Good Neighbors are Easy to Find

This entry is going to be about the value of neighbors. It is going to be a bit warm and fuzzy. If you know me personally you know that I am anything but warm and fuzzy. However sometimes things just need to be said. The present state of the economy keeps talking about the value of things going down; one in particular is that of homes. I am not sure about the exact value of my house but I can say there is one immeasurable asset to my house and that is my neighbors and my neighborhood as a whole. We recently had a new family move in next door. They are already close friends of ours and got me thinking about how wonderful all my neighbors are.

People talk about losing the value of their homes and if you are in the business of buying and selling homes this can be a major problem in this economy. When a house is appraised the quality of the neighbors is never measured. Several of my friends live in great locations but have a negative relationship or no relationship with their neighbors. In my opinion this devalues the property. Good neighbors can protect, support the maintenance, and add to the overall comfort of your home.

Being a good neighbor is a two way street you must be willing to give if you are willing to receive. When my husband and I first moved into our neighborhood we never owned our own home. We had no previous experience with neighbors as homeowners. I have learned a lot since that first day.

Introduce yourself to your neighbors: If you want to be a good neighbor take the first step. When we moved in within 1 week we had met every neighbor that bordered our house as well as many more.

Share what you have and return what you borrow: I initially felt guilty about borrowing tools from my neighbor one in particular said “THAT’S WHAT GOOD NEIGHBORS DO.” Now that I have been in my house for 10 years I borrow less and lend more because “that’s what good neighbors do."

Communicate well: Most people do not enjoy a conflict. If something bothers you let them know in a nice non confrontational way. My dad always says “the majority of conflicts are cause by lack of communication.” We have a great dog that tends to bark and when she was young she would run after people and bark at them. I received a note one day from someone who said that my dog made them nervous when they went for a walk. They did not sign the note however it was a kind non confrontational communication. Within one day we put up a temporary fence to keep the dog in the back yard. This allowed the people walking by to not have my dog disturb them. No confrontation and problem solved. I should never have allowed my dog out front to bark at people the note reminded me of my obligations as a dog owner.

Be there: Keep an eye on your neighbors while not being too nosey. Be sure to ask how they are doing when you see them. This is a lot easier in the warmer weather but should be a year round job. We have a mix of ages around our house. Recently one of my neighbors lost her husband so we try and make sure that she knows we are available if she needs us. Something simple like bringing over baked goods like cookies can give you an opportunity to chat and make sure things are ok. She may require more support from her neighbors now but I remember when we moved in her husband was the guy who helped remove bushes and cut down trees when we needed him 8 years ago. Everything evens out over time.

Respect peoples differences: within a neighborhood are a lot of different cultures and beliefs. One issue is parenting issues. The rules in my house are different than in other houses. Parenting is not a competition it is an obligation. Everyone has their own ways to raise their kids. Make sure your child is in a safe place where you are comfortable. Respect what other parents want. For example I let my kid’s ride bikes on their own around the neighborhood and other parents do not. This is not an issue of who is right or wrong. It is right for my children. If they have a friend over who is not allowed to ride on their own then I respect their parents and keep my kids home or walk with them.

My neighbors are great to my family. My kids are great friends with our next door neighbors and they treat them like extended grandchildren. What a great feeling to know that if my kids need to talk, share a success, or need help they have someone next door to listen. This is a great value in my opinion. Where I live is a great place it is filled with great people young, old and every age in between. When we moved in we did not know how to be a good or bad neighbor. My neighbors taught me what I needed to know. The attitude starts with the people who live there. Not everyone will be a great neighbor but make sure that you are. The value of your home will perhaps not increase on paper but it will to you.