Dealbreakers?

If you know the Commack/Hauppauge area you know there are power line wires all over in those LIPA lots. I am looking at 2 or 3 houses that are right there, one is next door to the wires, one is accross the street. If that were the only negative mark on a home, would you turn it down? Mind you my parent's live up the block from one of the houses (hello babysitters - LOL), never had a problem from the wires, but my dad swears they are not dangerous beyond 500 feet which his house is, but these houses are closer than 500 feet so he's concerned with 2 little ones and a possible 3rd in the future. Everything else is close to perfect. Would that be a deal breaker? Personally, from what I researched on line... cell phone use is more of a threat than the power lines.

Re: Dealbreakers?

It's been a deal breaker for me.
I don't like the site of it or the idea of it.
But everyone's different, and if you love it, go for it!
Everyone has different priorities, KWIM?

Message edited 5/6/2010 11:00:33 PM.

Re: Dealbreakers?

I personally have seen a lot worse things. It's hard to find a house that's clean and updated, not a short sale (we have no interest in what is involved with those after bidding on one), with enough space and property. It's 2 of quite a few homes we are considering. We have a unique situation... 2 kids that we want in separate rooms and possibly a third child who will need his/her own room in the next few years, and we need 2 separate offices as DH and I both work at home but need separate spaces as sharing like we are now is not working. So basically we are looking for 5 or more bedrooms, which isn't as easy to find as 4 bedrooms. We don't want to do major construction and we want to be near my parents, this is walking distance.

As long as it's not harmful which it doesn't seem to be and you don't really "see it" from the house on one of them. One house's backyard was on a highway.. that is worse to me personally so ITA.

Re: Dealbreakers?

Posted by rileysmama

It's been a deal breaker for me.
I don't like the site of it or the idea of it.
But everyone's different, and if you love it, go for it!
Everyone has different priorities, KWIM?

Re: Dealbreakers?

For me, its also a dealbreaker. If it was just me and DH, I'd probably turn a blind eye, but with little ones, no way.

Sorry.

Re: Dealbreakers?

I have 2 little one's not sure why that makes it a deal breaker, but curious...

I just want to say seriously, cell phone use is a greater risk to LO's and I see a lot of mom's use cell phones around their kids. Unfortunately, even for us - our jobs require we carry a blackberry so between Dh and I, we have 4 "cancer" cell's going at all times. That keeps me up more than the wires. I grew up 4 houses down from them, I have no cancers, and had no trouble having kids, no m/c's or anything. Just curious as to what it's based on. I mean, it's a great, very desireable neighborhood.

Re: Dealbreakers?

I also don't see a correlation between them and cancer or anything, I just don't prefer them.

I've seen houses I looooved but I just couldn't do it.

I see houses that are great near them, and it doesn't diminish the house for me (if it's someone else's house) but I just couldn't buy a home for myself near one.


But if you love it, and it surely sounds you need the extra room, then definitely go for it!

Re: Dealbreakers?

I would be worried about the what ifs so I would probably walk away.

Re: Dealbreakers?

NOT a dealbreaker for us. We recently bought a house by powerlines and honestly - it wasnt even a thought. Its pretty wooded around it so you barely notice them. We loved the house, we wouldnt give it up bc of that. And also, the house was on the market for 3 weeks and they had 3 other offers besides ours

Re: Dealbreakers?

for us it was a deal breaker. we looked a few "perfect" houses and we didn't even place a bid because of that

but you have to do what makes you happy. and if your dad hasn't had any ill effects maybe its ok.

Re: Dealbreakers?

Re: Dealbreakers?

So, great news... my dad has some radiation dectector gadget - he brought it to the showing and it proved that there was no issue. He showed us how it worked by demonstrating it on a light switch in his house... so yes, your light switch radiates more danger than powerlines 100 feet up.

Anyway, the good news is that it will not deter us. We have 2 small kids a 2 year old and a 10m old and I even asked the pediatrician, he said not only is there no proof it's dangerous but as a dad of 2 himself, he would not hesitate for the right house.

The size is perfect for our needs, grandma and grandpa will be able to watch their granddaughter's grow up and we will be in a great district. So we are moving forward. A park around the corner too, great highway access, etc.

Thank you for the thoughts though. It wasn't that my mind was made up, I'm just the type that needs info based on facts - a good reason not to do it. Like a previous poster mentioned it had another offer at one time but it fell through b/c the buyer couldn't get a mortgage. We looked long and hard for a home in a good area, top knotch schools and yet something that wouldn't leave us with no money every month, despite high salaries we have today we trust no one and nothing, so we wouldn't even ask for prequal including our bonuses, we did just based on base salaries. Home owners are very stubborn today about what they feel their outdated homes are worth b/c in good times a few years ago they could get huge numbers. As a home owner selling an updated home in these times I know it's hard to hear numbers that may even leave you at a loss or in our case we broke even based on what we put into the house over 7 years. I'll miss a quieter street with no powerlines in sight, but I'm gaining better schools, neighborhood, and proximity to my family which has been a huge issue for me. I wanted out of Nassau so bad it was insane... I know for some it's so the place to be, I've lived in both Nassau and W. Suffolk and I prefer my old town with the good and the bad. My parent's won't be around forever and it's great my kids will enjoy them and vice versa - family is so important especially in these scary times, but they have lived about 30 years almost 2 houses down from a house with powerlines, I was 12 and my sister was 8 when we moved there... we are completely healthy. The people who we are buying from have 3 grown kids who grew up there too and they look fine in the pictures all over. We will put up some tree borders and maybe eventually a stone wall with fountain/waterfall to detract attention from the lines, also there are 2 trees in the back that are quite tall and growing toward one another and when they do you won't see the wires at all.

So that's the update, good news all around. I think it'll be great... kids will be in part time daycare and if I need additional help grandma/pa are right there. Wasn't expecting to have a pool since my parent's do, but either way, it's great. I don't have to get a dog b/c my parent's have one - LOL, my mom doesn't drive so it was always an issue for her... she said she is thrilled she won't have to depend on anyone to see her grandchildren. The offer was accepted all in an hour... I mean, it just doesn't get easier after the real estate h e l l we've been through it's actually refreshing.