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Column: Create and start a block party to meet your neighbors

Philip A Raices

I was lying in bed the other day, thinking of a topic to convey to my readers and voila, it popped into my mind.

Years ago, people had block parties to stay in touch with neighbors and socialize; bring family and friends out to talk, discuss current events (there is so much to talk about today, we are on overload with the amount of news that is provided to us on a daily basis, one could never run out of things to talk about!).

Everyone or almost everyone would bring a dish, make a barbecue, maybe even some entertainment, bring in a face painter, hire a clown for the kids. Whatever happened to these friendly and critically important get-togethers?

Are we too busy to take some of our time to reach out to our neighbors? Or do we no longer care enough about the people living next door or down the street? I believe that this was always an excellent way to stay in touch.

We as people seem so devoid of human contact and are in many ways so isolated from people.

Technology has been the culprit in creating this situation and at the same time increasing our connections, reach and awareness of the “fake and truthful accurate news” about what is going on by a zillion percent; but has pushed us all away (not me) from that one on one connection to us as human beings.

Wouldn’t a rekindling of a basic idea of block parties help us reconnect to old established neighbors and those that have recently moved into the area?

A few of these parties per year would help bring out your neighbors and create a positive perception of how the people are connected to each other; their interests, what they do for a living, etc.

Would that not help in the perception of how more valuable real estate might be on a block or location where everyone knows each other like it was many, many years ago.

Knowing more about your neighbors and their children in keeping them safe and secure as well as further reducing the occurrence of vandalism and crime in the area.

I had recently shown a home, where there was a block party and my purchasers responded in such a positive way, that they wanted to be in that location. They were thoroughly surprised and quite amazed that people would do this and had never experienced this situation before, since they had always lived in apartments.

I can only feel quite positive about the effect on what it could and would do to real estate, if more homeowners got involved in putting an olive branch out to neighbors and setting up these block parties.

While the world is so very much technologically connected than ever before, we are so very much disconnected at the same time from each other on a personal one on one level; except for what we see on the internet, T.V. and hear on radio.

Yes, I know real estate values are continuing to increase with the lack of inventory and four times the demand (as per the National Association of Realtors in Iman News).

But is it just about buying the value in a commodity (a home) or are we also looking for a community with a lifestyle and new and potentially lifelong relationships and camaraderie. I believe many are missing one of the points of ownership, besides building their long-term wealth and tax deductions; it’s also about getting to know those families and people that you are surrounded by and will hopefully be living around you for the foreseeable future. Offering the necessary help and advice with the garden, repairs and improvements, cooking recipes for the wives and ladies; and anything else that would bring about greater rapport, leading to a relationship building process.

This would only bring about a positive environment that all could enjoy.

I can’t imagine that getting to know your neighbors would be a detriment and would only add to our increasing property values and possibly would make and enhance the demand for the area and encourage buyers through word of mouth to want to be there, don’t your think?

Can you imagine if we all began talking to each other again, instead of burying our faces and time in our devices, what positive results would occur in our neighborhoods? Maybe one day soon, we will begin the road back to investing more time and effort in people besides property; for nobody cares how much you know, until they know how much your care!

Phil Raices is the owner/broker of Turn Key Real Estate at 3 Grace Ave Suite 180. in Great Neck. He has earned designations as a Graduate Realtor Institute and Certified International Property Specialist.
He can be reached by email: Phil@TurnkeyRealEstate.Com or by cell (516) 647-4289 to answer any of your questions or article suggestions.
For “Our Seller’s Guide for “Things to Consider When Selling Your Home,” call or email me with your request. There is no obligation whatsoever and no strings attached.

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