Traffic noise didn't seem to bother me at my old house yesterday

[Bearded Man]

And I'm considering moving back in. My first house was on a slightly busy side street. No bus stops or sidewalks, just a car or 3 every few minutes during rush hour as people who live on the street drive down it or use it as a short cut. There is an intersection with a stop light a few blocks down, which I guess is indicative of there being more than average traffic.

Having lived there for over 2 years, I eventually moved. The traffic noise was one culprit, commute and such was another. Yesterday I went to show the house to a prospective tenant due to upcoming vacancy, and to my surprise, while I was inside for 20 minutes or so, I didn't even notice the cars go by, even with the windows open.

I had to consciously stop and remind myself to assess how loud it was inside and how often a car passed, which I had planned to do as part of my trip. It was then that I noticed that the windows were actually open, and that when I focused on listening for it, a car passed every few minutes or so (rush hour) and it didn't bother me, it wasn't even that loud. Now when a car speeds by it would be loud, but the speed limit is 30 MPH, and in a school zone (even though the school on one block behind me and two blocks over, not on my actual street) 20 MPH during the school year during the day.

That said, am I romanticizing the noise issue? The reason I ask is because I'm considering moving back in since it is a paid of house, with a large yard, no HOA, and close to everything. No, the neighborhood is not great, but it is not bad either, not what I would consider a ghetto, they are building new houses all around there, just two houses down and such. It's gentrifying.

I did live there for over 2 years, 10 times longer than some of the noisy apartments I lived in when I lived in Seattle that I had to leave the lease early on with the penalty fee just to get away from the noise of neighbors. At the house I'm talking about I never had an issue sleeping as the street is dead quiet after 8ish. I also kept white noise going 24/7 to drown out the swoosh of a car driving by. Plus I've come to realize that noise issues exist everywhere in the city and burbs. Granted my current house doesn't have a car driving by every few minutes, 15-20 yards away from my front door at 30-45 MPH, but still. Maybe I've matured over time and learned to accept some things, I dunno.

Alternatively, I could just pay off my other house that is central for all commuting, 30 minutes to Seattle, walk to transit, not on a busy street, large yard, and the perfect layout for room mates I could rent rooms to; rooms and bathrooms on the far other end of the large rambler, with a seperate living area (I can close the french doors). I only moved from this house as a result of one section 8 neighbor who just didn't get it. I had to use the city to keep them in check, but alas, I was looking to add to my RE portfolio so it was a good decision to at least move temporarily. Oddly enough, my gf said she would rather live in the house on a busy street than the house with the section 8 neighbor.

So the ask is:

Knowing the above, do I...

A) Keep the house as a rental and only use it to fall back on if I fall on hard times

B) Sell the house and use the proceeds to buy another house in the area not on a busy street (slim pickings, prices have gone up drastically in the area).

C) Move back into it so I can live rent and mortgage free.

D) Focus on the house that is not on a busy street and a great size and layout for renting out rooms, which would add an additional 1K a month income to my retirement cash flow, when I retire.

[Sibley]

I'm confused. You moved out of this house because of a neighbor receiving financial assistance? Either they were a really, really bad neighbor, or you really, really need to work on your attitude.

I don't see how noise would be a consideration here. If you moved out because of the neighbor but blamed the noise, then that tells me that you need an attitude adjustment regarding the neighbor (and since you used the noise as an excuse, you knew that you were in the wrong).

If you moved out because of some light to moderate traffic noise, then you were/are hypersensitive to sound. Get some ear plugs if it bothers you that much, or move to the middle of nowhere, but then you'll get all sorts of non-human related noises.

Decide where which house you want to live in based on financial considerations and location. The traffic noise as described or presence of Section 8 neighbors shouldn't be a factor.

[Rezdent]

Yes, I think you are romanticizing.
This happens to me whenever I am between renters in a house I previously lived.
Now that I think about it, it happens to me with my rentals where I have never lived.
I think it's because I buy rentals that I think are great places to live, and look!  They are available.

As far as what you should do, I would pick option D if you are still in a growing phase, option A if you are not.
Option B is feasible only if you have time and energy and enthusiasm for the chase.
Option C is probably a bad idea unless something about you or the house has changed.  You are very likely to find that an afternoon wasn't long enough to really grate your nerves.

[Bearded Man]

I'm confused. You moved out of this house because of a neighbor receiving financial assistance? Either they were a really, really bad neighbor, or you really, really need to work on your attitude.

I don't see how noise would be a consideration here. If you moved out because of the neighbor but blamed the noise, then that tells me that you need an attitude adjustment regarding the neighbor (and since you used the noise as an excuse, you knew that you were in the wrong).

Dude, you have NO clue what you are talking about. As I said in my post, I had to use the city to keep them in check....what does that sound like to you?

As it turned out, several other neighbors had been complaining to the city for years but it took a bit of politics to get them to actually deal with the issue after I started to complain and realized they didn't give a shit. They came down on them, the landlord and the property manager pretty hard after I got involved. An otherwise good neighborhood had turned to crap when they had moved in (according to neighbors). Garbage piled high all over the front lawn, parties daily, loud music, people drinking on the front lawn during the day, people riding bikes or walking up to one of the bedroom windows then going away a few minutes later after an exchange.

If you are in favor of tax payer money being handed out to people to live in a 270K house while none of them work, have loud parties almost daily, and have two big screen TV's and new cars, I think your attitude is the one that needs adjusting. Welfare abuse is rampant and your apologist attitude is not helping it. In fact, it is very clear from your post that you have have poor reading comprehension and missed the part where I said I had to get the city to keep them in check. Obviously that means they were awful neighbors, not that I am merely against them because they are on welfare.

You merely latched on for the people your heart seems to bleed for, so why don't you post your address and I'll send them to your neighborhood? You can foot their bill and take care of them.

The fact of the matter is, most people don't want to live next to a section 8 neighbor. These people are not well mannered college educated executives; they are generally people who just don't get how to fit into society, can't get or hold down a job, and even if they do, it's a menial one at best. When you see how these people live day after day, it becomes very evident why they don't work or can't work. No one wants to deal with these people except liberals who interestingly enough, don't want them in their neighborhoods either, but yet they attack others who don't and accuse them of being whatever.

So spare me your assumptive liberal drivel of how they are poor victims and I'm the bad guy. I pay more than 40K a year in taxes to support these people. Don't EVER accuse me of needing an attitude adjustment again when you are clearly the one with the problem.

[Bearded Man]

Yes, I think you are romanticizing.
This happens to me whenever I am between renters in a house I previously lived.
Now that I think about it, it happens to me with my rentals where I have never lived.
I think it's because I buy rentals that I think are great places to live, and look!  They are available.

As far as what you should do, I would pick option D if you are still in a growing phase, option A if you are not.
Option B is feasible only if you have time and energy and enthusiasm for the chase.
Option C is probably a bad idea unless something about you or the house has changed.  You are very likely to find that an afternoon wasn't long enough to really grate your nerves.

Thus far I think your post is the most accurate. It wasn't until about maybe a month into living there that the noise starting getting to me and I learned to deal with it with either fans or other white noise.

It is still nice to have as option A to fall back on if I ever need it, which is why I will be only offering monthly tenancy from now on at that rental.

Personally I think options B and D are best. I'm even considering moving to the country and dealing with a commute (I do anyways), so if I was to do B, I might just move to the country, or I could even use cash on hand to buy a place like that. No more noise issues or trashy section 8 welfare queen neighbors. 

But D is not a bad option either for me, but maybe once those neighbors are gone, though one of my neighbors there had told me that in the 30 years they have lived in the neighborhood, that the neighborhood was fine until the owner turned it into a section 8 rental.

BTW, they are clearly violating several of the section 8 rules, no alcohol or ciminal activity, each person who is above a certain age and stays there for more than a month must get government approval and be vetted, yet every two months 3-4 more people move out and others in to replace them. I highly doubt these people are approved considering their newer Lexus' and loud sound systems indicate they have income above the threshold. I filed a complaint with the government 2 years ago and still have not heard back, all I ever get is the government trolling craigslist and emailing me about my rentals and how I can get on section 8 approval and start renting to section 8...

Our tax dollars at work.

[Leftside]

If you are in favor of tax payer money being handed out to people to live in a 270K house while none of them work, have loud parties almost daily, and have two big screen TV's and new cars...

The fact of the matter is, most people don't want to live next to a section 8 neighbor. These people are not well mannered college educated executives; they are generally people who just don't get how to fit into society, can't get or hold down a job, and even if they do, it's a menial one at best. When you see how these people live day after day, it becomes very evident why they don't work or can't work. No one wants to deal with these people except liberals who interestingly enough, don't want them in their neighborhoods either, but yet they attack others who don't and accuse them of being whatever.

I think that person just didn't read your original post well enough.  In regards to your  comments though, I believe it's not that people don't want to deal with them (I think putting them up in nice accommodations is "dealing with them"), but I think people have just become really soft on what it takes to get someone in gear.  Some people, myself included, really needed to be in a bad/tight/low spot to really motivate myself and do whats best for me and my future.  If one is permanently on assistance, then they will never get more motivation to do more for themselves (from public assistance that is).

[Ricky]

Deep breaths...I think Sibley misunderstood your post, yes. Sibley thought the noisy street and noisy neighbor were at the same house.

Ultimately I think this is a pretty subjective decision and we have too little information to be objective.

[Eric]

After reading Bearded Man's posts, I feel worse for his neighbors than him.

[Sibley]

Yep, I did misread. I did say I was confused. Sorry for getting it wrong. But you didn't need to go off on me.

And for the record, I know plenty of perfectly nice people who get Section 8. I also know plenty like what you described.

[redbird]

From what you describe of your house, I'd live in it. That sounds pretty quiet to me.

Your neighborhood, with 1 car every few minutes during rush hour, is dead silent compared to my current house though. It's on a major busy street by a hospital. There's large truck, motorcycle, car, and ambulance noise all the time. I live across the street from a construction business and get woken up every day by their back hoes and other things. I also live extremely close to an Air Force base and planes fly over and shake the house all the time. I've had to put up with the noise for 3 years, and now want to buy a house with land and that the house is farther back, away from the street. I'm so sick of it. :(

[Prepube]

After reading Bearded Man's posts, I feel worse for his neighbors than him.

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