Looking for a very quiet apartment (Portland: apartment complex, to rent, townhouse)

[jimmbol]

I'm ill and because of that I sleep a lot--12 hours a day year round. I am looking for an apartment that is really quiet. I read once about an apartment complex that makes all residents sign a good neighbor agreement. Ideally I want to live in the inner east side of Portland, but will consider any place close by that's quiet. Does anyone have suggestions?
Thank you.

[oregonwoodsmoke]

I can't imagine that would be legal. However, get on the phone and start calling apartment complexes. Maybe you can locate one that has that agreement. If nothing else, maybe it would stop the inconsiderate noisy jerks from moving there.

The problem that I can see if that you need quiet and think you can get it in an apartment. Apartments just are not quiet places. Perhaps you should be looking for a mother-in-law unit, or a converted garage instead. Some small place to rent in an owner occupied neighborhood.

[oregonwoodsmoke]

Or maybe a duplex where the other half is occupied by the landlord and teh other buildings in teh neighborhood are single family homes owner occupied.

[hamellr]

Ear plugs or a white noise machine may be a good investment.

[Minervah]

The problem is as I see it is that you are looking at a very crowded area that is being built up all the time. Even if you wre to find an apartment that has this type of agreement amongst the tenants, outside noises during the daytime would be pretty disturbing for you.

For example, last year for an entire year, the neighborhoods around Hawthorne and 27th had to put up with construction noises as the new Safeway was being built. Soon it will be a new apartment building be constructed on the opposite corner. There is the usual traffic sounds, street cleaning, over head cable and wire repairs, general traffic noise, tree trimming lawn mowing etc. When you live in the city there is no getting away from these things. Most neighborhoods in the city have these issues especially the close-in ones. I live in the area to which you are referring and I am home most of the daytime. This is what goes on. It doesn't bother me but it could disturb you.

Oh and my neighbors do go in and out of their apartments all day long. They are not particulary noisy but most apartments are not particularly soundproof either. You are bound to hear them even if they are trying to be quiet. I suggest a good set of earplugs to solve the problem.

[Nell Plotts]

I agree with others who suggest you look for an apartment in a duplex, ideally where the owners live in the other unit. You want a duplex surrounded by owner occupied single family dwellings. Seek a landlord who wants a quiet tenant. That won't be a guarantee because a neighbor may take up the drums or trumpet but at least you will increase the odds of finding a quiet place to live. If not a duplex look for an apartment where no one lives above you.

I also agree that you need to consider the things you can control to mitigate noise. In addition to strategies mentioned above you can hang thick drapes over windows and walls.

[Minervah]

Maybe an apartment in a high rise would be an option. That way the street noises wouldn't intrude.

[Nell Plotts]

It would need to be a newer building with thermal glass windows.

[Sprightly]

If you rent in an apartment building, three words for you: Top Floor Corner. Sound is always better on the top floor and on a corner you share less sides with other apartments. Another option is a townhouse style apartment, so no neighbors above or below on the end of the row with hopefully a bedroom sharing no side walls. These do exist. Also look for apartments bordering natural areas so you don't get parking lot and street noise - that might be tougher to find on the inner east side of Portland where you are looking but not impossible.

[timfountain]

Reality is that any apartment is going to have a certain level of noise, it's just the product of poor construction. You will need to move to a single family house outside the city to get true quite. You might also want to find a small craftsman single family house....