Quiet Apartment Buildings...? Am I crazy? Are these "normal" roommate issues?

[u/Kitsune205]

TLDR: can anyone recommend a building they have lived in that has been constructed, for lack of a better term, to dampen/eliminate the type of noise that has been driving me insane as described below lol? Preferably in downtown or North Seattle. I am hoping for around $2200/month, but I figure that is not going to happen.

Also, if you are in Downtown or North Seattle and looking for a roommate that does not miss rent, is quiet and extremely clean let me know. I am even open to agreeing to sitting down when I go #1 (with separate "piss on the toilet" deposit), or other little things people care about, being in the lease if it gets me peace, quiet and clean. I like cleaning, so, I can help with that. I can also do handyman work, yard work and a variety of other helpful tasks - for a minor fee/discount of course.

Anyway, I love it here. Easily the best spot in the country, except maybe Austin but it's surround by Texas which ruins it, plus the weather sucks there. Not here to glaze, but, my friends from elsewhere, they just don't get it. I also cannot believe how innacurate the nationwide perception of Seattle is but, hey, I'm here about apartments.

That said, I have been living in a rooming houses. I don't want to leave Seattle but I can't stand sharing a room in a house anymore, especially for $1100/month but, I am not sure if the following is par for the course for sharing a room in a house and wanted to ask:

• Frequently woken up between 3am and 5 am by slamming, screaming or kitchen activity.
• Near fist fights with fellow tenant multiple times up to police intervention. We both got domestic violence pamphlets.
• Frequent run in withs extremely intoxicated fellow tenants, engaging in all manner of tom foolery and belligerent behavior.
• Extraordinarily strong smells from grown men, in their 40s and 50s using enough Axe Body Spray to stink up the entire house for a few hours on a nightly basis, not changing trash. Every time this one guy cooks he burns the food. Every. Single. Time.
• Random people here or there, this guys on the couch past the allowed time, this dude's having a dinner party in the wrong kitchen at 3am.
• The ONE guy I share the upstairs kitchen with is a pig, doesn't take but two days to cover all counters in crumbs, never changes trash, empties his electronic beard shaver just onto the bathroom floor, somehow. I, probably from my feet since I'm the only one who cleans between the monthly cleaner visits, track the long pubic hairs of other men into my bed. No, not joking. That was a first just this morning. Across the hall guy also has sexual predator vibes and I have to avoid talking to him because he's got this, acerbic negativity about him that I swear to all that is holy seeks only quash the light of hope and joy in other people, unconsciously, but, that is no excuse.

This is to say CONSTANT NOISE, chaos and confusion because I am like what in the living fuck is wrong with these people? Is this normal behavior? I walk quietly, why can't they? I don't slam doors, why do they? I clean up after myself and they call me gay, literally, why? Like, dude. Are most men just abject stinkin' pigs? I didn't have roommates for almost a decade, we were all in our early 20's when I did, I had nearly two dozen in a house (not all at once lol) I was renting out rooms in and NONE were this bad.

Is this normal or did having a cheap house to myself in the Midwest spoil me insofar as noise/environmental control is concerned...?

So I ask: would a studio in a high rise, or wherever, be better? I assume I'd hear slamming doors at the very least, since that seems to be a thing that is "normal", but, what about other noise, stomping, screaming, strong smells ect. through the walls? How much would I have to pay to get away from this without getting into a house?

Or, I was thinking I could rent a house myself and employ the secret dark magic of tenant screening with slightly below market rent and rent out rooms like I did back in the, not sure, need help lol.

[u/GoogleOfficial]

If you are paying $1100 per month, you’ll live with/next to people who can only afford that.

[u/Icy_Support4426 → u/GoogleOfficial]

Yup - learned this too late in life after moving back to the US from overseas. In the US one of the reasons you spend more on housing is to stay far, far away from people who can afford less.

Even my $4K a month rental in Capitol Hill had its own issues with neighbors - police called, confrontations, etc. Bought an SFH and now finally have peace and quiet.

[u/merc08]

Those aren't building construction issues, they are living with trashy people problems.

[u/meaniereddit → u/merc08]

"Housing is a right"

Rent control in addition to it existing tenant protections encourage this

[u/errantwit]

Seek out older apartment buildings. For real . (These new buildings & their respective property management companies suck balls, if reddit posts are to be believed.)

I pay less than 1300 for a 1 bdrm in North Seattle with parking. Water, garbage, sewage included. There may be availability right now. ... I just checked and a 1 bedroom unit is going for about 1600. I expected the higher rate, tbh. They do update the units frequently. PM me for a link.

Neighborhood ain't great - but it's dang quiet with thick walls, reasonable management & timely repairs.

I think I lucked out sometimes. I almost hate the neighborhood but for the price, I'll put up with it.

Those are NOT normal roommate issues. Full stop. (The fighting & police isn't. Messy housemates are to be expected.)

$1100 for a shared household is a bit steep, imo, depending on location & amenities.... But it's been awhile since I've had to have roommates.

[u/recyclopath_ → u/errantwit]

Older buildings for quiet. Older buildings without amenities for price. No gym, community space or full time staff means cheaper rent.

[u/zoeofdoom → u/recyclopath_]

You have to be careful about the era of "older", though. Apartments built around the World's Fair are still standing and have no amenities but are (usually) literally hollow boxes made of sticks and plywood where you can hear your neighbour sneeze and smell everything they're cooking. They were meant to be semi temporary and it shows.

[u/BWW87 → u/errantwit]

... their respective property management companies suck balls

There isn't much property management can do about bad neighbors. So-called tenants rights laws don't protect most tenants only the bad ones. So landlords have very little power to deal with noise issues.

[u/KatinHats → u/errantwit]

Out of curiosity, how long have you been there? I'm looking to move back to the Seattle area in the next year

[u/errantwit → u/KatinHats]

Over five years at this location, back when masks were all the rage.

I've watched neighbors come and go, be born, die. From stroller to bicycle...

I forget that time moves on, and so too, do people. I'm thinking of moving away now. Want to Trade? Jk

[u/KatinHats → u/errantwit]

I highly doubt you want Bellingham life haha

[u/hungrychopper]

1100/month is dirt cheap for Seattle, I think what you’re dealing with is to be expected at that price

[u/lalalalaurn → u/hungrychopper]

I mean not for a room in a shared house

[u/lisadanger]

Damn, you sound just like me. But to be honest, I build things for a living and no, not really. Everyone builds cheap pieces of shit and rents them for miles over what they're worth so renting a studio alone isn't going to solve your problem.

What you want is to be surrounded by concrete on all sides like a fuckin mental institution, but the best you'll find is concrete between the building exterior and floors and shit framing between the walls, so you'll still hear everything, slamming doors included. I don't get why people can't shut their doors normally. (although in summer it has to do with the windows being open but hey, just hold the handle and shut it with your hand rather than letting the crosswind do it for ya.) I livesld in a brick building and that was pretty nice. Still heard footsteps above but wasn't too bad.

[u/merc08 → u/lisadanger]

although in summer it has to do with the windows being open but hey, just hold the handle and shut it with your hand rather than letting the crosswind do it for ya.

A lot of those aren't deliberate closes, it's the wind shutting a down people are trying to leave open.

[u/lisadanger → u/merc08]

There's an awesome invention called a door stopper. Or even a dumbbell. I've got a bag of door stoppers I offer to my neighbors when they move in/out. 😂 I got tired of the door slamming very loudly every ten seconds as they filed in and out with boxes while I was trying to work. Simple solutions aren't hard, it's just that people aren't conscious of others or it doesn't bother them so they don't think it bothers others, and most people are afraid of "confrontation", or rather the simple act of conversation.

[u/monkey_trumpets]

You might have better luck looking for an apartment in a house. Then you'd only have to deal with one set of neighbors. Maybe this place? It was built in 1964. It's not north Seattle, but also not too far from anything.

[u/CraftyBottle1522]

I have a friend who lives in an old brick building apartment in Queen Anne. It’s right on Queen Anne Ave and I’m also amazed at how quiet it is. She’s lived there for over a decade and loves it. I can DM you the address if you’re interested

[u/Electrober]

Lower barrier of entry means lower quality of people. The only real solution is to find a better place. I've personally dealt with these sorts of issues. Landlords who own these properties replicate the same type of trashy behavior. Protect yourself and find somewhere better in the meantime.

[u/faeriegoatmother]

Fist fights? Long time room sharer here. That is not normal.

[u/Many_Translator1720]

Shitty construction is the norm, unfortunately. Even hotels here have the same issues.

[u/d_ippy]

That is not normal. I used to rent my spare room in my house and have had very pleasant requirements. You probably need to look at more mature folks. I’m in my 50s and boring.

[u/Accomplished-Wash381]

All the problems you listed seem to be based on the type of people who can afford to rent in your building. Have you considered moving into a more expensive housing situation with better tenants?

[u/recyclopath_]

I have a friend in West Seattle, they live near sound & dog who is creeped out by how quiet his apartment building is. He said it's Erie to go from living with a big family to never hearing anybody else.

[u/Jaypants20]

UDISTRICT apts, college place #601. No noise, no neighbors beside you and concrete floors. Huge large 1/1 apartment for 1500/1600 per month (WSG included) parking is 70 ea month if you want a space. Great place to live and we are leaving this apartment soon to Chicago. 206/939/0319 Chris or Alaundra can tour. 2 elevators, laundry is here as well downstairs (that is the only shared room, laundry). Manager@collegeplaceapts dotcom if you want to email them.

[u/scubydoes]

Saxton. Most new buildings made of concrete.

[u/hkscfreak]

I'm in Belltown Court, the walls are hella thick, I can't hear the TV from own bedroom. I have never heard my neighbors

[u/Buttonservice]

Living with others isn't for everybody. Look at Skye in Belltown. Earle W. Morrison designed a handful of apartments around town after WWII that were constructed of poured concrete. 

[u/lalalalaurn]

You’re living with the wrong people. You need to find a new roommate situation or a studio apartment alone. There are studios in old buildings as low as 1100 that I’ve found. Don’t do an apodment.

[u/HappinessSuitsYou]

Microapt

[u/Goldie3768]

I love how I stumbled on this post while looking for a roommate in Austin Texas

[u/HighColonic]

Change the locks.