How COVID-19 Impacted Our Views of Our Neighbors

Posted On Thursday, 10 June 2021 20:24

The pandemic has changed the way many of us think about our homes. Whether your house now doubles as a working space or you’ve moved to accommodate more family and friends, the coronavirus has made an impact not only on how we live, but how we view the world around us.

Buildworld recently conducted a study of over 1,000 respondents to learn more about their views on their neighborhood and how the pandemic has shifted them. What this survey uncovered may impact moving decisions for years to come.

Neighborhood and community outlooks examined

This survey first set out to understand how neighborhood outlooks might have changed since the pandemic. Overwhelmingly, most respondents reported no change in their outlook (72.2%), while just under 17% reported an improvement in their outlook. Those living in houses and those who owned their property were more likely to report a positive improvement in their outlook than those who lived in an apartment or rented.

Views on neighbors also shifted during the pandemic. Nearly one-third of the individuals surveyed got to know their neighbors better during the past year likely thanks to quarantines and social distancing practices. Those who live in houses reported growing closer to neighbors (36.7%) more so than those living in apartments (26.9%).

The feeling of community among neighbors also increased. More than 21% of respondents offered to buy a neighbor’s groceries during the pandemic, while 19.8% checked on their elderly neighbors.

Valuable housing amenities during the pandemic

Respondents also weighed in on the housing and neighborhood amenities that became most important to them during the COVID health crisis. Parks and other green spaces were the most desired amenity (50.6%), while paved sidewalks (35.8%) and proximity to cafes and retail stores (31.2%) followed suit.

Not surprisingly, those living in apartments found green spaces, parks, and playgrounds to be a more desirable amenity than those living in houses. 

Community health and safety views

Lastly, this survey uncovered how individuals felt about their neighbors’ COVID-19 precautions and practices and weighed in on how safe they felt in their neighborhoods during the pandemic.

While nearly half of all respondents (45.4%) observed their neighbors following most of the social distancing recommendations, 53.2% were still somewhat slightly concerned about catching COVID-19 from a neighbor.

In fact, almost a quarter of respondents reported being exposed to COVID-19 by a neighbor. Exposure was more common for those living in apartments (28.3%) than houses (17.9%). On top of this, 43% of those surveyed admitted to finding out a neighbor was infected with COVID-19 and kept this information to themselves, rather than alerting other neighbors.

The bottom line

Since many of us were spending more time at home during the past year, it makes sense that more of us got to know our neighbors. This survey indicates that most of us feel the same way or even better about our neighbors, though many were concerned about contracting COVID-19 from them.

Overall, those who live in houses rather than apartments had a more positive experience with their neighbors and community over the past year. Neighborhood amenities were also important during quarantines, with green spaces and parks topping the list.

Keep these tips in mind if you’re looking to move, whether that means renting or buying a new home.

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