A woman frustrated by noise

Many people can call a house a home only if they can find their peace and quiet there. In a way, a home should always be a personal sanctuary. It is a place where we can unwind after a long day, pursue our interests and hobbies, and, perhaps most importantly, sleep without any sonic interruptions. So, finding a quiet property is a factor high up on your home buying checklist? We are here to give you a few pointers on determining if the home you are interested in is peaceful enough for you to consider buying it. 

 

The major problem homebuyers have when they are at a showing is that it is hard to assess if and when the home is quiet. With real estate agents and other homebuyers roaming around the property, you can never be too sure. Furthermore, you can easily get distracted while considering if other characteristics of the property suit your lifestyle. And yet another obstacle - you could have a hard time determining the quietness of the home when you are there only for an hour or two on the weekend.

The location is crucial

Quite unsurprisingly, the home’s location is one of the most influential factors determining if the property is quiet. First, consider the surrounding area. Even if the streets do not seem crowded, a nearby school or restaurant could easily violate your peace. The same goes for bars and nightclubs, particularly in the evenings when you want to rest after a long day. Even a nearby park could be a source of noise during certain times of the day. 

 

Of course, all of this does not automatically mean you will be disturbed. Think about the times when you absolutely cannot tolerate noise. Next, compare it to the opening hours of the adjacent places. If you have a 9 to 5 job, you won’t mind buying a property next to a kindergarten. 

A dog in a quiet suburban neighborhood

The position of your home is also important

So, it is not only the strict surroundings or the type of neighborhood that might play a part in how noisy it is. Many first-time homebuyers tend to get swayed by the property’s location in a suburban neighborhood, far from the madding crowd. For instance, you might plan to move from a super hectic city such as NYC to a comparatively peaceful suburban home in Connecticut. You could fall into the trap of assuming that there is no way this house is more disruptive than your NYC place. You could buy the Connecticut home, leave NYC and settle in Connecticut, only to find out after unpacking your belongings that the home you have purchased is too loud for you to prosper in it.

 

Another potentially disrupting factor you ought to consider is the geography of the surrounding area. If the bedroom or home office faces the street, it might make a big difference. This means that the room might be exposed to noise due to an intersection, speed bump, or hill. So, even if the street is relatively quiet most of the time, having vehicles speed up or slam the brakes every time they approach the speed bump might be even worse than having a consistent source of noise coming from the outside. So, take note of these details when looking at a property for the first time. 

Mind the details, such as the morphology of the streets surrounding the property.

Visit the home more than once, at different times of the day

So, you have shortlisted a specific property as a potential candidate for your new home. Make sure you pay several visits to it to see if the neighbors or the surroundings are peaceful. This is a good strategy that can help you determine whether the environment is quiet enough at the time of day when you absolutely need some quiet time. 

 

This will allow you to visualize what living in this home looks like firsthand. If the home under consideration passes these ‘volume tests’, you can safely start negotiating the price. In fact, the sooner you start planning your relocation, the better. But, in case you have second thoughts, be sure to hire an experienced and flexible moving company such as teddymoving.com. They will be able to postpone the relocation to the time that suits you better, so you won’t risk losing both the home and the moving crew. 

The structural features are essential for finding a quiet property

You can fight the noise by choosing a home based on the following features:

 

• Check the sound insulation of your property.
• Choose the top floor as it is further from the noise coming from the street.
• Carpeted floors are less noisy than wooden or tiled floors.
• Ask the real estate agent about the thickness of the walls.
• Double-glazed windows are also a way to combat noise.

Old buildings usually have thicker walls but bad sound insulation on the windows.

Assess the noise coming from your neighbors

This is, unfortunately, something you cannot know for sure before you move into your new place. And there is not much you can do except talk to your neighbors about their children or late-night music. However, there are a few signs that might indicate that the neighbors might disturb your peace.

 

If kids’ bicycles are lying around their porch or front door, this might indicate they have little children. If they have a garage with lots of tools or a motorbike, they might have a hobby that involves making noise in the early morning. Dogs can also be a problem - walk around and see if there are any noisy dogs in the area. Open your eyes and have a careful look at your neighbors’ homes, as you might find clues pointing at their habits and lifestyle. 

 

In sum, we hope this short article on finding a quiet property helped you devise a tenable strategy for evaluating how loud a property might be. The key is to keep both your eyes and ears open, and you will surely find the perfect home for you and your family.