Rent to a Pianist - Crazy?
I have a prospective tenant for my top floor rental – a jazz pianist who plays at one of the swanky Manhattan hotels. She has a baby grand piano she would move in. The piano is set on top of carpet and she swears that she has never had a noise complaint from other tenants…
I have a prospective tenant for my top floor rental – a jazz pianist who plays at one of the swanky Manhattan hotels. She has a baby grand piano she would move in. The piano is set on top of carpet and she swears that she has never had a noise complaint from other tenants in her current building. She only practices in the apartment from 11-3 in the afternoons. Am I crazy for even considering this?? I’m only talking about noise at this point, sometimes I can hear people walking on the floor below me (vibration) so why am I even considering this tenant? Maybe b/c the sound of jazzy piano played well would not be so bad. What do you think?
I lived with a professional pianist, and it never bothered me. Definitely put it on a carpet. And piano movers are really good at moving pianos–they take the legs off. My pianist moved hers into a place with a super sharp turn–no idea how they did it, but they did it.
If you’re worried about the 2nd floor tenant, talk to the 2nd floor tenant. Whatever fl 2 agrees to, put in writing. And if fl 2 won’t agree, you have your answer. And you have fair reason to jack up fl 2’s rent when renewal times comes–he cost you a tenant.
Lucille, I think you are one of the only other NYers born and raised here! Thank you! Music does not bother me as much as say a screaming child or construction, but we live in a city! If you want quiet, move to the burbs!
To AEPE, in these times, take the tenant you can get. I would worry about a baby grand and your floors, becuase they are vey heavy, but if the floors can hold it, why not? However, before accepting the tenant, do get a 2nd landlord reference. That way you can make sure her current L/L isn’t just trying to get rid of her. Then on the Rider to the lease, put the hours she can play in, and that if she plays at other times, that it is grounds for evitction. We have had musicians before, and were wary at first, but even in big buildings, we’ve never had noise complaints as long as they play at reasonable hours.
It’s been an interesting discussion. This would be the 3rd floor of a brownstone, so i’m really also wondering if/how the grand piano is going to take those narrow turns/sharp corners. With a 2nd floor tenant who works from home on some days, I have to be especially vigilant about who’s going to live above.
Thanks all.
kensingtonka. you have an upright piano? if so, you can put a thin piece of felt inbetween the hammer and the strings. that dampens the sound a LOT. beyond anything exterior and not requiring any complicated or expensive purchases.
northslope. you need to take a nap. i was kidding. i’m at work during your kid’s naptime.
“Of course I only play between 1:14-1:16pm.”
OMG! What is wrong with you! That is the critical “the kid just fell asleep but isn’t soundly asleep yet and might wake up so for the love of all that is good and holy just be quiet for 2 freakin’ minutes” time.
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Sorry — very sleep deprived at the moment…
Bklnite, thanks a lot! We’ll try some of the suggestions.
Actually I think the piano sound travels less through the floor than the cello. Have played both in multiple dwellings, and can hear the reverb on the cello rattling stuff on the walls. Of course I only play between 1:14-1:16pm. As a jazz pianist, they don’t typically play as loudly as a classical pianist might. Definitely less noise than some yahoo with a crazy sound system. My old neighbor used to have his surround sound cranked so loudly that it would literally shake stuff on my shelves. It is kind of depressing to see so many music haters though. To quote rob :-/
I am often surprised how little sound carries in my apartment building. I crank my stereo up, go outside, and hear nothing.
11-3 in the daytime seems perfectly reasonable. 10-4 seems reasonable too.
Anyone who has spent time in the music department of their college of school would know how much and what type of noise a baby grand makes – not as much as you’d think!
Do it.