Does the Type of Road Your House is On Matter?

When you're looking at a home, what are some of the first things that you notice? Maybe the front yard, maybe the front door, maybe the paint color, but how many of us pay attention to the ROAD that the home is on?

"Aren't all roads the same?" "I thought we were buying a house- what's the road got to do with it?" The answers are NO! and EVERYTHING!

When you are looking at buying a home, you already need to think about selling it.  It sounds crazy, I know, but you're probably never going to buy your "forever home" (sorry to burst any bubbles). The fact is, you're probably going to end up selling your home anywhere from 5-10 years, so you need to plan ahead: what sort of challenges could you see if you were on the selling end?  

While many things may be in your control, such as the age of the room, landscaping, renovations, etc. some aren't.  One of the biggest factors that you need to consider is the type of road your house is on.

Consider this: you see a home in the afternoon when everyone is at work, so traffic is minimal.  However, there's a solid double line--this is a red flag! This means that this road can get seriously busy-so much so, they don't want you passing anyone on it.  

How about a corner lot? While it may seem like fun to have such visibility for your landscaping, holiday decorations, or that fresh coat of paint you have planned, this lot position is bad news bears! Often, these homes are positioned on the lot to have a small backyard and large sideyards-not the easiest thing to sell.  You've also got double the road to worry about, so clients with small children will avoid these homes, out of fear of an accident.

Of course, the classic cul-de-sac is still a favorite amongst today's buyers.  It's inviting shape is perfect for kids to play in, avoids through traffic, and is often on the interior of the neighborhood so traffic noise is less. 

Whenever you're out looking at homes, don't forget that's what's on the outside of the house is JUST as important as what's on the inside!