Kj - Busy roads will always affect resale value, mainly because it will limit the number of future buyers willing to purchase the home. Make no mistake, there are lots of homes on busy roads that get bought and sold everyday. But just as you expect a discount when you purchase the home, you will have to give the same discount when you sell the home. You may get lots of advice about staging and remodeling, but in the end, it all comes down to price and marketing. There are plenty of people willing to purchase a home on a busy road, you just have to know how to reach them. Hope this helps. -Chip Bruss, Keller Williams, Broomfield, CO

KJ--I agree with all of the previous answers and usually factor about a 5-10%+ discounted price on a typical market analysis. I would also just add that the only way to further counter an objectionable location such as backing to a busy road is through making spectacular upgrades/improvements to your home's condition to divert some of the focus away from the road noise. The one big mistake repeated by sellers is that they try to disguise the road noise with closed blinds, drapes, fans etc, and it's just ridiculous. Working with an experienced agent and a home stager will provide the best results in preparing your home so that it meets the right value mix for the market, even with the less-desirable location. These homes still sell in this market but it typically takes much longer if not priced agressively. Even though sellers have a hard time believing their home isn't worth as much as other similar models in the neighborhood, the buyer feedback that we see indicates that 80% or more of the buyers that look at your home will object primarily to the location.

Kj,

It will seriously impact the quality of life in the neighborhood, make it more difficult to resell, and affect the future sale price of the home.

Road noise is a very quick turn off for most buyers and should be a major consideration.

Good luck

Depends on size of town, and etc.

In most cases "road noise IS NOT MUSIC" to hears of home owner. Can be difficult for resale

Lynn911
~ National Featured Realtor and Consultant, Lecturer regarding Credit Repair, Mortgage Loan Officer

It does effect the value of the home and more import is the fact it will lower the number of buyers making offers.
There are too many good homes without high traffic streets to choose from. Remember, Location, location, location.

It lowers the property value, in relation to prevailing neighborhood prices. There is no set amount , as each situation will be unique. Figure on about 10% as a place to start the figuring.
Good luck with that.

well, that's a great question with hopefully a respectable answer. When 'you say high traffic what does that mean? Is there the chance of semis and big trucks on a daily basis? How many lanes of traffice? Do you persee traffic increasing? How much distance do you have between your backyard and the street.? Does your home sit really close to the street or is it set back? Do you have any kind of a view from your backyard that is becoming? All of these questions make up the snswer to your question. Some people do not mind street traffic noise, others do. Yesterday I was out with a buyer and he chose a place that the side yard and backyard were very close to the street. I asked him if it would bother him to hear the street noise and his answer was I used to live in Lower Manhattan Penny I think I can deal with the little bit of road noise here. So there you go, it's a personal choice.