ER move to NW Arkansas?

[Corporate ORphan]

DH and I would like to relocate to a smaller, less hectic place where there would be clean water (river, lake?) to swim in and other recreational opportunities. We were thinking about NW Arkansas. Anyone have any experience there? We have been there before but mostly to canoe or kayak. We didn't really look around thinking about relocating.

 

[dex]

Are those your only criteria or are there others?

 

[Alan]

We've also been to NW Arkansas on vacation and it is beautiful.

Any rush to move as soon as you retire? If not, try taking an extended stay there. Rent a house for a month or two. If you do move there, don't buy a house straight off, rent for a year or 2 to see if really lives up to your expectations.

 

[Wheel]

NW Arkansas is a beautiful place to ER--recreational opportunities galore, low cost of living, lots of amenities, excellent health care. I live about 4 hours south (in Hot Springs), and we visit NW Arkansas a couple times a year. If you're also a golfer, you might want to check into the Hot Springs / Hot Springs Village area. Also a great place to live, IMHO.

 

[Orchidflower]

VERY religious there. I know that area. I couldn't survive there myself.

 

[W2R]

I agree with Alan. Might as well spend some time there before moving, so that you can learn first hand about the plusses and minuses of living there.

NW Arkansas is absolutely beautiful, and the cost of living is low there. It is also a little too isolated and insular for some people. We very nearly moved nearby to SW Missouri, which is similar in many respects, but have now delayed those plans for at least five years. We vacationed 2-3 time/year to Springfield for about five years so that we would not be just moving blind.

 

[Onward]

I spent a couple of years in North-Central Arkansas and loved it. The common wisdom is that it's a wonderful place to live as long as you don't need to make a living there. Arkansas is especially great if you're an outdoors person.

 

[ohyes]

All for NW Arkansas! I live in central AR, but went to school in Fayetteville in the 70's, so i am close to an expert, lol.

We live in central Arkansas, looking at Hot Springs Village and Mass/Maine (my husband's home area), but would definitely consider NW Arkansas. It is beautiful and folks are nice. I hope you do rent there and try it. (Please report back if you do).

 

[Bestwifeever]

I have a great uncle and aunt who live in Rogers after he retired from the AF and have visited them a couple of times. Really pretty area.

 

[retiredncolorado]

My MIL lives in Bella Vista. She moved there from Colorado Springs about twenty years ago. We visit the area about once a year. It is one of the places we would consider moving from Colorado. But, we raised our five sons here and want to live near a major airport. Whenever my MIL wants to visit it is pretty amazing how much it costs to fly to the Denver area. Especially with Walmart located in the area, you think it would be reasonably priced. But, we love to fish and golf in the area and the cost of living is very reasonable compared to the front range of Colorado.

 

[gerntz]

Easy to keep with the Waltons there.

 

[mask]

If the criteria is to have a cheap place to live then here are my two cents. I am from India and we (DW & I) keep travelling all the time because of my job. Last year we were staying in Madison, WI in one of the extended stay hotels. We were paying about 950 a month in summers (7 months) and 750 a month during winters (5 months)..we stayed there for almost a whole year! Comparing that cost to living in a house it covers rent/mortgage, gas, electricity, heating/air-conditioning, cable, phone internet, trash, linens, furniture, TV, stove, microwave, washer/dryer, lamps, and open parking!! Assuming your car is paid off and groceries is under 500 a month, I think that is a pretty managable expense. WI being a colder place, you can find extended stay hotels in warmer places too. And you can move to another place the day you feel like!

Let me know what your thoughts are on this!

 

[mask]

Not to mention that Madison has three lakes where you can always go canoe or kayak in summers!

 

[theloneranger]

We don't need any more people in NW AR.
Too many here already and the rivers are too crowded.

 

[Ed_The_Gypsy]

As an old friend said, they are at the shallow end of the gene pool.

 

[REWahoo]

As an old friend said, they are at the shallow end of the gene pool.

Would that be in reference to NW Arkansas or Madison, WI?

 

[lemming]

I haven't looked at places that far south. My criteria is too cold for water snakes. And South carolina lost out because the first story that popped up about the lake was a fisherman who lost an arm to an alligator.

I am going to make a road trip to Kentucky to a couple of lake community small towns. I'm sure I won't fit in,(religion and politics) but I don't know anyone in Virginia either. I'm learning to do needlework in anticipation.

 

[haha]

I am going to make a road trip to Kentucky to a couple of lake community small towns. I'm sure I won't fit in,(religion and politics) but I don't know anyone in Virginia either. I'm learning to do needlework in anticipation.

Doubt you will be thrilled.

Ha

 

[GregLee]

Let me know what your thoughts are on this!

Extended stay hotels are a very interesting alternative that I didn't know about.

 

[Corporate ORphan]

If the criteria is to have a cheap place to live then here are my two cents. I am from India and we (DW & I) keep travelling all the time because of my job. Last year we were staying in Madison, WI in one of the extended stay hotels. We were paying about 950 a month in summers (7 months) and 750 a month during winters (5 months)..we stayed there for almost a whole year! Comparing that cost to living in a house it covers rent/mortgage, gas, electricity, heating/air-conditioning, cable, phone internet, trash, linens, furniture, TV, stove, microwave, washer/dryer, lamps, and open parking!! Assuming your car is paid off and groceries is under 500 a month, I think that is a pretty managable expense. WI being a colder place, you can find extended stay hotels in warmer places too. And you can move to another place the day you feel like!

Let me know what your thoughts are on this!

THat is really interesting about the extended stay hotels (we have been to Madison visiting friends and it's too cold and snowy for us but besides that we liked it a lot!) Do you recommend any in particular?

Thank you to everyone for your suggestions and feedback. We wanted to spend at least a couple of weeks in NW Arkansas to decide if it's a possibility then come back and rent at a later time before buying anything. Last year we spent a month in the Pacific NW and decided it probably wasn't our cup of tea. We are not a big fan of hot, humid weather but we want to be able to swim outside in the summer.

The lakes in NWA sound appealing. We are currently in St Louis and are wondering about the politics and religion. Neither of us are very religious and we consider ourselves in the middle politically. We are concerned that we won't fit in so we were thinking of maybe starting with Fayetteville (college town) or Bella Vista (more of a resort community?)

We are also thinking of camping when we go there for two weeks if we can find a place in the "middle". Any more ideas