Is NOISE a major factor in your housing choice? (price, construction, inspection)

[Old Tired Man]

My wife and I are renting and apartment now but thankfully we only signed a six month lease so we can move into a single family home this summer. We are spending time visiting neighborhoods in our new community to get a better understanding of housing styles, quality of life issues, shopping, places to eat and the mood of different parts of town, so when we move back into a single family home again we can feel comfortable there for years.

One thing has really hit me in my analysis of the current housing stock. THERE SURE ARE LOTS OF NOISY PLACES TO LIVE.

Maybe it is part of the changing America, with up to 40% of the people who live in my community are foreign born. When my wife and I travel overseas we are always saying how people in most of the world who live in urban or suburban environments live in densely populated spots right on top of each other next to heavy traffic and noise. (More so than traditional housing in American towns. Maybe because they grew up in noisy spots when they come to America they don't think living right next to a busy intersection or noisy commercial hub is a problem.

Or maybe the younger people just are not bothered by the noise of traffic right outside their windows or being in dense developments where you could hear from a dozen different neighbors slamming doors and carrying on outside your window. So quiet is not an issue in their housing selection.

What is it with all the development of noisy places recently, does anyone care about noise other than my wife and I?

[Magic78]

When we found our house, we would go over morning, noon, and night to hear the neighborhood. They probably thought we were stalkers. So, yes, noise is huge for us. We were leaving a townhome with noise problems.

[blazerj]

Yes. Noise is a huge deal for us. In fact, we chose our current rantal (townhouse) over another, nicer one simply because of noise.

[luv4horses]

One of the noisiest places I ever lived was in the country, far from the nearest highways. Why? Crickets!! You don't realize how the normal town/suburb environment nullifies a noisey summer night out in the countryside.

Still, at least that was nature. Like you, I cannot stand man made noise, especially from within the neighborhood. It is so jarring to hear late night conversations, boom boxes, persistently barking dogs. At least you can knowingly choose whether you live next to a train track, roadway, or airport. But thoughtless neighbors and their visiting friends can make your life miserable. Give me an acreage any day.

[nikitakolata]

Some noises bother me a lot and others don't bother me at all. Barking dogs, screaming children, car horns/alarms, and yelling/partying neighbors will annoy me to no end. Sounds that are more constant and steady though, like traffic, don't bother me nearly as much. I want to live around quiet people but if a house happens to be somewhat close to a major road, that won't bother me much from a noise perspective (major roads have other issues that bother me enough that I wouldn't want to be directly on one though).

[willow wind]

I don't want to hear noise other than nature. I always tell the young people in the family and extended family this when they're looking for housing.

Don't look at places to live at 11:00 AM on Wednesday. You want to check it at two times., One is Saturday afternoon and the other is late Saturday night. Then you'll know who you neighbors are and who is living there/visiting, etc.

Everything is quiet during the work/school week, Saturday AM. But Saturday afternoon will tell you how many kids are in the area, how many cars are really in the area , who washes their car with friends and the boom box going and Saturday night many places have a life of their own.

[oregonwoodsmoke]

People who can't tolerate noise do not live in the middle of a city. Since lots of people prefer to live in a big city, I draw the conclusion that the noise level does not bother them.

[St. Josef the Chewable]

Noise is a big consideration for my wife and I, as well. We're buying a townhouse which seems to be a solid, older construction because our current apartment is a noisy mess. The downstairs neighbor screams at her kid from morning 'til night, and all sounds (including vibrations from his stomping!) travel to our upstairs unit. We run the A/C fan to try to drown out the worst of it with white noise. I'd prefer a SFH, but my wife is European, and we can more easily afford a townhouse in a nice neighborhood.

Sad to say, although it's always been quiet during our visits, during the recent inspection at the townhouse we could hear the neighbor's guitar in our adjoining basement! Yikes! But it has to be better than the place we live now.

[dman72]

Noise creates stress and affects sleep. I wouldn't understand anybody who isn't taking it into consideraton when buying a home or renting an apartment.

When I see a house near a stop sign or stop light, I immediately think "during the summer, some kid is going to be stopping there with his stereo pounding away at 2Am."

I bought a mid-block house in neighborhood with only one way in and out.

[Old Tired Man]

How come so many homes sell that are not in attractive neighborhoods but still in incredibly noisy locations but sell for the same price as homes in quiet settings a few blocks away?