update in OP - Would you buy a house on a busy street?

[mackmama]

Thanks for everyone’s feedback. The house sold with multiple offers so is now a moot point. Was fun to hear everyone's different opinions though. The search continues!

[Globetrotter]

Wow, I feel for you as we live in a vhcol area and I know people have to make compromises. However, you can eventually remodel some or add on to most houses, but you can’t change your location. A very busy street without a sidewalk would be tough with kids, especially, and you wouldn’t be able to walk or bike around your neighborhood. Plus the safety/inconvenience of backing out into a busy street.
the only reason I might consider it is because there are so few houses in town so the odds are very low that you will find something better. I’m surprised a town that small has a self sustaining school! Can dc stay in it as a transfer if you move to a neighboring town?

[jgenie]

We did. We moved from a LCOL area to a HCOL area. We were blown away by the housing market. Our house was very different in a pool of subpar homes. At the time we bought we didn’t think we would have children. When DC arrived I knew we needed to move. We were on a busy street with lots of car and pedestrian traffic. We were close enough to a light that cars would stop outside our yard. I couldn’t let DC out to play in the yard alone because I was worried about them hearing things as people drove or walked by. I also worried about the air quality being so close to such a busy street. We bought a larger home in a quieter neighborhood a few years ago. I think if it hadn’t been for the location we could have stayed in our first home. The location made it a deal breaker with kids.

[hbridge]

Busy is actually a relative term... . We live in a rural community and the first house we seriously looked at was on a corner of a rural highway. I actually made DH drive out at all hours of the day to "count cars" just to see how busy it was at different times...

Is traffic an issue all the time or just at "rush hour"? How much of a factor is it in your life? Do you have pets to worry about? How much of a safety issue is there? You can totally make anything work, but you might need to think some things through differently.

[mackmama]

To answer some questions-
Dc could not stay at the school if we switched towns. Moving out of town is not an option.
The street is very busy at all times of day. Bumper to bumper in rush hour and main thoroughfare at all times.
We have a dog.

[bcafe]

No, that particular location would be a no-go.

[marymoo86]

We bought a house on a busy street. However it's a large tract if land in a desirable part of town (almost .5acre). The house entrance is on the corner street and yard is fenced. Street noise is minimal inside and not noticeable outside in the side yard. However the street quiets after rush hour and there's sidewalks.

How's the setup? Assuming it faces the street? On a corner?

If I would be wirried about safety and DC not able to enjoy outside, I'd pass but if it is just traffic and you can enjoy outside then I'd consider. Checking location at different times to see how others have adjusted.

[pinkmomagain]

I would never purchase a home on a busy street.

[georgiegirl]

No, I wouldn’t do it. Playing outside is super important for my kids.

[123LuckyMom]

If that’s the only option that enables you to stay in the school district, I would, but I’d want to have a fenced back yard where the dog and the children could play safely and a park or something nearby where my kids could bike and the like. I’d also want to know that I’d be likely to get them to that park on a fairly frequent basis. Our old house was safe walking/biking distance to town and therefore to school and playgrounds. We took walks into town as a family. I could see the kids having lots of independence when they got older. Our current home is on a cul de sac, so they can play in the street, but there’s a not-so-safe Street they need to walk along and a busy street they need to cross to get to the elementary school or walk along to get to town. It means we have lost some of that walking ability. We can still take great walks, but walking into town isn’t as pleasant (along streets instead of through the woods), and we have to be with the kids for them to take these walks. Still, the benefits of the neighborhood outweighed the losses for us. If your kids will still be safe and have outdoor playtime, the busy street may be an inconvenience outweighed by the benefits of the move. It’s not ideal, and if you have other choices, consider them instead, but I would never say never. It’s a matter of priorities.


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