In a world of high density and increasing cacophony, more renters are chanting Greta Garbo’s mantra: “I want to be alone.”
“Renters are more secluded than they used to be,” points out Rick Cavenaugh, president of Ambassador Apartments Inc., a Chicago-based real estate investment trust (REIT), noting that turnout for apartment community events has dwindled from a decade ago. At the end of a harried and hassled day, people want to put their feet up and soak up a little solitude rather than rub shoulders, Cavenaugh notes.
This inclination to cocoon, coupled with the growing number of people who rent by choice rather than because they can’t afford to buy, is stirring up some changes in the apartment industry, albeit the upscale market.
“Renters-by-choice are usually older and wealthier–they’re not in rental housing because they have to be but because they want to be. All privacy issues become more important to those who have a choice,” explains Miles Haber, senior vice president at Avalon Properties, a Wilton, Conn.-based REIT.
Looking for ways to keep tenants writing checks for rent rather than a mortgage, some housing providers are trying to build more privacy into properties. Here is a quick overview of innovations, along with some practical advice from experts.
“Sound privacy is the first thing people look for–even more than visual privacy,” says Terry Schwartz, chief executive of the Village Green Companies, a Farmington Hills, Mich.-based firm that owns and manages some 26,000 apartments in the Midwest.
Acoustical quality is largely determined by building construction. If developers are willing to invest in new materials and technology, such as better insulation or floating channel systems in ceilings, buildings can be made far more soundproof.
Installation of mechanical systems also affects noise control. “If clearances are too tight around pipes, you’ll get rattling,” points out Tim Peterson, senior vice president at Post Properties, an Atlanta-based REIT.
Also, offsetting electrical outlets instead of running wiring back-to-back enhances soundproofing between units. Post, which owns and manages some 17,500 units in the Southeast, is currently building another 3,000 units and is a stickler for quality control. Architectural plans for a building may be sufficient for soundproofing, but poor execution or craftsmanship can wreak havoc, says Peterson.
Land planning also helps achieve greater visual and noise privacy, points out Cris Driskell, president of Dominion Development in Atlanta. If an apartment complex is near a busy highway, building at a lower elevation can reduce exposure to sound waves.
In areas of higher density, architects strive to stagger windows so that tenants don’t wind up with bird’s-eye views of each other like Jimmy Stewart in the movie “Rear Window.” Landscaping can also increase visual privacy, although a screen of shrubbery or trees sometimes interferes with another goal, points out Haber–providing as much natural light as possible.
Within the units themselves, spatial configurations are shifting. “A big switch in the last decade has been to make two-bedroom apartments more roommate-friendly by putting bedrooms at opposite ends of the apartment,” says Peterson. The trend has provoked a slogan of sorts in property management circles: “Common wall, we fall.”
Evoking the atmosphere of single-family houses, individual entrances are being built for tenants, particularly in garden-style apartment complexes in the South. Attached garages are another way some developers are trying to beef up privacy.
Gated communities continue to grow. “Residents really like the feeling that not just anyone can come in,” says Tammy Glaser, president of Dominion Management.
Of course, gatekeepers can be a double-edged sword for some renters who dislike the idea of having their comings and goings monitored. But experts say it’s a trade-off–and a small price to pay for eliminating annoying solicitors or unwanted elements.
For recreational privacy, some apartment developers like Dominion offer residents nature parks featuring jogging trails, picnic areas and playgrounds, all located within the confines of the apartment complex and off-limits to outsiders.
Another push for privacy: Dominion tries to provide full street addresses for tenants instead of assigning apartment numbers. For all anyone else knows, renters live in a single-family house, says Glaser.
Red-flagging the risks
Of course, not all apartment buildings are transforming themselves into bastions of seclusion. So we asked experts what they would look for to improve privacy when apartment shopping.
Consider the location of the building: Is there a fire station nearby that might expose you to blaring sirens in the middle of the night? What about other potential noisemakers? One Chicago woman moved into an apartment building across the alley from a grocery store. This appeared to be an amenity from the onset, but backfired: She was awakened at odd hours by the rumble of delivery trucks in the alley.
Consider the size of the building: Fewer units means fewer people, and usually translates into less noise.
Consider the location of the unit: Since sound transmission is greater from floor-to-ceiling than from wall-to-wall, a top-floor unit offers the greatest privacy and probably best views.
Think about where bedrooms are positioned. To reduce exposure to commotion from the outside world, avoid units with bedrooms that face into an interior courtyard, driveway or parking lot. Ditto for common areas like a pool or tennis court.
Evaluate your proximity to mechanical systems in the building. Being next to an elevator may sound convenient, but can be an earful, especially with hydraulic systems. Garbage chutes pose similar problems, although actual noise levels depend on construction and installation of the particular system. But it’s wise to check it out.
Investigate sound transmission from adjacent apartments and the one above you. If at all possible, get someone in these units to talk or shout and see how easily you hear them. Flush toilets and test water faucets.
Consider your neighbors: Try to get a look at building tenants. If you’re 30 or older and the apartment building is dominated by college students with a penchant for late night study sessions or parties, you may want to take a pass.
Use all your senses: That includes your nose. Are there any odors that bother you? The previous tenant may have had a passion for curry, a scent that sets your stomach on edge. Or the memory of a previous pet may linger on.
“People need to think it through carefully how they would live and understand what impact the layout will have on their lifestyle,” says Tom Bozzuto, head of The Bozzuto Group, an apartment building owner and manager based in Greenbelt, Md.
For example, parquet floors may look great in your apartment, but if your upstairs neighbor has the same setup, it’s going to mean more noise for you.
Remedies
It’s always better to detect potential problems before signing the lease. But since neighbors change and schedules vary, you may confront a problem after the fact.
If odors are an issue, talk to the landlord or management company. Installation of a ventilation fan may be a simple fix. Drapes can help cut down on noise from the outside. The heavier and more porous the material, the better sound absorption. Drapes also enhance visual privacy.
Neighbor noise is more difficult to remedy. “It’s a challenge in our industry,” admits Fred Tuomi, president of property management at Equity Residential Properties Trust, a Chicago-based REIT with some 80,000 apartments across the country. “Each resident represents different attitudes, different hobbies, different schedules . . . Some people feel they have the God-given right to play their stereo at maximum setting any time of day.”
Even the best of construction has a hard time silencing music cranked up at 4 a.m., says Tuomi, urging renters to avoid intruding on other’s privacy as well as preserving their own. If you like loud music, take speakers away from the wall and place rubber pads underneath to absorb some of the sound transmission. Or use headphones. If your apartment has wood floors, don’t clomp around in high heels; wear slippers. “We rely on the Golden Rule and the spirit of cooperation,” says Tuomi.
