Neighbor Wants To Go To Rehab

Remember the good old days? I do! Especially when I knew all of my neighbors by name and spent a good chunk of time discovering scorpions and rattlesnakes and other desert delights with them. Ok, so the “old days” refer to when I was a kid growing up in Tucson, hanging out with my friends in the ‘hood. Regardless, I miss knowing every neighbor and, even more, the courtesies that came with calling a neighbor “friend.”

Love My Neighbor!

I’m a little crazy right now because construction is obnoxious. No way around it — even if it’s mine. The process is dirty, noisy, brings traffic and trash to the area and seems to last longer than our space program did. What makes it tolerable to those not paying for it? Knowing about it up front, courtesy of the neighbor. Me? No clue — since my neighbor, J.M., decided to surprise all of us. Now, it’s not like we’re close, trading recipes and knitting secrets, or even share much more in common than a street. Still, what the heck happened? I remember a few years ago when J.M. ran up and down the street in a panic, begging for support from her neighbors. Seems the house next door was on the market and the seller had a desire to put 2-3 units on the lot. The neighbors pitched in. And yet… J.M., for all appearances, is building something similar right now.

In my business, remodeling is a daily occurrence. I’m all for it, for these three reasons:

- Home Sweet Home: When you like your neighborhood yet need some changes to accommodate the lifestyle, it makes sense to modify the place you love.

- Leverage: It’s a great time to take advantage of the market with many hungry pros looking for work.

- Resale: It raises the value of homes in the entire neighborhood (ok, not ideal for tax purposes).

House Warming Party

So do it, only do it right. The plan, for any of you considering the remodel road:

- Talk to your neighbors! Do it weeks before kick-off. Share the plan, from a visual of the end product to the timeline and schedule (Starting at 6a Sat? Better just move today!). If you don’t like your neighbors, put a letter in the mailbox or door.

- Disclose the challenges. We’re all aware of what they are, it’s nice to hear you talk about them. Also, inform the neighbors you’ll do your best to minimize interruptions and ask them to bring complaints directly to you.

- Neighborhood participation. Invite neighbors to view the project during various stages of construction. I don’t mean trespass, more along the lines of recognizing everyone is curious, encourage them to get in touch for a guided tour.

- Maybe a better idea — host a house warming when complete. (You might convince the contractor to pitch in the beverages for an opportunity to network with future clients. Plus it’s fun to show off a bit!)

Why is this important? Well, if remodeling on a big scale, it’s pretty clear the neighbor will not move anytime soon. Plus, a little effort with the neighbors goes a long way towards maintaining civility and making friends. Never know when that neighbor will be there in a pinch — babysitting kids, feeding a pet, etc. And it’s not a stretch for the discourteous to find more dogs have visited their yard, post-project.

Gotta run. Heading to adopt a dog today!

Posted by John Crowe

John Crowe has published 9 posts.

John owns and operates Crowe Homes, and is a licensed broker and an associate with Keller Williams. John has focused on residential real estate for more than eight years, specializing in residential investment strategies. He owned and operated a local franchise for the largest homebuyer in the United States, buying and selling multiple properties on a monthly basis. He has been on both sides of the table and uses those skills to help his clients reach their real estate goals today -- whether they are a first-time home owner or move-up buyer, relocating to Austin or requiring assistance with a distressed sale. Prior to focusing on real estate, John spent more than 15 years in communications and marketing for technology companies and public affairs organizations. John earned a BA in government from Georgetown University in Washington, DC. Follow me on Facebook (www.facebook.com/crowe.homes) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/crowehomes)! www.crowehomes.com