If you’ve just moved into a new house or flat, you may want to find out more about the people closest to you or, as you guessed, your neighbors.
But how can you do it without invading their privacy or looking silly or weird? Two paths lead to this question’s answer.
First, you can ask around; then, if you know their names, you can check them out online. As we spend so much time online, let’s explore the second path first.
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3 Ways to Check Out Your Neighbors Online
To start your search, you should learn their names. If you are a homeowner, they should be somewhere on the property’s notary bill or blueprint.
If you’ve rented the place, check out the lease contract or ask your landlord. Once you’ve found their names, the online hunt for information can start.
Google their names
Google is the best vantage point for any online research, including on neighbors. If they have any footprint online, the brainchild of Larry Page and Sergey Brin will reveal it.
The results may be inconclusive and even chaotic, but they will provide a valuable lead to continue your search. Google is great at discovering public social profiles and recent forum posts.
Use free people checking services
Here are the best people search sites for neighbors. Since you already have their names and addresses, you can retrieve heaps of personal data without activating expensive premium memberships.
FreePeopleSearch.com
This website tops the list of neighbor checking sites because of its comprehensive and neatly organized reports.
The crime and court records section is quite exhaustive and shows recent as well as past offenses and lawsuits.
If you live in a flat and have three neighbors, to the left or right, above, and below, you can check all of them for free.
True to its name, FreePeopleSearch.com does not charge extra, no matter how many reports you print out.
Instant Checkmate
If you have a spare dollar to spend, you can start a free trial on Instant Checkmate and look up the people next door.
In addition to crime-related info, this people-finding service can tell you more about your neighbors’ financial status and careers.
If you find out they own a million-dollar yacht or a private jet, you can tap yourself on the shoulder for having bought or rented a home in such a prestigious neighborhood.
The Neighbors app
Ring is a company selling home security solutions across the USA, and the Neighbors app is the latest addition to their product list. Best of all, you can download it without subscribing to a service or purchasing a product.
Neighbors sends you real-time reports on suspicious activities or police operations in your neighborhood. If you spot such things yourself, you can alert other app users.
Despite some privacy concerns, Neighbors can help you find out more about the people in your neighborhood, including those around your home.
Connect to them online
It’s wise to have your neighbors among your Facebook friends, just in case. If you find their Facebook profiles via google or a people finding service, go ahead and send them friendship requests
3 Ways to Ask Around About the People Next Door
Once you’ve completed your online neighbor checkup, you can crosscheck the information with more traditional sources.
Introduce yourself
That’s the most natural and effective way to learn about and befriend your neighbors.
Just show up at their doorstep one lovely Sunday morning with a basket of freshly-baked cookies and say “Hi.” They might invite you in, and you could have an enjoyable time getting to know each other.
If they seem uncomfortable, don’t push it. Just say goodbye and leave. You don’t want to look like a weirdo to your new neighbors.
Ask about them in the local shop
The nearby grocery store can be an inexhaustive well of information once you find the way to the owner’s heart. Be creative, and you’ll have a reliable informant for years ahead.
Check out the local bar
The person behind the bar usually knows a lot about the area and its inhabitants, but don’t expect to learn everything on the first evening. You have to be patient and tip them regularly.
