No matter what neighborhood you choose to live in, it’s important to meet at least one neighbor. Perhaps you have heard this piece of advice on certain home improvement television shows. You can likely learn much more than you might imagine from just one conversation. According to a 2018 Pew Research Center survey, 57% of Americans claim they know just some of their neighbors, although only 26% say they know a majority of them. The poll also found people aged 65 and older are more likely to say they know their neighbors, and that higher-income Americans (those who earn $75,000 a year or more) are typically the most likely to hold frequent social gatherings with their neighbors.
If you build at least a basic rapport with your neighbors, you are bound to learn some facts about your neighborhood and how its landscape may evolve over the next few years. Some of these facts may end up surprising you.
Get the Inside Scoop Before Buying
Wouldn’t you wish to know as much information as possible about your desired home before purchasing it? You can do this by speaking to your potential neighbors before or after an open house.
You could learn about who the last owner was, what additions to the property were recently made, and whether the home or any other parts of the property were ever damaged from flooding or other disasters.
Starting on the Right Foot
First impressions often don’t simply matter in the workplace. They can make a major difference in your personal life as well. Therefore, try welcoming your new neighbors into your home as soon as possible and offering them all sorts of hors d’oeuvres and drinks. If they enjoyed meeting you, they could end up reciprocating the gesture.
Also, if you and your neighbors both have children, they may end up attending the same schools. Further down the line, they could babysit your kids or pets, assist you with home repairs or collect your mail while you are on vacation. The 2018 Pew Research survey also found that approximately two-thirds (66%) of Americans who have met at least some of their neighbors said they would feel comfortable requesting their neighbors keep a set of keys with them for emergencies. Of course, this figure varied by demographic factors like age and ethnicity. As the golden rule states, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”
A neighbor can even become a valuable business connection in the future, whether they work in the same industry as you or not.
Ask About the Neighborhood
Aside from the quality of schools in the district, you can ask your neighbors about other aspects of the area. It’s also important to inquire how noisy the neighborhood can get, if the neighborhood is dog friendly, etc. Don’t neglect to conduct this research as soon as you can.
Find New Local Favorites
Adapting to a new location can be difficult, but one must ultimately learn to live in new spaces. Be sure to find your new favorite grocery store, pharmacy, restaurant, liquor store, and hardware store, among other essential businesses.
After identifying these places, you can move on to searching for your favorite beauty salons and spas, for example.
Start Your Dream Neighborhood Search with Katie Zarpas
Speak to the professionals at the Katie Zarpas Group in Virginia Beach to learn more about how developing a good relationship with your neighbors can be beneficial. Katie Zarpas worked in the film industry for years and acquired many valuable connections in that business before joining the luxury real estate world in 2005.
In her first year, Katie sold 28 homes and she has since earned several prestigious accolades, including the Hamptons Road Realtors Association’s Gold, Diamond, and Platinum awards. Katie assists with transactions in the surrounding areas, including Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Portsmouth, Suffolk, and Norfolk. She is highly knowledgeable about real estate market trends, which means she can help you accurately estimate your desired home’s value and is always committed to putting her clients’ interests first.
Call the Katie Zarpas Group today at (757) 685-4400 or contact us online for more information about our work or to schedule an appointment.