Neighbor Noise level: Apartments vs. Condos (investment, construction, renting, advantage)

[witsendman]

After spending 21 years in an apartment with seemingly paper thin walls and very loud neighbors, I was very relieved and impressed with how quiet my new senior apartment was.
For my first three years, the next door apartment was extremely quiet. I thought this was because my apartment was well built.

This changed a couple month ago, when new neighbors moved in. I now hear frequent closing and banging noises as early as 4:30 AM, as well as occasional music. The apartment structure therefore has nothing to do with it. I was just lucky to have a quiet neighbor my first three years.

The advantage to renting is that I can move to a new unit if things get too loud, but if this was a condo, It would be more difficult since I would have to wait until it sells.

Generally; however, I would like to know if condos are more sturdy and less prone to noises than apartments, or is there no correlation between building quality and whether the complex is an apartment or a condo?

[399083453]

Every building is built differently. So there is no correlation. In fact many apartment buildings have been turned into condos.

[Kayela]

The only multi-unit buildings I have ever lived in that are truly quiet are concrete and steel construction, and I've lived in lots of buildings. Otherwise, the top floor is quietest - with as few shared walls as possible. It didn't matter how nice a building looked, you can't tell til you've lived there and had a noisy neighbor.


However, even when we had a house on a large lot, you can still hear obnoxious neighbors.

[thinkalot]

Big difference in an apartment converted to a condo and a purpose built condo. Avoid the first one.

The condo I have now is quiet. Never hear anything. Many of my neighbors have dogs. Never hear them. Everyone that moved here were surprised how quiet it was since outdoors can be pretty loud.

[BostonMike7]

My condo was built as a condo unit building, so the construction was different. The walls between units were double walls with sound insulation. Once I closed my front door, I never hear a peep. Only sound that transmitted was through the front door, and that was it.


I loved the quietness

[jghorton]

We've lived in upscale condos for the past 15-years and never had any of the noise or privacy issues often associated with apartments. A big advantage with condos is typically location, amenities and owners who treat the building and their condo like a home and investment (rather than a hotel).

Have you considered renting a condo? Most have units belonging to remote owners who have invested in the unit/s for retirement or other.

[bookspage]

I just came out of the noisiest apartment ever. Must have been constructed of popsicle sticks and chewing gum because I could hear every step, shower, flush, voices, TV. People let their toddler jump and run until midnight every night. Nightmare

I pray I never have to live connected to other people again.

[HDWill1]

I was 30 years old before I lived in a place where I didn't have to hear my neighbors having sex (dorm rooms, Army barracks rooms, little grad student apartments). I now live in a Class A/B apartment complex that I believe was built in the 90's. Thankfully the insulation seems quite good; my neighbor tells me she's never heard my TV, even though I have pretty big speakers. There is some floor squeaking at times from the unit above but that's not a big deal.

[TWG1572]

Around here, many apartments were converted to condos during the bubble. So there is that too.

[missleonabrown]

Originally Posted by 399083453

Every building is built differently. So there is no correlation. In fact many apartment buildings have been turned into condos.

Agree 100%. It's all building dependent!