7 Tips On How To Be A Good Neighbor

When it comes to matters of the home, having (and being!) a good neighbor is completely underrated.

After having both good and bad neighbors over the years, and I can tell you firsthand that who you live next to makes a huge difference in how happy you are with your home.

How could it not?! While some may fall under the category of “those who you wave at on occasion,” others can become life long friends.

A great neighbor has a hand in making your house and neighborhood feel like home. They’re the people who you’ll call if you, quite literally, need a cup of sugar. Who help you to shovel snow, water flowers, or pick up mail when you’re out of town. A friendly face and trusted ally. They’ll even be to ones you confide in and work with when something goes wrong! (Right now we’re dealing with a sprinkler snafu with our sweet neighbor, who has been so understanding and kind throughout it all.)

I have many fond neighborhood memories that I hope my girls will one day have, too.

In grade school, our summers were spent riding bikes and playing with neighborhood kids. I used to literally walk into their front doors announcing, “HEY WANT TO PLAY?!” like I lived there! It was the best. (Though, now when I look back, I’m sure their parents were like, “Ok this kid is obnoxious and has GOT to stop!” Ha!)

While living in Chicago we became close with many neighbors, one in particular who was so kind and our girls considered like a family member. (Anita, we miss you!) We’d sit outside on random nights, see who else was out there, and chat across porches for hours.

Heck, my best friend to this day is someone who I grew up next door to throughout middle and high school. Get this — we used to sneak out late at night. But not to do anything crazy…we literally would meet at our favorite rock, look at starts, and talk. Isn’t that so cute?! (Love you, Jess!)

There’s just something about living next to someone that brings a collective closeness.

Which is why, when we bought our house, the first thing we wanted to know was, “What are the neighbors like!?” We of course value having good neighbors, which to me starts with being a good neighbor!

Whether through acts of kindness done to us, or things we’ve done for others, I’m excited to share the ways that we’ve experienced what it means to be a good neighbor in partnership with the Michigan State Housing Development Authority.

Of course, to be a neighbor means having your home near someone else’s. If you’re in Michigan and are a first-time homebuyer, be sure to check out MSHDA’s Michigan Down Payment program. The program provides down payment assistance up to $7,500 for first-time homebuyers! (Eligibility requirements apply — but this is an amazing resource, right?!)

Okay, now for the ‘ol good neighbor tips!

Make An Introduction

What I’ve found is that most people want to be a good neighbor and establish some sort of a connection — even if it’s just highly cordial — but many don’t know where to start. To me, it always helps to begin….at the beginning. Wave! Say hello. Walk over and introduce yourself.

We had a neighbor recently who rung our door bell, a bag of cookies in hand as a welcome gift, and introduced herself to our family. It was so sweet to have her simply walk over and was very appreciated, because as the newcomer to a neighborhood, you’re not always sure where to begin and it can feel a bit overwhelming! To her I’m sure it was nothing. But to us it felt like the warmest welcome and like she genuinely wanted to get to know our family. (She maaay have seen a bit of our crazy as our house was a total disaster – ha! – but hey. That’s life!)

Deliver Something Sweet

You know that feeling of getting snail mail and being excited while opening it up? “How wonderful, someone thought of me!” always pops into my mind. Getting a special delivery — better yet, something dropped off by hand — is like winning the jackpot. It makes my day!

Why not send a welcome note to your neighbors saying hello and a quick introduction of yourself, while sharing your contact information? (Bonus points: Add a photo so they’re familiar with new faces!) Another idea is to include a hand-drawn picture from your kids. Who doesn’t love getting artwork from a kiddo, made just for them?! A special delivery of that nature can go a long way for people — it’s thoughtful and considerate.

When we moved in, we had a few people drop off welcome gifts. A bottle of wine, cookies, and one even dropped off makeup she thought I’d like. (MAJOR JACKPOT!) It was so sweet and really made those neighbors stick out as an immediate friend.

I have a goal of dropping off cookies or muffins to our neighbors one of these days, as a thank you for putting up with all our house construction over the past year. Note to self to get that done!

One note is this certainly doesn’t need to stop once the initial introductions are made. Special deliveries “Just because” are some of life’s wonderful moments. When it comes from a neighbor, it’s that much more appreciated!

Help Out When You See The Opportunity

This fall, we were raking our yard, when all of a sudden, our neighbor from down the road showed up and said, “Let me join you!” It was the nicest gesture, made our job go twice as fast, and was also a great way to get to know her better. Whenever we see that neighbor, that memory stick out to me, and I know I’ll always think of her now as a kind and welcoming person.

I remembered this over the winter while shoveling, and many times when I had some extra energy, cleared the sidewalks of houses nearby. I didn’t want “credit” or even a thank you – it felt good to do just for the sake of helping out and, well, being a good neighbor!

Be Open To Fixing What Goes Wrong

Let’s face it – houses come with issues! No matter if they’re new or old, there will inevitably be something that pops up that you and your neighbors will have to collectively work together to solve. Things like replacing a fence, or rain water flooding their property, are great examples of this!

I’ve learned that it’s not about being perfect, but simply recognizing where solutions need to be provided and working together to do so. A team mentality on this is always better than hostility — so whether the issue is on your side of the fence or theirs, remember that you’re working together for the good of the whole. The issue may be annoying, but they’re people too, and many times they may not even recognize that there is an issue since it’s not on their property! It’s important to simply address it and work together to find a way forward.

Do The Occasional “Check In”

If you’re friends with your neighbors, this will be no biggie. But the occasional check in is important even if you only see your neighbor on occasion. A casual, “Hey, how are you!?” is always nice, as is the offer of, “If you’re heading out of town, I’m happy to grab the mail for you!” It’s just a good thing to do to keep one another in good graces.

In life, you never know when someone needs a little helping hand. I believe it’s always best to air on the side of offering that, even if you don’t know the person very well. This is especially true if you have someone elderly who lives near you – they may not only need a little help, but greatly appreciate the company!

Give A “Heads Up” When Necessary

Is your house undergoing construction? Have major landscaping done? Getting your driveway re-paved? These are all examples of things that will no doubt affect your neighbors, no matter how hard you try to keep things on your property!

In these instances, it’s always nice to give a simple heads up. On the receiving end, the opportunity to ask questions and even just generally understand the timeline is helpful! Tell your neighbors what’s going on, and let them know you’re open to chatting if they ever need. Doing this will certainly help to alleviate potential issues down the road!

Keep A Well Maintained Home & Yard

Let’s face it: No one wants to look at a house that’s unkept. The maintenance of your home matters not just for you but for your neighborhood as well. If your home looks badly taken care of and generally not maintained, that’s….kind of annoying to others, to be honest. Be considerate and know that your house is, yes, your house. But it also factors into the greater whole.

Remember, if you’re looking to purchase a home soon, look into MSHDA’s Michigan Down payment program! It’s an amazing resource for residents of the state and is absolutely something you should take advantage of. (Eligibility requirements apply.) 

What are your tips for being a good neighbor? Have you experienced someone who has gone out of their way to be a good neighbor to you? Let’s chat in the comments below!

This post was sponsored by the Michigan State Housing Development Authority. However, as always, all opinions are my own! Thank you for supporting the brands that partner with Isn’t That Charming.