Question
We just bought a house and wanted to privatize it a bit. There is no fence or hedging around it. The lot is 130x107x100x85. It's on the right side entering a cul-de-sac street. Exiting the back of the house you face the neighbors deck. Property is more in length then width in the back. Any ideas?

Answer
Not quite a square lot (more of a trapazoid), but it sounds like it has lots of potential, as they say in the real Estate business.

Here is a general article by Better Homes & Gardens that gives you some ideas for a corner-lot situation:

http://www.bhg.com/bhg/story.jsp?catref=SC1674&storyid=/templatedata/bhg/story/d...

With most corner lots, there are of local codes that may say what you can or cannot do with "your" frontyard...As an example, here is a link to the Pheonix code that stipulates how high the landscape can go:

http://phoenix.gov/STREETS/visible.html

It really depends on your area.  Our area is *VERY* strict as there was a police officer killed a few years ago, due to shrubs blocking an intersection. (nothing over 18 inches for up to 250 feet back from the intersection!!)  

The local traffic engineering community has conveniently hog-tied the designers to certain generic types of intersection landscape treatments (do I sound  a tad bitter?!  - OK - I'll stop whinning).

As far as YOUR corner lot situation, it really depends, but any good landscape designer who takes a look at your particular situation can offer ways to limit "public" use of your property and recapture some of it back, for your family's use and enjoyment (by use of tree groupings, low walls, low hedges, patios, decks, low fences, etc.)

I can't really give you specifics, as it depends on many factors (local codes, your tastes/preferences, neighborhood restrictions, etc.)...

As to the screening of the neighbor's deck: again, all I can offer is generic advice: plant a tree or hedge, maybe put up a fence or trellis with vines?  It really comes down to a local designer's "eyes" looking at your specific situation.

If you are internet savvy, try a google image search to get your own creative ideas flowing.  I've had the best results  when I search on word combinations like "landscape screening", "frontyard patio", etc.

Sorry for the limited help.  ~M