There are lots of easy things you can change in order to make your home quieter, and fetch a higher market price.
Sam, a local Phnom Penh real estate agent recounts: “I recently checked out a villa home for sale along the main road out of Phnom Penh, Road number 4. The main road there is very loud and dusty - as you may know. But, as soon as I walked in the large gate of this 4 bedroom villa for sale, I found that the owners had created a peaceful garden sanctuary behind the thick and tall street fence. Inside this secret garden wasn't loud or dusty - and it was hard to tell the main road was not far away. This owner had very-cleverly created a quiet home setting able to offset the property’s location shortcomings.”
The trick is to stop street and/or neighborhood noise from entering the house. You can do this by adding:
- Botanical gardens
- Window glazing
- Wall insulation
- Blinds
- Tall secure fences: a good landscape designer will use walls, fencing, plants, hedges and other noise cancelling techniques to bring down the noise levels of your home.
- Generally - using noise-reducing materials when building or renovating is the best way to start when trying to cut your home noise down.
- In the design stage consider having bedrooms and living areas away from the noisiest parts of the building.
What is the value of a quieter home?
For some, such as Brian, who lives on central Street 51, Phnom Penh - the noise is offset by his surroundings:
"I'm a heavy sleeper, so I can handle the late night music outside my apartment window. For me, it is a welcome trade-off for being able to walk 5 meters outside my home and be immersed in the heart of Phnom Penh City - I personally love the smells, sounds and great food all at my doorstep! And no need to pay for transport."
However, according to Realestate.com.kh data, most of the housing market does put a higher value on quiet homes. Having your home on a quiet street can increase its value by thousands of dollars, if you can find the right type of buyer. The value of peace and quiet is highly sought after by many property seekers, and this is known by valuation professionals. Homes on noisy main roads generally lose 10% of their value, as compared to homes in the same area on quiet side-streets.
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