Figuring out how to deal with bad neighbors can be a major struggle. Theres nothing worse thanbuying a houseand then realizing you have nightmare neighbors. But you dont just have to grin and bear your neighbors undesirable behavior or tension on the block. With the right approach, you can turn it into an opportunity to build a good relationship, create a more positive environment for you and the rest of yourneighborhood.

Heres how to deal with bad neighbors

First off, make sure youre not the bad neighbor.

Its easy to see what your neighbor is doing to drive you nuts, but its a little harder to understand how your behavior might be affecting them. Because youll never get a neighbor to shape up if they think youre the problem, make sure youre as close to a modelhomeowneras possible before approaching them. A few hard questions to ask yourself:

• Whats your noise level like? Loud TV, music, or machinery can drive neighbors bananas any time of day. And even normal noise, from say, lawn mowing, shouldnt be waking them up in the morning or preventing them from enjoying a peaceful evening.
• Are your pets quiet and friendly? Noisy, threatening, or roaming dogs and even roaming cats can become a sore spot for neighbors.
• Do you keep things tidy? If your lawn is overgrown or your kids toys are strewn all over the place, it can become an eyesore. Neighbors may start to worry about your poorhome maintenancehurting their home value.
• Do you respect property lines? Dont let your trees, fences, or any other property encroach on a property line, unless your neighbors specifically say theyre fine with it. It may seem fussy, but it can prevent all sorts of disputes.
• Are you playing tit-for-tat? If you started parking over the property line because their dog barks too much, youll never sort out who was really in the wrong or find a solution. Revenge, no matter how minor, is never successful at dealing with bad neighbors.

Once youre confident that youre notengaging in anybad-neighbor behavior, you can approach your neighbor to talk about whats bothering you.

Develop a friendly relationship.

Trulias Neighbor Surveyshowed that one in two Americans doesnt even know the names of their neighbors and that can be a major hindrance to resolving conflicts peacefully. Introduce yourself at the first opportunity so that you have a strong rapport to build upon if a problem arises. It will be a lot harder for your neighbor to keep causing you grief if they see you as a friendly face.

To start a pattern of good communication, tell your neighbor in advance any time youre having a party,doing a renovation, or anything else that could create noise or commotion.

Assume good intentions.

Dont go in guns blazing when you approach a neighbor about whats bugging you. Drop by and approach the subject in a friendly fashion, or, should you need to gently escalate the situation, request that they meet you for coffee. That will indicate that the issue is a big deal to you.

Neighbors often dont realize that theyre creating a problem, and its best to avoid seeming like youre accusing them. Put yourself in their shoes, and start by assuming that their problematic behavior is not because of any ill will towards you.

Be sympathetic if your neighbor complains.

While its important to bring up problems to your neighbor in a constructive way, its just as crucial to be thoughtful and cooperative when youre the one accused of poor behavior. The complaint may not make much sense to you for example, leaves from a tree on your property falling into your neighbors yard. But its more important to be friendly and accommodating than to be right. Respond to any complaints or requests the way youd like them to respond to yours. If youre willing to try to make their lives better, theyll be more likely to do the same for you.

Document everything, just in case.

With luck, you wont ever need to involve a third-party when sorting out how to deal with bad neighbors, but its always possible. While its worth doing everything you can to resolve an issue peacefully and willingly, you should also document every step along the way just in case. On the off chance that you need to involve a homeowner association (HOA), a neighborhood group, the city building department, or even the local police or an attorney, maintain a record of relevant dates, times, emails, texts, and even photos, so the facts are at your fingertips if you need them.

Research the rules before taking action.

Before turning your complaint into legal action or a formal complaint, make sure you know what youre talking about. Contact the local housing department, consult a lawyer, talk to your HOA, or just do some solid Googling to get a sense of what the neighborhood rules and the law have to say about your issue. You want to make sure youre on the right side of things before making a big deal out of i. (For one of the most common neighbor problems, check outthis handy guide to easements.) Then again, in a gentle and friendly way you can let your neighbor know that the law or rules are on your side.

For critical issues, contact the authorities.

Of course, friendly conversations dont always fix everything, even if youre in the right. If youve tried everything else and the problem neighbors havent stopped their offending behavior, it may be time to get the authorities involved. Just make sure you consult the right authority about the issue and always make the police your last stop. For instance, an issue with trash all over someones lawn can probably be resolved with the citys code enforcement department. And a noisy or frequently loose dog might warrant a call to your HOA before the police or animal control.

Avoid scenarios likely to cause conflict.

Some situations between neighbors are almost guaranteed to cause conflict for example, buying a home next to onethat shows signs ofbeing a hoarder houseorone witha shareddriveway. No matter how likable your neighbors may seem, tensions are likely to rise in situations like this. So unless you know your neighbor extremely well, its best to avoid the possibility entirely.

When you are ready to buy or sell your next home, please call me, Marie McLaughlin 727-858-7569.

Source:https://www.trulia.com/blog/how-to-deal-with-bad-neighbors/