Adventures in Home Ownership: How to Be the Best Street Ever
With every passing day, we love our house—and our neighborhood—more and more. But our feelings about the new address shot through the roof last Friday, when we went to our first shindig at a neighbor's place two blocks down.
We filled people in on our backgrounds and our plans for the house, and our neighbors shared with us their stories, their Jersey roots, and their recipes for the various potluck items on which we were chowing down. It was fantastic, and although I'll never remember all of the names (at least not anytime soon), it was amazing to feel part of a community so quickly after the "For Sale" sign came down in the front yard.
I can't imagine a more close-knit neighborhood to join (pleasantly close-knit, I should say—I certainly wouldn't be psyched if it was cult-like), and I was thinking that our new block could be the model for a happy, welcoming street. So if you've got people moving in next door (or want to set the stage for the next new arrival), here are some tips to make your new, overwhelmed transplants feel at ease—it certainly did the trick for us:
- Because a former boss of mine happens to live on our new street (a major help in the settling-in phase), we were quickly given the heads up about the neighborhood list-serv. Only people who live on our quiet avenue are part of it, and any email I send to it goes to all of the participating neighbors. It helped when we were trying to figure out the details on trash collection, which cable provider to go with, and the name of a good tree guy (we received several instant replies to all three queries). It also alerted us to the first neighborhood shindig (more on that next). I'm sure it will prove helpful over the coming years when we're seeking out carpools or looking to borrow outdoor chairs, but it was particularly useful as a new kid on the block—and a first-time homeowner. (If you're so inspired, go to yahoogroups.com to start one up.)
- Someone on our three-quarter-mile road hosts a party every month, generally on the third Friday. The street calls them Flamingo Parties (because a pink flamingo is staked into the yard of the host home), and—as far as I can tell, since I've only been to one—the guests bring the food and the hosts provide the drinks and the backyard. Great for socializing and keeping the street connected, even better for new folks like us... what better way to meet your neighbors than under a summer dusk sky with a drink in hand?
- If you have a teenage son, send him over to the new people's place to introduce himself. I know that sounds silly, but man... our 13-year-old neighbor from across the street was the very first person to introduce himself to us on the block, and it restored my faith in a lot of things. As the older sister of three boys who were once teenagers (one still is, actually), I know how refreshing it is when one goes out of his way to offer a handshake and say hello. It might have been the most comforting moment we've had yet.
- After you've sent the sacrificial teenage boy, head on over yourself. As we spent our first weekends gardening in the front yard, we were constantly sidetracked (in a good way) by a neighbor—by foot, bike, and car—detouring to our front walk to say hello. One lovely couple even came with a bottle of wine in hand. Each time we'd part ways with the latest person to introduce him or herself, Chris and I would look at each other with an "I love this place!" smile. (Then we'd check to see if we remembered their names, and realize once again that we're the worst. Fortunately, we've started a map in our kitchen to help us when our memory fails.)
Because I can't bring myself to bombard our new neighbors with yet another email (especially since I never know what homeowner question I'll have to send next), I've held back on sending an official thank you for the kindness we've received. But I'm excited to be a part of the scene when the next new folks move in. We've learned from the best.
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