We live on a main road, with the London Underground Central Line shunting yards and the Chiltern Line Birmingham - London at our rear, about 500m away, both on an embankment, so at top-story level.

The all night shunting and the trains don't disturb me, but the road does.

However IMO the main think to consider is resale value.



Buzzy

Hi, my bedroom in my parents house was approx. 10 metres from the train track when I was a teenager (in the UK), and apart from the first night or two after we moved (my Dad was a train nut! ) I can honestly say I slept really really well - you definitely get used to it - I can remember the house vibrating during the day sometimes but generally you didn't even notice a train going by (we had high speed trains as we were on a main line) - sad that I was I can even remember waving to the passengers sometimes on the slower trains Good luck with what you decide

Thanks everyone.

This is one of those places that come up rarely - considering there's no work to be done, very well presented, and it's near the train (!), schools and shops. Thing is, even the asking price is at the extreme upper end of our budget, but I suppose there's no harm in making an offer, as long as it's not taking the piss.

As far as resale is concerned, it's not really a concern, as it's the kind of place we'd be happy to stay in a long time, provided there were no major structural problems or horrendous neighbours. I did have a word with the agent and he spoke to the vendors and they said they get on well with the neighbours on each side, so though I'd take what any real estate agent acting on behalf of the vendors would say with a pinch of salt, he did give the impression of being one of the better ones.

Hope it's not gone already,

(I'm not basing my decision purely on people's replies here, but I guess I wanted reassurance - thanks).

Cheers,

Big.

We live 100 metres from a 4 lane highway, 500 metres from a railway line and 3k's from one of the busiest airports in Australia (Jandakot).

We never hear a thing after the third bottle of wine.

Lived about 100 yards from a train track in Livermore CA, now am 4 doors from an interstate in VA with no sound wall.........its all very nice.

The constant hum does seem fainter after a while.........

Of course the owners get on well with the neighbours, especially when their 300 bikie mates come around for a loooooooong weekend.

A hot Sydney night, windows wide open for air and the freight train goes past....


WW

[QUOTE=Big Galah;4565807]...at the end of the back garden to be exact.

The house we looked at on Saturday was perfect apart from this (big advantage being a walk to the station - I work in Sydney CBD).

Commuter trains aren't such a big deal, it's the miles-long freight trains late at night or early morning that I guess might be a problem.

If anyone's lived somewhere like this before would you say "never again", or did you get used to it?

Decisions decisions. Of course, I may be too late already and I may regret it when I see the "sold" sigh. Ho hum.

any thoughts?



our house in the U.K had a train line at the end of our back garden. We lived there for 10 years and honestly had no problems at all. You just dont notice at all. However when we came to sell we had a lot of trouble because of it. We had on average 3 viewing a week for 6 months and all of them gave fantastic and positive feedback about the house but were put of by the train line. We ended up selling for £15K less (only offer) and that was to a lad who already lived on the road so he knew the trains were not a problem. So I would say buy if you want to stay for ever but not if you plan to sell some day.
Tracie

I saw him on the telly! Poor bugger!

My friends live in Glenbrook in the Blue Mountains and have the train line at the bottom of their garden. We noticed the trains when we visited but they don't notice them at all any more.

We live near a RAF base here in the UK and have several planes fly over (particularly on Tuesdays - training day!) but don't really notice them. I guess you just adjust to your surroundings whatever they are.

During my days in Western Australia, I lived at a mate's place in Thornlie for about six months. The property backed onto a freight train line... and it was absolute murder.

I am a very light sleeper at the best of times, but the train ran so close to us that the walls shook and the windows rattled with every passing carriage.

Never again! Never again! :curse:

Why don't you check the timetables and try to go see it at a time when a train will be going past and see how it is? Thats what I would try to do any way.

ob

I'm a light sleeper like Vash - I used to be on 24 hour call for work, and the pager could go off any time - despite it being a good few years since I had to be on call I still wake up at the slightest noise We live under one of the flight paths, and when planes are flying over us in the morning it wakes me up if the windows are open. It's no problem when the windows are closed, but as we have no aircon that's not an option during summer.

I used to live next to a busy road, and never got used to the noise - I think I became more sensitive to it actually.

I think if you're not bothered by noise on the whole, it shouldn't worry you unless they're going past constantly and blowing their whistle etc. Can you go back and ask the neighbours about it directly?

There was a feature in the SMH the other day about eyesores lowering house prices - it also said that because housing is so expensive, having a few thousand knocked off the price of the house, compared to houses a bit further away, isn't going to be a problem as there will be people like yourselves who can only afford a house in the area with a noise problem or eyesore. The only risk is if the housing market collapses - and if it does that, it won't just be you who'll be up sh@t creek!

I will never live near one again - my London flat was seperated by trains by the side of the line and fence,the width of our narrow road and front strip.

On the moving-in day, I left my girlfriend in the house whilst I popped down to the local pub to watch England play Australia at Twickenham.

I got back and she told me about the trains. "The flat shakes!"

It was only the big expresses or freights and whilst the shake itself didn't really bother me, it nagged me from a structural point and future saleability never mind value.

The noise is something you do screen out - but if I recall I never really heard them.

Sounds like the family in 'The Castle'.

"Dad reckons its great as when we want to go on holiday we ...."

I'm thinking Jake and Elwood