Your relationship with your neighbors?
Posted by oovalap_@reddit | AskAnAmerican | View on Reddit | 273 comments
Do you or have you asked your neighbor(s) for something like eggs, salt, tools, or even to come over for dinner? If not, why? If so, what's the relationship like?
I've heard that if no one is going to start something, maybe you should but...to actually do that is like asking to be naked in public. yuk.
What's your take and story?
Playful-Eye-1738@reddit
Midwest here! I text one of my neighbor to the right all the time, we give each other food when we’ve made too much, we take turns taking the trash cans to the curb and bringing them back, we shovel each others sidewalks when it snows, his brother plows my driveway when it really snows. The neighbor behind me, we stop and talk to each other through the fence when we’re doing yard work at the same time. No idea what he looks like, but he’s going to let me have his gazebo when he sells the house in a couple years and moves. My neighbors to the right? I don’t like them. They are always screaming at their kid and it makes me sad. And the wife hacks up a lung for about 30 minutes straight every night on her back porch and it annoys me.
garster25@reddit
Yes! We have cocktail nights and invite over the good/friendly neighbors. We have built some great friendships that way and we watch out for each other. It's like we are all living in separate rooms in the same house, if a fire or flood or power affects one of us it affects all. Right now we are good fiends with a couple a few blocks over and we go over and play board games and go out to happy hours once a month "go play with the neighbors" I say. Another time we were out of town for the day, a box was delivered and it started raining. Texted a neighbor "please save our package". I had a truck and I've picked up large items for neighbors many times. We have used each other's trash and green waste cans. The list goes on and on.
No_Button_1750@reddit
We moved from Australia to Michigan in the height of winter. We thought our neighbours would come over and say hi and welcome us to the neighbourhood. Ha ha ha. Joke was on us. Nada, nothing, zilch.
My husband went over to our elderly female neighbour’s house the following wintwr and cleared her driveway and path with our snow blower while he was doing ours. She offered him the contract lol. That’s how we met her. Then she’d message me do assistance with bits and pieces around the house (helping her reach and change her smoke alarms) and to keep an eye out when she had contractors come over to do work. When she moved and the new retired couple moved in we went over and introduced ourselves and let them know to sing out if they needed anything.
They grab packages off our front door step if we’re away and we’ve helped them move furniture and water their trees while they’re away. We’ve both had each other over for drinks and snacks.
The neighbour across the road moved in to the rental mid last year and we went over and introduced ourselves to him and said for us a shout if you need anything. My husband has helped him out with snow clearing of his path as we have a snow blower and he only has a shovel.
The neighbour on the other side is a total mole. She walked past our house eight months after we moved in and saw my husband in the driveway and asked him if he was new around here. He told her we’ve moved in in January. My husband originally cleared her footpath when it snowed and helped her daughters out to do their driveway a couple of times but the mother has never said thank you so now she gets no assistance from us.
We also used to have a good relationship with our neighbour back in Australia before we moved but on reflection when I lived in an apartment building with people living closer I didn’t know who they were and people didn’t seem to engage at all.
Wermys@reddit
None I dont want to know them.
Wen60s@reddit
My next door neighbors are a wonderful young couple, and we’re very friendly. They’re my kids’ age and know them too, and we’ve visited back and forth. There’s another youngish couple across the street, and the wife and I trade off taking care of our cats when we go out of town. Other than those two families, there are a lot of renters, a lot of turnover.
No_Plankton2501@reddit
I’ve lived in my house 13 years. On one side I’ve never spoke to them and don’t even know their names.
On the other side, I know their names and will say hello in the driveway and ask occasional questions.
The next house down has a kid the same age as mine so we are very friendly with them. We have them over for dinner sometimes and they have us over. The kids play at both houses.
I have friendly chit chat with the two houses across the street but we don’t socialize.
DifferentEdge9918@reddit
We've got house keys to two of our neighbors houses, one of them have keys to ours and another one has the code to the lock. We all take care of each other's animals and watch our houses when we go out of town. We go on walks with our dogs with one of them, and in the summer at least once a week one of us is having a fire and get together. The random standing in the street shooting the shit and gossiping is regular. It's good to know the neighbors. To watch their backs and know they are looking out for yours.
JosephBlowsephThe3rd@reddit
Got a pound of butter from my neighbors yesterday after helping them in their garden... of course, they're my in-laws, so YMMV
AcceptableBeat6021@reddit
We visit my neighbors and they visit us. Help each other when needed. Hang out, cook out, go out. Love getting to know the people around me
AcceptableBeat6021@reddit
Short lookfun loving and young. Long looks moody and dangerous
Stateach@reddit
Oh yes I know every single neighbor & trust them fully. If I need anything they will be there. It’s really wonderful.
insufficient_garlic@reddit
I live in small condo community (13 units) all facing inward towards the pool, so we kind of have forced interactions. So everyone is mostly very friendly. One neighbor bakes frequently and always wants my opinion on her Baked goods (I work in a kitchen) and we share ingredients regularly.
Other neighbors borrow my power tools, I borrow a different neighbors shovel and pole saw for my garden. I've helped others with their cars, babysit their dogs. One neighbor always gives some folks rides to the airport, he also used to pick up one neighbors kid from school so she didnt have to leave work early or pay for after-school care.
Its a pretty good community, some say its reminiscent of Melrose Place (but not quite as nice)
Maurice_Foot@reddit
Oh HELL no!
We moved way out rural and our nearest neighbor is a 1/4 mile away. And that neighbor is my cousin who I grew up with. We’ve lived near each other for 20 years, never been inside each others’ places. However we do wave at each other if we pass on the road.
Nothing like growing up in an large extended family of loners, all living on old family farm land.
andyfrahm@reddit
We know some but, the ones we do know are good friends. We have regular get togethers, even a basement bar crawl. Some neighbors are like, “thanks but, I’ll pass”.
bonzai113@reddit
my neighbor and I have a trade agreement. l let him graze his livestock on my land and I get a portion of the meat when processed. yes, I have had his family over for dinner. I raise rabbits for meat and chickens for eggs. these are traded for different foods his family makes. When your neighbors are Amish, the food is incredible. Tools are trade back and forth. I consider my neighbors friends.
Judgy-Introvert@reddit
I’ve lived in the same neighborhood for 25 years. I know who they are and recognize their cars. They’ve waved. I’ve waved back. That’s about it.
scoschooo@reddit
This is a bit unusual - in most places neighbors will talk and be friends a little - even if never being social together. Not every month or regularly - but it's strange to have never talked to any of your neighbors.
No-Present760@reddit
I spent 7 years being stared at by my neighbor across the street every time I went to my car. She always sat out there, never waved, or even smiled. Just stared. I did say hello once in the beginning and just got a frumpy dirty look, so I just had to accept that this creeper was gonna stare my down every day. Weirdos.
CharlesDickensABox@reddit
In my experience, this is highly dependent on what sort of housing you're in. In a transient neighborhood like an apartment building, where people are constantly moving in and out, you probably won't get to know more than a couple of people. In a neighborhood where everyone owns their property, you'll probably meet most of your neighbors eventually and decide which ones you like enough to form closer bonds.
No-Present760@reddit
Unless every tenant on your street has been living there for years. We're a one-way street where apartments don't really have parking and it snows. We all help each other out when it comes to figuring out where to put all our cars, and we all agree on our parking on the street. My neighbor helped me change my brakes recently. And one guy walks to the corner store multiple times a day and asks if anyone needs anything. We sit on our front porches and say hi to everyone walking down the street. I've lent out some quarters for laundry or let my neighbor borrow my car when theirs was in the shop. It helps that my in-law also lives with us, and he's an extroverted, friendly old guy. He's always chivalrous with the ladies in the building and chitchatting with anyone who will listen. It's really nice to interact with people who aren't your coworkers or are being paid to provide you with a service. I think we need community more than ever.
Penguin_Life_Now@reddit
Exactly, when I was younger I once lived in the same apartment building with 6 apartments in it in a large apartment complex for almost 5 years, when we moved out we had lived there longer than everyone else in the building.
Cinisajoy2@reddit
Trailer parks seem to be the worst about nosy, in back pocket neighbors.
jackfaire@reddit
So I work nights. I'm on a nodding basis with my neighbors and I'm sure I've chatted with them in the local grocery store but we're not really on a first name basis due largely to the alternating schedules.
unrepentantlibboomer@reddit
My hubby is very friendly and outgoing. He knows everyone in the neighborhood and their pets by name. We each share foodstuffs, fruit & veggies from the garden and homemade treats. We help each other. I know I could go to any house on the block if I needed help.
kaik1914@reddit
I talk to neighbors on my left and right of the fence. We watch pets, helping with cleaning between our fence lines. We do not invite each other for dinners but we would have bbq or when I have bonfire, they bring a beer. Neighbors behind me - we never talked to, I do not know their names.
barksatthemoon@reddit
We know all of our immediate neighbors.
davidm2232@reddit
I share tools with neighbors all the time. We plow each others driveways. A few times a year, we end up grilling and having some burgers together
bigcat7373@reddit
I can walk into their house unannounced. I feed them all the time. They watch my dog all the time. It’s a mutual relationship. I don’t have any family where I live so it’s important to have people you can rely on.
SimpleAd1604@reddit
Same here. I’m not sure what I’d do without my neighbors.
Aquarius_K@reddit
My aunt recently came home to find her neighbors kids inside her house, TV on, candy stash opened. She didn't mind but was scared they could've turned the stove on or something and gotten hurt. The parents are very strange. They're never outside watching them. But they're all hippie dippie like won't let the kids have tablets or watch TV. It's weird. This is by a very busy road too.
MyUsername2459@reddit
Which sitcom do you live in?
Kuzu9@reddit
Seinfeld
bigcat7373@reddit
It feels like one sometimes. We only mvoed a year and a few months ago, but we’ve spent a ton of time together and built a pretty strong relationship.
They’re old enough to be my parents and the husband is a huge sports guy so I go over there to watch any big game with him since I’m into sports as well. The wife is the organizer which is also my role in the family so I’m always speaking with her. They’re my southern parents lol.
Substantial-Peak6624@reddit
❤️
rotbath@reddit
I have one neighbor relationship like this. We live in the same building and we’re close friends. Otherwise I don’t really know my neighbors, but I’m trying to change that for community organizing purposes.
TexasGiantTen05@reddit
My uncle and aunts neighbor and them “co-own” 2 dogs and would “co-parent” them. The dogs would come and go from each house as they please. Then they had a disagreement (the humans), and somehow one dog is in exclusive custody to the neighbor and now only the other dog is allowed to move between each house. Idk how this related but it reminded me of that somehow.
SimpleAd1604@reddit
My 77 year-old next door neighbor (or his grandson) mows my lawn for me. His son (who lives down the road) is my handyman. When my water heater sprung a leak, he had the replacemnt in in about four hours. His other son lives down the road in the other direction and he swapped out my snow tires yesterday. I take food over for the (widowed) dad when I make a big batch of something. The sons usually get some of that, too. They’re over there a lot. Or cookies, pie, cake, whatever. If I take something over that needs to be refrigerated and no one’s there and the door’s not locked, I’ll go in and leave it in the fridge. I’ve knit hats for them, and will give small random gifts because they’re so good to me. And I’m on friendly terms with the neighbor‘s brother-in-law (also a widower) whose house is on the other side of mine. He splits his time between here and the city. He likes to pick my lilacs. Any one of those four will clear my driveway of snow if it’s too much for me.
I’ve met the woman who lives across the road in my neighbor’s rental once and we had a nice conversation. I’m only on a “Hi, how ya doin’?” basis with the guy who lives in the other rental. I know the neighbors in back a little. They’re good neighbors. The husband has dementia and goes for walks in the neighborhood so I keep an eye out for him. I’m lucky to live where I do.
seatownquilt-N-plant@reddit
One house I don't know them at all. The house rents by the room and the landlord manages that not the housemates.
The other house is a family. We have not interacted that much. Their kids were frequently locking themselves out and they asked to use our ladder a few times to let themselves in.
khurd18@reddit
Ive known my neighbors for the last 21 years and I'm only 25. Theyre all basically family, we help each other out with things, can walk into each others houses with just one simple knock on the door, support each other through hard times
Boopa0011@reddit
I know all my neighbors and am pretty good friends with a few of them. My neighborhood (small city urban, west coast) in general feels pretty tight knit. We have block parties.
Same was true in the neighborhood I grew up in (very surban, east coast.)
This hasn't generally been the case when I've lived in very big cities or in particularly rich places. Those have felt much more anonymous.
flyingsqueak@reddit
I've lived in four different states, this is the first time I've ever known my neighbors. I consider us very close for neighbors, we share tools and help in emergencies if possible. We've gone to local events with a few of them a couple times. I don't think we'd just invite each over for dinner, but maybe we would in another year or two (we've lived here a little under a year). At my last home we would nod hello to neighbors, but it was really just like seeing any other stranger.
At my grandparents' home in a different state, as a kid in the 1990s there was one older woman neighbor that my cousin and I visited a couple times a year. She traveled a lot when she was younger and we liked hearing about it and seeing her souvenirs from around the world. We also played with a neighbor kid occasionally. My mother lives there now and has met all the neighbors around her and could ask for a missing ingredient or maybe share tools, but wouldn't really hang out with them or invite them over for a meal unless it was related to a major life event. Like if someone had a loss in the family or something like that my mother would bring them food, but wouldn't just invite a neighbor over on a normal Friday.
Glittering_Shift3261@reddit
The neighborhood party is always at our house. My guy knows everyone. I’m introverted, but don’t mind hosting. Borrow out loan out all the time. Sometimes get stuff back with a “ooooh so that’s where it went! Already replaced that!” Love our neighborhood. Only been here a decade. Before that was apts. Knew neighbors there too. Most were pretty decent. Some were just weird. Avoided the weird. Weird was underwear to bring guy to her place, move furniture around for few hours, next guy came to rearrange the furniture back. That’s what we called it🤣Also had several dogs that never saw the light of day, thankfully she was evicted. Apt management said they had to remove carpets and chemical clean the floors and walls. We moved…
Oktodayithink@reddit
My neighbors and I regularly ask each to be for items like egg, sugar, tools and even have permission to go into a house if people are not there.
And we don’t even replace the food item usually. It will be an even trade at some point when the other person needs something
disapproving_cake@reddit
I have one neighbor that asks for everything from pumpkin pie spice to money. I'm not fond of them. I have new neighbors on the other side who help without my asking and I do the same (shoveling snow/dog out/simple normal stuff) and the rest of the time a general friendly wave suffices. I prefer the new neighbors 100%. I could trip over the neighbors across the street and not know who they are. They are also preferred neighbors. Every time I have had any kind of actual involvement within a neighborhood over a sustained time it's ended with me being unhappy. It's always them asking or wanting more of something. I've learned to protect my peace.
geri73@reddit
There was a time, back in the 90s, that I knew a lot of my neighbors. There was one I gave a key to so that she could use my phone, stove, tub, whatever she needed. We were both struggling single moms at the time and lived next door in apartments. I had dropped out of college after two years but I eventually found my career gig and I moved and we lost contact. I miss her and I hope she's doing well. We really had fun together bonding and I miss that connection. That connection is hard to come by these days.
Perfect_Cold_6112@reddit
One neighbor doesn't really live in his home. Used it while he was working at the local air base or something like that. The other neighbor is a renter.
Responsible_Side8131@reddit
My closest neighbor is like 1/4 mile up the road, and their house is not even visible from the road. In the winter when there are no leaves on the trees, I can see their lights. I couldn’t tell you anything about them because I’ve never actually seen them.
BusyBeinBorn@reddit
It might sound creepy, but I know the kids that my kids are friends with and don’t know much about the parents. Some of the kids are always around in the afternoons and will grab Capri Suns or popsicles out of the garage, but I’m sure my kids offered them at some point. They’re outside kids though. I don’t let them in the house and certainly not on the furniture.
bgdv378@reddit
My neighbor across the road and I chat every few weeks while mowing or doing snow removal.
KillBologna@reddit
hell, no. I like my privacy. Small talk. thats all.
UsedSatisfaction6395@reddit
Typical NewYorker then I suppose
KillBologna@reddit
100% you probably think i live in Nyc, which isn’t the case, I just like my privacy. Don’t play like everyone that is not in NY the state, has a sitcom situation with their neighbors where they can barge in like Kramer.
UsedSatisfaction6395@reddit
New York appeared under ur user name hence the assumption! But laughed at ur description “barge in like Kramer” Enjoy ur solitude it’s relaxing, I know
cornlip@reddit
I hate being from NY and everyone thinks the whole massive state is the city. I’m from a quarry town full of guilders and hicks.
Bcatfan08@reddit
Even small talk is a bit much.
cornlip@reddit
When I met mine he said he was glad I wasn’t an N word so I don’t really talk to him. He’s tried to get me to hang out a few times, but I’m good. I wish I had a neighbor I wanted to hang out with.
NoDoOversInLife@reddit
Wtf. Your neighbor is an asshole
cornlip@reddit
Seems like it. He also has a giant Trump flag and I have a fuck Trump flag I’m afraid to put up. I mean he was nice to me. Gave me some eggs and peaches cause he has chickens and trees, but if I wasn’t white he wouldn’t have. I fucked with him and pretended my friend and I were gay to gauge his response. That was hilarious.
-Boston-Terrier-@reddit
How much privacy would you really be giving up by asking them over for dinner?
One_Bicycle_1776@reddit
Some people just don’t want to set that precedent with their neighbors, and there’s nothing wrong with that
KillBologna@reddit
A lot. Do you understand that eating in silence would be very weird, so we would have to talk ourselves? Gross.
-Boston-Terrier-@reddit
Dude, you need to touch grass lol.
KillBologna@reddit
And people from Long Island should stay inside with your trumpet ass accent.
jinger13raven@reddit
Nothing like that. I don't even know his first name. (His kids and dog, yes, but not him.) However, this past awful winter, he once cleared all 21" of snow from my drive and sidewalks and I baked him a pie by way of thanks.
funktion666@reddit
City is less relationship usually.
Suburbs are more relationships. Kids and all.
Rural is hardly any people, so you best know everyone in your county and the surrounding ones.
Totodile386@reddit
I introduced myself to my immediate neighbors when I moved in. One of them is more talkative and has helped me with tools, home repair, and moving stuff.
For the most part, though, I otherwise have no business with them. I keep to myself.
nakedonmygoat@reddit
I live in a closely knit inner city neighborhood. Many of us know each other, we have parties throughout the year, and some of us exchange keys. After a hurricane in 2008, as soon as the storm had passed and it was only drizzling, we all went outside to help clear the streets. We bring each other food in crises. We check on our elderly neighbors.
Part of why we're so close is that many of us either currently work for the nearby university, or we're retired from there, so we know each other from that context. We have faculty, staff, a retired dean, a coach or two, and even some students who rent what used to be detached garages and have been converted into apartments.
Another reason we're close is that the neighborhood has been here since the 1930s and there are people here who are 3rd generation homeowners. By now we probably have a 4th generation homeowner or two as well.
My experience is not the norm, but I mention it to show that such neighborhoods do still exist, even in big cities, just minutes away from downtown. It's not just a small town or suburban thing.
Content-Elk-2037@reddit
We are very close with our neighbors and we all borrow things from each other regularly.
Kennesaw79@reddit
I don't know the women who live on either side of me, or the family across the street, aside from waving "hello" when we cross paths while coming and going. But I do belong to my neighborhood book club and know about 20 people from that.
cwcam86@reddit
I wave and say hello if they're outside when I happen to be and that's about it. I couldn't ask for better neighbors.
LetterheadClassic306@reddit
i've definitely borrowed sugar and a hammer from neighbors before. honestly it's not as weird as it feels in your head. most people are pretty chill if you just knock and say hey i'm your neighbor from two doors down. i started by just waving when i saw them outside then worked up to asking for small stuff. now we watch each other's mail when someone travels. it takes time but one little ask breaks the ice faster than you'd think.
DogsBikesAndMovies@reddit
My neighbor has my dog at the moment. I'm about to go get her. We share groceries and cooked meals.
Worth_Reply_6002@reddit
I give my neighbor extra eggs
ohfrackthis@reddit
No and I wouldn't unless it was a hurricane and it's flooded and my power is out and we need a boat. For real I live in the ex burbs of Houston and this is the only realistic scenario of me talking to neighbors. Yes, I am an awkward introvert and every one of my neighbors seems to be extremely gregarious and extroverted and I just want to be in my house minding my own business.
Suitable-Lawyer-9397@reddit
I live in a small town, pop 12,000. I know several people on my block and the surrounding blocks. My neighbor across the street is 87. I've often borrowed things from her. The elderly have a difficult time getting around. When I bake, I bring plates to many of them.
Sugah-mama21@reddit
Never, we are cordial but not friends.
PrimaryDry2017@reddit
Just moved for retirement, before that I lived in the same neighborhood for about 35 years it was a very stable neighborhood the 6 closest neighbors all got along very well, anyone had a bonfire everyone else was more than welcome to couple times a year someone would actually plan a get together. The neighborhood I moved to 3 months ago we know and get along well with the 3 neighbors closest to us and have already attended one larger get together.
AnybodySeeMyKeys@reddit
Depends on the neighborhood and your neighbors.
Our first house was made up of a bunch of young marrieds. Really walkable. We'd be in the back yard, people would say hi at the fence, and we'd invite them in for beers. Next thing you know, we'd be making burgers and hanging out until midnight.
Second house? In a neighborhood that wasn't walkable. Totally different experience. Barely knew any of our neighbors.
Now? We live in a high rise condominium now that the kids are on their own. We know everyone on our floor, but they're all considerably older. However, we've made friends with a few people in the building.
NoDoOversInLife@reddit
Suburban Los Angeles checkin' in! I know all my neighbors. We check in one another homes when in vacay. And check in one another when there's an earthquake. I've even had one leave their dog with me to dog sit during an unexpected trip outta town
SouthernStyleGamer@reddit
I wish. We have some nice neighbors, but we're on waving terms. Our other neighbors are methheads, and they also steal things.
CraftyFraggle@reddit
We live semi rural. We are good friends with one set of neighbors (diagonally across the street). I talk with the wife regularly. They’ve come to dinner and brunch, we borrow eggs, craft items and tools. We let each other’s dogs out, etc.
We have a good neighborly relationship with another family (next door). We’ve swap chores, borrowed eggs and other items, helped each other with projects, chatted, etc. and they’ll come let the dogs out if needed.
And we’re friendly but more distant with two other couples nearby.
My parents in the city are good friends with one next door neighbors and the family across the street, and are making friends with the new neighbors next door on the other side.
VisionAri_VA@reddit
I’m on cordial terms with most of my neighbors but it’s limited to chatting each other up when we cross paths.
Consistent_Damage885@reddit
I know most of our neighbors and some of them we talk every few weeks.
Those of you who don't know your neighbors, it is a good idea to introduce yourself and talk a little. Neighbors who know you keep an eye out for anything wrong and can help protect your property or even save your life someday, or maybe you end up doing that for one of them.
Jdawn82@reddit
I live in an apartment complex and don’t know the name of a single neighbor. I have 1 who I exchange pleasantries with.
Slight_Literature_67@reddit
Except for my next-door neighbor, I get along with the rest of my neighbors. Everyone kind of looks out for each other.
Zephyr_Dragon49@reddit
I don't know or want to know them. I live in the ghetto. One is a felon for violent charges. One has screaming matches outside at midnight every so often and just had a driveby last weekend because of how much it escalated. One had a driveby a couple years ago that my contractor witnessed while he was doing my windows and siding. Said they argued over a fridge, left, and 3 people returned & unloaded into the trailer in broad daylight and took off. Said the sheriff came up and complimented the upgrades I was having done and didn't even get a witness statement from him. The next street over is where someone was having a house party and I delivered pizza to one of the people. Someone else came out and warned me there's rumors in there that another attendee is thinking about robbing a driver so I had to blacklist the address (another delivery did get ordered online and I called them to tell them that they are banned from deliveries. They refused to do carryout. Sus) The other street over is a run down trailer park with the rudest most miserable people in the entire little town. A couple houses up the road is a drug house that always comes out yelling and threatening people if they mistake his house for a nearby delivery.
I don't want to know these people. I haven't been stolen from or shot at because I cause no trouble and pry into no business.
IconoclastExplosive@reddit
My current neighbors on both sides speak little to no English. I've shoveled their driveway when it snows and I'm doing mine and the lady on one side asked if she could have fruit off a tree but that's it.
travelinmatt76@reddit
I saw my neighbor beating a dog with a shovel so I called the police. He doesn't like me.
Wixenstyx@reddit
We nod and wave. Sometimes we say hi.
If they ever needed anything, I would 100% do what I could to help, but I would be surprised that they asked.
I do wish we were closer/friendlier, but this is common in our area.
Jhooper20@reddit
Amicable with the one, don't talk daily or anything, but the occasional chat happens. Neighbor on the other side is non existent due to the house there having burned down years ago and has yet to be rebuilt. Across, I don't even know the names of, though I do give the occasional wave when I see them.
DummyThiccDude@reddit
Ive spoken to maybe 3 other people that live in my apartment complex, but i only knew one of their names. Havent seen him in like a year so idk if he even lives here anymore.
Especially now, working overnights, i just dont run into many neighbors.
Worldly_Advisor9650@reddit
My family gets on like that with their neighbours. I'm much more reserved. I've lived 4 years next to mine and we've helped each other remove snow and talked to eachother then but that's about it.
Vegetable-Star-5833@reddit
I can’t wait for him to die or go to jail
Aquarius_K@reddit
I've had both. My neighbors at my childhood home were more like family, they actually bought me a purple mountain bike for Christmas. My aunts current neighbors come over all the time, their kids have toys and candy and such at their house. They play with my daughter every time we come over. BUT, my current neighbors at my house are neighbors from hell. They're loud and scream curse words all day. They let their pit bull run loose every single day on purpose. She's had 3 or 4 boyfriends in the last couple years which is fine, girl power, but they're all annoying and fight all the time. My other neighbors just don't talk to anyone. Except one old lady, she used to invite us to church till she passed. I would clean off her car and sidewalk every time it snowed and she would let my daughter sled in her yard.
OrganizationSouth481@reddit
We’re close with our next door neighbor on our left. We exchange Christmas gifts and whatnot. And are cordial with the rest. We have had our neighbor to our right knock on our door asking for eggs before. Recently too. It was during an ice storm so getting to a store wasn’t an option. We, of course, happily gave them the eggs.
Quirky-Invite7664@reddit
I love our neighbors! We help each other out all the time.
kibbeuneom@reddit
I routinely borrow tools from both neighbors. I watch one neighbor' cats when they're out of town and he mows my front lawn because the engine noise makes my tinnitus bad. I've had the couple with the cats over for dinner. The other neighbor I talk to over our short fence and they give our kids a gift to share every Christmas.
Current_Poster@reddit
My neighbor once was in a car accident while on a trip to another state, and so I watched her apartment, fed her cat and stacked out her mail for the family members who came by to look in on the place. I was already watching her cat for the weekend when it happened.
Lostsock1995@reddit
The only neighbor I know is the one that has a dog, and I only know him because I love his dog and we’ve talked about how great said dog is together and I say hi when we’re both out and about at the same time. But even then I just know his name and that he has that dog lmao. I wouldn’t ask him for eggs/tools/etc
MuchDevelopment7084@reddit
On one side, they keep to themselves. And never return a hello or good morning. So I don't waste any time with them anymore. It'll be ignored anyway.
The other side is a single mom renter. She's polite. But is never outside unless it's to leave; or let her dog out.
So effectively, I have no relationship with either of them.
MakeStupidHurtAgain@reddit
Two of my neighbors go to my (small) gym and we’re friends. I’ve definitely borrowed tools and a cup of sugar from a neighbor. I have most of my near neighbors’ phone numbers and we watch out for each other—one has a 20 year old granddaughter who gets home late at night and once texted me asking if I’d walk her from her car back to her grandma’s at night because we do have a problem with transients.
We also have a WhatsApp group so that we can take care of any issues, and several of us are on a neighborhood watch.
This is suburban Los Angeles, by the way.
Bluemonogi@reddit
“ Do you or have you asked your neighbor(s) for something like eggs, salt, tools, or even to come over for dinner? If not, why? If so, what's the relationship like?”
No. We have one neighbor on our side of the street. They are very religious and we are not. We are polite but distant. I have lived here since about 2007. In the past I lived in a neighborhood with houses close together where people sat on porches and kids played all over. Sometimes it was nice but it could also be intrusive at times. I am fine with not being buddies with my neighbors versus the annoyance of them always being in my face whenever I go outside. My other neighbors have not approached me either. Our houses are not close together.
I don’t ask to borrow stuff. I go to the store if I need something. I have friends or family if I need help.
bananapanqueques@reddit
They've left a key for us to take out their dog on occasion. We ask each other for ingredients, have gone to dinner a few times, and warn each other about building issues (elevator usually) and neighborhood issues (coyotes in the parking lot). I've offered myself as an emergency contact if their kiddo needs to be picked up from daycare. We don’t hang out on the regular, though. IDK if they would call us friends, but i would call them friends.
The other neighbor is newer. I've brought her sympathy macarons when she had plumbing issues and always say howdy when I see her. We took turns watching a lost kitty in the hallway. We are acquaintances but not yet friends.
macoafi@reddit
There are 3 other houses in my neighborhood containing people who went to college with one of my in-laws. They come over for game nights. We get together for cookouts. Yeah, we pop over to each others' houses when we run out of coffee or sugar or when we've made brownies and want to share. We help out with tech support and handyman type tasks, and they pay us back with dinner.
When I go back to visit my dad, I stop in with the neighbors. I'll just ring the doorbell and visit a while. One time for Thanksgiving I took pie dough and macerated apples, then assembled the pie at his house. My dad doesn't own a rolling pin, which I find bizarre. Anyway, I went to the next-door neighbor's house and borrowed hers. Another of his neighbors was his neighbor when they were little kids too. I took a slice of pie over that guy's house once, and he answered the door, sent me to the back door, and snarfed that pie standing in the doorway before his family could see what he had.
Defiant_Finger4011@reddit
I have one neighbor, she’s older, (she could be my mom) and she’s literally asked to borrow a cup of sugar, flour, corn starch, even food dye, maybe an egg or two. We aren’t super close, we don’t gossip much together, but we know each other enough for her to ask those things. I’m probably also the only one on our small street that happens to have a full pantry of actual ingredients. She has more money than me, but she doesn’t ask enough that it’s a financial burden. I know if she’s asking she’s in the middle of making something for her grandkids and realized she’s short.
I know that if we go out of town she will get my mail, take care of my trash cans, keep an eye on the house.
It all goes both ways.
Penguin_Life_Now@reddit
It depends on the neighbor, we have lived in our current house for 4 years, and have a sharing food, borrowing stuff, come over for burgers, etc. relationship with one that is next door, and one across the street. The neighbors on the other side next to us have lived there for about 2 years and we barely know. I think the only time I have spoke to them is when a package was misdelivered. Other neighbors in the immediate area vary, the house 2 doors down is owned by a local church minister, and I have a passing misdelivered package relationship with them, and they occasionally walk around the neighborhood sharing fruit from their fruit trees and invite people to their church.
Cinisajoy2@reddit
When I was growing up, we had good neighbors. M let us use her lawn for gymnastics and Mrs. T even put in a beautiful driveway after one of the neighbor kids got hurt rolling skating in front of her house. All us kids admired that driveway. So one day, I got the courage up to ask if we could use it. She said see that broom. I said yes ma'am. She said as long as you sweep it off first, you can all skate on the driveway. Needless to say, she had the cleanest driveway on the block. It was at least 2 car lengths wide and no idea how many feet. But we never skated under the carport part.
Cinisajoy2@reddit
Not with the neighbors I have now. Where I lived previously, they were always around.
The neighbors now, most would help each other if need be. But we don't get in each others business. Though they may have laughed at me when I made corn tortillas. Including the 2 older women who didn't speak English. Every one of them gave me the same recipe with store name and brand name. I have helped the neighbor kids with homework when they were younger. They all kept an eye on the house when my husband was in the hospital. But get togethers not so much. Borrowing stuff not really.
Part of the problem may be the language barrier.
Adorable_Dust3799@reddit
I rarely need anything, and have never asked. I've had neighbors come ask for things, and I've offered. For example the guy next door was trimming a small tree and i loaned him my little chainsaw..
sics2014@reddit
I have no idea who my neighbors are. They come and go. Some never seem to leave the apartment.
KrazySunshine@reddit
Same with me! I’ve spoken to the woman in the apartment above mine a few times and another woman a few times but everyone tends to keep to themselves
Zealousideal_Crow737@reddit
This is the most MA responsible lmao
Eubank31@reddit
Tbf it's the same for me. Never met or talked to my neighbors
TheJessicator@reddit
Well, it's more an urban and higher density suburban thing just about anywhere. So it may be a Boston or a Worcester thing. But we're a bit more friendly out here in Western Mass.
Shot-Artichoke-4106@reddit
Well first, I try not to be naked in front of my neighbors.
I live in a building with about 100 units and I know some of my neighbors by name and some of them only by sight. Others, I've never seen at all. I don't specifically hang out with anyone, but I make small talk or at least say hello when I see them. Sometimes there is more to talk about - like when we had a plumbing issue and needed to coordinate with our downstairs neighbors.
KrazySunshine@reddit
When I was a kid our neighbors were my best friends and I’d be at there house everyday and they would ask us for stuff and the same with us asking them for stuff. In the first house I owned my husband and I were friends with a couple close to us but after we moved from that house we never got to know our neighbors in the other houses, everyone is always busy and it’s fine with me
-Boston-Terrier-@reddit
We're all pretty friendly.
There are 18 houses on my street and we share a private boat basin and beach. Each of the houses has a deeded slip in the boat basin and we all make pretty good use of both so we've all gotten to know each other pretty well. There's also a lot of kids my kids' ages on the block so they play together and we see the other parents up at school.
The demographics helps. We're all about the same age with two houses being in their 60s but the rest of us between our early 40s and mid 50s. We're all married example for one household where the wife passed away about a year ago. Most of us have kids who are K-12 aged.
dangleicious13@reddit
I've owned my house for about 14 years. I don't know the name of anyone on my street.
Dr_Watson349@reddit
This is me.
My wife knows some of their names but I don’t think she actually talks to them.
Which_Initiative_882@reddit
If I walked to my neighbors door 3-4 times a week I would be in much better physical shap than I am. When distance stops being measured in 'feet', any sort of regular neighborly relations kinda falls apart.
Obligatory-Reference@reddit
When I last lived in a house, I only ever know one of my neighbors. I met another one as I was moving out :D
Now, I'm in a four-unit apartment building. Two of my neighbors I know well enough to small talk or text if one of us needs a favor, the third might as well be a ghost.
SteampunkRobin@reddit
I’ve spoken to the lady on one side a few times, and the people across the street once. I cannot remember anyone’s name. They seem friendly enough I could ask to borrow something and they’d give it, but I wouldn’t impose myself on them as the nearest grocery store is a 3 minute drive. Tool shop is 8 minutes (if I hit the lights).
I’ve never invited any neighbors to eat at my house as being on friendly terms is not the same as being friends. I don’t know anyone who’s ever invited their neighbors over to eat, unless it was a big cookout/BBQ with lots of people invited already.
Pitiful_Bunch_2290@reddit
They take my trash bin to the curb when I'm traveling. I do the same if they are out of town.
No_Sorbet1634@reddit
Growing up we were pretty good friends with all our immediate and most of the secondary neighbors on the street, dinners every once in a while and invitations to weekend cookouts. It also didn’t hurt I was friends with their kids or grand kids. I hung out with the older lady next door twice a week and played cards until she moved.
Now I’d duel one of them if it was legal, but we’re pretty friend with our other neighbor. We share tools or equipment somewhat regularly and split the cost of a new fence, just not hangout type of neighbors.
gregsw2000@reddit
Never speak to any of my neighbors, other than one old lady who lives in the apartment with an adjoining entrance. She's nice enough, but I hear here changing in tongues every morning in relation to whatever religious cult she is part of.
rebby2000@reddit
So, my relationship with my neighbors (in this case, specifically the two houses on either side, and the 3 across from those + my house) are...friendly-ish? Like, one of them I could easily go and ask to borrow sugar/help with something and we trade baked goods on the holidays. The ones directly across we get along with okay. Not as close, but we do sometimes trade baked goods and I might be able to ask to borrow a cup of sugar or to use the phone if needed. The other 3 are mostly smile and wave.
jessek@reddit
They’re okay people but I don’t have much interaction with them.
alkatori@reddit
Nope. He decided to try and build across the property lines. With each neighbor.
He's pretty well ignored once we got surveyors involved and fences built.
Char_siu_for_you@reddit
So, how do you and the folks on the other side of him get along?
anneofgraygardens@reddit
I know my next door neighbors on one side quite well. I live in my childhood home because I am my mom's caretaker, and my neighbors have lived here longer than us. They have a son who's my age and when we were kids we would play together. We aren't like, super best friends, but we always stop to chat, I have borrowed ingredients from them on occasion, and they bring my mom roses from their garden in the summer. They're also very conservative evangelical Christians and we are not, which is probably why we're not closer, since they have occasionally tried to evangelize at us. For instance, when my dad was dying, my neighbor wanted to lay hands on him and pray, which got my mom so flustered my sister had to step in and politely refuse.
Other neighbors I know a bit, but not nearly as well. They haven't been here nearly as long, but after a long string of renters, they purchased the house so I figure they're be here for a long time. However, we don't even know their last name. We call them the "Steve and Jennifers" (not their real names). But they have a junk hauling business which is a very handy business for your neighbor to have. They've given us the neighbor discount when we needed old junk hauled away.
Loud_Inspector_9782@reddit
Yes we do know each other. We have borrowed things from each other. We have cooked food for each other. Have been to parties at other's homes, and have had neighbors to ours.
gato-afortunado@reddit
Yes, I have some great neighbors. We each have keys to each other’s houses, feed or walk pets, and do give them the occasional egg or things they’re missing or need. I just borrowed a couple of things to help do physical therapy on my ankle - these would be very expensive if I bought them myself. It is just such a comfort, knowing others are looking out for you and you look out for them. We’re on friendly terms with most of the others around us.
Char_siu_for_you@reddit
I live in a very remote area that is very isolated in winter. My neighbors are my coworkers and social network. A guy from across the street was just over at the neighbor’s who takes care of my dog occasionally, to load him on to an ambulance at five in the morning. During winter if someone goes out they are most certainly picking up groceries for someone else on their way back in. Even in summer I end up bringing take n bake pizzas in for multiple people. We stockpile for winter so borrowing doesn’t occur too often, but when it does people will be making phone calls to get you what you need. I hauled snowmobiles out to the snow road cut yesterday, so my neighbor could leave today. A guy’s dog ate a bunch of dark chocolate last week, the whole neighborhood came together to get the dog to vomit. I was just over at my neighbors for venison stew the other night and I brought a bunch home. I know my neighbors very well, hang out with them, respect them and rely on them very much. Also, I’m probably the grumpy, asshole neighbor here.
drunkerton@reddit
We have regular block parties, for Easter the whole street puts eggs out for the kids even if they don’t have kids.
Substantial-Peak6624@reddit
I think i used to live in your neighborhood! I moved so😞
lsp2005@reddit
We have amazing neighbors. We have a block party. We all look out for one another. We are not in each other’s business, but if anyone needed anything we are all there for one another. It is just the right amount of communication for me.
GreenBeanTM@reddit
One of my neighbors we used to give a Christmas present to every year, he’d occasionally snowblow our driveway, and a few times used his pliers to open helium cans we couldn’t.
Other house next to me I used to be friends with their sons but we grew apart, only time I talk to any of them is when I happen to be picking raspberries at the same time as the dad (they have a huge garden/mini farm and their raspberry plants grew into my family’s backyard)
House across the street sat empty for years until a woman moved in like 3 years ago. I’ve had 2 interactions with her and neither was great.
Small village so I have more people I’d consider neighbors, but those are technically all of them and the others fall somewhere between “don’t talk to them” and “not great”
Substantial-Peak6624@reddit
A few neighbors like this. But we live in a seasonal town and most aren’t here more than 4 months a year.
Fnthsch592@reddit
I keep to myself, and I assume they all do too for the most part. Only one person has ever introduced themselves since I moved in, and most of my interactions are either neighbors complaining because I have a bird feeder or don’t mow my lawn/rake leaves as much as they want me to (I have a schedule, it just doesn’t match their desires.)
Finzinnati@reddit
All of the neighbors on my street are very close. We have a weekly Sunday potluck outside of someone’s house every weekend when there’s nice weather. We celebrate holiday parties together. The men get together to play darts or watch sports, the women have a book club, and go out for girls nights. We all keep an eye on each other’s kids. We help each other with yard and house projects, and loan food, tools, and any other needs to each other as needed.
As a matter of fact, I am getting ready now to run down to my neighbor’s house to take care of their dog while they are out of town.
We have a group chat going for our street- so it’s easy to keep everyone in the loop. Often, on a nice night, someone might just text, “porch is open” or “fire’s lit” and then anyone who wants to hang out will wander down for a bit.
We have all been in each others houses, which is always a little funny because all of the homes on our street have basically the same layout- it’s interesting to see how different families make use of the different spaces. Almost all of our homes were built in the late 1960s/early 1970s- some are updated and very modern and nice, some homes still have a lot of original features. It’s interesting to see.
Some neighbors on our street do tend to keep to themselves more, and that’s fine, but all are welcome to join in if they want.
I live in the Midwest in a suburban area outside of a mid-size city. While I think it’s normal for neighbors in our area to be friendly, I don’t think most neighborhoods are as tight knit as we are. I really consider our family lucky to live on this street and in this neighborhood.
NeverRarelySometimes@reddit
We communicate often with the neighbor on the west side of our house, take in the mail when they travel and vice versa, and help each other out with little things. We go to dinner with them several times a year. We are friendly, but not as involved with the neighbor to their west.
The people across the street notify us when they're traveling, and we go over often to socialize with their toddler.
The neighbor to the east of us? We wave as we drive past, but don't talk much. Their front door faces a different street, and we simply don't run into them that often. That being said, the woman there saw my husband struggling to take down a Christmas decoration, and sent her very tall 14 year-old-son over to help.
Life is so much better when you're neighborly with your neighbors.
Utterlybored@reddit
I live on 3 acres. Each neighbor lives on 3.5 acres. Our land is all heavily wooded. We see each other socially from time to time and get along great, but otherwise, we don’t interact much. Perfect witch.
pfcgos@reddit
Growing up, we had a really good relationship with our neighbors. They were a sweet elderly Jewish couple and my brother and I called them Grandma Rose and Grandpa Max. I don't think we ever went over to ask for ingredients when we were short, but they definitely had dinner at our house sometimes and we at theirs. Since they both passed and their son had to sell the house, a couple has moved in and they're nice if passive aggressive at times. I've never had to ask them for ingredients and I've never had them over for dinner, but we've invited them to share some of the homemade ice cream we make to eat while we watch the city fireworks for the 4th of July.
Avocadobaguette@reddit
My neighbors on both sides are retired and they are all delightful. We are very lucky. I have been asked for a half cup on rum once when the neighbor on the left ran out in the middle of making a holiday rum cake, and was asked for a cup of sugar when the neighbor on the right ran out while making cookies. Both times I was just so excited to be asked like I was in an 80s sitcom.
The neighbor on the right is a single retired woman and she comes over for most holiday dinners. She'll be here this weekend for Easter too, along with other family and friends. She's an absolute delight. The neighbors in the left have a large family with adult children and young grandchildren, but they always invite us over for Christmas eve when they lay out a big Italian buffet.
On a nice day, we sit on our front patio and sometimes neighbors stop by for a chat or a drink. It's utterly delightful and I never want to live anywhere else. We live in baltimore.
holiestcannoly@reddit
I'm friends with my downstairs neighbors... that relationship started when we had tornadoes, and I asked if I could shelter at their place since they're on the first floor and have a basement
Phantomtastic@reddit
I’ve offered my neighbors my phone number in case of toys or pets that have gone over the fence but I’ve never asked them about or for anything. I’ve gone over to give them misdirected mail but never spoken to them in the process.
My neighbors are the people that live next door. That’s pretty much the extent of the relationship. I acknowledge their presence when I see them but we’re not friends and we do not socialize.
tasukiko@reddit
Apartment people here. We sometimes accidentally see each other when one of us is leaving or coming back in. They did once accidentally complain about us thinking we were playing loud video games or movies at night but it was actually the pipes in the building and we were hearing the same rumbles and groans but knew what it was and had told the building management, so they came to apologize and gave us a bottle of wine. But yeah, that's about it. We generally don't get too cozy with anyone because it's apartments, people move in and move out semi regularly. Who knows how long any one neighbor is going to stay your neighbor.
SorcererSupremPizza@reddit
I forgot their names and at this point im afraid to ask
HeatwaveInProgress@reddit
I totally never asked the name of the neighbor on the right, and after a few years it would be weird. I looked the house up on the county public assessment website and now I am sure the name is Luis.
alicecuriouser@reddit
I've never met them.
Federal-Membership-1@reddit
Eggs, sugar, milk, a ride to work, petsitting, childcare....We're lucky.
CAB_IV@reddit
It depends on the neighborhood. I have relatives in Staten Island, and everyone on the block knows each other and they often hang out together.
I live in Southern New Jersey.
In my old neighborhood, I knew my immediate neighbors and some other nearby people.
In some "new" housing developments, people don't ever interact, its a ghost town and everyone is either hiding in their homes or out/at work.
Where I live now, its not really a housing development, and while I do have neighbors we're all isolated by short stretches of woods and I almost never talk to them.
Not that I'd be unfriendly of course, but it varies.
blipsman@reddit
Yes, we live in a very tight knit townhouse development. We have a group text and a FB group and people are regularly asking for needed ingredients, tools, to grab a package off their stoop when they're not around, etc. Many neighbors have each others key and garage codes for emergencies, etc.
Cant-think-of-a-nam@reddit
Never talked to either of my neighbors. Only when the mailman drops off mail for one of them at my house by mistake since im in the middle
Dai-The-Flu-@reddit
It really all depends, everyone is different. Growing up, the neighbors to my right were very close with us. They had kids roughly the same age as my brother and I we were friends with and they always invited us over for barbecues and what it. The husband and wife were Greek immigrants who owned a restaurant, they always offered us all sorts of food.
The neighbors on the left on the other hand we weren’t close with at all despite them living there the whole time. It was this old Chinese couple whose kids were all adults and moved out before I was even born. They still live next to my parents but I still barely know them.
These days I’m in an apartment building but I barely know any of my neighbors. I’m in a town out on Long Island that is very much a bedroom community, and the building I live in was only built about 5 years ago. On top of that, I’ve only been living there about a year yet so many people have moved out in the one year I was there.
Altril2010@reddit
Three doors down is a neighbor my kids can walk to and stay over anytime. I also work with her so we had a pre-established relationship before we moved in. Our direct next door neighbor is an elderly gentleman who likes to chat through the fence. We can enter his yard anytime we accidentally hit or throw a ball/toy over the fence. Across the road is a girl my oldest previously went to school with. Her mom and I have each other’s numbers and are currently trying to track down whomever is stealing mail from our bank of mailboxes.
We’ve only lived in our house for four months. I’m sure we will meet more neighbors over the summer.
pippintook24@reddit
I've never asked for eggs or milk, but I did ask one neighbor to fix my fence after his daughter backed her car into our yard.
bloopidupe@reddit
I can pick them out on the street. Don't know their names. Can give a nod hello.
SubstantialPressure3@reddit
It depends on who your neighbors are. And you don't always have control of that.
At the moment, the neighbors I have now are nice people. We check on each other, look out for each other. Some of them have young kids, and their kids play with my grandkids.
When I first moved in, I had some terrible neighbors upstairs.
But for the most part, I'm not super social, because I like to have emotional space when I hang out on my patio. Being outside isn't necessarily an invitation to be social. We are friendly, but we respect each other's space.
hitometootoo@reddit
This is something I've only ever seen in movies. Usually movies about life back when, and not present day settings.
I have never needed to ask my neighbors for such things. I have had a few ask if I wanted to use some tools, which I appreciate.
This is an overreaction. Not sure who told you this.
People might know their neighbors but most aren't that close to ask for such things. These people are usually not your friends and wouldn't expect you to ask for such things.
o93mink@reddit
That’s bizarre. We have our neighbors over for meals. Their kids babysit our kids. We borrow stuff occasionally. Why wouldn’t you develop a positive relationship with the people in closest proximity to you?
HeatwaveInProgress@reddit
I have no interest in this. As long as no one does anything obnoxious, we all just go on our ways.
hitometootoo@reddit
One of my neighbors did this when they moved in and we all thought it was quite strange honestly. Not in a bad one, just out there.
I'm not saying this never happens, but I've moved many times and this has only been the case once for me. Could be more for others though.
North_Artichoke_6721@reddit
I have great neighbors! We help each other out a lot, especially with our kids. “Hey I have to go do X really quickly, can you keep an eye on my son?”
I’ve also asked for - and given - ingredients for a last minute recipe.
notonrexmanningday@reddit
Our neighbors on one side invited us over for authentic Colombian arepas a little while back. Our kids play together when the weather is good. We collect each other's mail when either of our families is traveling and sometimes I mow their front yard for them if I'm doing mine and I notice theirs needs a mow.
On the other side, my neighbor is a Polish retired mechanic. He helped me fix my motorcycle and gives me vodka that he infuses with cherries. He always tells me that if he leaves the cherries in a little too long, it will become poisonous. Then he smiles. A few years back, his wife, who has since passed, locked herself out of their house and left the oven on. I used my ladder to climb through a window to get her back in.
Good neighbors, but we also have good fences too.
PrimaryHighlight5617@reddit
We live in an unincorporated part of our town so we have an hoa. Our HOA literally just manages road maintenance. We know our neighbors pretty well :-) at least we know the ones that are active with the HOA like we are.
We had a water main leak in our yard and our neighbor came over with a shovel and helped my husband dig for 5 hours ❤️
Our other neighbors need a baby blanket for our new baby.
Everyone in our little section of the neighborhood exchanges sweets around Christmas.
It's important because we live in a very setback part of our town where theft is easy because every house is tucked out of the way. We keep an eye out for each other.
phenomenomnom@reddit
Live in a smaller US city. Not a fancy neighborhood, but not a dump either. Rentals and owners, mostly with very well-kept houses and yards.
My neighbors have knocked on my door to help me out by letting me know something -- and vice versa -- more than I have knocked on theirs to ask for something.
I went over to one neighbor's house, late, to let her know her A/C unit was making a godawful grinding sound -- told her: sorry to bother her at night but we looked it up and it sounded like it could be a problem that could lead to a fire hazard. She said thanks, she'd use fans tonight and call the rental company in the morning.
One neighbor collected my registration and insurance and vehicle maintenance info after a homeless person broke into my car for spare change and scattered the papers around. She found me on socials to let me know she had them. I high fived her and thanked her and wave when I see her walking her dog.
I would overall describe the neighborhood relationships as amiable, cooperative.
When I lived in NYC, I knew the names of a couple of people in the building, and they were fine, but we mostly tried to stay out of each others' way. Big city life is like that everywhere, I think.
SufficientProject273@reddit
My nearest neighbor is 3 miles away. I don't even know what they look like.
TravelingMatt34@reddit
Small talk and being polite when we happen to be out of the house at the same time. We are liberal and they are MAGAs so there's some underlying tension there and we'd obviously not jive as actual friends.
HeatwaveInProgress@reddit
My neighbors to the right are Mexican MAGA. They are nice in person in whatever very short interactions I have with them, but nope.
Motor_Struggle_3605@reddit
Same. In my local elections, Republicans usually run unopposed. I tend to avoid any topic that might lead to a political discussion when talking with my neighbors or hanging out at the local bar.
JolyonWagg99@reddit
We have a similar situation in our cul de sac. The couple that has lived here the longest are very nice people to us but their politics are wack. Four households used to get together a few times a year for bbqs or pizzas and around Christmas. It’s just an occasional thing now since two families moved away.
MotherOf4Jedi1Sith@reddit
I get along well with Emmy neighbors, one is even my best friend! I live in a great neighborhood!
UltraShadowArbiter@reddit
Our neighbors on either side of us are sisters.
The one, my parents and I were somewhat close with. She passed away at the end of last summer/the beginning of last fall. I was actually going to buy her house, but apparently I waited too long to ask her children about it because they said it was already under contract and asked why I didn't ask sooner when I asked about it. (I didn't ask sooner because 'sooner' would've been too soon after the funeral, in my opinion.) We haven't met the people who bought the house yet.
The other sister, my parents aren't as close with. She has always been kinda standoffish with everybody, especially after her husband died (which was when I was a kid). My parents are kinda close with her daughter though.
Our neighbors across the road, my parents know them and go to get togethers with them every summer. I don't know any of them and have no interest in going with them or really in getting to know them.
HeatwaveInProgress@reddit
Absolutely not. I barely know their names, and I've lived in this house for over 10 years. The relationship is "politely waving at each other when outside" and "sometimes dealing with installing a new fence".
For years I lived in apartment complexes and never knew my neighbors either. There is no need.
I grew up in a commie block apartment building where everyone knew everyone, and I absolutely do not want this kind of life. Leave me alone.
Fae-SailorStupider@reddit
I'm not close with my neighbors, but our kids play together so we know each other and have chatted on occasion.
redjessa@reddit
I'm friendly with my neighbors but we don't really hang out. Everyone says hi and chats. People with fruit trees share, we close the street a couple times a year, like 4th of July and everyone is out in their yards. It's friendly environment. I have close friends that live in town and I ask them to care for my cat and check on my house when we're out of town, not really my immediate neighbors. I did have one neighbor actually ask me to borrow sugar once :) I used to live in a small apartment building, only 12 units. Super close with one of my neighbors and he would handle pet care and things when we were out of town. Still close friends, but we started as strangers just living in the same building.
CleverGirlRawr@reddit
I have had the same neighbors for 10 years on 1 side and 13 on the other. We don’t have dinner together. But we talk outside, bring on each others mail and trash when on vacation, neighbor helped me with a water line issue, we are friendly and there for each other but not socially friends. We used to have neighbors up the street that we would have kid playdates and birthday parties with, but they moved.
My previous neighborhood we had block parties on holidays and talked outside a lot but still didn’t go over to each others houses.
gonzagylot00@reddit
I just try not to bother my neighbors and hope they'll do the same for me.
spacefaceclosetomine@reddit
This times a thousand. Bad neighbors ruin lives. I just don’t want to even be perceived most of the time.
Sawoodster@reddit
Non existent. Met both neighbors on each side of me when I moved in and both told me the other was a weirdo (their actual words). Never really talked much past that and now when we’re both outside they kind of avoid eye contact. 🤷🏻♂️
GlassFantastic7543@reddit
I wish I knew my neighbors better. I moved in to my place 4 years ago and I was young and din't think I'd be there a while. I regret how I approached it but now it feels awkward to initiate new connections. Trying to think of ways to approach them or run into them more.
momamdhops@reddit
Never met either of my neighbors, just a wave
MoonieNine@reddit
When I moved here I had an open house so people could stop by to meet us. It was a great way to exchange numbers in case we needed to text each other about loose dogs or going on vacation. It's rare but we do ask each other for a cup of sugar or an egg once in a while and we do exchange produce in the fall from our gardens. Once in a great while we will get together for snacks and drinks in one of our backyards, maybe every two years. I wish we did it more often
Material_Ad6173@reddit
I live in a neighborhood where most of the people own houses. We know each other's first name who lives in what house (kids, Grandma, etc.). We let each other know if we're going on vacation and ask to monitor any suspicious activities.
We have friendly chats in front of the house if we ever run into each other. But we don't socialize on purpose.
The culture of borrowing food is not something that I ever experienced here. We all have cars. I can just quickly run to the store and pick up whatever I need. And also I don't remember when was the last time I ran off sugar or salt and realized that while I was actively cooking. To be honest, I think most people are either buying what they need for a specific meal or just always have those basics at home. Or just cook with the ingredients they have.
spacefaceclosetomine@reddit
Non-existent, we might wave to each other or say hi 10 times a year.
TexasGiantTen05@reddit
The neighbor to one side is old and fragile. I bring her trash/recycle bins to the area she keeps them stored at when the truck leaves them at the curb. Used to cut her front yard that’s blended with my side too but now she has a landscaper that cuts so I don’t bother.
I had a neighbor offer me pro league baseball tickets for a game the next day for free because he couldn’t make the trip. The stadium was like 6 hours away though and he came over around 9pm on a weekday. Texas… ha.
My other next door neighbor’s wife makes baskets and goodies for my daughter on holidays or her birthday and gifts us Christmas popcorn or cookies and such. As do we to them.
When I lived in an apartment before that I would take a random neighbor some units down to the bus stop a mile away because it was on my way to work. I had a car, he rode a bike. I never asked for $ and I refused when he offered. In that same apartment, my downstairs neighbor was an old war veteran on disability and an amputee iirc or he had no use of his legs. My wife and I would occasionally make and take extra dinner or desert for him. He got robbed and beaten horribly once, almost died actually. Had I been aware of it when it was happening I would have had no second thoughts about popping those a-holes full of lead.
The neighbor in front of that man was couldn’t drive so I would do him the favor of driving him to the gas station for beer. He gave me beer and cigarettes in return and offered weed but I don’t smoke marijuana. Neighbor in the unit next to mine alerted me when someone was looking into my vehicle and wrote their plates down for me. It was a shithole apt complex but I did favors for people so as you can imagine… nobody ever fked with my vehicle or my wife’s and on the off chance someone did or was being sketchy I would hear about it immediately.
I hope these are good examples to give you an idea of what you’re asking.
river-running@reddit
I'm happy to help someone if asked (and did, recently, during the process of digging out from a snowstorm), but I'm generally solitary and prefer little interaction. I get all the socialization I can stand at work.
Ok_Research6884@reddit
Yes, all the time. We live on what I consider to be the best block (for us) in America - it's only 25 homes, but almost all of them are occupied by families in a similar life stage as us (Millennials married with kids). Not only can we ask for a quick need from many of them like you mention, we will have a meal or at least hangout over a couple drinks at least once a week... we've also attended their weddings and gone on trips together.
We moved here in 2015, and I literally mean we have no plans to ever move, at least until our kids are fully grown and out of the house for good and we are looking toward retirement.
thats-gold-jerry@reddit
In college we all kept our doors unlocked and you could just roam from one apartment to the next. It was like a sitcom.
Cautious-Raccoon-341@reddit
We (my husband and I) know their names and have their numbers. If we leave the garage door open they’ll let us know. My husband has worked on one of the neighbors vehicles. But we have never had to ask for eggs (we have chickens, though) but if they asked we would definitely help them out.
EvaisAchu@reddit
I don't know them. I could point them out in a line up but don't ask for details about them cuz I won't know.
I live in an apartment though. I am sure it would be different if I owned a home.
TheClayDart@reddit
Lived in my home for 2 years and I don’t even know my neighbors names except for 1 guy who introduced himself 3 weeks after we moved in just to tell me our house had its septic tank pumped a lot (we’ve never had any issues after moving in) and he promptly walked away
UsedSatisfaction6395@reddit
My neighbour is hot
GetInTheHole@reddit
Tool borrowing. Help with snow shoveling/snowblowing. Invited to parties. Their son mows my lawn for his "business". (I think I'm his only customer).
We don't have dinner with them (I have had a after party breakfast at 3am a time or two), but if I'm smoking something I'll probably bring them a plate of whatever.
We do have driveway beers quite often during the summer with them and a few others on the street. Every brings over their camping chairs and few drinks and we sit around and talk about nothing in particular.
Connect_Bee5338@reddit
I'm cool with my neighbors. He's an abosukte asshole. But, it happens
qu33nof5pad35@reddit
I don’t even know my neighbors except the ones that are next to me and diagonal from me. We say hi and bye
ABelleWriter@reddit
I moved 6 months ago, all my neighbors are on a smile and wave level.
Where we lived before we had amazing neighbors who we could ask to borrow stuff, etc, but they moved 6 months before we did.
GotchUrarse@reddit
When I lived in the mid-west, I would just walk in their house. Now I live in a stand your ground state, so knocking is important, although one neighbor is at least 80, it would take him some time to find his gun, if he has one.
NicklAAAAs@reddit
At my old house, our neighbors from two doors down were people I referred to as our third set of parents. I played in a golf league with the husband, he was always there to lend us tools or help us with home improvement projects. The wife was in the same line of work as my wife and she got my wife the best job she’s had and they talked all the time.
At my current house, we don’t have anyone quite like that, but we have a pretty good relationship with a few of our neighbors and we all help each other out with various things.
Orbital2@reddit
No, pretty sure my neighbor straight up died recently and only realizing it because her kids are cleaning her place out
No-Profession422@reddit
I currently have one neighbor, a 70 something widower w/three dogs. We're cordial with each other. We've watched his dogs a couple times when he had to go out of town. He helped me put in my new hot water heater. My wife sometimes takes him food we make.
Previous neighbors have been hit and miss. One became a fishing buddy. Another argued constantly over ASSIGNED parking spots (mine). Others, I rarely ever saw them.
Proud_Huckleberry_42@reddit
I've gotten to know some neighbors by walking my dog. And we normally say hello or have a little chat. I've been invited for coffee. And once I found their dog after having run away and lost gor 1 or 2 days. Another neighbor said she thought my then boyfriend was kind of cute. And one day she stalked him 😆 Another time my retired neighbor fell down the stairs, and I stayed with him to wait for the ambulance. But, nobody ever asked for sugar, or eggs, or anything like that. The supermarket was not far, and everybody had a car.
HuaHuzi6666@reddit
I’m from Minneapolis/St Paul, and ever since the federal occupation by ICE this winter my relationship with my neighbors is WAY stronger. Before, we’d maybe nod at each other but not know each other’s names. Now we text them for help with everyday things, like a cat that got out or help watching kids.
As traumatic as the occupation was for many, it at least brought us together.
dopefiendeddie@reddit
My dad talks to some of our neighbors. He’s 82, so they’ll help him out with stuff when I’m at work. I don’t really talk with them too much because I’ve worked afternoons/midnights since 2008.
goblin_hipster@reddit
I can barely ask people I know and love for help, let alone strangers.
I don't know any of my neighbors except a vague idea of "that's the couple that just moved in," "the old lady across from me," "the one with the hat," etc.
I'm very withdrawn and independent and I don't like talking much. For the record, I live in an apartment.
RightYouAreKen1@reddit
We know the neighbors adjoining our property, as well as a few further down the street. We waive at each other or share greetings if walking by or seeing them, but otherwise don't socialize a lot. We do share Christmas cookies and other baked goods around Christmas time, and may of them recpirocate with a small edible gift of some sort. So I'd say we're friendly, but not friends exactly.
tinabaninaboo@reddit
I live in a small HOA with lots of kids and of the maybe 120 households, I would be comfortable asking for a cup of sugar from 30 of them. I’m in a group chat with 20 of the families and we all routinely ask to borrow things or offer things for donation. I have lived in 5 houses as an adult and this is the most friendly neighborhood I’ve lived in, but in all 5 cases I’ve had at least one neighbor that I would feel comfortable asking for a trivial item.
I grew up in Utah in a very suburban Mormon neighborhood and we knew everyone on every street for several streets away. It’s great to have that sense of community with your neighbors!
Imaginary_Ladder_917@reddit
We have a great relationship with our closest neighbors, who are 1/4 miles away. It’s our nephew and his wife and family. They come over occasionally and we watch their kids sometimes. Our next closest neighbor were best friends with my in-laws and they are great to us. My son helps with yard work. We know most of the other families around well enough to borrow things. But it’s a small rural community
socabella@reddit
I’m friendly with all my neighbors. We babysit each other’s kids, borrow things, and hang out. Other neighbor is retired, and we chat almost daily. He watches my house while I’m gone. My neighborhood has a great community feel. I grew up in a similar neighborhood where all the kids hung out and went to each other’s houses.
oovalap_@reddit (OP)
I want to connect with my neighbors. It's just weird seeing them and not saying anything. Maybe it won't be that bad.
You guys have given me some insight and courage to try.
Also, having neighbors to watch each other's back is nice and I want to build that.
I'm also not a talkative person and a bit shy. I feel I may not be sufficient enough to have long talks and they may feel I'm weird, stupid, or something...
The anxiety!!
But I will try
einsteinGO@reddit
No
I am politely warm to the ones I recognize, but I have no relationship with them
By contrast when we lived at our family house in DC we knew everyone in the block and I know they socialized with my grandparents (and mom and family) when I was growing up and through adulthood
Discount_Plumber@reddit
My parents live next door on one side. So it's about what you'd expect. The other side we don't even talk to each other as it should be. Accross the street they've lived there a bit longer than my parents in their house. So I've known them as neighbors for years. They're older so I snowblow their driveway for them without being asked. At the same time we all know a simple wave is plenty of interaction between each other and nothing more is required nor desired.
ID_Poobaru@reddit
Just moved in and haven’t met them yet
CaptainAwesome06@reddit
It really depends where you live. I've lived in a house where I never met my next door neighbor the whole 6 years I was there. I tried multiple times but they'd never answer the door (even when I knew they were home) and so I just eventually gave up.
At my next house, I hung out with my neighbors all the time. There were tons of parties and I went on vacations with them. I'm travelling back there next month and I'm looking forward to seeing them.
At my current house, I'm friends with a bunch of them. I've loaned tools, asked for help moving stuff, and they've watched my kids when I couldn't make it to the bus stop in time. When my wife was sick, they started a meal train to help us out. It's not that I couldn't afford to feed my kids, but it was super helpful to not have to worry about cooking dinner along with everything else I had to do.
ZaphodG@reddit
I’m on a private lane. The woman next to me is 85 and can barely walk up and down her stairs. I shoveled her out at the January snowstorm. My wife shoveled her stairs and a path to our driveway at the blizzard. Her sister lives across the lane. Her husband died last fall. Her sister calls her “Mrs Kravitz”, the nosy neighbor on the ancient TV show Bewitched. I spent $60k on my driveway and the lane last fall and did a bunch of improvements to the older sister’s gravel driveway. I didn’t want any money but she gave me $300 and her sister gave me $500.
The house between me and the street is now a VRBO rental in the summer and a seaonal rental in the winter. My wife hates them. A tree on that neighbors property came down in the blizzard and destroyed the fancy privacy fence on the property line. I have my hardscape guys installing two replacement panels tomorrow. I texted what I was doing and asked permission to go onto the property to install the panels. My hardscape guy had done some topsoil and fill at his house so nobody unknown.
nowhereman136@reddit
Friendly, we will say hi and wave if we are both checking the mail or something. Other than that we don't really talk or hang out
karenmcgrane@reddit
On one side we have a neighbor whose two sons also live in the neighborhood. We are friendly in a small talk way. They are good about things like grabbing a package on our stoop if we're gone, we keep them posted on neighborhood stuff.
The other side, I knew the previous owners (kids would sell girl scout cookies) but have never met the current ones.
Silly-Resist8306@reddit
I live in a cul de sac of 8 houses. I have 3 neighbors I’ve known for 38 years, the length of time I’ve lived there. I know 2 other houses well and 1 other a nodding acquaintance. The other 2 I only know their cars to wave to as they drive by. They wave back.
Of the 5 I know well, I have no problem borrowing eggs or salt or having them over for dinner or a backyard BBQ. I tend to be the repair guy and have assisted others with small maintenance items. I also have the only pick up truck and am happy to do any light hauling they might need. We call this being neighborly.
I grew up this way and feel like this is normal Midwest neighborhood practice.
donner_dinner_party@reddit
We have met most of our neighbors, enough to wave hello. But we aren’t true friends.
Euphoric_Ease4554@reddit
We dated until I got transferred out of state.
kjlsdjfskjldelfjls@reddit
I'm on the 16th floor of a midrise building- don't really know any of them personally aside from some random chitchat in the elevators
poisonedkiwi@reddit
When I was in high school, I would sometimes have to ask my neighbor for an ingredient like vanilla extract or something small like that, then I would bring them a portion of whatever I ended up baking as a thank you.
When my fiancé and I bought our house, we were approached by a lot of neighbors who just wanted to introduce themselves and say hello. We don't really interact with them much, but if we see each other while out, we'd definitely say hi and maybe chat for a bit.
Overall though, I'm not close with any of them. There are some places I've previously lived where I'd never even seen most of my neighbors, everyone just kept to themselves.
FormerlyDK@reddit
No relationship. I wouldn’t even recognize them. I prefer my privacy, and no one’s in and out a lot here.
PyukyMuky@reddit
Until she moved into an old folks home, I had an older neighbor who would ask for help with groceries or toiletries. It wasn't a close relationship but we helped them occasionally. Otherwise, our other neighbors keep to themselves, and vice-versa.
Ok_Classic_1968@reddit
I don’t know them well enough to go ask for things but I know their names and we will chat if we see each other or help with things like snow removal for the elderly neighbors. Everybody generally keeps to themselves, but they’re nice and did greet us when we first moved here.
AnUnexpectedUnicorn@reddit
We have nice neighbors we interact with and rude people that we avoid if at all possible. We have occasionally done social things with the nice neighbors, but I wouldn't call us besties.
Successful_Nature712@reddit
In my last house, absolutely. Here, I’m just getting to know my neighbors but I wouldn’t feel that odd asking. I would just pick who to ask vs. my old neighborhood where I knew everyone. I haven’t been here long enough yet.
I also, GASP, answer the door when people knock. I know that’s weird to a lot of people in the USA too… It may be a generational thing though
Jaqen-Atavuli@reddit
We had the perfect setup. We all lived in a cul-de-sac. Everyone got a long great. We would eat together, drink together, borrow stuff if we needed, watch out for each others houses. One neighbor was an independent high end car dealer. He would take me for rides when he had Shelby Mustangs.
4Q69freak@reddit
Borrowed a ladder once. She’s kinda weird. Her and her teenage daughter yell and scream at each other. Her son lived in the apartment behind us, and he tried to burn it down for his renters insurance.
CaedustheBaedus@reddit
I live in a 6 floor apartment building with like...20? Maybe 25, rooms on each floor.
I sometimes see familiar faces, but the only one I really "know" is the one below me (cause I tell them if I'm having young family over since they don't know how to walk quietly) and the one who is genuinely "next door" and shares a wall.
Because we are usually affected by any maintenance issues together, or I was locked out once and she let me in her apartment to put my food in the fridge temporarily while waiting for the landlord or simple things like that.
But I couldn't tell you more than her name and room number.
TheresaB112@reddit
I will say hello, how are you? to my neighbors but have never borrowed anything from them. My husband opts to keep pretty much whatever we use on hand. He’s had 2 brushes with the law in his much younger days, he says both were because he had to go out to purchase a necessity he was out of.
as1126@reddit
I exchange gardening tips and occasionally have coffee with neighbors on one side. I rarely see the neighbor on the other side. We live on a lake, so we frequently see neighbors on the water on on their docks.
captainstyles@reddit
I know all my neighbors and give most Christmas cookies. I trade puzzles with one and talk with them in their house occasionally. They give me smoked cheese. The other neighbors are pretty religious (not my thing) but still very nice people. The wife likes to paint and gives me stuff she paints. My other neigbor gives us gift cards for Christmas for the cookies and because we mowed their lawn when their mower was broke.
Grayyycee@reddit
My husband is a social butterfly so he went & introduced himself to our neighbors while I peaked behind the blinds inside LOL. We had really horrible neighbors when we lived in our apartment (just before moving into our house.) so we don’t really like interacting much anymore with any neighbors.
KellyAnn3106@reddit
I walk my dog multiple times a day and am very chatty so I know most of the other dog owners. This neighborhood was only built a few years ago and we all made it a point to be friendly as people moved in.
Not everyone wants to be friends and that's fine but I'll wave and say hi if I pass you on the sidewalk.
Boring_Material_1891@reddit
I live in a condo building with 6 other units on our floor. 4 of them have full time occupants, one of them is occupied half the year with the same couple from Canada, one of them moves between here, the Philippines, and CA for family/work, and the last is rarely occupied.
We know all of them really well, and among the full time residents, we often hang out, help each other out, and generally look out for each other. Like, we all will talk to each other several times during the week and will proactively knock on each others’s doors to make sure all is well.
The Canadian couple is friendly and we chitchat, but not much more than that, and the CA/Philippines couple is incredibly friendly and will let us use their condo when family comes to town. Like, we have a key to their place so we can check on it if they need us to.
So, this is probably atypical for America, but does demonstrate the standard ‘the country is huge and there’s every part of the spectrum here’ line.
DesertWanderlust@reddit
When I first moved in, my neighbor was great. Older lady who lived with her daughter. When she moved out, she went to a furnished place and gave me a lot of her stuff. This current neighbor has never talked to me and called the city for my improper storage of my trashcan.
DOMSdeluise@reddit
We're friendly but not really friends (yet at least) if that makes sense. Our kids play together a lot though so that's nice.
Visual_Magician_7009@reddit
I didn’t in apartments. I know most of the people on my block,any well. 2 neighbors have borrowed kitchen tools in the past week. I got some eggs from another last weekend. A neighbor came over to watch the Artemis launch and eat dinner. I love my neighborhood.
jmilred@reddit
Varies wildly! We love the neighbors on one side, Despise the neighbors on the other (The type that will complain if the wind blew a dead leaf on their pristine lawn, even though we don't have trees it came through our yard so its our fault). We had neighbors we were really close with a few doors down that moved across the country and will still come and see us when they are in town visiting their families. Other neighbors we haven't said a word to.
Lugbor@reddit
They live down the road a ways. Don't know their names. Not sure if I've ever met them.
Kollin111@reddit
I've helped out the neighbor on my side of the street, helped clear their driveway in heavy snow, chainsaw up a downed tree, return a lost dog. The guy across the street has a big glowing Trump sign for the last 5 years, is always playing his music too loud and having illegal fires. So fuck him.
accidental_Ocelot@reddit
When I was growing up we were always borrowing a cup of flower or sugar to complete a recipe because we didn't quit have enough and the only store in town was closed on Sunday. The neighbors would also come to our house to do the same. It was always us kids who were sent to do the borrowing for some reason. But yeah back in the day pretty much every store or shop was closed on Sunday except the ice cream parlor.
taxman6754@reddit
Definitely see them all the time, have dinners together, take them soup, shovel snow from their car, great people to know.
katarh@reddit
We have a cordial relationship with our direct neighbors, but it's limited to mostly small talk.
That said, the family across the street owns a window business, and when we had some hail damage on the siding of our house, none of the formal contractors were willing to take on the job because we only wanted the siding on one side replaced. The neighbor took on the job (for a reasonable and fair price) as a neighborly favor.
Mother_Boss_8148@reddit
We have really nice neighbors—we haven’t asked for baking or cooking supplies but one is an expert in all things landscaping and gardening, and we ask for advice about our trees all the time.
We tend to be very outgoing and friendly with neighbors, but not everyone wants to chat or socialize.
MamaDreamweaver@reddit
I know most of my neighbors on my street. I do not know the neighbors right next to me. It’s a rental and there seems to be a revolving front door. But otherwise, most of my neighbors have been around for 18 years and we absolutely keep an eye out for each other.
AbiWil1996@reddit
My neighbors are my husband’s family. We all live on the same piece of land. It’s pretty nice.
wookieesgonnawook@reddit
I have a couple of them that I say hi to and make small talk, and another couple that I would ask home advice, like repair and reno advice. I'd never ask to borrow anything, that's way too intrusive. I'll just go to the store. And no, I wouldn't ever invite them for dinner. That would mean I'd have to spend days cleaning all my kids crap up to be more presentable and I don't want to do that for someone who isn't a friend.
CoherentBusyDucks@reddit
I only have two neighbors (aside from that, the nearest neighbor is a street over). One of them helps plow our driveway when it snows. The other calls us when she thinks we need to know something about our backyard (like that there’s an owl out there - it’s not usually stuff we actually need to know but she’s trying to be helpful lol). She’s older and we try to help her by clearing branches off her roof if they fall after a storm and things like that.
We have a nice little “neighborhood.”
gravely_serious@reddit
The guy on the west side is great. We talk and help each other out. The guy to the east never says hi back to us, and I caught them stealing our morels last year, at least 5 lbs worth.
AdministrativeTap925@reddit
I’m currently in a feud with one of my neighbors because her small, yappy dog barks incessantly for over a minute at a time at anything. (If I empty my dishwasher, if I cough, if someone walks by the door in my MASSIVE apartment building).
The other one and I text about neighborly things but he doesn’t acknowledge my existence if we see each other in person.
bull0143@reddit
I bought my house last year. The neighbors on one side are in their late 80s and refuses to acknowledge that I exist. I think they really loved the people I bought my house from. I shoveled the snow from their sidewalk a few times over the winter anyway.
The neighbors on the other side are nice, we shovel each others' sidewalks in the winter regularly (whoever gets to it first) and the husband helped me get my car out of my driveway after a heavy snow and gave me a dad-like lecture me about how I needed to buy a snowblower, which I did immediately. They also keep the huge tree on their property (which hangs over my roof) in good shape and let me know when they scheduled a professional branch trimming. I'm not sure that we're on "have them over for dinner" terms but I'm an introvert so that's a pretty high bar for me. Maybe we're on "have a beer and a hot dog from the grill in the back yard" terms.
Ok-Produce8376@reddit
Depends on the neighbor. A couple of my neighbors are nice but we aren't close, we wave and say hello and that is it. A couple of them are unfriendly so we leave them alone. One has a son who is very close friends with my son, and we attend social events together. One is an elderly lady we help with whatever she needs.
a-little-bit-sweet@reddit
My dad taught us to never borrow or loan tools. Makes for bad neighbors. They break or don’t get returned. Fences make for good neighbors. You can chit chat over a fence. Hand a cup of sugar over a fence.
drearymoment@reddit
I've moved around a lot in my life and my neighbors have only ever made problems for me. I know, I know. If everyone you meet is an asshole... I get it.
The latest ones have me going to Home Depot this weekend to get a padlock for my trash can because the dipshits won't stop dumping their garbage in it for some reason.
revolutionoverdue@reddit
General pleasantries. Check for mail when they are on vaca. Help them shoveling snow if I’m around. Never hang out though. I think it’s a good spot to be. Friendly, but not friends.
Ok-Energy-9785@reddit
I did ask my neighbor for a jumper once and I planned to get burritos with another one but that never went through.
Itchy_Pangolin_394@reddit
my neighbor is wonderful. She has watched my cat several times. I've helped her out with car stuff. Great neighbors are wonderful to have.
kaimcdragonfist@reddit
I’ve spoken to my neighbors briefly, and they seem lovely.
I don’t know any of their names and have no intention of that changing lol
HerrLouski@reddit
We hang out with our neighbors all the time. Our neighborhood was built in the 1990s so many of the original owners were retiring when we moved in. There was a large influx of kids and it’s been great. We have pot lucks, holiday parties, vacation together. Couldn’t ask for anything better. My next door neighbors are also great. We routinely take trash out and collect mail for one another when on vacation, borrow tools and help each other with house work stuff.
AggressiveKing8314@reddit
I always try and get to know my neighbors. Most of them have my phone number.
llamadolly85@reddit
We are friendly with our neighbors here and in a pinch I know we could ask them for stuff - and would be more than happy to help them out. But it's really just a wave and occasional chat in the driveway. We're very friendly with a couple on the next block over houses who we met because their dog loves our kid (led to regular dinners, coffee once a week, surrogate aunt and uncle to my kiddo).
Our last house was a shared wall townhouse and we were good friends with those neighbors and the folks across the street - regular evenings with wine on the porch, block parties, etc, but it was a very "front porch friends" block.
GooseneckRoad@reddit
I've known my next-door neighbors to one side for 26 years. I say hello, chat with them from time to time, I've taken care of their dog, and I know about their life. The other neighbors I'm not as close with, but know who most of them are in my immediate surroundings- not down the whole block.
DharmaCub@reddit
Had some neighbors over cause they're gonna pet sit my car while I'm out of town. Now I have friends. Thanks Obama.
eightcarpileup@reddit
I live in a small town. My neighbors have fed my livestock for me, checked my mail, come for supper many times, and would speak to me if they saw me anywhere in public. All of these things have been reciprocated. I think in larger metros, this wouldn’t be as common because the amount of options for your neighbors is higher. I have to deal with my neighbors whether or not we’re on good terms, so it’s just more advantageous to be kind and polite.
thislittlefig@reddit
Depends on where you live. I’ve lived in a few states, rural and metro, it varies greatly. Rn I’m in a suburban area in Colorado. Out of the 20 houses in my neighborhood, I know 12 households. The other 8 like their privacy. Out of the 12 I know, I would easily ask 5 of them for sugar/eggs.
auntlynnie@reddit
One neighbor is lovely and friendly. She helped me break into my house when I locked myself out (haha), and when I needed a saw, she loaned one. I've even chatted with her parents (who don't live there).
On the other side, she's nice enough, but kind of standoffish. She seems to be a single mom of teens, so she's really busy, so I don't take it personally.
Ok-Growth4613@reddit
1 of 4 ill talk to. Hes cool. The rest can fuck all the way off.
BayYawnSay@reddit
We have a couple that live across the street from us that we've gotten to know very well. We both know where our spare hidden keys are and we often call one another for help with something. She has put meat away into my fridge that I accidentally left out on the counter to thaw. I have gone into their home to unplug a humidifier that they accidentally left on one time. We go to the farmers market together every Saturday. We also will walk each other's dogs if needed. They're great neighbors to have and they understand boundaries very well while still being able to help one another out and do things together.
thatsad_guy@reddit
I have never spoken to my current neighbors. Its been a couple years now.
Md693@reddit
Non existent