A cul-de-sac offers plenty of appeal to buyers: It may be quieter and safer for kids to play because of less traffic. Some home buyers are willing to
pay up to 20 percent more for a house on a cul-de-sac—but is it really the best option for your buyer?
Because cul-de-sacs are attractive areas for children to play, says Fiona Tustian, GRI, a sales associate with Roy Wheeler Realty Company in Ruckersville, Va., the frenzy of activity has made some buyers regret their purchase. "My clients were seniors looking for peace and quiet," she says. Parking in a cul-de-sac can also be an issue if the neighbors are hosting an event that attracts a large crowd.
However, neighborhoods tend to be tightly knit, says Meg Colford, who lives in a cul-de-sac on Long Island, N.Y. "Our neighbors are really close. Everyone is friendly, but you definitely have to plan on seeing someone at least every day. … So, if you're not into helping your neighbors do things like snow-blow or shovel the driveway, a cul-de-sac probably isn't a great choice."
Buyers also may want to watch for any potential insurance issues. Since there's only one way in and out of a cul-de-sac, large vehicles such as a fire truck can get jammed up. That can make it more difficult to get insurance, insurance broker Diane Beatty
told MarketWatch.
Source: “The Surprising Challenges of Living in a Cul-de-Sac,” realtor.com® (April 27, 2017)
