Good Neighbors Top Priority for Buyers

ST. LOUIS — Having good neighbors matters as much as price or location when buying a home for 82% of Americans, according to a new report from Anytime Estimate, an online publication owned by Clever Real Estate.

In fact, about 1 in 5 Americans (19%) say they'd pay $10,000 or more above the price of a comparable home to avoid bad neighbors, while 1 in 8 (12%) would pay $20,000 extra.

Similarly, 19% would spend at least $10,000 more if it guaranteed they would never have to interact with their neighbors, and 13% would pay at least $20,000.

Over half of Americans (56%) have complaints about their neighbors, and 49% of homeowners have had to spend money on neighbor issues such as landscaping, building fences, legal fees, and repairing damage.

About 49% of Americans say a neighbor has wronged them in the past. In addition, 29% have felt judged by their neighbors, and 22% have neighbors who have made them feel unsafe or uncomfortable.

More than 1 in 8 homeowners (13%) even believe their neighbors or their neighbors' homes would cause problems selling their own home. Additionally, fewer than half of Americans (44%) say their neighbors made an effort to meet them when they moved in.

Just 35% say they never have neighbor issues; yet, despite this, 90% of Americans believe they are a good neighbor themselves.

Almost half of respondents (45%) would be open to moving if they didn't like their neighbors, and 26% have actually considered it.

88% of Americans see neighbors who frequently yell or fight as a dealbreaker, while 84% feel the same about neighbors who let their dog bark excessively.

About 57% say it would be a dealbreaker when buying a home to see a neighbor display a Confederate flag. That's notably higher than those who view Black Lives Matter signs (36%) or pride flags (33%) as dealbreakers.

Conversely, Americans say a good neighbor is trustworthy (65%), quiet (51%), and maintains their home and yard (47%).

Overall, 86% of Americans think it's important to get along with their neighbors. Millennials (53%) and Gen Z (52%), however, are more likely to say it's normal or common to dislike neighbors compared to boomers (34%).

Source: Anytime Estimate

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