How To Be A Great Neighbour

Being on good terms with your neighbours is great for a number of reasons — especially when you run out of milk just before your morning coffee! So, how can you put your best foot forward and ensure you’re one of the best neighbours on the street? In today’s blog we offer some handy tips!

Courtesy, Always

You’re likely to see your neighbours regularly, so it’s important that you’re respectful and considerate of their time and space, just as you expect them to be of yours. The basic rules of neighbourhood courtesy are simple and can be applied to many areas in life. If you borrow anything, return it. If you break anything, replace it. If you have an issue, arrange to talk it through. If you have a pet, clean up after it. If you have a misunderstanding, make an effort to leave things on friendly terms. While you may no necessarily want to become besties with your neighbour, a wave or simple hello when you see them can make for many years of pleasant neighbourship!

Sharing School Duties

If you learn that another family on your street have children that attend the same school as yours do, consider grabbing a coffee and planning a carpool or walk to school routine that works for everyone. Sharing the school drop-off or pick-up will save you time, petrol and deliver bonus points for the environment. The same system can be considered for school excursions, after school activities and community events. You could even consider passing on uniforms and textbooks as the little ones grow.

Look Out For One Another

If your neighbours are heading away on holiday they’ll appreciate knowing you are keeping an eye on their home while they’re away. You may offer to out their bins out, park your car in their drive-way, collect their mail or even take it further by looking after their plants or pets. These considerations don’t take much time and it’s likely that your neighbours will be happy to do the same for you when you decide to go away!

Keep Each Other In The Loop

Birthdays, holidays and exciting life events are worth celebrating and you should feel comfortable entertaining in your home. However, you should also be respectful of your neighbours when it comes to noise levels at these celebrations. An occasional late-night party could be forgiven, but all-night parties every weekend can really make like difficult for those around you. Most people will be ok if you give them warning of your celebration, perhaps even provide your mobile number so they can reach you directly if they want to. If a neighbour calls or drops by and asks you to quieten down, be friendly and comply with their requests. By the same token, be equally respectful when your neighbours are celebrating.

Look The Part

Keep up with your neighbours when it comes to maintaining your property. Regularly mowing your lawns, sweeping the footpath and bringing in the bins are usually all it takes! A well maintained streetscape will also increase the value of your area, which will benefit your street in its entirety. Be sure that your plants don’t creep into your neighbours’ yards to avoid squabbles down the track!

We hope these tips help to bring out the best in your neighbourhood! If you’re after more insight on the communities in which Aston Homes build, get in touch with our friendly team here.