What Makes A Good Or A Bad Neighbor? [Block Talk]

Have you ever wished that while your Realtor was chatting up the schools, parks, and other amenities that make your neighborhood livable, there had been some — maybe not a full dossier — but a little inside dope on the world-class jerk living next door?

Changing another’s behavior — or your own response to it — is challenging at best. Some neighbor habits that are initially annoying in the beginning can become major irritants over time. Wouldn’t it be nice if neighborliness could be scored similar to walkability and safety?

A direct conversation with the people you’ll potentially be living near is a good idea. But you may get a better sense of the neighborhood by sitting in your car with the windows rolled down, listening and observing is one way to get a sense of the neighborhood. Is music blaring? Are dogs barking? What are the neighborhood kids doing?

If you choose the more surreptitious approach, be prepared to explain your presence. How that conversation plays out could tell you they’re observant people who watch out for each other or nosy busybodies.

What makes a good or a bad neighbor, though? We’re asking for Block Talk, Patch’s exclusive neighborhood etiquette column. Is there anything you wish you’d known about your neighbors (no names please) before you bought your house or signed the lease?

Just fill out the survey below. And as always, we don’t collect email addresses.

About Block Talk

Block Talk is an exclusive Patch series on neighborhood etiquette — and readers provide the answers. If you have a topic you'd like for us to consider, email beth.dalbey@patch.com with “Block Talk” as the subject line.

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