When we talk about property development, we often focus on the obvious things — the property itself, the location, the numbers, planning permission and the potential return on investment.
But there is another important part of property development that can sometimes be overlooked:
The neighbours.
Whether you're converting a property into a shared house, carrying out a refurbishment, extending a home or developing a larger project, the relationship you have with the people living around you can make a real difference.
Your neighbours live there too
It sounds obvious, but it's easy to forget.
When you're looking at a property as an investment, you're thinking about room sizes, rental values, costs and returns.
Your neighbours are thinking about their homes.
They want to feel comfortable, safe and respected in their own neighbourhood.
That doesn't mean you have to agree to every request or avoid development altogether. It simply means that understanding their concerns and communicating properly can help make the whole process much smoother.
Good communication can prevent problems
If you're carrying out works, there may be noise, contractors coming and going, skips, deliveries or temporary disruption.
Keeping neighbours informed where appropriate can make a big difference.
Even a simple conversation to let them know what is happening and roughly how long the work is expected to take can help.
People are generally much more understanding when they know what to expect.
It's often the uncertainty that causes frustration.
Neighbours can tell you things you don't know
When you're buying a property, you can do your research, look at the area and carry out your due diligence.
But neighbours have often lived there for years.
They may know about parking issues, local problems, previous tenants, access difficulties, noise concerns or other things that aren't immediately obvious when viewing a property.
You don't have to take everything you hear as fact, of course, but listening can give you another perspective on the property and the surrounding area.
This is particularly important with shared houses and HMOs
For landlords operating shared accommodation, having good relationships with neighbours can be particularly valuable.
A well-managed shared house shouldn't be a problem for the surrounding community.
Good tenant management, clear house rules, appropriate rubbish and recycling arrangements, sensible parking and quick responses to issues can all help.
If a neighbour has a concern, being approachable and dealing with it promptly can stop a small issue becoming a much bigger one.
We always want our properties to be good homes for our tenants, but we also want them to sit comfortably within the wider community.
Your reputation matters
Property is a relatively small world.
If you're developing and managing property in the same area over a number of years, your reputation matters.
You want to be known as someone who looks after their properties, treats tenants fairly, communicates properly and respects the surrounding neighbourhood.
That reputation can be valuable when you're looking at your next project.
Being a good neighbour doesn't mean giving up your plans
It's important to say that being considerate doesn't mean you should abandon a development because somebody isn't happy about it.
Property development will sometimes involve disagreement.
Planning applications can receive objections, neighbours may have concerns and not everyone will be pleased with a change to a property.
The key is how you deal with those situations.
Listen to concerns, understand what is reasonable, communicate clearly and make sure your development is properly managed.
You can still run a successful property business while being a considerate neighbour.
Small things can make a big difference
Sometimes it's the simple things that help.
Making sure bins aren't constantly overflowing, keeping communal areas tidy, dealing with maintenance issues, ensuring tenants know how to park considerately and responding quickly when something goes wrong can all help build a positive relationship.
These things might not appear on your property spreadsheet, but they are part of successfully managing property.
Property is more than bricks and mortar
For me, one of the biggest lessons from property is that you're not just investing in a building.
You're investing in a location and becoming part of a community.
Whether you're a developer, landlord or letting agent, thinking about the people who live around your property can help you make better decisions and avoid unnecessary problems.
Good property development isn't just about creating a great property. It's also about making sure that property works well within the community around it.
And sometimes, being a good neighbour is simply good business.
