How To Say Hello To Your New Neighbours

Moving into a new neighbourhood can be daunting

. There's always a gamble and you can never choose who you'll be moving in next to. Bad relationships with your neighbours can lead to a miserable existence filled with petty squabbles about driveways, fence-lines and tree branches. Sometimes your neighbours will simply be antagonistic, and there's little you can do but put up with them. On the other hand, a good relationship with your neighbours can blossom into a lasting friendship, leading to favours freely exchanged. Obviously it depends on what kind of area you're moving into, but ultimately it is up to you to actively choose to become part of the community. You want to appear warm and approachable, yet don't want your friendly advances to seem too intense. It's a fine line to dance along and everybody's different when it comes to how much they want to know their neighbours so don't be offended by people's apathy or their desire for privacy. If you'd like to get to know your neighbours, here's a few simple, non-invasive tips to get the ball rolling:

A simple "hello"and a smile when you first see them is the simplest and most effective way of approaching your new neighbours. You will only get one shot at seeming approachable - first impressions count - and more often than not this will do the trick. People may go years living next to each other, one not knowing anything about the other and vice-versa, simply because nobody took the first step and said "hello". Make an effort to do this the first time you see them (or at least smile), even if there's no time for a conversation and you're exhausted from dealing with the furniture removals. Then try again when they're close enough for a real chat. You'll likely walk away with the person's name at least, even if as far as the conversation gets is a discussion about the weather.

Baking. There are few people in the world who will refuse home-baked cookies. This is almost a guaranteed test to see how sociable a person is. Don't take a whole batch over, just a few is friendly enough. If they enjoy them they may ask for the recipe and before you know it you'll be exchanging kitchen secrets. And if they do refuse the cookies on some remarkable grounds, surely this is a topic interesting enough to begin a conversation.

The "cup of sugar' method. Asking to borrow something small guarantees a return visit, either from your or by your neighbour. Keep the favour small though and to something that won't be missed; don't go asking to borrow their lawnmower in the first week. If you are asking to borrow a cup of sugar (or something else to cook with) don't forget to take them over a few of whatever it is you're baking. This is a double-whammy of neighbour-friendliness and is about as far as you can go without being invasive.

It may seem obvious, but your neighbours are the people who'll you'll be living next to from now on; they're the people who'll be your first port of call in an emergency; the people who'll keep an eye on your house when you're away. If there's anyone you need to make a good impression on, it's your new neighbours. Even the smallest kindness can grow into something valuable.

by: Michael Gibbons

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