When we're touring homes and you are deciding which one to buy, some aspects of neighboring properties might come into play.

We might tour one home and find that the house next door has an overgrown lawn, barking dogs in the backyard, and a driveway packed with vehicles. That might lead you to feel hesitant about moving forward with an offer, which is completely understandable.

Then, we might tour a second home -- with everything around it looking pristine. Neatly trimmed lawns, no signs of pets, minimal vehicles, etc. All signs point to a well maintained, calm neighborhood feel - and this second house might thus feel like the clear winner.

But it's important to keep in mind that... neighbors can change.

The person who mows twice a week and keeps their flowerbeds immaculate may someday move -- and be replaced by someone who doesn't own a mower. The neighbor with one vehicle may be replaced by someone with multiple driving teenagers and lots of vehicles. And that peaceful, dog-free yard could one day be replaced by multiple dogs who are always so excited to see you, and tell you about that excitement by barking.

In short, while it's very reasonable to consider the condition and attributes of neighboring properties when evaluating a home, it's also worth remembering that those properties might look different in the future -- depending on who lives there.

So what should we do? Do we at the neighboring homes? Yes -- but we'll want to mainly consider how you feel about the home itself. Does it work well for your needs, even if the surrounding neighborhood dynamics shift a bit over time?