A recent story in the headlines caught my eye. Two home owners in Florida shared a driveway, and their homes had been standing for thirty years. The homes had switched owners many times, as is the case of buildings in Armour Heights and most of the neighborhoods here on Lubbock TX real estate. For years the driveway had been shared between neighbors with no real problems, until the two current owners moved in.

Almost from the start, there was bad blood about who would and could park where, and who had right of way. It started out with words, then petty incidents against each other, then actual fist fights. One night the police got a call to the homes, to find that one of the neighbors had actually shot the other in a dispute over the rights of the driveway. While this is of course not common, disputes between neighbors are. If you live in Waterpark City condos, you might be tired of hearing the neighbor's music. Obviously single dwelling home owners also have their share of neighbor problems. So how can these issues be resolved?

I guess we would all like to think that we can sort out any issue like adults, but by the time our neighbor does something to annoy us it is usually beyond that point. If someone is worked up enough about something to say anything, it usually comes out in a fairly stringent manner that is enough to start blood simmering, if not outright boiling. If you have a pretty good relationship with the person in the Lubbock or Markham home next door, then you might be able to talk something out. Try to do it over a coffee or something though, rather than in the driveway or over the phone.

If you don't feel as though you and your neighbor can communicate effectively one on one, then the next step is to call in someone who can help. If you live in Lubbock condos or Toronto townhouses, this should be fairly easy. The property manager can provide a sober, unbiased voice and help resolve any outstanding issues between you.

If you don't have a property manager, though, your next recourse should be to the city bylaws people. Nail down what your problem is with your neighbor, and if it is a city issue. That would apply to things like pets, fences, driveways, and other code problems.

If it's just a matter of personality, though, you might just have to deal with your neighbor dispute by biting your tongue and avoiding him or her altogether. The last thing you want is the police involved in a problem with your neighbor, whether you live in Lubbock suburbs or Mississauga condos.