Realmark Urban Residential Sales Consultant Dane Craig said it was all about perspective.
“Areas close to construction projects, roadworks, public transport and facility upgrades should be promoted,” he said.
“People who use public transport to commute to work, or those who have mobility issues and cannot drive, may be happy to be close to public transport.
“Depending on the proximity to a train line, some will see this as a plus not a negative.
“It relates to each individual’s needs and what works best for their particular lifestyle requirements.”
According to Mr Craig, Perth is a perfect example, with all the upgrades signalling progress and an attractive future.
“Perth is undergoing some major changes,” he said. “Some of these projects include the Swan River bridge and the relocation of Edith Cowan University’s Mount Lawley campus to be built in the CBD as part of the $1.5 billion Perth City Deal.”
If street noise is a vendor’s biggest concern for the successful sale of their home, Mr Craig said there were ways to mitigate sound aside from double or triple-glazed windows.
“Add vegetation to absorb sound, minimise traffic noise with walls and fencing, design your landscape with noise abatement or create desirable sounds with a water feature,” he said.
While some buyers are put off by the beeps and vrooms of vehicles on a busy street, dethridgeGROVES Real Estate Operations Manager and Sales Executive Michael Harries said noise could actually add to the ambience of the suburb.
“Noise and busy-location features definitely draw people in – they live in places such as Fremantle for the vibrancy of it,” he said.
“We get a lot of English and Irish people looking to move to Fremantle, as they come from busyness and big bustling cities, so the idea of a bit of noise outside their window is not something that is unusual to them at all.”
If vendors happen to live on a noisy street or adjacent to a building site, Mr Harries said it was something agents should disclose to buyers.
“Invariably people want to experience what it’s like to live there, they’re aware of the noise and want to gauge how noisy it is,” he said.
“In and around places such as Fremantle, noise actually appears on the title – it features on a restrictive covenant that says you understand by buying this property there will be sounds, smells and sights that emit from that.”
Purchasing a home with negative property features can actually be your best friend, according to Mr Harries, as it gives buyers the opportunity to buy into an area they may not otherwise be able to afford.
“The same house two streets back in a quieter location is going to be $200,000 or $300,000 more,” he said.
“There’s always a benefit to every obstacle.”
Madelin Hayes
The West Australian
Mon, 11 April 2022 12:00AM