How are your neighbors?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I generally love the neighborhood and my neighbors in town. However, my immediate neighbors are a nightmare: dogs barking all hours of day and night, noise late at night and early in the morning, cats shitting in my garden, cigarette and weed smoking outside. Not just one house, the dogs are 4 different houses behind us, the cat owners are two down the block (related to each other, actually; every other person on the block manages to be able to respect the cat laws except this entitled family), and the noise and smoke are the next door neighbors.

So, if I could take about five families and drop them in a lake, I would definitely say yes to this neighborhood!

I think you bought my old house.

[Anonymous]

Live in close in VA suburb where half the neighbors are down to earth and half the neighbors have their head up their ass. The latter has absolutely no excuse, trust me. They look ridiculous.

These neighbors are all about knowing your information, not so theirs. Ick.

Probably would not choose to live here again, but instead, one of our former neighborhoods.

When we moved here, we were given the impression it was friendlier/nicer than it is. Always thought neighbors should be welcoming and not intrusive? Silly me.

[Anonymous]

AU Park here. My neighbors are rude, unfriendly, and all socially awkward. Can't wait for my kids to leave the nest so we can move to Dupont Circle or Georgetown.

[Anonymous]

Forest Glen area of Silver Spring. My neighbors are great. There are a couple weirdos, but for the most part we all get along well.

[Anonymous]

Beyond horrible-can you top this? we were young, didn't know better, bought in a rush in the peak of the market and didn't think to closely examine the neighborhood.... Having grown up in a rural community, my husband is way more bothered by the drama than I am........I almost find it a little amusing/titilating...... although now that we are expecting our first child, I'm sure I will be less enamored with it:

Montgomery Village townhome community.....

Neighbors to the left; bunch of 30-something guys who act like they are in their early 20s......underemployed, loud parties on all nights of the week, revolving door of hoochie girls, obnoxiously large hooter umbrella set in the backyard, and 1 large drug bust involving multiple DEA agents.

Neighbors to the right; Previous occupants were Section 8- multiple generations of 1 dysfunctional family living together. Son in his early 20s had 3 children by different mothers- would have loud domestic disputes outside with baby mommas- necesitating multiple visits from the police. Heard them verbally abusing their children through the walls; Multiple family members would sit out front, drinking, and making comments to the women walking by; Drug trafficking with endless cycle of cars pulling up and doing a quick exchange of money/drugs at front door; Rumored to have minor prostitution ring going on as well; Didn't take care of the house and it looked like a crack house from the outside; They were ultimately evicted and fled in the middle of the night. Current neighbors: much improved......not sure who lives there as there are multiple families living under one
roof....perhaps as many as 20........maybe more....; worst sins are that they have "auto graveyard" in the backyard, beyond tacky figurines in front, and blast horriffic music at random times during the day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: "the cat owners are two down the block (related to each other, actually; every other person on the block manages to be able to respect the cat laws except this entitled family)"

What are the cat laws?

In PG County, the cat laws are the same as the dog laws: they can only be off-leash and/or poop on your own property.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nope. About 75% of my neighbors drive Lexuses and Mercedes, don't pay their HOA dues, and are in the process of foreclosure.

How do you know? And, even if true, it is none of your business unless you have asked to pay their dues and back taxes. Sounds to me as though you are envious of their Lexus or Mercedes. Or, even, perhaps because they mind their own business and keep their nose of of the private lives of others. You might want to minding just your business, as well,

Its public record for foreclosures. Also, I'm on HOA board and see how we have to raise dues every year b/c half the street doesn't pay. So I consider it my business....

I drive a Mercedes myself, so not envious at all. But its paid for and so are my HOA dues...

You sound like this may have hit home a bit.... Time to review your bills and auto payments?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Beyond horrible-can you top this? we were young, didn't know better, bought in a rush in the peak of the market and didn't think to closely examine the neighborhood.... Having grown up in a rural community, my husband is way more bothered by the drama than I am........I almost find it a little amusing/titilating...... although now that we are expecting our first child, I'm sure I will be less enamored with it:

Montgomery Village townhome community.....

Neighbors to the left; bunch of 30-something guys who act like they are in their early 20s......underemployed, loud parties on all nights of the week, revolving door of hoochie girls, obnoxiously large hooter umbrella set in the backyard, and 1 large drug bust involving multiple DEA agents.

Neighbors to the right; Previous occupants were Section 8- multiple generations of 1 dysfunctional family living together. Son in his early 20s had 3 children by different mothers- would have loud domestic disputes outside with baby mommas- necesitating multiple visits from the police. Heard them verbally abusing their children through the walls; Multiple family members would sit out front, drinking, and making comments to the women walking by; Drug trafficking with endless cycle of cars pulling up and doing a quick exchange of money/drugs at front door; Rumored to have minor prostitution ring going on as well; Didn't take care of the house and it looked like a crack house from the outside; They were ultimately evicted and fled in the middle of the night. Current neighbors: much improved......not sure who lives there as there are multiple families living under one
roof....perhaps as many as 20........maybe more....; worst sins are that they have "auto graveyard" in the backyard, beyond tacky figurines in front, and blast horriffic music at random times during the day.

Please tell me you reported previous neighbors to the police....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Completely. We couldn't have done better if we had gone out and interviewed prospective neighbors. They are fabulous.

Ditto. I always say to DH, only half-jokingly, that we can never move because we love our neighbors so much.

[Anonymous]

19:05 - you are very wise! I can not emphasize that enough! You can buy the best house, but you can't buy neighbors.
I tell anyone with nice, friendly, normal, helpful but *not intrusive* neighbors to NEVER move! We have had some great neighbors, in the past. Knew it then, REALLY know it now.
You would not believe what our current neighbors b*tch about. Nothing that should impact them. Yet they think they own the neighborhood. Last time I checked, they did not, and had the least rights to say anything.
BACKTAXES ARE A B*TCH, however. MWAHAHAHAHA!!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love my neighborhood -- Chevy Chase DC. For the most part, my neighbors are wonderful. There are a few anti-social, paranoid types but they are harmless enough. Everyone else is generous and lovely.

I live in Chevy Chase, MD, few blocks over the line, and I could have written the same thing. Love my neighbors, hang out with them, but totally have those paranoid types.

Say more about the paranoid types - what are their symptoms? Curious to see if we have similar folk here.

[Anonymous]

Where I come from they say 'choose your neighbor before you choose your house'. Completely true. Bethesda. Neighbors all fine. I wonder though if they think of me as the anti-social one, I'm at work all day, so rarely see anyone.

[Anonymous]

We adore our neighbors in Spring Valley. Everyone keeps their yards neat and everyone is pleasant and courteous. Not a lot of potlucks and cocktails (maybe a few times a year), but I rather prefer it this way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We're in Merrifield, VA. (close-in Fairfax.) I don't particularly like the renters on one side of my townhouse (constant turnover, and they're loud at late hours), but I like my other neighbors. My neighborhood is pretty friendly, overall - it's very diverse, and people are always out walking so I've met just about everyone in the 'hood who has young kids and/or dogs. I don't really have friends in the neighborhood (which is why I want to move back to Arlington) but I do feel like we're surrounded by nice people.

Same here - are we neighbors?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love my neighborhood -- Chevy Chase DC. For the most part, my neighbors are wonderful. There are a few anti-social, paranoid types but they are harmless enough. Everyone else is generous and lovely.

I live in Chevy Chase, MD, few blocks over the line, and I could have written the same thing. Love my neighbors, hang out with them, but totally have those paranoid types.

Also in CC, MD -- mostly really nice folks -- interesting, friendly, helpful with carpools, playdates, etc., but a few nutjobs. Oh, well, that gives us something to gossip about, I guess.