More lot noise issues

Playgrounds and Pools and Parks

   Living right next to or close to a playground or pool can be great. It can also be very noisy and not only during daylight hours. Look into the rules and see if the playground or pool has established and enforced hours of operation, and if there is away to actually close them, by a gate maybe. When you’re looking at a potential home site, think of a relaxing weekend afternoon on your front porch with see-saws banging, swings squeaking, kids shrieking, splashing and parents yelling. This might sound either great or really annoying to you. If a lot is by a pool or a playground in a particularly large community, you may have added traffic in the area with folks coming and going, dropping kids off, and possibly parties and gatherings as well.

Living near Commercial Businesses

   When looking at lots in, around or near a town center or commercial building(s), take a walk around those areas for a bit. Take note of shipping and receiving docks, dumpsters, and anything that might cause some annoying noise issues. Finding out that the three full-size dumpsters behind that nice looking commercial building a hundred yards away are empted every morning at 4:15 after you’ve moved into your home is not fun. If you’ve never been around when large commercial dumpsters are emptied it can be a very noisy time, to say the least. Living near a bar or restaurant can be nice, however when the trash goes out late at night and the cans are clanking and the bottles smashing in the dumpster it may wear on you. There are many, many different examples of this sort of thing. Keep your eyes open and look around. What is in the area that could get noisy?

Burning

   In some areas the burning of landscaping debris is allowed. If burning is something that you’d rather not have going on around your home, or if you would like to be able to burn, find out before you buy. Your local town, county government offices, or real estate agent should be able to tell you where burning is allowed and where it’s not.

Mixed Use and Neighborhood Commercial

   When looking at a lot in a mixed use area, be sure to understand what businesses are allowed within that zone. Having a neighbor run a quilting and yarn store out of their property is one thing, having a neighbor run a full blown cabinet making shop out of his garage is another. When you are looking at your zoning maps, keep an eye out for these types. Find out from your local government offices what exactly is allowed within a mixed use or neighborhood commercial area in the vicinity of a piece of land you are considering.