It never ceases to amaze me that every homeowner I know wants and expects to enjoy his or her own property. So, if this is true, why are there so many neighbors who can't enjoy their property because another neighbor while enjoying his/her property has ruined it for another? I mean, if I am enjoying my property, then I must have some idea how important it is for my neighbor to enjoy his/her property. And if my neighbors enjoy their properties then why aren't their neighbors able to enjoy their respective properties on down the block?
A neighbor spends hours working on his garden and lawn. He sees his next door neighbor spend hours working on her yard. It stands to reason the first neighbor has some appreciation for a nice looking lawn. After all, he spent hours in the beginning of the season working on his. However, large brown patches soon multiplied on his lawn. Then they moved next door to her lawn. Now both lawns look like a bad advertisement for urine resistant blue grass.
At least these lawn worries stayed outside. Copy that scenario and add a common wall between the houses. The next scenario has one neighbor with a home based business pulling out his hair while he tries to work at home all day and his neighbor's dog on the other side of the wall barks all day.
Yet another set of neighbors in a stately old neighborhood are mixing it up because he made a do-it-yourself change to his property which caused his neighbor's property and home to flood during heavy rain. Mr. Do-It-Yourself was approached by Mr. I-Keep-Getting-Flooded, and did not see the wisdom in fixing the problem he created.
Mediation is a safe, confidential way for neighbors to address their grievances with one another before their differences escalate to full blown dispute and they end up facing each other in court. Rather than quietly seethe with frustration, exhibit hostility, or react violently toward one another while waiting months to get into a courtroom, neighbors can quickly address and resolve these issues in mediation.
