Buying A Town Home? Know How To Be A Good Neighbor

Posted on: 19 January 2017

If you are moving from a single-family home to a townhome, you most likely realize that there will be some adjustments for living in your new home. Townhomes have shared walls with the surrounding units, and while the closeness often causes people to develop a friendship with their neighbors, bad behaviors can cause you to be alienated. You'll need to do more than turn down the volume on your TV and stereo. Here are 4 tips that you should follow when living in a townhome.

Notify Neighbors of Loud Renovation Projects

Do you plan on doing some home renovation projects soon after moving in? If so, it is nice to let your neighbors know about these projects in advance. It could be something simple, such as leaving a note in their mailbox that lets them know what is going on. It shows good etiquette, and if they don't want to deal with the noise, they have the opportunity to plan being out of their home while the noise is going on.

Plan To Share Duties

Your outdoor space may be small, but it's possible that you are sharing some of it with a neighbor. This could be part of a backyard, a driveway, or walkway. If so, plan on sharing some of the regular maintenance that needs to be done so that one person doesn't feel like they are stuck doing it. For example, if you share a garage, plan to alternate who shovels the snow in the driveway. Shoveling half the driveway not only seems rude, but sharing responsibilities will make it easier to do.

Consider Your Shared Walls

One or two of your walls will be shared with a neighbor, and you should consider the noise you make in your home because of this. When selecting a wall to place your TV, you'll want to place the speakers as far away from your shared walls as possible. This will limit the amount of vibration that occurs through the walls, cutting down on the noise. Be sure to use common sense and you'll be fine. For example, reconsider installing that dartboard on a shared wall with a neighbor.

Be A Courteous Pet Owner

If you own a pet, always make sure that you clean up after them when they go to the bathroom outside. Even if they are going on your property, others don't want to have to see the mess on a regular basis.

For more information, contact local professionals like RE/MAX INTEGRITY.

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