Yeah, anchoring into the joists is the way to go—especially with big windows and heavy fabric. I had a curtain rod pull out of just drywall anchors on...

Honestly, I doubt furniture tweaks will really help much if you're dealing with city noise. I've tried the felt pad trick myself—sure, it quieted some...

Honestly, visible cracks can be a clue, but they're not always reliable. I've seen houses with zero visible issues still have foundation problems lurk...