Surveying 2,000 Americans 25 and older, Offerpad asked what makes a good neighbor, and what makes a bad one. Friendliness was a top factor for most respondents (58%) along with keeping noise down (54%) and controlling pets (49%).
One in three (35%) thought being social and inviting others into your home makes a good neighbor, while 34% thought that keeping to themselves is key. Almost 40% said they would rather a friendly neighbor with an unkept home than an unfriendly neighbor with a kept one.
As the pandemic altered many aspects of home life, it also shed light on neighborly relations as more people spent time at home. Over the past two years, 57% reported spending more time in their neighborhoods and 50% said they got to know their neighbors better. The time spent at or near home also developed friendships for some, with 53% reporting they now have friends next door. On the opposite end, 40% said they’re now more annoyed with their neighbors.
For the neighbors with a bad rap, feuds are often related to unruly yards or home exteriors (45%), unmanageable noise levels (40%), and social media posts (28%). Sixty percent of respondents reported feuds at some point in their lives, while only 20% reported active disagreements.
If there was a polite way to do so, 50% said they would encourage a neighbor to move. The other half said they have considered moving themselves because of a neighbor. For parents with children younger than 18, 58% said they would pack up because of a neighbor, while respondents without children were less likely at 23%.
Other findings include:
- Friendly parentals. Parents of children younger than 18 are more likely to like their neighbors (83%) than those without (68%);
- Bombarding? Almost four in ten respondents (39%) said a neighbor has entered their home or property without permission; and
- Trespassing for a dip. Twenty-four percent said they would consider sneaking into a neighbor’s hot tub or pool.
Perhaps more neighbors would consider going for a swim if cameras weren’t so popular. Nearly three-fourths of respondents (72%) own a security camera, and a third have seen a neighbor doing something strange (31%). Of the percentage of neighbors with cameras, men are more likely to own cameras and notice odd things going on with their neighbors.
Almost half (49%) of incidents caught on camera were neighbors fighting with friends and family, while 35% of respondents reported seeing neighbors remove things from their or another neighbor’s yard.
However, it’s not all spice. Nearly a third of millennials, 31%, reported asking a neighbor for a cooking ingredient like sugar, and respondents over 77 years old following closely at 30%. Baby boomers and Gen X were less likely to ask for an ingredient at 20% and 14%, respectively.
