Friendliness in Buildings

Owners are definitely friendlier. We have a long-term incentive to create a community. Renters will most likely be out by next year.

I agree with Matt on this one! Although many coops have RC/RS tenants that will not be out by next year.

Friendliness is so weirdly variable in NYC because there is no one cultural expectation for everyone (unlike the South, where I come from, where the norm is that the established neighbors introduce themselves to you.)

I have found in our new building that it is a matter of being perceived as being in someone's cohort - the neighbors that our sellers didn't like have become our fast friends, while the neighbors that they told us to use as a go-to in every situation have not once, in two years, let us past their front door.

So keep trying till you find "your" people.

The unfriendly people in a building are the workers Matt refuses to tip.

I don't think it matters. Truly friendly people tend to be friendly in all their interactions, even if it's as short as a few minutes. Unfriendly people tend to be selectively friendly, but you can sniff them out pretty easily and avoid accordingly. So if you care to befriend those that are truly friendly, then it doesn't matter. If you care to befriend those that are selectively friendly based on superficial criteria, then yes it matters. Knowing what little I know about you, I don't think you fall into the latter category ;).

In my experience, owners just have more to immediately bond over, which can make those relationships easier. That's not to say there aren't friendly people in rentals, but there are fewer reasons to have to interact with one another. And some people would rather not be bothered, no matter what the situation.

I think the friendliness level is something characteristic of a building, and not something dependent on status on owners or renters. We recently bought an apartment in a different, larger building in more or less the same neighborhood, both coops, and while the people in our current building (we haven't moved yet) are perfectly nice, the friendliness level of the new building is almost disorienting! I spend a fair amount of time in the lobby, waiting for contractors etc, and the level of interaction among residents, and between the residents and the staff, is really amazing. It gives the building a very nice, welcoming vibe; even friends who have met me in the lobby have commented on it.

Agree with Nada.
My personal experience pool is vast in the rental market and miniscule in ownership. But the ratio is pretty much the same.
Individual personality and luck of the draw is what dominates here.
Owner or renter is mostly a footnote.

I would guess size of the building makes a bigger difference. If you're in a high-rise with 100s of units, chances are most people won't bother. In smaller buildings, you probably want to make more of effort. Then again, that may be a self-selecting pool to begin with.

BJW
Logic dictates that but probably my best neighbor in 15 years was in my last apartment at the Rivergate, a building with 100s of units and in recent years has been in serious tenant quality decline.
In my brief recent tenure as an owner in a small coop, Ive witnessed some considerable drama between some neighbors already.

truthskr, of course. The OP's question kind of lends itself to generalizing, but there are plenty of exceptions, obviously. Maybe it's just me, but felt more compelled to introduce myself as an owner.

On the introduction aspect, with a small coop there isnt much choice, your meeting half the building at the meeting prior to purchase.
Any rental, Ive never knocked on a door but engaged anyone in the hallway Ive seen for the first time. It's easy enough to determine how much or how little to continue the conversation after introduction.

>Owners are definitely friendlier. We have a long-term incentive to create a community.

Real friendly or fake friendly just to get the co-op board to agree to something?