Don't begrudge your neighbor's renovations

DEAR AMY: There is a home in our neighborhood that sat empty for several years due to a foreclosure. New buyers purchased the property and began extensive renovations.

Last month, postcards were sent to many of us in the neighborhood. The postcard is a photo of the home's exterior with a caption that reads, "We know you're curious." The text on the back states that food and beverages will be served at the home, and stresses that everyone should "come see what we've done with the house." Word through the grapevine is that only a handful of people even bothered to RSVP. I suspect these newcomers are simply clueless, so for other readers who may have been fortunate enough to invest in a fixer-upper, here are some things to keep in mind: Your house dragged down the value of ours over those long months.

It's nice that you can afford all new things for your home. We'd like to do some of those renovations ourselves, but we either have no equity or had our equity line of credit reduced.

Some of us were recently laid off and are struggling just to make mortgage payments.

Please excuse us for not wanting to come over to be escorted around the newly manicured grounds. We don't begrudge what you have. We're just not eager to have our collective noses rubbed in it.

Suburban Party PooperDEAR POOPER: Well, that's one way to look at it.

Another way is to realize that the people who bought the house weren't the ones who dragged down the value along the street - they're not the problem but a possible solution.

They also are possibly clueless and grasping strivers who will soon be educated on the depths of suburban Schadenfreude and envy.

Despite what you say, it's obvious that you do begrudge your neighbors. I agree that their effort is clunky and somewhat insensitive, but your response is unkind.