According to Realtor.com, neighbors matter. More than half—52%–of Americans say they’ve lived next door to what they consider a “nightmare neighbor.” And because of that, more than three-quarters say the potential neighbors would be a factor into their decision when choosing a new home to buy, according to a new survey from Ally Financial of more than 2,000 consumers.

Distance may be key to feeling the most neighborly. More than half—54%–say they prefer to live in neighborhoods where neighbors are far apart. Only one-quarter of respondents say they prefer close proximity to their neighbors, the survey shows.

The top qualities consumers say their favorite neighbors have are taking good care of their home (71%) and being willing to help other neighbors out (66%). Homeowners also say they value neighbors who take good care of the neighborhood (49%) and those who are friendly with other neighbors (47%).

Their least favorite qualities: those who are loud (46%) and those who partake in “questionable lifestyles,” such as running an illegal business out of their home or drug dealing (44%). Other bad neighborly traits included those who don’t keep up their house (34%) and nosy neighbors (32%).

Past neighbor experiences can haunt homeowners, the survey finds. Sixty-seven percent of respondents say that prior unhappy neighbor experiences make them realize the importance of good neighbors.

Younger generations say they’ve had more bad experiences with neighbors than older homeowners (63% for millennials versus 38% for baby boomers). Also, parents with kids report having more unpleasant experiences with their neighbors than those without kids. As such, parents with kids say they’re more likely to avoid their neighbors.

**First published on Realtor.com 12/04/19

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