How to be a Good Neighbor
The foundation of a great neighborhood is good neighbors. You don’t have to bring over cookies every time there’s a new resident or learn everyone’s name to be considered a great neighbor (though many would appreciate the gesture), here are a few suggestions we have to keep your homeowner reputation high.
Curb appeal. Keep your house looking fresh! Just one junky yard can change first impressions for homebuyers and neighbors. Be sure you bring your trash and recycling bins in after garbage pick up day. Maintain your lawn and landscaping: it not only keeps your home looking nice, it can save your house from unwanted pests. Try to keep limbs, trees and weeds from encroaching on your neighbor’s property. Stepping up your curb appeal is contagious, and no one wants to be the odd man out on a street of well-maintained homes.
Responsible pet ownership. This one is simple: clean up after your pet. Walking Fido around the neighborhood is a great way to get some exercise (and get to know your neighbors), but bring a bag to clean up behind your pet. Unless given permission, it is generally frowned upon to leave doggie bags in someone else’s trash can.
Abide by community rules, both written and unwritten. If you have an HOA, you’ll want to review their policies closely as it pertains to landscaping and home appearance. Even if you don’t have an HOA, you don’t want to be the one resident that parks cars on the lawn. Learn the culture of your neighborhood and while painting your home neon green might be an eyecatcher, it’s not the kind of chatter you’ll want as a homeowner.
Be respectful of your neighbors when you have guests over. Encourage your guests to park in your driveway or in front of your home before parking in front of the neighbor’s house. Also, while city noise ordinances are in place, its best to confront the noise issue with neighbors head on. Yes, you can legally hold a party in your backyard until 10pm in most places, your next-door neighbor with a newborn might be quite unhappy with you. Try to find common ground with your neighbors and evaluate conflict from their perspective. In the spirit of common courtesy, try not to honk your car horn in your driveway (regardless of how late someone is!).
Get to know at least one neighbor on a first name basis. You’ll want an ally there to look after your home while you’re on vacation if a pipe were to burst or a limb falls during a storm. Have at least one person in your neighborhood that knows how to reach you in case of an unforeseen event. Whether you’re the kind of person that loves to get to know everyone in the neighborhood or the more reserved type that would prefer to smile and nod from the porch, these are a few simple ways to build good relationships with the people around you.
Ready to show off your neighborly skills? Talk to your ARC agent today about buying a home in one of the many great neighborhoods in our community.
