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tips for hosting a community BBQ

The four stages of neighborhood life

August 6, 2012 By Ryan Lundquist Leave a Comment

I love neighborhood BBQs. It’s so nice to mingle with neighbors, sample an array of foods, meet new people and watch the community connect. Thankfully tomorrow I’ll be enjoying a “National Night Out” BBQ with neighbors yet again as my family hosts a get-together for our subdivision.

While I won’t be unpacking the four stages of neighborhood life in conversation as I grill hot dogs (a quick way to make people run), it’ll definitely be something on my mind. It might sound odd to say this, but being aware of how the neighborhood is doing is key to the present and future of the community.

There are four stages of neighborhood life:

Growth: A period during which there are gains in public favor and acceptance. Demand increases.
Stability: A period of equilibrium without marked gains or losses. No real obvious change.
Decline: A period of diminishing demand and acceptance.
Renewal: A period of rejuvenation and rebirth of market demand.

What do these stages really mean? Briefly, the “growth” stage might be a popular new subdivision or a well-established area where buyers literally have to wait for someone to die before moving in (owners just don’t sell often in areas like this). By the way, I like to think of new subdivisions like a honeymoon because all you see is the good (just wait a few years and the perception of the neighborhood may change over time as original owners sell, new buyers can afford the community and problems poke their head out). A neighborhood experiencing stability would be in a place where there is an overall sense of equilibrium without demand increasing or decreasing. When an area experiences the declining stage, things like unkempt lawns, increasing crime, and less owner-occupied properties become commonplace (see “Blight Week” for more on that). Lastly, renewal takes place when a neighborhood in decline experiences a renaissance, maybe from gentrification, political action, grassroots efforts or even governmental stabilization programs directed toward the area.

Why does this matter? When purchasing a property, it’s important to get a sense for the neighborhood and how it’s doing. After all, you don’t just buy a “parcel island” independent of its surroundings, but a community – the good and the bad. Sometimes it’s obvious which stage a neighborhood is in, but other times a community might be on the fence between stages or require some digging around to find out how it’s really doing.

Hope for neighborhoods: Every neighborhood fits somewhere in or between one of the stages above. The good news is that neighborhoods, like people, can change over time (but not without major work sometimes). For instance, “Renewal” can never happen without the efforts of residents and others to reimagine what a neighborhood can be instead of what it has become. What if residents began to see themselves as the solution to some neighborhood problems and then worked together to solve them?

By the way, in case it’s helpful, here are some tips for hosting a community BBQ (I wrote these just after last year’s National Night Out BBQ).

How would you suggest a potential buyer get to know the neighborhood? What resources or websites do you recommend buyers look up before making a purchase?

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Filed Under: Appraisal Stuff, Resources Tagged With: 4 stages of neighborhood, decline in a neighborhood, four stages of neighborhood, life cycle of a neighborhood, National Night Out, neighborhood growth, renewal in a neighborhood, stages of a neighborhood, tips for hosting a community BBQ

NNO recap & Tips for hosting a community BBQ

August 3, 2011 By Ryan Lundquist 4 Comments

Did you do anything for “National Night Out” on Tuesday? My household hosted a neighborhood BBQ and it was a profound success. We had a fantastic crowd, and it was nice to have visits from four council members, an Alyson Huber representative and Sacramento County Supervisor Don Nottoli too. But most importantly, neighbors were connecting and we really had a good time. I’m so thankful to residents who worked to pull things together last-minute to make this happen. I feel very blessed to be surrounded by good friends in my community.

What makes a neighborhood great? In my opinion, it’s not about big houses or price level per se, but rather a sense of community and connectedness. That’s priceless.

Quick Tips for Hosting a Community BBQ:

  1. Do the BBQ in the front yard.
  2. Ask a few neighbors to do the BBQ with you. Get people on board first before you start publicizing.
  3. Make it your goal to connect with others and simply invite residents into that vision. People like it when they smell authenticity rather than an agenda. On a related note, if you want to see change in your neighborhood, keep the tone positive rather than negative. A positive vision is attractive, but complaining doesn’t work to muster the troops.
  4. Go potluck style. It’s easier that way and more powerful when everyone has something to share and donate.
  5. Knock on doors to pass out flyers. Invite people personally and they’ll have a greater chance of responding. In my experience, 400 flyers placed on doorsteps has far less impact than knocking on 30 doors.
  6. Provide opportunities for neighbors to help with details like canopies, grills, drinks or any other component. Remember too that you don’t have to pull off the ultimate block party with bounce houses and pony rides. Think simple.
  7. Invite council members or the police department to show up and give them a minute to talk with residents.
  8. No guilt or shame if people cannot make it – only grace and goodwill. Nobody likes to eat a guilt sandwich.
  9. If you have an action step, let people know. Maybe there is a neighborhood meeting coming up that people could sign up for. Or maybe you are putting together a phone tree, neighborhood email list or e-Group that would be perfect to help propel the community forward. You don’t need an action step of course, but if you have something, bring it.   
  10. Thank people for their contributions and recognize the work of others to pull off the event – whether big or small.

Do you have any tips to add? What do you think makes a neighborhood great? I’d love to hear your comments and stories.

If you have any questions, or real estate appraisal or property tax appeal needs in the Greater Sacramento Region, contact Lundquist Appraisal by phone 916-595-3735, email, Facebook or subscribe to posts by email.

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Filed Under: Random Stuff, Resources Tagged With: Assemblymember Alyson Huber, City of Rancho Cordova, Community Building, crime prevention, how to host a community event, Lundquist Appraisal Company, National Night Out, neighborhood watch, NNO, NW, property value in neighborhoods isnt everything, Rancho Cordova neighborhood, Sacramento Real Estate Appraiser, Supervisor Don Nottoli, tips for building community, tips for hosting a community BBQ, what makes a neighborhood great

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