oh, and sticky-dust is black. 'Nuff said.

Then, every once in a while, there would be a televised car chase and we'd have packs of helicopters flying around. One time some ying-yang hijacked a bus and was stopped about a mile from our house by the cops. Stand-off. We listened to cops on loudspeakers and helicopters hovering ALL NIGHT LONG.

The interesting thing was when I sold the house nobody, not one person, mentioned the fact that the house was so close to the freeway. And it didn't affect my property values. Granted, this was before the crash. But I'd wait for someone to mention the freeway and nothing, nada. Some people loved the idea of having such easy freeway access. Go figure.

If you're trying to get a foot in the door with buying a house it might work out. But no way I'd buy a house close to a freeway that I intended to live in for more than a year or two.

[Wurzig]

Pay attention to what these posters have written. Keep looking for a house elsewhere. It's not worth your health.

[EscapeCalifornia]

Originally Posted by DewDropInn

The interesting thing was when I sold the house nobody, not one person, mentioned the fact that the house was so close to the freeway. And it didn't affect my property values. Granted, this was before the crash. But I'd wait for someone to mention the freeway and nothing, nada. Some people loved the idea of having such easy freeway access. Go figure.

I'm not too surprised that it wasn't an issue at that time. People were in a frenzy to get anything they could so they could make a bundle and trade up in two years. Holes in the roof? Cat pi$$ everywhere? Overpass in the back yard? JUST BUY IT! Its not like people were playing with their own money anyway. But once there's a good selection of houses to choose from and they aren't selling in 1 day, buyers can be a lot pickier.