Airplane noise in Brambleton (Norfolk, Leesburg: apartment, buying a home, neighborhoods)

[Tyfmph]

Can anyone comment on the airplane noise in Brambleton? I'm looking at a place over there today and excessive noise would be a dealbreaker.

[Novamom06]

Well we almost bought over there about 5 years ago and chose not to for several reasons but one of them was because the planes "take off" over that part of ashburn - which means obviously the jets are louder. We ended up buying in Cascades because the planes are coming in for a landing over this area and the jets are quieter.

I would spend some time out there and listen. I really do like that area, its new and growing and it may not be all that bad, but it was enough to make me pause a while ago. Check the flight path as well.

If I remember correctly, when they were building those neighborhoods, you were not required to sign something that made sure you were aware of the noise in Brambleton. However, you were required to sign it in Loudoun Valley Estates, which is just next door.

[Tyfmph]

Thank you! I will definitely stick around tonight to see what it's like.

[ShannonMilligan]

I find the airport noise all over Ashburn and Bram...We are in the process of buying a home in Ashburn and right now we live in an apartment there and honestly, I heard the planes for the first few days/nights and now I don't even hear them. I think most can tune them out. Good luck!

[claude henry smoot]

HEADS UP!

Dulles is building a new runway - which according to the measurement tool on Google Earth - is almost 1 (!) mile closer to the homes in Ashburn/Brambleton than the existing runway. So according to my measurements, folks living in those areas will soon be 1 mile closer to Dulles traffic. Considering that area is already only 4-5 miles away from the nearest Dulles runway - that pretty much means those folks now live 20% closer to Dulles. As to how this will translate into noise - time will tell I suppose. I'm sure Dulles has already done the math. I'd be weary of buying property in that area - not so much short term, but long term. Dulles has big plans for growth over the next several years - that area could be a whole different place should you end up selling a home in 2025. I'd hate to see Dulles turn into other airports in the suburbs - there's nothing I hate more than seeing successful airports hampered by neighbors who are unhappy with the plane noise... from the airport what was built 30 years before their house was built! (Oceana Naval Air Station in Norfolk is a great example! http://www.jetnoise.org/ )

Useful info here:

http://www.washingtonairports.com/noiseandlanduse/weather.htm (broken link) (includes radar map of daily flights - lots of activity heading towards Loudoun - and that's not including the new runway.)

http://www.mwaa.com/dulles/d2_dulles_development_2/d2_home/4th_runway (broken link) (runway construction pics)

[EuroExpat]

I would "think" the noise in Brambelton was even worse than it is here in Ashburn. Our townhouse has vaulted ceilings upstairs (where we sleep) and both me and my son sometime wake up to the noise. This is the #1 reason why we are not buing a SFH here. We used to live in Leesburg and never heard any planes..