Planes, Trains and Automobiles - Carlsbad Buyers and Sellers Beware

Remember that silly movie of 1987 with the late John Candy and Steve Martin? Getting home for Thanksgiving is rarely that tough, and probably not as funny.

But this has nothing to do with that, other than the title. However, planes, trains and automobiles are a big issue in my area, and a source of concern for Carlsbad buyers and sellers.

Read: What is that Noise?

I often get asked about the noise from the 5 freeway which runs through the beach communities of North County San Diego, including Carlsbad. Noise negatively impacts the value of the homes located nearby, and certainly affects the decisions of some buyers.

The train is less of an issue. While folks living near the train in both Encinitas, Carlsbad and Cardiff (and there are multimillion dollar homes within eyeshot and earshot of the tracks) have to deal with multiple Amtrak and Coaster trains (and an occasional freight train), the noise is intermittent, and lasts only about 10 seconds (well, not the freight trains), whereas the freeway noise is pretty much constant. While the tracks are obvious, disclosure about the potential for noise is important so buyer can decide for themselves if there use and enjoyment of a property will be significantly impacted.

Buyers, and sellers, in some areas of Carlsbad need to know that there is a mandatory noise disclosure due to presence of Palomar Airport. While the Mandatory Residential Disclosures Report you receive from a company like Property ID (paid for by the sellers) during your due diligence will outline if the subject property is within 2 miles of an FAA approved landing field, or within an airport influence area, specific communities like Bressi Ranch and Emerald Pointe must specifically disclose the presence of noise from the flight paths in and out of Palomar Airport Road.

The SDAR Local Area Disclosures for San Diego County also address the issues of noise in a number of communities with airports nearby (e.g., MCAS at Miramar), among other issues including roads and transportation.

It is essential to keep these issues in mind as you are conducting your home search, especially if they are important to you.

The best test, of course, is to view the properties themselves, since only you can decide if the presence of planes, trains and automobiles is significant enough to interfere with your quiet enjoyment of the home.

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If I can provide more information about Carlsbad and surrounding areas, or the housing market in general, or otherwise assist you in your homes search, please contact me by phone or text at (760) 840-1360
or email me at JDowler@remax.net.

All content copyright © 2007 Jeff Dowler Carlsbad Homes and Real Estate Tidbits