Back in the day, it seemed like everybody knew everyone in the neighborhood. Kids were free to roam and play around without fear of their ball landing on an unknown person’s property and “borrowing” stuff like sugar or flour wasn’t weird. Today, most households are either double-income families or DINKs (double income, no kids) leaving very little chance for homeowners to meet neighbors and get to know each other like people did before.
Every neighborhood is unique. There’s really no way to tell what kind of neighbors you’ll get until after you’ve moved in and settled down. Some neighbors will be friendly, some would prefer to keep to themselves. That’s alright. There are also those types of neighbors who are always eager to welcome and help newbies like you into the neighborhood and, unfortunately, those whose mission seems to be making you move out as fast as possible by being a pain in the you-know-what.
So, how do you navigate through a new neighborhood without going insane? Let me tell you about the 5 types of neighbors you’ll meet in your neighborhood and give you some tips on how to deal with them.
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The Ones Bringing Home Values Down
Driving around your new neighborhood, you might notice a home (or two) that could benefit from a bit of lawn care or maybe a fresh coat of paint. These neighbors may be nice and friendly but their negligence and failure to keep their home looking fresh and neat (at least on the outside) is affecting the value for all the houses on your street.
How do you deal with them? Communicate! If you know you have great communication and people skills, you could try talking to them yourself. Start with introducing yourself and getting to know them a little bit before talking to them about the issue. You don’t want to come off as the confrontational new neighbor, now, would you? Otherwise, you could raise your concern to the HOA (if one is in place) or to whoever is in charge of the community you just moved into.
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The Ones Not Worth Getting To Know Well
They say it pays to get to know your neighbors well, but not all neighbors are worth getting to know. The scary thing about moving into a new neighborhood is not knowing who your new neighbors are going to be. They could be convicts, registered sex offenders, or just violent people in general and you wouldn’t know it until it’s too late. So, what do you do in case you’ve already bought the house, moved in, and then found out your neighbors are dangerous people a.k.a walking red flags?
The best thing to do is to keep your distance. Try not to trigger them by any means and, if possible, not have any sort of contact, interaction, or altercation with them. Of course, you’re going to want to do it discreetly. You don’t want them thinking you’re discriminating against them by blatantly avoiding them while being friendly with the other neighbors.
If you’re lucky and you’re reading this before you buy a new house, try to do some research on the neighborhood you’re moving into. Look up crime rates, see if there are any reviews about the community in general on the internet, download apps that’ll give you insight on local crime reports from the area. You can also visit these websites to see if there are any registered sex offenders in the area you’re interested in moving into.
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The Joneses
Ah, the Joneses. You know them as the people with the nicest house on the block -- multiple top-of-the-line cars parked in their concrete driveway (maybe one or two more in the garage), a massive pool in their backyard, perfectly manicured lawn, and other standard rich people things. Everyone’s trying to keep up with them but, with inflation and everything that’s been going on lately, it just seems impossible and it looks like they’ll always be the ones to beat.
While these neighbors may be perfectly nice to you and to all the other neighbors, you might find yourself hating them a little bit just because they make you feel inadequate and insecure.
If you find yourself starting to look for things to nitpick about them or their house just to feel better about yourself, stop. Focus on your own home, what you love about it, and how you can make it better. Instead of dwelling on the feeling of jealousy, take a look at their stately home and use it as an inspiration to better yours instead.
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Your Overly Friendly, Brazen Buddies
They just want to make you feel welcome and at home. Unfortunately, they’ve somehow made themselves feel too “at home” in your home, making you feel awkward and uneasy (ironically). These neighbors are always looking for people to chat up. They show up without notice, welcome themselves right in when they see that the door is left unlocked, and casually call you out when they notice you have company and they weren’t invited.
They may have the purest intentions but, unfortunately, they’re unaware that they’re already crossing lines and boundaries most of the time. To make sure they don’t make a habit out of barging into your home anytime they please, draw the line early and tell them you’d appreciate it if they called first before coming over. Be gentle and be direct. These neighbors can actually be pretty amazing friends.
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The Ones Making You Question If Moving Here Was The Right Thing To Do
Whether they know it or not, these neighbors are always causing some sort of trouble or discomfort to the people around them. They throw loud parties, borrow your tools and never return them, leave their dogs barking without intervening, block your driveway at the most inconvenient time, and so much more. Some people simply think they’re entitled to do these things without considering the people around them. Others do it out of spite for another neighbor, leaving you caught in the crossfire.
While it may seem like a good idea to confront them and tell them off, take a deep breath and cool off instead. Once your head is cool, go over to them and communicate with them properly. Let them know how their behavior is affecting you and try to come to a sensible solution or a compromise with them where both parties end up being happy and living peacefully.
If you’ve tried this and they keep on with their inconsiderate behavior, it might be time to get the authorities involved.