Buying a house by the freeway. Bad idea?

[Manju Nat]

I got my offer accepted on a house by the I-5 in Seattle. I can't hear the freeway noise inside the house but the fact that I got it under list price in this market makes me worried that it might not sell in future if there's no sellers market. It's in center of  Seattle city. Should I back out of the deal? 

[M.C. Nachtigal]

In Seattle, freeway noise can be just part of life.  With traffic fairly horrendous for commuting, if you are near a freeway exit, the location could actually be a very good thing as a rental.  It might make it a little harder to sell down the line, so it depends on your goals in buying the property.  Will you be flexible in choosing when it's time to sell, or do you have a specific timeline?  Does the house already have noise-blocking improvements like windows?  That could help with resale when that time comes, or for maintaining good tenants.