When house-hunting, you not only have to look into the physical aspects neighbourhood, but also into the people who live in it. After all, these are the folk you will be interacting with daily, for years to come. Say, for instance, you are eyeing a parcel of land for sale in Lakeside, it will be safe to assume that your neighbours are laidback, fellow nature lovers or at least fit the profile to a degree.
Here are some signs of good neighbors and bad neighbors that you need to know:
Good neighbors
If you want your family to live in a great community, these are the signs of good neighbours that you want to see when touring a community:
1. Well-maintained yards
It is the responsibility of a homeowner to keep their yard looking decent at the very least, not only for the aesthetic of the neighbourhood, but also for the market value of the area. Hence, when touring a house, take a peek at the neighbours’ lawns to see if they are well taken care of.
2. Friendly neighbors
A great way to get a feel for the people living in the neighbourhood is to strike up a conversation with a few of them while walking down the street. Ask them about the area and how they like living there. If they are generally friendly and willing to talk to a complete stranger, it’s a good sign that the people feel safe in the community.
3. Tight-knit community
Observe how your potential neighbours interact with each other. Are there people socializing in the street? Do you see kids playing together? Do they exchange pleasantries when passing by each other? When neighbours are generally getting along, it’s a great sign that the community is a good place to live in.
Bad neighbours
Unfortunately, some bad neighbours can’t be detected unless you get to know them. However, when you see these signs when touring a neighbourhood, it might be better to look for another option:
1. Inconsiderate behavior
These are the neighbours that either unconsciously or deliberately do things that inconvenience everyone around them. There are the loud neighbours who don’t find anything wrong with their noise levels; the nasty neighbours who leave garbage piling up and dog poop un-swept; the bad parkers who think they can park anywhere on the street, and so much more. When you spot these types, look for another house if you can’t deal with this kind of behaviour.
2. Gossipers and busybodies
Do you hear people gossiping on the street about another neighbour? Does the first person you approach ask too many questions? Are there people acting like they own the community with their nitpickiness? It’s a good idea to avoid neighbours like these, more so if they live right next to the house you’re considering.
When looking for a house, you have to consider the quality of the people in the community, more so if they live right next to the property you are looking at. Remember these signs of good and bad neighbors the next time you check out a neighbourhood. If you choose a neighbourhood with great people, your home life is bound to be much better.
