What you can do about your bad neighbors

Bob Borzotta, author of Neighbors From Hell: Managing Today's Brand of Conflict Close to Home, offers this guidance:

-- Live where you belong: Seniors may not enjoy a family neighborhood with kids running around, and families may not be comfortable in an apartment complex dominated by college students.

-- Be a good neighbor: Keep your own noise down, the kids well behaved, your house and yard in good shape, your pets' messes cleaned up and your trash contained.

-- Don't let lack of familiarity breed contempt: Neighbors don't always become our good friends, but knowing the names of people living nearby, exchanging a friendly wave, and being seen around your community are underrated steps to harmony.

-- Raise issues properly: Don't run over to a loud party next door while it's going on, or scream out at a barking dog in an adjacent back yard; cooler heads prevail, and the time to pleasantly mention a concern is 24 hours after the disturbance.

-- Know police culture: Cops can't solve neighbor problems, but if you're being harassed by noise or vicious dogs, their reports are most trusted in court, should your dispute come to that.

-- Prepare psychologically: Conflict close to home creates severe anxiety. Don't retreat into your home to avoid this anxiety, but instead get plenty of fresh air around the neighborhood — exercise, walk your dog, join a local civic group and remember to breathe. Commit to fairness and nonviolence.

-- Value your good neighbors: As more people are choosing electronic relationships over in-person friendships, and feel they can mistreat those around them, remember to appreciate your good neighbors.

For more tips, visit Bob Borzotta's website at neighborsolutions.com.