Are YOU a Good Neighbor?

are you a good neighbor, relations

You never know exactly what's happening on the other side of the fence- so be considerate!

A recent New York Times article went into detail how neighbor-relations can go sour quickly because of inconsiderate behavior from one side. We thought this seemed reasonable, and set out to make a list of the best and worst ways to be a neighbor- but what we found was surprisingly one sided. In the midst of a mass of Google entries was an immediate observation: people like to complain about their neighbors. They don’t denote experiences of compromise, or make lists of the best things a neighbor can provide (there were maybe one or two!), or even note of situations in which they’ve been a bad neighbor. Obviously, bad experiences often overshadow good ones, but having a neighbor isn’t always a drag.

So, we thought it was time to set the record straight.

There are plenty of great reasons to have a good relationship with your neighbors. Besides the old “needing a cup of sugar” story (which does still happen from time to time!), a community becomes more secure, more reliable, and often less conflicted. If you’ve made friends with your neighbors, but there’s a property dispute, don’t you think you’d be more willing to solve the situation out of court? If you go out of town, wouldn’t it be nice to know that while you’re gone, your neighbor will report any suspicious activity happening at your house? And what if you do need something, like helping moving furniture or that one cup of sugar; having a neighbor that’s also a friend can make your community a lot more communal.

So, you have a neighbor that does something annoying, like leaves their barking dog outside all night, or parks in front of your house or simply won’t mow their yard. Before you run to the phone to call the nightly news on them, take a minute. Have you been a good neighbor to them?

Have you been conscientious of their schedules and living style? A doctor who works long shifts at night may not be very appreciative of your mid-morning jazzercise sessions. Have you been observant of their needs, such as keeping the kids’ toys off of their side of the lawn? If you live in a connected living space or a townhouse, like those we have in our Sorrento neighborhood, maybe you shouldn’t put the blender and surround sound speakers right next to the adjoined walls. Not to say you shouldn’t live your life the way you need to, but if you’ve never even properly introduced yourself to them, maybe there’s a deeper reason they aren’t being more obliging.

Not all people are great neighbors, we know, but you’d be surprised how many people want to be a good neighbor and don’t notice when they aren’t! Talk to your neighbors, make friends, and build a real community around yourself. If you’re new to an area and not sure you want to go door to door, try something like Hey, Neighbor!, which lets you meet the people who live near you conveniently. Actively being a good neighbor will help you make a positive living experience, which is really all we want, right?

Ever had a frustrating experience with neighbors? How did you solve it? 

Property Lines: How to Keep from Stepping Over the Line

Property Lines l Real Estate l Home Owners

Be sure you know where your fence, and your neighbors' fence, belong!

Say you buy a puppy and decide you need a fence to keep yourself from being forced out into the rain with Spot when he needs a midnight bathroom break. Or, say this incredible summer heat is getting simply too unbearable to deal with unless you have a beautiful new in-ground pool to lounge in. Both of these things are realistic situations that could possibly get you into heaps of trouble, and you’d never even know before it was too late. How? Because you don’t know where your property lines are!

Some of you might find this post incredulous (Not knowing your property lines? Gasp!), but you’d be surprised just how many people don’t realize where they’re parcel of land actually begins and ends. It can be really detrimental to your property to be unfamiliar with your boundaries for many reasons.

For example, a family buys a house and doesn’t have it immediately surveyed. Three years later, she finds out that their neighbors’ fence is actually over her property by six feet! Unfortunately, the title insurance may not cover the issues of the land, and if the two neighbors can’t come to an agreement, there may be a lawsuit. Neighborly disputes can get really gruesome, too. Just a few months ago, a man in Miami was actually murdered by his neighbor over a property disagreement!

“But my neighbors and I get along great! I don’t mind if they’re on my side a little!” Though this may be the case, it can have serious consequences later on. If you go to sell your house, the buyers may have problems closing because of the infringement, and this could cause a serious hassle. Not to mention, if the structure stays on that land long enough, in some circumstances, the neighbors may actually obtain the property! You may love your neighbors, but do you love them enough to give them a piece of your property?

If you’re a real estate professional, this article may seem redundant to you, but you should be aware that not all lenders require a survey to be done before a closing of a house. In these cases, if you deal directly with a buyer, you may want to warn them with some friendly advice to get the survey, just in case.

It’s easy to avoid these situations by having a survey done before you buy a piece of land. A licensed professional can tell you exactly where your property ends and your neighbors’ begins, preventing any later disputes and bringing already standing infringements to awareness before you ever sign the papers. Some things, however, like trees, are special cases that require a little bit more intense look at the law. Check out this video that explains some of those often-forgotten rules:

In an ideal world, people would always stay on their side of the line. Sadly, we all know someone who thinks it’s greener on the other side, so be cautious that they can’t infringe on your Emerald City!