We have new neighbors. Are we supposed to go over and introduce ourselves

[Blessedfamily]

Or just wait until we see them out in the yard? What's the protocol now? What do you do?

[katemary63]

I would go over with baked goods and say hi!

[Liz CA]

Or just wait until we see them out in the yard? What's the protocol now? What do you do?

 

I would probably wait until I see them on the street/yard and then go over and introduce myself, however years ago when we were the new kids on the block, a neighbor came over with a loaf of homebaked bread. Wonderful bread and a wonderful gesture.

 

These days, I am sure there are people who would not touch bread baked by someone they don't know but we all lived to tell about it. :D

 

 

 

[Liz CA]

I would go over with baked goods and say hi!

 

See, that is what I was talking about below. It sets the tone for a good relationship IMHO - coming from a country girl!

[MariannNOVA]

Our neighbors waited until we had been here about a week, and then came over with home-baked goods. That's been the scenario in three of our last four moves.

If I were you, I'd wave, and give them a little time to get settled, and then if you were going to make some sort of gesture above and beyond a wave, they've had a chance to be a little more 'at home.'

And, aren't you nice to think of welcoming them!:001_smile:

[melis108]

I think going over to meet them is a very nice gesture. We got new neighbors a year or so ago. I hadn't had the chance to meet them yet. One afternoon, my 10 year old son said, "Mom, I'll be right back. I'm going to go introduce myself to the new neighbors." :lol: That is just SO him!!

[Georgiana Daniels]

Yes, and here's why:

 

I never did introduce myself to the new lady across the street, because i'm prone to minding my own beeswax.

 

One day--years after she moved in--she came running across the street when I got home and told me a man was trying to break into our home. Then she told me how he scowled at her when she caught him jiggling the lock, and he got into his white SUV and tore out of there.

 

Panicked, I called my husband and told him what happened, and do you know what he said????

 

"Honey, that was me."

 

So I vote yes. Introduce yourself....and your family.

[elegantlion]

Yes, I'd say wait a few days and go introduce yourself. We moved about 3 years ago and NO ONE came to visit. I'm not exactly outgoing and my house was a mess, I was a mess and wasn't about to go out introducing myself.

 

I would have loved to have someone come over and introduce themselves. I still don't know most of my neighbors.

[i.love.lucy]

Yes, and here's why:

 

I never did introduce myself to the new lady across the street, because i'm prone to minding my own beeswax.

 

One day--years after she moved in--she came running across the street when I got home and told me a man was trying to break into our home. Then she told me how he scowled at her when she caught him jiggling the lock, and he got into his white SUV and tore out of there.

 

Panicked, I called my husband and told him what happened, and do you know what he said????

 

"Honey, that was me."

 

So I vote yes. Introduce yourself....and your family.

:lol::lol::lol::001_huh:

[KnightMaiden]

we just moved into a new neighborhood...for the first time ever acutally..and we just met our neighbors when they were out. BUT our neighbors are out often too...so I don't know what the "protocol" should be.

[Garga]

It can't hurt to go over with the baked good. People have heard about it, so at least they'll know what you're doing, even if no one has ever brought them food before.

[Mommyof4ks]

We are the new neighbors, but in the 2 months we have lived here no one has come to say hi expect those that we already knew lol. I would love to get to know them, but I guess I will have to take it upon myself.

 

I don't really know what the protocol is, because we lived in our other house 9 years and we were always outside so it was easy to meet the neighbors. The people here don't come outside!

[Margo out of lurking]

Georgiana, that is hilarious!

 

I'm not the OP, but thank you for the answers. We have new neighbors, and the man waved at me tonight as ds and I walked by. He was on his riding lawnmower though and didn't stop, so we just waved back. Now I know to feel comfortable to bring something over in the next week or so. (No one did that for us when we moved here, so I'm guessing no one will do that for this new family either, even though we are a pretty nice street!)

[Blessedfamily]

... We got new neighbors a year or so ago. I hadn't had the chance to meet them yet. One afternoon, my 10 year old son said, "Mom, I'll be right back. I'm going to go introduce myself to the new neighbors." :lol: That is just SO him!!

 

Sounds like us. I'm an intorvert. When dd5 heard there were new people next door, she said " Why don't we go meet them and see if they're friendly and if they have any kids?"

[Blessedfamily]

........

I don't really know what the protocol is, because we lived in our other house 9 years and we were always outside so it was easy to meet the neighbors. The people here don't come outside!

 

And this is why I'm asking. All the other people who moved in our street sort of hung around outside and seemed to want to meet. These people don't come outside AT ALL. (They've been here a week, but we were on vacation for 4 days) I'm wondering if that means they prefer their privacy?

 

The man who sold the house told us it's a marine and his wife. I haven't seen them at all.

[Harriet Vane]

I would go over with baked goods and say hi!

 

This is what I usually do. It's always well-received.

[FloridaLisa]

I would go over and meet them now, rather than waiting to catch them in the yard. When we were moving in, our next-door neighbor brought us pizza! That was a hit. I always appreciate the warm welcome of neighbors knocking on the door to introduce themselves and welcome us to the neigborhood.

 

Lisa

[Stacy in NJ]

People in the NE for the most part don't go over to meet new neighbors, especially with baked goods in hand. Just doesn't happen. Usually we wait for the opportunity when neighbors are outside.

 

Now, of course, someone from the NE will post and say that they do indeed knock on their new neighbors door with baked goods. :D

 

I'm just sayin it ain't done in these parts.

[Desert Rat]

I wait 3 or 4 days until they're a little settled and take over fresh cookies and introduce ourselves. I like to take my boys with so they can see their faces and know they belong to us. I leave a card with the cookies that has our names on it so they can have a reference.

[Denise in Florida]

My new neighbors have done this for me in the past and I really appreciated the visit.

[*Inna*]

Georgiana, :lol:! That is hilarious!

 

To OP, whatever you do, don't introduce yourself like my neighbors did. When we moved into our house, a two guys came to my door. Here's the conversation (the gist of it anyway):

Them:"Hi, there. Is your husband home?"

Me:"No, he'll be home in an hour"

Them:"Well, we noticed he's working at Circuit City, and we want him to come with us to the store, help choosing a TV, get an employee discount and then installing it." :001_huh:

Alrighty then.

[phathui5]

Go say hi.

[sparrow]

People in the NE for the most part don't go over to meet new neighbors, especially with baked goods in hand. Just doesn't happen. Usually we wait for the opportunity when neighbors are outside.

 

Now, of course, someone from the NE will post and say that they do indeed knock on their new neighbors door with baked goods. :D

 

I'm just sayin it ain't done in these parts.

 

 

I was thinking it could be a regional thing, too. We're in the upper midwest and I think, in general, we're more reserved. We've never brought baked goods, nor have they been brought to us. A friendly :seeya: when we see each other outside works just fine for me :).

[sparrow]

When we were moving in, our next-door neighbor brought us pizza! That was a hit.

 

This is a fantastic idea! I may actually step out of my personal comfort zone and do this someday. Of course, in our area we're seeing a lot more people move out (no jobs), than move in :glare:.

[gardening momma]

These people don't come outside AT ALL. (They've been here a week, but we were on vacation for 4 days) I'm wondering if that means they prefer their privacy?

It could be like me...somewhat introvert, want my privacy, don't care to hang out in the front yard, only go to the backyard if it's not too hot and I'm covered in insect repellant, but I do want to meet people, I'm just not good at going out and saying hi.

[tex-mex]

Yes, and here's why:

 

I never did introduce myself to the new lady across the street, because i'm prone to minding my own beeswax.

 

One day--years after she moved in--she came running across the street when I got home and told me a man was trying to break into our home. Then she told me how he scowled at her when she caught him jiggling the lock, and he got into his white SUV and tore out of there.

 

Panicked, I called my husband and told him what happened, and do you know what he said????

 

"Honey, that was me."

 

So I vote yes. Introduce yourself....and your family.

 

HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA :D

 

You know, most folks nowadays don't introduce themselves when new neighbors move in? At our last home, we lived for 4 years and only barely knew 1 neighbor. Sad.

[Beth in OH]

When we moved from the country to our suburban neighborhood last summer, our next door neighbors brought a plate of brownies within a couple days of our arrival. They also included a note with their names and phone number "just in case we needed a hammer or something and couldn't find ours:D". It was a lovely gesture, and I don't think you can go wrong with an introduction!

 

Beth

[HiddenJewel]

We had two neighbors come over and introduce themselves when we moved into our house and I appreciated it very much. I would have been very discouraged if they had waited until they saw us outside. They also brought baked goods which was really neat.

[1bassoon]

When we moved to the south, we had quite a few neighbors stop by.

 

Then there was the one . . . .

 

"Hi! My son sent me over to see if you had any hot girls over here!

Would you like to visit our church? It's lots of fun!"

 

Um. No. :glare:

[Georgiana Daniels]

PS. Now we are all friendly, and I'm happy to know that someone is keeping an eye on our place when we're not home :001_smile: For that reason alone, I'm glad to know a neighbor.

[Jean in Newcastle]

I greet all our new neighbors with cookies a few days after they move in. I also greeted our our new neighbors (to us) when we moved in (since none of them made a move to do so).

 

I know almost all the neighbors around us. Not necessarily well but well-enough to wave "hi" and chit chat. Some I know even better than that (we invite each other over for dinner). The only ones that I don't know well are the "frat boys". When I went over to their home with cookies they greeted me at the door in their skivvies (think speedos):tongue_smilie::lol:.

[Anne Rittenhouse]

Ir you don't want to do "baked goods"....make a list of the professionals you and your neighbors use and are happy with. Here's a place to get your hair cut. We like this dentist. This construction firm put in the neighbors pool and they are super happy with the job. Here's a great place to get you car serviced. Those first leads in a new neighborhood can be invaluable.

[dcjlkplus3]

Yes, I'd say wait a few days and go introduce yourself. We moved about 3 years ago and NO ONE came to visit. I'm not exactly outgoing and my house was a mess, I was a mess and wasn't about to go out introducing myself.

 

I would have loved to have someone come over and introduce themselves. I still don't know most of my neighbors.

:iagree:This is me too, plus I had a toddler and baby when we moved in, so we were out back WAY more than out front.

[senunk]

and all the neighbors came over to introduce themselves. Not all at once. They are the best. We do bbq's together, help each other out, share our garden produce, etc. They are all retired and we are the only family, so my girls get lots of grandparent-y attention. One couple is the cutest - they are ages 99 and 87 (she's older), and he puts everyone's garbage cans back in their driveway after the trucks come. It's his weekly exercise. We are like a family.

[cassiemc]

We moved here about 2 years ago. We had 3 neighbors walk over within the first week, when we were in the yard. We made great friends with them. We have met other neighbors while taking a walk. Just recently we had new neighbors move in across the street. They were moving some stuff in when we drove up. The kids and I decided to go introduce ourselves. The new neighbors seemed happy we came over. I think it's definitely better to introduce yourself than not. We all live in the same area and everyone needs help now and again. It's good to know your neighbors :)