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On another note, my dh does a lot of work for our friend in another state and every time he is doing something outside someone comes up and asks him what he's doing. One day one of the HOA board members came by, and due to this, he was able to find out that indeed the roofs were covered by the HOA fees which my friend didn't think were based on the covenants as she understood them. Also found out that the HOA does termite and bug control and if you have any damage from termites their insurance covers replacement costs. (Unfortunately all the exterior doors my dh replaced were due to wood rot not termites). All things she didn't know because she works and rarely sees anyone plus many of the units are rental. It's good to talk with people and ask questions.
A neighbourhood is a community and good neighbours look out for each other. I think it's a good survival tactic for people to introduce themselves and know who their neighbours are and at least be on nodding terms with them when they encounter them. It doesn't mean neighbours all should be chatty, friendly best buddies and on a first name basis but it never hurts to be polite. The survival tactic is that when you know enough about them to recognize who all your neighbours are that belong there then you will also know enough to recognize who the non-neighbours are that shouldn't be there hanging around casing the neighbourhood and up to no good.
I wouldn't be thrilled to have a neighbor knock on my door, but I would have no problem with them saying hello if I was outside gardening or washing the car.
That's kind of how it was when I lived in the city. Now that I live in the country I probably have more interactions with my neighbors. It is still not a lot and it's positive. I can understand, though, the fear of getting pesky neighbors.
I was completely shocked by how cold and standoffish they were. They seemed insulted and bothered that I would take even a minute of their valuable time to approach them and introduce myself. Their reaction seemed to be that there was no reason to bother them just because we were neighbors. I just wanted to talk to them for a minute or less knowing how busy people are today.
My wife asked me why I even bothered because nowadays most people don't talk to their neighbors. So the new neighbors likely thought I was bothering them. They thought: "You live next door, SO?"
So, would you approach a new neighbor who just moved in just to say hello and introduce yourself?
Everyone will react differently. Some people will appreciate it, and as you witnessed, some won't.
I personally wouldn't approach a new neighbor, but that's just me. I'm introverted and not good with initiating conversation with someone. But my husband will.
I already commented, but I’m thinking, that when someone lives with others in close quarters there are two kinds of people, those who want nothing to do with their neighbors, and those who need to feel a part of a unit of people.
I’ve only lived in houses, not apartments or condos, but if my next move takes me to a condo, I would be glad to mind my own business, but I would prefer at least an acquaintance with my neighbor. I don’t want to drop by, I don’t want to be your best friend, but if I get locked out of my house, I hope you’d give me a cup of coffee until help arrived.
I see nothing wrong with what you did. I'd prefer to know who my neighbors are in case of emergencies, or if I need a hand with something, etc. There are a few people we live by who've never come by to introduce themselves, they won't even give a friendly wave if we see them from afar. I think it's kind of strange, like there's a difference between shy/introvert and loner.
I don't mind it if a neighbor introduces themself, as long as it's a simple introduction and they don't try to get too pushy and try to become friends right away. I live in a rental unit-I've been here for over a year, and I'm on a first name (and only first name) basis with all my neighbors. We all get along with each other, but beyond that we mind our own business. I personally know who lives in what unit and what car belongs to who, but that's because I work nights. (If I see something happen like a neighbor's car getting broken into late at night, I can let the neighbor know what I saw.) But beyond that, we leave each other alone. So a new neighbor simply introducing themself to you so you know who they are, no-I don't see a problem with it.
A neighbourhood is a community and good neighbours look out for each other. I think it's a good survival tactic for people to introduce themselves and know who their neighbours are and at least be on nodding terms with them when they encounter them. It doesn't mean neighbours all should be chatty, friendly best buddies and on a first name basis but it never hurts to be polite. The survival tactic is that when you know enough about them to recognize who all your neighbours are that belong there then you will also know enough to recognize who the non-neighbours are that shouldn't be there hanging around casing the neighbourhood and up to no good.
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It also means, you would know if one of the neighbor families is planning a move or not. In my parents' neighborhood long ago, everyone saw a moving van in the neighbor's driveway one day. Everyone thought to themselves, "We didn't know the So-and-so's were moving". Well it turned out, the neighbors weren't moving. Thieves had rented a moving van, and, pretending to be movers, cleaned the entire house out in broad daylight. After that, any suspicious moving vans in the area got reported to the police.
This was a neighborhood, in which many of the neighbors socialized with each other fairly regularly. They don't make 'em like that anymore, it seems.
Not knowing the neighbors makes it more "anonymous" to bang on the walls when they are being too loud.
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