Neighbors can either be a huge boon or a weighty burden, depending on who they are. I was lucky to grow up around neighbors whom I loved and cherished as friends. I met my best friend in the world because she was my next-door neighbor. We used to joke about wanting to build a bridge between our windows so we could come and go as we pleased.
But if you don't know your neighbors, you're likely to run into some sticky situations. Sharing a space is difficult, from noise issues to lawn maintenance (not that I would know anything about that, living in a big city). It's best to have at least a working relationship with your next-door friends, lest someone gets petty, like this recent Reddit story about a neighbor who overstepped his boundaries but got the justice he deserved, thanks to his crafty nemesis.