Dating someone from your gym, work or neighborhood may or may not be the smartest idea. When you move into "more than friends" territory with someone you have to see on a regular basis, you enter into a danger zone should the "more than friends" label end up reverting back to "just friends." Keep this in mind before dating a neighbor or close friend.

There are pros and cons when it comes to dating your neighbor. Make sure you explore both sides before going out on that date you've been fantasizing about.

Pros of Dating Your Neighbor

• Convenience! With your busy schedule it makes sense to date your neighbor—he lives within walking distance, after all!
• Commonalities. You already have something in common—you've both chosen the same neighborhood and perhaps the same apartment complex. This also means you might have friends in common, like other neighbors.
• Familiarity. Since you live in the same area, chances are you might already be friends. If this is the case, then you already know each other to some extent and are acting on real feelings, versus exploring a crush that is based solely on physical attraction.
• Progression. When dating a neighbor, you have the opportunity to become friends first before diving into a serious relationship.

Cons of Dating Your Neighbor

• No alone time. Finding "you" time will prove to be difficult given you live so close to one another.
• An awkward ending. If dating your neighbor doesn't work out, it could get awkward. Feelings will get hurt whether it's mutual, you are the one rejecting, or you're the one being rejected.
• Bringing future partners back to the neighborhood. If the relationship fails it will be uncomfortable any time you want to have a love interest over to your place.
• Moving too fast. Since you live so close to one another, the topic of moving in together could come up quicker than it naturally should.

In general, the most important aspect of dating a neighbor is that you don't rush into anything too quickly. There's no harm in taking it slow, especially if the person you're "taking it slow" with shares your street address.