My neighbors won’t let me move.


No, they aren’t blocking the driveway or scaring away prospective buyers with horror stories of fictitious neighborhood shenanigans. No, my problem is that my neighbors are just too good to leave behind and the chances of me finding the right house, in the right price range with neighbors as great as these…well, the odds aren’t good.

So what makes my neighbors so good and what are some ways we can all become better neighbors?

The action at a recent "Sledfest"

We party. At least three or four times a year our neighborhood gets together for block parties. We host an annual holiday ornament exchange and an annual back to school cookout on Labor Day. However, my absolute favorite events are the impromptu “sledfests” we hold whenever the weather cooperates and the schools are closed. We all sled, play in the snow, sip hot chocolate and visit around a portable fire pit that is moved onto one of the driveways.

We’re organized. Thanks to one of my more organized neighbors we make sure and maintain a contact list for everyone on the street. The list includes emails, home phones and cell phones so that keeping in touch is quick and easy.
We work as a team. My street is full of do-it-yourselfers and someone has always got a tree to cut down, a sidewalk to build or a couch to move. Someone is always willing to lend a hand, a back or a truck to help get the job done. More than once this has become quite an entertaining afternoon as we watch all the guys try to pull down a dead tree without smashing an SUV.
We’re on the lookout. I will never forget the sweet neighbor who knocked on my front door at midnight to let us know that our car had not been pulled in far enough and our garage door had not closed. Ours is a great neighborhood watch and we are all crime watch captains looking out for each others homes, children and properties.

We welcome new neighbors. In twelve years I don’t believe there has ever been a family move in to our neighborhood who didn’t receive a welcoming basket of muffins, a casserole or some other edible delight to welcome them to the neighborhood team.

We take care of each other. In times of need, we rally. Whether it be the sudden death of a beloved pet, the birth of a new baby, an injured child or the death of a family member, we make sure the rest of the neighbors are aware and we put together a support plan. We take turns cooking meals, helping bury pets, and we grieve together.

These are just a few of my favorites. No matter how busy your family schedule, there are lots of ways that you and I can be better neighbors. That first step can be the hardest but it can also be the easiest. Just step out of the house and say, “Hello, neighbor.”

♦♦♦

House to House is written by Amy Glover Bryant, APR and

distributed weekly by the Arkansas Realtors Association.