| Nothing can ruin home ownership more than | | | | everyone else’s. |
| having a conflict with one of your neighbors. If | | | | 4.Respect your neighbors’ privacy |
| you’ve ever been unlucky enough to end up | | | | Even though you live next door what happens in |
| in a situation like this, you know that it | | | | your neighbors’ yard and in their home is their |
| doesn’t make life easy. Your home should be | | | | business. If you can tell they are having a |
| your castle but if you’re not able to relax you | | | | barbecue, don’t invite yourself over. |
| won’t be able to enjoy it. You can start off | | | | Don’t ask overly personal questions when it is |
| on the right foot by using the following tips. | | | | obvious that you are just casual acquaintances. By |
| 1.Be nice but keep your distance | | | | respecting their privacy, you can be sure that |
| No one wants to be harassed by a nosy neighbor | | | | they’ll respect yours as well. |
| the moment they come home. A friendly hello | | | | 5.Be sure to thank them if they do a favor for |
| and wave across the lawn shows that you care | | | | you. |
| without being too intruding into their personal | | | | If you notice that your neighbor removed a weed |
| space. As much as you might like to be best | | | | from your flower bed or if they brought over |
| friends with whoever is living next door, your | | | | mis-delivered mail, be sure to thank them. These |
| neighbor may not want the same thing. Use their | | | | small positive interactions can lead to more |
| response to judge whether or not to take things | | | | friendly communication later on. If they do |
| further. | | | | something big for you, like check your mail or |
| 2.Be respectful of their property especially when it | | | | water your plants while you are away, thank |
| comes to pets | | | | them with a gift certificate to a local coffee shop |
| Not everyone is a dog or cat person. If you have | | | | or something similar. |
| pets, it’s very important that you keep your | | | | 6.Look for opportunities to be helpful |
| animals off of their lawn. If your animal happens | | | | If your neighbor has done something nice for you, |
| to make a mess on your neighbor’s lawn, be | | | | look for opportunity to return the favor. Bring in |
| sure to clean it up quickly and try to do better in | | | | their paper from the sidewalk or offer to feed |
| keeping your pet on your side. | | | | their dog if they need someone to. As long as |
| 3.Keep your lawn nice | | | | you can be helpful without overstepping the lines |
| Having the shabbiest lawn on the block is a | | | | of privacy, you should take steps to do so. |
| surefire way to make your neighbors resent you. | | | | Of course, your individual situation with your |
| Poorly kept front lawns can reduce resell value of | | | | neighbor may differ, but as long as you follow the |
| everyone’s home in the vicinity and it will | | | | spirit of these suggestions you’ll be able to |
| make you stand out like a sore thumb. Take | | | | maintain a good relationship with your neighbors. |
| steps to keep the front of your home in line with | | | | |