There is nothing quite like having neighbors. Unless you are best friends with the people that live immediately around you, it will undoubtedly take time for you to get to know who lives in the homes next door and across the street from you in Seattle. At Riach Gese Jacobs PLLC, we have been actively involved in helping people to solve disputes that have occurred between themselves and their neighbors.
While it is not uncommon for you to have a different opinion than another person, depending on that person’s relationship with you, you may be careful about the way you go about voicing your disagreement. Neighbors, for one thing, can be a challenge in that both they and you are sharing a property line. There will most likely be situations where you cross each other’s paths or are affected by each other’s behavior. Understanding what it means to be a good neighbor and being proactive in your efforts to show grace and civility is critical to your ability to maintain a cordial relationship.
Hgtv.com suggests some valuable ways that you can implement to be a good neighbor and hopefully resolve conflict before it escalates, or avoid disagreement of any kind in the first place. These ideas include the following:
- Do your part to maintain your property and its appeal.
- Be mindful of your neighbor’s space and kindly ask guests to park their vehicles on your property or the side street immediately in front of your home.
- Use respect and class when discussing neighborhood issues on social media.
- If you have pets, do your part to clean up after them and keep them on a leash if you are strolling around your neighborhood.
Your efforts to be a good neighbor and show respect to the people you share space with can play an invaluable role in reducing conflict. For more information about solving neighbor disputes, visit our web page.
