Back in 2006, our family purchased a home on California's coast. At the time, we were thrilled to land this unprecedented deal. The grass was green, and the property was charming. We soon settled in minutes from incredible surf, $3 fish tacos, and better-than-average coffee. Within days, our neighbors were bopping in and out of our house with the familiarity of long-time friends. A teaspoon of vanilla here, a shared meal there; life in the Harmony development felt quite melodious.
But then the real estate market tanked and, sadly, with it the glowing perception of this once-hospitable neighborhood. Community barbecues and mailbox pleasantries gave way to delinquent HOAs, awkward misunderstandings, and curb-side gossip and grumbling. It seemed our seaside 'hood was losing momentum. To top it off, that deal we landed in 2006 felt, well, different by 2010. Like so many Americans, we found ourselves uncomfortably leveraged and down on our options.
One thing is clear. Our family certainly isn't alone in this predicament. But the question remains: How can we as believers respond to these tough economic times and the impact they're having on our much-loved neighborhoods? Keep reading to find new hope and inspiring perspectives just beyond the front door.
Fenced In
Though it's natural to feel stressed by upside-down mortgages, foreclosures, and streets losing their charm, within these uncomfortable dynamics rests an opportunity to seek and find contentment beyond our white picket fences.
"These circumstances can be a poignant reminder that, as Paul says, this world is not our home," reminds CEO and Realtor Daniel Zia. "We're transients just passing through. We can be so consumed by charm and the appearances of our home and neighborhoods that we forget they are gifts from the Giver. May they never become idols in our lives or, if lost, cause us to wander in the wilderness of grumbling and complaining.
Our God is worthy of all our praise and adoration, regardless of what material blessings come, flow through, or vacate our lives."
Close to Home
Not long ago it was possible to believe that poverty and pain resided somewhere beyond planned communities and downtown jewels. While the poverty-stricken have always dwelled among us, today's financial realities are surfacing vulnerabilities much closer to home and, with them, a chance to serve.
"If you think that the poor and weak and brokenhearted aren't residing in your daily orbit of influence, I'd challenge you to take another look," says author and speaker Margot Starbuck. "Although you might not have any clinically diagnosed lepers, I promise you that there are others — sick, lonely, poor, shunned — who are closer than you think." Let's find these friends and breathe new life into their souls through tangible love and care.
Love It, List It
We've all heard of flipping a house. How about flipping our perspective instead? This is an especially useful exercise for those feeling stuck or enduring the ill effects of declining properties around them.
Grab a journal and create a list of things you love about your home and neighborhood. Include the big (the stone fireplace in your living room) to the seemingly small (the quirky barista at your neighborhood coffee shop). This simple exercise has the potential to reframe your circumstances in uplifting ways.
Remember those $3 fish tacos I mentioned earlier? Turns out, the Beach House is still serving them - and they're still $3! Somewhere between dog owners perpetually forgetting to pick up after their four-legged friends and heated HOA meetings involving rate increases, we almost forgot. Let's not be distracted by what's going wrong and instead take that simple step toward daily gratitude.
Two-Way Street
Though financial vulnerability is certainly difficult to weather, some homeowners are recognizing new opportunities within this realm.
"When things are going great and we don't need to depend on others, our temptation can be toward flight — toward independence," Starbuck reflects. "What we're made for, however, is interdependence. When gas is expensive and I don't want to drive to the store, I'm more likely to ask to borrow an egg from my neighbor.
When we're being more careful about not wasting food, we might take half a batch of cookies to the family down the street. When my neighbor can't afford to get her van fixed, she's more likely to ask to borrow mine. During financially difficult times, believers have a unique opportunity to share life with those around them."
Mending Fences
Nearly every street has one — the house with rotating renters, the neighbor who decides his front lawn is the perfect spot to fix the car, or the condo owner who shirks her HOA payment each month. Though these situations can be maddening, why not move our hearts to more forgiving territory?
It's certainly OK to speak directly to a neighbor whose choices are negatively affecting those around them, but it's equally important to remember that often these behaviors stem from a much deeper place of pain. If in the end things don't change, seek to practice grace in their lives. "If all else fails, be long-suffering," encourages Realtor Chantay Bridges of Clear Choice Realty and Associates. "Put yourself in the other person's shoes. Your neighbors could be going through a painful time and are responding out of hurt.
This is a great time to show them love — that someone cares, despite everything else that's going on around them."
Circle the Wagons
After weighing the options, many families find they need to stick it out in their current home. Though there are many reasons that this can feel discouraging (a long commute, a growing family, being surrounded by vacant homes), there's also ample room for turning one's attention to needs close at hand.
"If you can't move, circle the wagons with fellow neighbors," encourages Realtor Juniper Cooper of Juniper Realty Group. "They might feel as stuck as you do. Meet them, befriend them, and take ownership of your neighborhood. Friendly barbecues, neighborhood cleanups, book clubs, and helping with home projects are just a few ways to reach out to those around you. Become unstuck by helping those who also feel stuck."
The New Neighborly
Now more than ever, we as neighbors have the chance to move past pleasantries like borrowing sugar and toward meaningful relationship with those in our midst. "The harder work is on the pursuing end of relationship," Starbuck says. "Recently I realized that I'm aware of a great tutoring opportunity for a neighborhood child and that I have the resources to facilitate that connection for him. Pursuing this takes a little more energy and creativity, but I think it's the model we see in Jesus."
Starbuck adds, "Another neighbor, for whom it would be difficult to get to a laundromat, now does laundry at our house once a week. Because my temptation is to smile, wave, and hibernate in the privacy of my safe dwelling, this relationship has come as a gift to my whole family. I wouldn't have discovered what a beautiful human being my neighbor is without this opportunity."
This article is courtesy of HomeLife Magazine.