Shreveport, Bossier City is a very friendly area. Win and woo your next-door friends with a little neighborly know-how.

If you want good neighbors, you’ll first have to become one yourself. Master these seven techniques, and even you (yes, you!) can win the approval of your entire neighborhood.

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1. Good neighbors bring cookies

Whether you’re new in town or haven’t kept in touch, a delivery of freshly baked goods is a perfect way to break the ice and let neighbors know that you’re thinking of them.

If cookies can keep Santa returning year after year with a bag full of loot, then surely they can train your neighbors to do your bidding. Consider the following scenario.

“Honey, somebody’s robbing the neighbor’s house again.”
“Wait, Janet. The ones who brought cookies yesterday?”
“Exactly. This time I’ll call the cops.”

2. Good neighbors rarely gossip

If your neighbor seems to know the dirt on everyone within a two-block radius, you can count on them to keep tabs on your personal life as well.

The next time Nosy Nellie gleefully describes the contents of the Rickenbacker’s trash again, move the conversation along by refocusing the conversation on her. “So, what are you growing in your garden this year?”

You aren’t in high school anymore, so preserve relationships with your neighbors and avoid the gratuitous gab fests.

3. Good neighbors share phone numbers

For such a connected age, you should really question why you don’t have your neighbors’ phone numbers. After all, what if they receive your package by mistake? What if the house floods while you’re on vacation? Worse yet, what if you need a babysitter?

If you feel uncomfortable bringing it up, ask during one of your cookie deliveries (you are following rule number one, right?) or right before a trip. Jot down your name, number and email address on a piece of paper and ask if your neighbor is comfortable sharing theirs.

4. Good neighbors help before they’re asked

The neighbor who says, “Let me know if you need anything,” probably isn’t going to help whenever you actually need something. You, on the other hand, are a good neighbor and genuinely want to help out.

To get ahead of the meaningless small talk, anticipate their needs. If they have kids and you’re comfortable babysitting, tell them up front. If they’re clearly struggling to mow the lawn during a heat wave, ask for the best time to stop by with your lawnmower.

5. Good neighbors are tidy

Even if you lack self-respect, respect the sensitive tastes of others and clean up your act.

Keep the ironic lawn ornaments to a minimum. Keep trash receptacles hidden in the side yard, or better yet, the garage.

Whenever you’ve finished gardening or landscaping for the day, put away your tools and bags of unused mulch. Rake the leaves and clean up grass clippings and all the other stuff your dad used to bug you about.

And if it’s not too much trouble, pressure wash and paint your house periodically.

6. Good neighbors mow the lawn

An unkempt and weedy lawn is embarrassing for your neighbors, so it should be embarrassing for you as well. Keeping it mowed every week or two is a good start, but it will take more than that to win the approval of the locals.

Trim the edge of your lawn regularly, fertilize on schedule and keep weeds to a minimum. Keep your foundation plantings simple, neatly trimmed and topped off with mulch.

If your neighborhood allows it, go the no-lawn method by planting swaths of low-maintenance, drought-tolerant ground covers. Crucially, don’t overdo it on the sprinklers — especially when it’s raining.

7. Good neighbors communicate

That old “good fences make good neighbors” quote had to come up at some point, right? A good neighbor must respect boundaries. That said, they should also be crossed when the fences themselves start losing pickets and falling over in a storm.

Even if it’s technically their fence, you might not be happy with the shoddy workmanship and resentment that you’ll have to live with when they get around to fixing it themselves.

Address shared interests like fences, drainage ditches and troublesome trees ahead of time so that you can work out a plan that both parties can agree to.

8. Good neighbors control their pets

Closely follow all of your local laws regarding pet ownership. Have your animals fully vaccinated, licensed, and on a leash when in your front yard or neighborhood. If you have dogs, enroll them in training courses to curb outside barking and noisiness. If they persist in barking, then bring them inside.

Let your neighbors know that they can come talk with you if your pets are ever bothering them. For example, you might say, “If you ever hear my dog barking too much in the evenings, just let me know.”

If you are walking in your neighborhood, practice common courtesy by picking up your pet’s poop, too.

**Ryan Wheeler is an expert real estate agent and military veteran serving buyers and sellers of homes in the Shreveport-Bossier City area.  Connect With Me Here

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Qualified veterans and military buyers can tap into what’s become the most powerful home loan on the market. VA loans feature no down payment, no mortgage insurance, and more forgiving credit requirements than most other loan types.

Still, they’re not the best fit for every veteran. The key is to find the right home loan for you.

Getting a better understanding of all your home loan options can help you make the best financial decision.

Let’s take a closer look at the four major types of home loans.

VA loans

• Who can use it: Eligible veterans, active-duty military members, and qualified surviving spouses. The VA doesn’t set a credit score benchmark, but most lenders will have one. A 620 FICO score is a common minimum.
• What it’s all about: VA home loans are backed by the government but issued by private lenders. VA loans offer no down payment requirement, no mortgage insurance, and less stringent credit requirements. VA loan guidelines account for borrowers whose finances may have been affected by their service. Credit score requirements are typically lower than those for conventional loans, and the program allows for more wiggle room when it comes to debt-to-income ratios, credit scores, and assets. They also tend to have lower average interest rates than other loan types.
• What to watch out for: The VA loan program is designed to help veterans and military members purchase safe, structurally sound homes they’ll occupy as their primary residence. VA loans are not available for investment properties or vacation homes. A funding between 2.5-3.3% of the loan amount helps keep the program going and can be paid upfront or rolled into your loan amount. Buyers with a service-connected disability don’t have to pay this fee.

FHA loans

• Who can use it: Anyone with at least a 580 FICO score (or lower in special cases), adequate income, and at least 3.5% down may be eligible to use an FHA loan.
• What it’s all about: Much like the VA program, the FHA program helps increase access to homeownership through lower down payment options, competitive interest rates, and less rigorous underwriting guidelines. FHA loans also tend to have the lowest minimum credit score requirements of all the loan types. Depending on their individual approval guidelines, some lenders will even allow for exceptions to the minimum credit requirement. The FHA’s 203(k) program allows borrowers to purchase and repair fixer-uppers, lending based on a home’s projected value after rehab work is completed.
• What to watch out for: FHA buyers pay both an upfront funding fee (called a mortgage insurance premium) as well as an annual mortgage insurance charge. The latter can easily add $150 or more to your monthly mortgage payment, and it’s a cost FHA buyers now pay for the life of their loan, regardless of their equity status.

USDA loans

• Who can use it: Buyers looking to settle in an approved rural area who have adequate (but not excessive) income and an acceptable credit score can use the USDA loan program. USDA lenders often look for at least a 640 FICO score.
• What it’s all about: Much like the VA loan, the USDA program allows qualified buyers to purchase a primary residence with no money down. USDA-eligible homes are located in what the agency deems qualified rural areas. Buyers need to verify that a property is located in one of these eligible areas. Along with no down payment, another big benefit of USDA loans is that buyers can finance their closing costs.  There are plenty of homes in the Shreveport-Bossier area that fit this bill.
• What to watch out for: USDA puts a cap on income for eligible borrowers. These limits vary by region and family size and can change annually. Like FHA loans, USDA loans come with both an upfront mortgage insurance premium and an annual mortgage insurance fee.

Conventional loans

• Who can use it: Anyone with qualifying credit (in the ballpark of a 660 FICO or higher), adequate income, and a 5% down payment in most cases. Some lenders may offer conventional financing with just 3% down.
• What it’s all about: In terms of credit scores and debt-to-income ratios, these loans have higher barriers to entry than the government-backed options. Conventional lenders are looking for borrowers who have well-established credit, solid assets, and steady income. The upside is that when it comes to the kind of property you can purchase, you’ll have more freedom with conventional financing. That means you can use this type of loan to buy a second home or an investment property.
• What to watch out for: Buyers putting less than 20% down will pay PMI, or private mortgage insurance, until they build sufficient equity in the property. These fees can easily add $100 or more to your payment every month. Unless you have excellent credit—think 740 or above—a conventional loan may come with higher rates and fees.

**Ryan Wheeler is an expert real estate agent and military veteran serving buyers and sellers of homes in the Shreveport-Bossier City area.  Connect With Me Here

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