The North Natomas housing market was hot, hot, hot when we decided to buy in early 2001. So hot, in fact, that ours and several other families drew lots the night before the homes we wanted were to be “released” to the public.
That night, representatives from each family spent the night together in one of the model homes – nothing like a slumber party to get to know your new neighbors!
When we finally moved into our newly finished homes some six months later, it was nice to already know most of our neighbors. We live on a court of 10 homes which is pretty intimate in the whole scheme of North Natomas development.
One of the things I did shortly after moving in was to go door to door and collect names and telephone numbers of everyone on our court. Armed with this information, I created a phone list which I then distributed to each home.
Over time, neighbors have come and gone and the phone list updated. We’ve even added e-mail addresses to the list.
This phone list has been quite handy. It’s been used to plan social gatherings, complain about loud music, and report garage doors left open. We even know how to get in touch with the owner of the one rental unit on the court.
Most recently, this information helped one of our neighbors track down a runaway recycling bin and others coordinate fence repairs. The mini-tornado on Jan. 4 also prompted me to introduce myself to some newish neighbors and add them to the list.
Not quite a Neighborhood Watch, but a step in the right direction!
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