Many factors affect property value, and noise is certainly one of those factors. A home directly across from a train station or major highway tends to be less desirable than a quiet neighbor. When you’re shopping around for homes, consider the kinds of noises in the surrounding area. Here’s what you need to know about noise pollution and its effect on home buyers.
Defining noise pollution
Noise pollution is the consistent, chaotic sounds in the surrounding area that can be unpleasant at best and sanity-draining at worst. Traffic on highways, a nearby airport, an active railway, and a fire station can all produce noise pollution. Sometimes, this pollution is temporary, such as construction work on a road. Permanent noise pollution, like train stations and highway traffic, are sources you should watch out for while home shopping.
Though some residents may have a better tolerance for loud noises outside their homes than others, an objective measurement of noise pollution does exist, called the decibel. You can find the decibels of sound sources through apps on your phone or a specialized, more accurate instrument called a decibel reader. These tools use algorithms to convert the sounds you hear into numbers, enabling you to objectively compare noise levels.
Accepted decibels in an area varies by local ordinance. For example, New York City prohibits noises “that exceed 10 decibels (dB) as measured from 15 feet from the source as measured from inside any property or on a public street.” That number is obviously far lower here in East Alabama.
How does noise pollution affect me?
When shopping for homes, consider the neighborhood’s noise pollution and its effects on home buyers. You should also consider the level of sound you think you can tolerate! Can’t stand the sounds of cars traveling 55 miles per hours outside your backyard? Look for a home tucked away on side streets.
If you plan to sell your new home in the future, you may want to take the time to measure the local noise pollution and compare it to various standards. One method is to take hourly readings with a decibel reader and then to enter that data into an online noise calculator. By taking these calculations, you can get a sense of the objective Ldn (day and night) and Lden (day, evening, night) measurements, which measure the impact of noise population on communities.
The U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics has also published a noise map of the country, providing a useful tool if you want to get an understanding of a community’s noise level without all the calculations. Otherwise, you can visit the location at various times of the day to get a sense of the noise pollution and its effect on home buyers.
Noise pollution can cause headaches and sleepless nights, so adding this factor to your research as you go home shopping may be essential to successfully selling your home later. For more tips on home buying and selling, continue following the Ryan Roberts blog! For all of your real estate needs, contact Ryan Roberts at 334-750-9872 or email [email protected].
