Among other things, perhaps the most important factor to keep in mind when purchasing a home is its resale value.
The location and the surroundings can have a big say on whether you’ll make some decent money on the property if you ever decide to sell it.
So, What Are the Pros and Cons of Living Near a Fire Station
The first and obvious benefit is the sense of security you get knowing you don’t have to worry about a fire razing down your home. The noise from the sirens may not be much of a bother if you’re certain that the resale value will be high. However, if you have pets and/or a baby at home, the constant sirens will certainly upset them.
Additional Things To Consider About Living Near A Fire Station
To answer the question more precisely, you need to think and ask yourself a few more questions.
First off, how many stations are currently operating in your community?
Consult the map of your locality to determine the number of stations already operating in your area.
If your home is situated in a posh suburban area and there’s just one fire station to serve the whole area, you can be certain it will be overused and might never be readily available for you.
Conversely, if the stations are perfectly distributed in your area then, first, you can expect low amounts of noise and, secondly, the service will be available for everyone.
Next, find out whether the station was set up to run full-time.
Additionally, and more importantly, inquire whether the station was designed to respond to fires only or medical emergencies as well.
In some areas like Florida, a fire station may serve more purposes besides responding to fire emergencies.
As such, knowing such information lets you know whether you stand to benefit more from the station’s presence in the neighborhood.
The Four Pros Of Living Near A Fire Station
Buy a home near a fire station and reap these benefits:
1. Pricing Discount
Because most buyers prefer owning properties away from noisy neighborhoods, houses close to fire stations tend to sell almost the same way as those on high traffic roads – at a discount.
The discount can be as significant as 5% or 10% depending on other local factors.
If you don’t have small children or noise-sensitive pets, you’d kill to acquire a home with such a discount (literally).
Still, bear in mind that you’re choosing a home you will live in for a long time and it should offer comfort and peace of mind the whole time.
2. Access to good roads (easier access to transportation)
There’s no way a road leading into and out of a fire station would be left to languish with potholes.
Roads in communities with fire stations get close attention from authorities because of the critical function of these facilities.
Fire vehicles need to speed out of the station in emergencies to reach the destination as fast as possible.
To achieve this, the roads that serve the station need to have less traffic and should be in great working conditions at all times.
You stand to benefit from this if you get yourself a decent, affordable pad close to it.
3. Reduced response time
Living close to a fire station means less response time in the event of a fire in your neighborhood or home.
While the response time may depend on many other factors, such as the size of the staff at the facility, you are generally assured of fast service just by being close to the station.
In fact, people with properties sufficiently close to fire stations are likely to have low insurance premiums compared to their distant peers due to the reduced risk!
Insurance breaks aside, being close to a hospital or fire station is among the top considerations for elderly individuals and those living unpredictable medical conditions.
Another benefit has something to do with the calm and assurance you get knowing that, in the event of a fire, help is a few blocks away.
If you live in a place like Florida where hurricanes are commonplace, emergency response centers such as fire stations are normally given a high priority for the repair of the electric grid and water supply.
So, if your house happens to be connected to the same grid as your local fire station, you might never experience power interruption even during disasters.
This means your air conditioning and other electric appliances will keep running when your neighbors are scrambling to set up emergency sources of power.
4. Potential increase in value
Don’t be surprised when the buyer ends up liking the home for the same reason as you – proximity to the fire station translates to reduced response time for emergencies.
The Two Cons Of Relocating Near A Fire Station
Here is why living near a fire station may not be a great idea:
1. Noise pollution from repetitive sirens/horns
Truck operators have to blare their horn/siren to alert all the oncoming traffic that fire response teams are entering the street as well as warn other motorists to give way.
While individual city or town noise ordinances may vary, fire trucks typically activate the sirens as they leave the fire station park, regardless of the hour of the day.
As such, you can assume that the activities taking place at the nearby fire station will generate enough noise to bother everyone in the neighborhood.
Since you are fully aware of the noise annoyance and you anticipate it, the operative question here becomes: “how much?”
Unfortunately, you can’t be assured that the noise levels from the fire station will always be within your ‘acceptable’ limits.
And since noise is the primary objection for most people when hunting for a house, ignoring the fact that your home is close to a fire station can easily qualify as a mindless stumble into a trap.
Although well-insulated doors and windows can help prevent the noise problem, the difference will still be clear to you.
You certainly don’t want to upset your kids and pets with loud sirens daily.
2. Low resale value
Only buy a home close to a fire station when you plan to live in it forever without thinking of selling it.
If you are thinking of reselling your home in the future, you should consider the impact proximity the fire facility will have on the home’s value or time on the market.
There’s no in-depth study out there supporting the notion that homes close to busy highways and fire stations appreciate poorly, but since it’s a common perception that they do, you better put it into consideration.
The fact that a buyer is more likely to consider the noise and get turned off by its presence means this is a risky bet.
You could actually end up with a poorly appreciated or depreciated home solely because of its proximity to the station.
Conclusion
A home close to a fire station is a mixed basket of fruits.
While it could mean you don’t have to worry about the fire truck driving long distances to put out the fire in your neighborhood, the constant sirens and horns may amount to a considerable bother.
Also, you need to seriously consider the resale value of your home.
Some buyers will be less willing to purchase a property situated close to such a noisy spot.
References
Should You Buy a Home Close to a Fire Station in Florida?
Would you buy a home near fire station??
Unpopular home locations and why they might actually be great
