How to Sell a House with Road Noise

Face the Truth: Your House Is Worth Less

Let’s just say it. Houses on busy roads sell for less. There’s no way around that.

Appraisers typically knock off 10-20% for a property on a main road. Some studies show homes lose 5-6% of value for every 10 decibels of road noise. If you’re on a four-lane arterial with trucks? Yeah, that’s the higher end.

A home that would sell for $325,000 on a quiet street might only get $270,000 on yours. That’s $55,000 just because of location.

What Makes It Worse

• Front-facing is brutal – Headlights in your windows at night, no front yard privacy
• Four lanes or more – Two-lane roads? Not terrible. Six-lane arterials? That’s rough
• No trees or barriers – Wide open to the road drops value more
• Weak markets hurt more – When buyers have options, they skip busy roads entirely

What Makes It Better

• House backs to the road – The house itself blocks noise and headlights
• Mature trees – Old growth between you and traffic helps a lot
• Hot market – When inventory’s tight, location matters less
• Solid soundproofing – Actually done right, not half-assed

Price It Right From Day One

This is where most people screw up. They price like their house isn’t on a busy road. Then it sits for 90 days.

Don’t do that.

Look at Real Comps

Find houses that actually sold on busy roads. Not what your neighbor’s cousin’s house sold for on Oak Tree Lane. That doesn’t count.

Pull up the last six months of sales on roads like yours. What did they go for? How long did they sit? That’s your baseline.

The Pricing Tricks That Work

Set your price just under the round number. $299,000 instead of $310,000. Buyers filter by price. Get under that $300k search and you’ll get way more views.

Some real estate agents will tell you to price high and negotiate down. That’s garbage for a busy-road house. You need momentum early. Price it competitively from the start.

Throw In Some Incentives

Cover closing costs. Include the washer and dryer. Leave the nice fridge. These add-ons make buyers feel like they’re getting a deal even though the location isn’t perfect.

Actually Reduce the Noise

You can complain about the traffic or you can fix it. Soundproofing isn’t cheap, but it sells houses.

Windows Are Everything

Single-pane windows? You might as well have the road running through your living room.

Double-pane or triple-pane windows with good seals cut noise by 50% or more. Yeah, they cost $300-$800 per window. But they’re also energy-efficient, so you can market them as dual-purpose upgrades.

If you can’t afford new windows, at least seal the gaps. Acoustic caulk around frames does more than you’d think.

Doors That Actually Block Sound

Hollow-core doors are useless for sound. Solid-core doors with weatherstripping around the frame make a real difference.

Front door especially. That’s where most road noise leaks in.

Build a Barrier

A six-foot privacy fence or a stone wall between your house and the road isn’t just for looks. It deflects sound.

Plant dense evergreens if you’ve got space. Arborvitae, cypresses, anything thick and tall. Three rows deep if you can swing it. Trees don’t block sound completely, but they absorb enough to matter.

Make the Inside Silent

Once buyers walk through your door, they shouldn’t hear the road.

Create Quiet Rooms

Stage one bedroom as an office. Another as a reading nook. Show buyers that even though you’re on a busy road, you’ve got peaceful spaces inside.

Thick rugs on hardwood floors. Heavy curtains that actually touch the ground. Upholstered furniture instead of all hard surfaces. Sound-absorbing stuff everywhere.

Master Bedroom in the Back

If your master’s in the back of the house, make a big deal about it. That’s your selling point. Nobody hears traffic at night back there.

If it’s facing the road? Soundproof curtains and mention the windows are double-pane. Don’t ignore it.

Show the Backyard Off

Your front yard is loud. Fine. Your backyard doesn’t have to be.

String lights, comfy seating, maybe a fire pit. Make it look like an escape. Buyers need to see they can still enjoy outdoor space without listening to semis all day.

Sell the Location Benefits

Stop apologizing for being on a busy road. Some buyers actually want this.

Commuters Love You

You’re probably two minutes from a highway on-ramp. That’s gold for someone who drives to work every day.

Market it that way. “Quick highway access” sounds way better than “loud traffic.”

Everything’s Close

Busy roads have sidewalks, bus stops, shops within walking distance. That’s not a bug—it’s a feature for some people.

List everything nearby. Coffee shop? Grocery store? Park? Put it in the listing.

First-Time Buyers Are Your Target

Young buyers with $300k budgets can’t afford the quiet cul-de-sac. They can afford you.

75% of millennials buying their first home care more about getting into a good neighborhood cheap than having total silence. Market to them.

Nail Your Marketing

You’re not selling to everyone. You’re selling to the person who doesn’t mind a busy road or needs the discount.

According to expert Northern Virginia Realtor, Darren Robertson, “when selling a noisy property, good marketing is key”.

Photos Matter More

Hire a real photographer. Not your agent’s iPhone.

Shoot during golden hour when light’s soft. Avoid pics showing cars blurring past your house. Focus on the inside and backyard.

Virtual Tour Is Non-Negotiable

People shopping for homes on busy roads want to see inside before they visit. Give them a full 3D tour so they can explore without driving over.

Show the quiet spaces. Linger in the backyard. Skip the front-facing rooms.

Listing Description Strategy

Don’t bury the road in paragraph five. Address it up front, then pivot to benefits.

“Convenient location on Main Street provides quick access to downtown, shopping, and highways. Recent upgrades include soundproof windows and mature landscaping for privacy.”

See? You mentioned it. You moved on.

Be Honest But Not Apologetic

When buyers bring up the road—and they will—don’t get defensive.

The Right Way to Address It

“Yeah, we’re on a busy street. That’s why we put in the soundproof windows and built the privacy fence. Inside, you barely hear it. Plus, we’re two minutes from everywhere we need to go.”

Acknowledge it. Show what you’ve done. Redirect to benefits. That’s it.

What Not to Say

Don’t say “you get used to it.” That makes buyers think it’s always loud.

Don’t oversell. “It’s actually not that busy” when trucks are roaring past makes you look like a liar.

Disclose Everything

Some states require noise disclosure. Even if yours doesn’t, tell buyers about it. Surprises kill deals during inspection.

List any noise-reduction work you’ve done. That shows you took it seriously.

Get the Right Agent

Not every agent knows how to sell a house on a busy road. Most will just list it and hope.

Questions to Ask

• How many homes have you sold on busy streets?
• What’s your strategy for marketing mine?
• Can you show me comps that actually sold?
• Who’s your target buyer for this property?

If they don’t have good answers, keep looking.

Agent Should Know Your Market

Local agents who’ve sold in your neighborhood understand which buyers are okay with road noise. They know how to price it and who to market to.

A good agent will also know which improvements are worth making and which are a waste of money.

Expect a Longer Timeline

Houses on busy roads take longer to sell. That’s just reality.

While your neighbor’s house on Maple Crest sells in 12 days, yours might take 45-60. That’s normal. Don’t panic and drop the price after two weeks.

Keep the House Show-Ready

You might get fewer showings, but each one counts more. Don’t let the house get messy between viewings.

Fresh flowers. Lights on. Windows open if it’s a quiet day. Every showing is your shot.

When to Adjust Price

If you’re getting showings but no offers, your price is probably close. Wait.

If you’re getting zero showings after three weeks, you’re priced too high. Drop it 3-5% and see what happens.

If you hit 60 days with no action, reassess everything—price, photos, listing description, your agent.

Bottom Line

Selling a house on a busy road is harder. It takes longer. It sells for less.

But people do it every day.

Quick recap:

• Accept the discount—houses on busy roads typically lose 10-20% in value
• Price competitively from day one based on real comps
• Actually soundproof the place—windows, doors, barriers
• Create peaceful spaces inside and show them off
• Market to commuters and first-time buyers who need the discount
• Use pro photos and virtual tours – your marketing needs to be better
• Be honest about the road but focus on what you’ve done to fix it
• Hire an agent who’s sold similar properties before
• Expect 45-60 days instead of 15

The buyers are out there. You just need to price right, market smart, and show them why your house is still worth buying. If you have a house you want to sell in Plano, TX, contact us today.

Stop apologizing for where you live and start selling what you’ve got.