Winning Over the Neighbors

One of the most overlooked aspects of a residential sale? Neighbors. If they keep their house looking great, then we tend to take them for granted, but if they aren’t concerned about curb appeal, it can pose a myriad of issues.

Not only do visually unappealing homes lower the value of surrounding properties, but they are also glimpse at other proximal difficulties a buyer may experience when living there.  Today we’ll review some tactics on how to get on neighbors’ good side and garner their cooperation throughout the sale of a home.

Make Nice

First and foremost: Never treat neighbors as a business detail or a liability. Introduce yourself and be authentically friendly. It is important to develop this relationship as best as possible, since neighbors may actually become involved in the process of the sale, such as repairing a shared fence. You never know where the relationship can lead – they may very well have a warm lead for you or even be considering selling their home down the road.

Invite Them to Open Houses

Neighbors can literally make or break your open house. Nobody wants a nosy neighbor, but a friendly face can offer valuable insight into the area and help buyers visualize what it would be like to live on the block.  It’s wise to personally invite neighbors to open houses — that way, they feel welcome and are more likely to spread the word. In fact, some agents host “neighbors-only” open houses to generate an even stronger buzz. Find more tips on open houses here.

Connect On Social Media

As an agent or broker, it’s important to have a professional presence on social media. However, your activity shouldn’t be strictly business. If you add a neighbor on Facebook or Instagram, watch how quickly they warm up to you when you start throwing likes, hearts, and positive comments their way!

Stay In Touch

With so many means of communication in today’s world, it’s hard to excuse a lack of communication. Neighbors will almost always appreciate being updated about the progress or status of a sale. Remember: their future home life is at stake as well.

Provide Incentive

The truth is, most neighbors probably won’t want to bend over backwards for you, especially if they don’t think they’re getting anything in return. It can’t hurt to offer them something, big or small, to help them warm up to you. Gift cards are a good starting point. If you want to get to know them better (and get some insider information about their area from them), try inviting them to join you for a cup of coffee or a meal (your treat, of course). If they’re the more introverted type, you might try to offer them access to your Netflix or Hulu account. Or consider a personalized gift — for example, if you couldn’t hep but notice their wine fridge, a bottle from a boutique winery can make a lasting impression.

Bottom line, befriending the neighbors can only help your business and increase your local knowledge. It’s a win-win situation!
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Do you have any tips or stories about your interactions with neighbors? Leave them in the comments below!