There goes the neighborhood, or are we just grouchy retired people?

[wearefinishedworking]

DH and I are retired 65 year olds, and we have lived in our home for 30 years. We raised 3 children here and chose our neighborhood for the great public schools.
Our home is a 4BR, 2BA with 2 car garage on .34 acre. We are avid gardeners and the thought of leaving my landscaping and plantings gives me nightmares.

However, the neighborhood is not the same! As home ownership has turned over, new neighbors just do not seem to care about their properties. They seldom are even outside. Trash cans lay in their driveways for days after trash day. No one plants flowers. Most barely wave and are not friendly. We are not ready for condo living. My ideal plan would be to pick up my house and yard and put it on a 5 acre lot with no neighbors nearby!

Have any of you become unhappy with your neighborhoods? We are in a lower COL area where homes just don't really appreciate that much. We paid $130K in 1995 and could probably get about $350K today. Our annual tax bill is $5800.

 

[ponyboy]

No, we can't relate. We lived in a 1 bedroom apartment for 10 years in the DC area. When we moved out of there to a much lcol area, we purchased a home on 30 acres. We wanted privacy. Our nearest neighbor is approx 150 yards away and separated by woods. That's already too close imo.

 

[COcheesehead]

Controversial subject because many have bad experiences, but we live in a convent controlled neighborhood and it keeps things looking good. There are plant restrictions, garbage can restrictions, etc. I know some people hate that stuff, but if you persnickety like we are, it’s appreciated. Plus you have someone who you can complain too.We pay $500/year. Unless they are breaking city codes, there is not much you can do.
By the way, your tax bill seems incredibly high. I pay less than that amount for two properties in Colorado.

 

[Koolau]

Yeah, for all their disadvantages, HOAs tend to keep things relatively well maintained. YMMV

 

[mykes2025]

Interesting post. I cant relate to your neighborhood issues, but I can relate to loving your home and space.

In my mind, the neighborhood is part of the home, so if that has gone bad, then I would consider taking my equity and moving on. Sounds like renters have taken over and they don't think about property like owners. No offense to renters, but I have owned, rented, and been a landlord, so I think I can speak on this.

My first house was bought in 1997 (sold 2002), probably close to the year you bought. I would not want to live in that neighborhood now, even tho when we bought it was a great neighborhood. Even when we sold the neighborhood was great.

I was pondering on our equity recently and how that played into "net worth". What good is your home equity if you never realize it? I think we are in our forever home. I love it, I love the yard (both front and back), I like the neighborhood. So the equity really means nothing to us. If I want to unlock that I need to sell.

If you are having doubts about you living situation, as I seem to sense, think about unlocking your equity and moving. I am pretty sure you can find a community (like you had when you bought), if you look.

Good luck to you.

 

[sengsational]

Our neighborhood, thankfully, has not declined. We have a lot more rentals now, but not too many. And there are some HOA heroes that managed to get the covenants changed so new home buyers can't rent if the % rentals is over a threshold. But existing owners are grandfathered and can rent irrespective of the %. So we solved that problem, and although the neighborhood has turned over (new crop of little kids running around), it beats the cranky teens and boomerang young adults that dominated for a long time. Unfortunately quite a few friends sold and moved to retirement pastures. We might too, but it's pretty cheap. 2 people in this huge house seems inefficient, but there's nowhere else we want to be bad enough to move...30 years in one house... moving would be a nightmare.

 

[Koolau]

Our neighborhood, thankfully, has not declined. We have a lot more rentals now, but not too many. And there are some HOA heroes that managed to get the covenants changed so new home buyers can't rent if the % rentals is over a threshold. But existing owners are grandfathered and can rent irrespective of the %. So we solved that problem, and although the neighborhood has turned over (new crop of little kids running around), it beats the cranky teens and boomerang young adults that dominated for a long time. Unfortunately quite a few friends sold and moved to retirement pastures. We might too, but it's pretty cheap. 2 people in this huge house seems inefficient, but there's nowhere else we want to be bad enough to move...30 years in one house... moving would be a nightmare.

The place I stay when on the mainland is where I grew up. The neighborhood has devolved. Where the chief of police used to live, a guy w*rks on cars and other "welding" type j*bs in his driveway and on the street (parking on his side of the street which is "no parking"). Another house (where my parents used to live for a while) sat empty for several years and the yard was a mess and the house looked awful. The house down on the corner used to be immaculately maintained until the owners passed. The new owners let the yard go to weeds and bare dirt.

Our grand kids saw the neighborhood for the first time and our eldest GK said "it looks pretty sketchy." He's right.

 

[robnplunder]

Luckily for us, our neighborhood has no such issues. Well, except for a year when we had one crazy renter across our house who was acting crazy. 3 different neighbors (including us) had to put a restraining order on the dude b/c of stalking. He ended up in jail for a few weeks when he tried to play with neighborhood's children with his Japanese sword in hand. What a crazy, dangerous nut he was! He was eventually kicked out by the house owner. Other than that, the neighborhood stayed decent.

 

[sengsational]

^Talking of devolving, the neighborhood where my In-Laws used to live is downright dangerous! They moved 25 years ago, so never saw it. But they were closer to the city. Although the city is reaching out, we're still suburban, an all cul-de-sac neighborhood and upscale enough for people to care.

 

[Koolau]

Luckily for us, our neighborhood has no such issues. Well, except for a year when we had one crazy renter across our house who was acting crazy. 3 different neighbors (including us) had to put a straining order on the dude b/c of stalking. He ended up in jail for a few weeks when he tried to play with neighborhood's children with his Japanese sword in hand. What a crazy, dangerous nut he was! He was eventually kicked out by the house owner. Other than that, the neighborhood stayed decent.

I watched out our front window (back in the old neighborhood) as the lady across the street was arrested for drunk driving. The other house across the street from us caught fire because they heated their house with scrap wood from old pallets using the old coal-fired furnace that had been in the basement for 80 years. They stored wood in the basement and dumped the ashes in cardboard boxes. Only 3 dogs died in the fire. Thankfully, they eventually crushed the house and dumped it into the basement and built a decent little house in its place. Of course, it's been a rental since then.

 

[razztazz]

You are simply a grouchy old person but rightfully so. It's where society has been going since the late 60's. The Italian word for how most people regard other people is "menefraghiste." They simply do not give a flying one, and it's not like they think they're "getting away with" anything. It's the norm. I don't want to sound like a grouchy old coot myself but compared to circa 1960-65, society has become The Twilight Zone and The Outer Limits

 

[Gumby]

Despite my best efforts to drag down the neighborhood, it is even better than the day we moved in some 33 years ago. The neighbors are exceedingly nice, we look out for each other, and everyone maintains their property well. I love living here.

 

[Koolau]

You are simply a grouchy old person but rightfully so. It's where society has been going since the late 60's. The Italian word for how most people regard other people is "menefraghiste." They simply do not give a flying one, and it's not like they think they're "getting away with" anything. It's the norm. I don't want to sound like a grouchy old coot myself but compared to circa 1960-65, society has become The Twilight Zone and The Outer Limits

Yeah, I believe in devolution more than evolution.

 

[mykes2025]

Despite my best efforts to drag down the neighborhood, it is even better than the day we moved in some 33 years ago. The neighbors are exceedingly nice, we look out for each other, and everyone maintains their property well. I love living here.

Send a PM to the OP, sounds like he would be a good addition.

 

[aja8888]

I live in a newer neighborhood with an HOA ($500/year). Yes, some neighbors will disregard the rules, and get "letters" from the HOA, but not everyone follows the rules. I guess the HOA can get tough, but I am not sure of their legal rights. I'm about done with "home ownership" anyway and I'm thinking of moving into an apartment later this year as I live alone (except for my dog). No yard to maintain, easy come and go, less costs (I understand rent is not free), etc.

 

[Stormy Kromer]

I solved this problem. I bought 240 acres of farmland with a homestead. My grandparent's old place. Cost about $1.5 million. I paid appraised value to the estate...only way, no family discount.
The farmland brings in $60k rent and a place to live. Great neighbors, all half a mile away. No crime. We help people and get along great. Go to church nearby and look out for each other like family, only better. Big garden and a world class library 10 miles away. Can't beat it.

 

[Koolau]

Despite my best efforts to drag down the neighborhood, it is even better than the day we moved in some 33 years ago. The neighbors are exceedingly nice, we look out for each other, and everyone maintains their property well. I love living here.

I know that's how the neighbor next door thought of us when we moved (for a few years to get the kids in the best school) to another part of our old home town. The first time a dandelion came up in our yard, he suggested a treatment. He trimmed the hedge that separated our two properties but left half for me to do (sorry, I never had a hedge before. I didn't know you had to trim those things!)

 

[aja8888]

I solved this problem. I bought 240 acres of farmland with a homestead. My grandparent's old place. Cost about $1.5 million. I paid appraised value to the estate...only way, no family discount.
The farmland brings in $60k rent and a place to live. Great neighbors, all half a mile away. No crime. We help people and get along great. Go to church nearby and look out for each other like family, only better. Big garden and a world class library 10 miles away. Can't beat it.

Nice, you are lucky!

 

[Koolau]

I solved this problem. I bought 240 acres of farmland with a homestead. My grandparent's old place. Cost about $1.5 million. I paid appraised value to the estate...only way, no family discount.
The farmland brings in $60k rent and a place to live. Great neighbors, all half a mile away. No crime. We help people and get along great. Go to church nearby and look out for each other like family, only better. Big garden and a world class library 10 miles away. Can't beat it.

It looks very nice.

Do you ever have concerns about distance to (for instance) emergency care? One issue we're looking at in our old home town is moving to a place closer to the local hospitals. We'll be losing our rental and believe this will be the time to move within a couple of miles of emergency care.

 

[COcheesehead]

I live in a newer neighborhood with an HOA ($500/year). Yes, some neighbors will disregard the rules, and get "letters" from the HOA, but not everyone follows the rules. I guess the HOA can get tough, but I am not sure of their legal rights. I'm about done with "home ownership" anyway and I'm thinking of moving into an apartment later this year as I live alone (except for my dog). No yard to maintain, easy come and go, less costs (I understand rent it high), etc.

We lived in an apartment during a transition year before moving in retirement. It was a new living hell. Loud, disrespectful neighbors, people parking where they shouldn’t. Couldn’t get maintenance things done, can’t do them yourself - against the rules. New neighbors every week. Nobody wants to really bond, they are all there temporarily. Creepy sometimes.

 

[JoeWras]

Our 48 year old neighborhood has ups and downs. Currently, a lot of families have moved in replacing some of the original owners, who have passed. As much as I like old people like us, some of us lose the ability to maintain a home. A few got in rough shape.

With the turn over, the neighborhood is on the upswing. It helps that it has been declared a cool place to live by those who do such things.

 

[aja8888]

We lived in an apartment during a transition year before moving in retirement. It was a new living hell. Loud, disrespectful neighbors, people parking where they shouldn’t. Couldn’t get maintenance things done, can’t do them yourself - against the rules. New neighbors every week. Nobody wants to really bond, they are all there temporarily. Creepy sometimes.

I'm thinking of a newish 55+ age apartment. Pretty high end stuff. I've lived in what you described a long time ago.

 

[Gumby]

I would note that we are now among the oldest of "old timers" on the the street. During Covid, we experienced an influx of refugee couples from Brooklyn, all in their early 30s. The have fit in to our neighborhood seamlessly, and as an added bonus, we now have children on our street again. I will add that people like our street so much that some drive here to walk their dogs.

 

[Koolau]

I would note that we are now among the oldest of "old timers" on the the street. During Covid, we experienced an influx of refugee couples from Brooklyn, all in their early 30s. The have fit in to our neighborhood seamlessly, and as an added bonus, we now have children on our street again. I will add that people like our street so much that some drive here to walk their dogs.

Nice enough for their dogs! That IS a great recommendation.

 

[JoeWras]

I would note that we are now among the oldest of "old timers" on the the street. During Covid, we experienced an influx of refugee couples from Brooklyn, all in their early 30s. The have fit in to our neighborhood seamlessly, and as an added bonus, we now have children on our street again. I will add that people like our street so much that some drive here to walk their dogs.

I'm glad to see kids again too. I was telling DW that I hope the two boys who play next door have a game of baseball and bust our window. I love to see them outside playing and not with a screen in their hand. They are having so much fun. For boys, breaking a window (accidentally) is a right of passage.

DW kind of thinks I'm nuts. Maybe I am.