Like built in babysitter.

Renee Stengel, Westchester County  Renee, as they say in New York...."Exactly!"  LOL!

I love the neighbor calls, too! Especially if they're nosy... They know everything that's going on! lol..

Jim - I have had some good experiences with the neighbors, and then some bad ones.  LOL  I don't mind when they call and tell me a window is broken, someone is parked in the driveway, etc.  But those that call me at 2:00 AM and start screaming at me because the lawn isn't mowed or the newspaper is not off the front porch make me want to scream.  All in all, if they are willing to be the 'lookout' it's a good deal.

 Shannon Jones   They do!!  :)  Most are very helpful!

Carol Smith, ReMax Preferred, REALTOR®, Toledo, OH I like that...."All in all, if they are willing to be the 'lookout' it's a good deal."  A gree fully!

Those neighbors are the best.  I showed a vacant home recently and the neighbor wanted to check out everyone that came to see the home to insure they gave their stamp of approval.  While the sellers had moved on, the neighbors were still in touch with them and gave recommendations on the new buyer.

Jim, I have appreciated those nosey neighbors several times with my vacant listings.  It really is good to have them watching out for the house.

 Joan Whitebook  Sometimes the neighbors can sell the home for you also!  I've had that happen more than once!

Marchel Peterson Spring TX Real Estate E-Pro ABR I appreciate it a lot!

Try living in Florida for a while. There will be no need to contact the neighbors. They all retired here and will happily keep an eye out for everything that happens on the street. There will be no need to ask them to do it. They'll do it whether you want them to or not. =P LOL!

Jim- Agreed.....and when I list in a 55 Plus community, it's very beneficial to have these types of neighbors :)

Lisa Hill (Daytona Beach REALTOR®)  I never thought of that!

Kathy McGraw Broker/Owner Banning~ White Water, CA Real Estate   I must admit I never even thought of that at all!

Jim- I currently have my sons home on the market. He has a neighbor that is crazy. Her husband is bi polar, and the child is in protective services. She use to come over and greet every potential buyer just spewing things that scared then out of seeing the home. My son has a good report with her and explained to her she wasn't helping, so she finally stays in her home. You are right, neighbors can make your break you.

Jim,

I love how concerned the neighbors are about the other house...are they looking to get rid of them or just really concerned:)

I definitely agree with you.  I was wondering where my nosey neighbor was when my sign was stolen from the property I listed.  She called for everything else!!  When I called to see if she knew anything about it, she told me she thought I took it down.  I told her no because the property hadn't closed yet.  She had called me so many times prior to that.

Mark Horan PA Keller Williams Kissimmee, Florida  I agree. We had a home once where the neighbor definitely had issues...and when the survey was finished, she took the stakes out of the ground and threw them into the street.  This was the day before closing.

 Neal Bloom-Realtor ® Assoc.-Weston Florida  I think there are several levels of concern.  The first is immediate that if vandalism starts next door they are next!  Second has to do with actual concern, and the third they are concerned about their homes value, and who are their possible new neighbors.

Latonia Parks  I just had the same thing happen when our sign sign was stolen!  No calls then!

LOL!!  I never thought it that way!  Good point!

Rick Tourgee - Provincetown and Cape Cod  Thanks!

Jim:  I love nosy neighbors... I'm one myself.  Thanks for the reminder.  I need to go visit one today and introduce myself so they will keep me informed... the seller has moved back home to California.  

Jim,

Great observations and a great post!

Yes, I've had some neighbor calls.  The last one was when the buyer's inspector was at the house with his truck in the drive and the garage door open.  The sellers (my clients) were out of town.  The elderly neighbor was sure the house was being cleaned out by burglars, so she called me to be sure I knew.  Of course it wasn't -- but it was nice of her to check on it.  Great post.  I will take your advice on meeting the neighbors of vacant listings.  Thanks

 Jan Wood, Realtor (R) - Nashville TN Real Estate  It's a common sense introduction that usually pays off big time!

Mike Frazier, Dyersburg Tn Real Estate    Thanks!

Chris DeSimone, GRI, Realtor®   I would rather have a call like that...just in case it was really being cleaned out!

Jim,  Yes I can see how this is very beneficial to have the extra eyes helping.  That is when they help of course. (Great graphic.)

Karen Moorhead   an extra set of eyes are always a great thing.  I guess what we have to watch out for is an intrusive neighbor.  98% of our expereinces have been great ones!

Good post.I agree neighbors can be of help when the house is vacant.

GITA BANTWAL, REALTOR BUCKS COUNTY, PA HOMES   Neighbors can be a very big help, both now and later!

You're right, Jim,

I sell a lot of REOs. I love to talk to the neighbors, they tell me all about the house and history.  They let me know if someone leaves the lights on or if there is a problem with the sign.

Every now and then I get one who interrupts a showing... it just goes with the territory.

 Laurie Logan There is a lot of valuable history that can be learned from neighbors!

Neighbors especially in a 55+ mobile home park are THE best. They know EVERYTHING.

 Karen Villa Schweinfurth, ABR, CRS, SRES, e-Pro, Cyb   LOL!  I hear that! 

Great tips Jim - I also get with the neighbors when I am holding an open house!  I let them know which vehicle is mine and if it is there after the open house scheduled time please pop in and check-up on me!  I have found them to be great protectors and adversaries!

Kelly Shoemaker Realtor Broken Arrow, OK  Smart angle!  I like that an awful lot!

As long as they only watch the listing and don't cause issues with disclosure by saying stuff to prospective buyers.  That kind of "nosey" can be a nightmare!

Live good. Be happy.

-Mimi

Mimi Osterdahl / The Muljat Group Realtors / Bellingham, Washington

Mimi Osterdahl, Realtor Bellingham Washington   LOL!  That does happen!

"Abner...Abner...come quick...isn't that that Jim Crawford fellow practically getting a hernia putting in that real estate yard sign of his....ABNER!   Are you listening to me.... "(humbub starts next door) Good post Jim!   Neighbors of empty or FSBO's not home are pretty handy and know a slug of things being right next door to the property you are sniffing out to learn more on.    They tell you about water in the cellar, the crack behind the north wall and the buried fuel tanks that are leaking and still out back too!

 Andrew Mooers | Northern Maine Real Estate / Aroostook County Broker   Yes, sometimes they  overwhelm you.

Most of the neighbors I have dealt with have tried to keep the home or land from selling because they don't want a new neighbor to build on what was vacant land or they want a family member to get the home. They steal my signs, tell customers and their agents lies about the home or area and generally just irritate me.

Cheri' Smith  Land sales could be difficult!

Nosey neighbors is why I love to ask while I'm doing floor "where you'd learn about this home", because if they're a neighbor, they usually tell you. Then the rest is pure enlightenment, because they'll tell you all sorts of things that can help you with your sellers. Neighborhood information is invaluable. As a listing agent I'd like to know if the reason showings don;t go well is because the dog next door growls every time a strange card pulls up. Or that the neighbor to the west and the neighbor to east despise each other. That will tell me a lot of motivation, that's for sure!

Dee Nofziger, Toledo OH Real Estate   Years ago, I had clients that were going to buy a property.  We went back for a second time, and a neighbor advised us why they were selling.  I asked and what is that?  She said "The Tri-Party Lawsuit over an installed fence!"  That was a good thing to know!  I advised my clients not to buy!  Thier agent and the sellers had not disclosed this!

I couldn't agree more!  I have one right now that calls me when my flyer box is empty (or near empty) and also lets me know when potential buyers are peeking in the windows.

Kerry Lucasse  That is not a bad thing!  Better than payng staff!  LOL!

Jim:  I love nosey neighbors!  They indeed, keep a close eye on what is going on and it makes me feel safer when I am out showing.

 Dianne Barody - Pensacola Florida Real Estate  I agree...they are a help!  I rarely have any trouble of any kind with neighbors. 

The nosey neighbor is a great watch dog service.  I love hearing from them because it gives me tne opportunity to re-introduce myself again to them and let them know how to get in touch with me.  I also ask them if they know of anyone who might be interested in buying the place.  Keeps you in their mind all the time.

Bob Cumiskey  You are so right!  We took a new listing the other day and when we were taking the new listing photos and we met the neighbors and spoke with them for over a half an hour.