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When I retire I have a chance to move to the nicest house in a lower-middle-class neighborhood or the smallest house in an upper-middle-class neighborhood.
Think of what you would want from your neighbors and think of the typical behavior of people by wealth. Will I have better neighbors in the upper-middle-class neighborhood or in the lower-middle-class neighborhood?
Here is what I would like from my neighbors:
Friendly but will respect my privacy.
Take care of their home and yard, follow zoning regulations
Quiet respectful of noise in regards to dogs, kids outside, parties, etc.
Help us out in case of an emergency or special issue
Involved in activities to make the neighborhood and greater community better
I like neighbors who stay in their home and don't move in and out all the time. (Neighborhood turnover can be a problem.)
When I retire I have a chance to move to the nicest house in a lower-middle-class neighborhood or the smallest house in an upper-middle-class neighborhood.
Think of what you would want from your neighbors and think of the typical behavior of people by wealth. Will I have better neighbors in the upper-middle-class neighborhood or in the lower-middle-class neighborhood?
Here is what I would like from my neighbors:
Friendly but will respect my privacy.
Take care of their home and yard, follow zoning regulations
Quiet respectful of noise in regards to dogs, kids outside, parties, etc.
Help us out in case of an emergency or special issue
Involved in activities to make the neighborhood and greater community better
I like neighbors who stay in their home and don't move in and out all the time. (Neighborhood turnover can be a problem.)
So, where should I live?
Friendly but will respect my privacy: upper more likely Take care of their home and yard, follow zoning regulations: upper way more likely Quiet respectful of noise in regards to dogs, kids outside, parties, etc.: about the same Help us out in case of an emergency or special issue: lower more likely Involved in activities to make the neighborhood and greater community better: depends on location, but lower more likely I like neighbors who stay in their home and don't move in and out all the time: upper more likely, but again depends on who they are.
Friendly but will respect my privacy: upper more likely Take care of their home and yard, follow zoning regulations: upper way more likely Quiet respectful of noise in regards to dogs, kids outside, parties, etc.: about the same Help us out in case of an emergency or special issue: lower more likely Involved in activities to make the neighborhood and greater community better: depends on location, but lower more likely I like neighbors who stay in their home and don't move in and out all the time: upper more likely, but again depends on who they are.
Agree.
Think about it this way. Upper-class people can afford to pay people to house sit or help them out when they need something. As such, they generally tend to be less involved with the lives of their neighbors because they don't have to rely on them for support. They can buy it if they need it. They can also afford yard service so homes look better kept.
I live in a middle-class neighborhood and I moved to it from an upper-class neighborhood because I wanted a more "community" oriented neighborhood. I met more neighbors in my first year in my current neighborhood than I did in the 4 years at my previous neighborhood. I have lived here for 17 years with no regrets in moving. It isn't as well kept as my old neighborhood, but I've got great people throughout the neighborhood who talk to each other. It's nice having neighbors that you can ask to put out or take in your trash cans when you go on vacation or to watch your house while you are gone. One of my elderly neighbors fell outside a couple of weeks ago at the side of his home and another neighbor was outside quickly to help. We all watch him like mama hawks because he refuses to move to assisted living. He's just the nicest 98-year-old.
That would not have happened in my old neighborhood.
I think it's not about class, more about culture. Maybe both.
I've had Filipino neighbors burn their trash in their back yard because they think that's OK. I couldn't enjoy my backyard on the weekend due the acrid smoke. There are laws against doing it and I had to print out the county regs and mail to them because telling them in person went nowhere.
Some cultures think playing music loudly at all hours is OK.
Some people think letting your pets roam the neighborhood unleashed is OK.
I personally hate HOA's but when you've experienced neighbors from hell I understand why people choose to live in them.
Having more room between houses helps. Air-conditioning to keep windows shut and noise less helps.
I have a friend whose a solid middle class type, who won an upper class home, in an upper class neighborhood, in a divorce decree. She had teenagers. Her neighbors harassed her all the time and sometimes called the cops on the teenagers if the teenagers were just outside hanging out. One of the teens had a motorcycle. Start up the motorcycle, someone would call the cops. The neighbors also do passive/aggressive type things periodically. Like rake up the grass and leaves, and put them in my friend's driveway. That's HER experience in an upper class neighborhood.
I live in a desirable neighborhood in my city. Good school district, close to shopping, all that stuff. I'd classify it as a good middle class neighborhood. One one side of me, we moved in next door to a hoarder. Didn't know she was a hoarder til after we were there.
On the other side of us, the people had a son who was drug dealer since high school. In and out of trouble all the damn time. Sometimes he'd come over late at night and try and borrow money. Got to the point we just didn't answer the door. Police were at their house OFTEN. Sometimes he and his girlfriend would have loud arguments, or he'd stand out in the street and shout at another neighbor who lived up the street a few houses. He was cooking meth in his parents garage, and one day the SWAT team busted their doors down and raided the house. The house got condemned, and the neighbors had to rebuild it pretty much from the studs up.
personally, i would make sure that either option had neighbors who were home-OWNERS.
rental homes result in problems in any neighborhood. no B&B's, etc. either.
I bought a vacation home in a upper end area. I have the psycho neighbor from he$$.
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