Why it pays to be nice to the neighbors

The days of trusting and knowing your neighbor is gone. I believe in this day and age we should make it one of our most important relationships in our lives. Family is much like a neighbor, we have no real choice is choosing them and that is why we should try to have a good relationship with them.

There are many benefits with being nice to your neighbor and building a friendship.  One of the greatest benefits of getting along with your neighbor is that they keep an eye on your property. Whether you are away for a week, a day, or even at home, a good neighbor will always notice strangers around your home and report them or notify you. A neighbor that is your friend is probably as useful as an alarm system. They will pick up your mail and newspaper for you, they will water your lawn and garden if needed and some will even mow your lawn.

We all know that having a neighbor is difficult.  It can be more difficult when they do not upkeep their home or lawn. A dreary house and yard can make yours seem out of place and bring down the  value of your home as well. Having a good relationship enables communication between you and your neighbor. You can easily mention some needed repairs. “You know Bob, I noticed that your front porches paint is fading and peeling, you know next Saturday I can help you paint it.” That statement will go over better than, “Hey dumb@$$ paint your house”.

You can make recommendations on how to improve their curb appeal without being seemed as a nosy neighbor. This is especially valuable when selling your property.
Also, when repairs are needed to your property having a good relationship with the neighbors can be helpful. Recently in Bloomfield there was a home that did some additions and the neighbors weren’t happy. They then had to remove the extension to the property by order of the town, even though they had all the correct permits. The neighbors had a touchy relationship with each other and they complained and complained to the township.

Once again a good neighbor keeps crime low as residents look out for each other. Every neighborhood knows who belongs and who doesn’t. I live in the Halcyon Section of Bloomfield and we recently had a neighborhood get together.  There was a police officer there giving us advice on how to prevent crime in the neighborhood. He said “Don’t be afraid to call the police if you see someone acting strange”. The police are there for our protection.

Having a good relationship with your neighbor also builds a better community and show our children the value of friendship. In the age of social networking and video games many children are having difficulty socializing in the “real world.” By, having a good relationship with others we can teach our kids the value of socializing outside of Facebook and Twitter. Being able to socialize is a necessary for a successful future, our kids learn the most from our actions and the way we build relationships. Having your child build good relationships will help build a better community.
When all said and done, neighbors can be a great asset to you - not a burden. Talk to your neighbor, help them, ask for help from them and keep an eye out.

Yudi Sobharam is a Licensed Real Estate Agent with Century21 Semiao of Lyndhurst. He is also a CDPE (Certified Distress Property Expert). You can contact him by email: Yudi.Sobharam@Century21.com