Family of 4 from Pennsylvania considering a move to Arkansas. Any specific suggestions? (Little Rock: credit)

[Sarahmorgan]

Hi! I've spent days reading this forum, and I'm thrilled at how helpful people are! I've been researching a move to Roanoke, Va, but after reading the forum posts here, I'm highly interested in learning more about the state. I hope the following information is helpful. Some is rather personal, but I want to be sure to include all pertinent information so hopefully someone can help me.

I'm currently living in Pennsylvania, just outside Philadelphia, with my husband and 2 boys aged 8 and 12. I was laid off in April 2005. The job market up here is so fierce I've been unable to find any work except minimum wage. We were forced to file bankruptcy, so our credit is shot. My husband has worked for the same company for 17 years, but it has already been heavily implied that my husband will be receiving his pink slip soon. My husband begins CDL truck driving school on July 30th. He chose the profession because it will give us the freedom to move just about anywhere in the country and still retain his job. We simply can not afford to stay here. In essence, we're being forced to start over.

We're currently living in a tiny row home in the middle of a row home development with a postage stamp sized front yard 10 minutes away from a filthy city. Traffic is horrid and it literally takes 20 minutes to drive 2 miles. My gas has been siphoned out of my van more than once. I can't sit outside on my porch because of the noise and smell of dog feces from my next door neighbors. The list goes on and on. I'm claustrophobic, I can't breath, and I want OUT!

We love the outdoors, mountains, woods, lakes, fishing, hiking, etc, and would love to live within an easy commuting distance to mountains. We're looking to rent a clean 2-3 bedroom SFH, with grass all the way around it. I'm not picky. We have 2 small dogs (pugs) and 2 cats, and we need a landlord that will allow us to keep them! Due to our bankruptcy, we're willing to pay 6 months rent up front if need be. We're good quiet respectful people. I'd like my kids to have friends nearby. We won't be able to afford more than $800.00 a month in rent. As my husband will be gone for a week at a time, I'm looking for a decently populated area that has a low crime rate. I don't mind driving to a grocery store, department store, or restaurants. I DO mind being in an area so rural we could be alone for days before seeing another person. We're just looking for a nice semi-suburban neighborhood to rebuild our lives and let my children have the childhood they deserve. Any specific area's or towns and where I could find available rental property listings would be appreciated!

I'm in a position to wait until the boys are acclimated to the area before finding a job, but I will need one eventually. I'd prefer not to have to drive an hour to get there, lol. With my husband gone so much, I will need a job with hours during daycare availability. I've been an Inventory Control Manager for a warehouse, customer service, waitress, etc... I've got excellent references, motivated, willing to learn anything, and I'm not afraid of hard work.

My boys are entering 3rd and 6th grade. My youngest has ADHD. I'll need to know my kids are in a decent school, and are willing to work with parents. Also, my oldest son may not need daycare, but my youngest child most assuredly will. I was paying $195 a week for before / after school 2 years ago. I'm hoping it's less down there!

Due to my mother's southern upbringing, it takes me about three minutes to pick up a southern drawl. I joke around all the time and tell her I'm a misplaced Ozark baby, LOL. Every time my husband and I visit the south, we feel such peace and wonder at how beautiful it is, and how different it is from the North.We've been wanting to move south for years, and there's never been a better time that screams DO IT NOW! We're ready to embrace the southern way of life. I'm desperate for my children to spend the rest of their childhood in an area that embraces the true values I hold dear, and not the ghetto mentality that is so predominant where we live now.

Any and all suggestions and comments are appreciated. Thanks so much in advance!

[nmnita]

certainly can't answer all your questions but I think I can help a little. If you have been considering Roanoak you would love NW AR, maybe NE and N middle as well.

Replacing your small townhome will not be a problem. Property outside of Philly is more expensive than in Arkansas. That much I am certain is correct.

If you are looking for top schools, trees, rolling hills and great people the Bentonville, BV and Rogers area would be perfect but the prices even for rentals may be a little high. I would suggest you take a trip to Arkansas asap and see for yourselves.

NMNita

[Sarahmorgan]

Housing costs up here are atrociously high. I honestly can't believe how much my little tiny home is going to sell for, but I'll be happy enough with the proceeds, LOL.

My husband was recently in Arkansas, but for the life of me I can't remember where? LOL I forgot to mention that I'm planning to take my children on a three week tour of the South in August. I'm looking for specific towns so I can plan our itinerary. I want my kids to be with me and collectively fall in love with a place we'll be happy to call home!

Thanks so much for your suggestions!

[boulder]

Sarahmorgan - if you are considering NWA think about Lowell .... smack dab between Springdale and Rogers. Lowell offers affordable housing, is convenient whether going south to Fayetteville or north to Bentonville (10-15 minutes tops to either town) and is home to JB Hunt Trucking - one of the largest and best OTR trucking companies in the country. Of course your husband may also be interested in driving for Wal-Mart Logistics which is well respected within the industry and known for taking care of their drivers.

[Sarahmorgan]

We're really open to considering anywhere, lol. We decided that if we're going to start over, we're doing it on our terms, and we're researching all kinds of areas. This forum has literally opened my eyes to places I would have never known existed!

My husband has a contract with a trucking company for a year, as they're paying for his tuition costs to get his CDL. But after a year, he's free to move around. We're looking to find a town we can settle into and stay when we retire. Knowing that there's companies nearby he can apply to and be close to home is a great selling point!

Thanks again!

[kariliv]

Sarah, you might want to look into Greenbrier or Conway. Greenbrier has about 5000 people, lots of reasonably priced($400/mo) rental properties and incredible schools. The elementary schools are in the top ten percent of the state according to standardized test scores. My child will be going into 3rd grade and I can't imagine sending her anywhere else.

There is not a lot of retail in Greenbrier, just a grocery store, a Fred's and two dollar stores, but we have a few restaurants and service-oriented businesses. There are a lot of jobs opening up in the gas/oil industry here. Wooly Hollow State Park is in GB,so there is a nice lake and campgrounds. We have five baseball and five softball fields for youth, along with a large soccer program. There is also a community fitness center with an indoor walking trail, a community room, two indoor basketball courts and a fitness equipment room. As with most other places in Arkansas- there are a lot of churches here. According to the Arkansas State Police, Greenbrier is one of the three safest communities in Arkansas. I moved here eight years ago an have never regretted it.

If Greenbrier sounds too small for you, Conway is about 15 minutes to the south. It has a population of about 55,000. It also has excellent schools, including three colleges. There are a lot of retail stores (not just Wal-Mart!), a new shopping center, restaurants, a Symphony Orchestra, a local theater company and a thriving downtown district. Major employers are Acxiom, AmTran and the service sector. Conway is growing fast and has a unique charm. There are old-school conservatives in Conway, along with a large block of liberals, so there is an interesting dichotomy there.

Faulkner County is dry (no alcohol!) but Conway does have several restaurants where liquor is served, but don't expect to see package stores or bars any time soon.

I absolutely love it here. It's small enough to feel like home, but just a 45 minute drive to Little Rock and a two hour drive to Memphis.

[Sam I Am]

Sarah, I think you've been given some EXCELLENT suggestions. Greenbrier is a lovely little town. I couldn't believe how it had changed - Vilonia is between Conway and Beebe, more flat than moutainous, but really pretty countryside. You might also look around Alma and NE of there. The problem with some of the smaller towns is that there isn't much commerce or employment. Conway is an up-and-coming town, and Greenbrier is very close. Heber Springs is also very close the other direction (E) and that is GORGEOUS - it's the area around Greers Ferry lake.

I have to root for my hometown of Russellville, a town of about 30,000 or so. There is a small town about 8 miles east called Pottsville, which has the better school district. Because so many people want into the Pottsville schools, though, the rent may be higher....but higher than what, I'm not sure. We rented a 2 BR/1 BA house on about 1/3 acre that was privacy fenced and nice for $580 when we first returned here from the Caribbean.

There are so many places to call home, and an OTR driver can hang his hat pretty much anywhere. ConAgra and Tyson's are huge in the river valley, although I think most of the trucking for Tyson's is probably done out of the NW corner of the state.

With your love of all things outdoors, I'm thinking you would love the NW corner of the state, maybe Siloam Springs, Jasper or Harrison - but you would have to get someone to weigh in on schools (my kids are grown, thank goodness!). They are all very close to Fayetteville, good hospitals, medical care, etc. Again, the rent will probably be higher there just simply due to supply and demand.....Greenbrier is going to be more reasonable, I would think, and Conway is very close for employment and right on I-40 for your husband to begin his trips.

Good luck in your search - let us know what we can do to help!

[thomas3333]

I was born in allentown, Pa. and i lived in California for years. now I live in Arkansas for about 2 years. Consider west arkansas. The people are kind and more modern than east Ar. You will be near to Oklahoma which oddly enough has more, vices than Arkansas. Ar is green and uncluttered and mountains galore. and much fewer tornados than ok. Avoid Crawford county a dry county. about 1/2 of arkansas is dry. Not that dry is all that bad per se but it produces an attitude that is, as a former Pa person, is a bit much. I just love the Natural state though.

[Stage]

I'm always talking up Mountain Home- but never let it be said I let a potential "convert" such as it were- pass by. Mountain Home and the surrounding small towns are pleasant, quiet, relativly crime free, and have some great schools. With 2 Lakes and several rivers nearby- there are lots of out door adventures to be had. Cotter swimming hole is a big favorite for local kids- it is a spring fed outlet to the White River that is always cool and has a rope swing open for all. Mountain Home School district is wonderful- their marching band recently performed at the Macy's thanksgiving parade and they have been invited to perform at the 2008 Olympics (but have decided to decline).

If you want to live near a big city, but not in one, Gassville and Cotter are both less than 30 minutes from Mountain Home. Flippin is 30 minutes west of Mountain Home- and has a Wal Mart Supercenter and a very good school district of its own.

Mountain Home is growing comercially. We have one of the largest Wal Marts in the state, a Home Depot and a Lowes, Walgreens, and several other nationwide chains. Add those to the countless unique home-grown shops and Mountain Home makes for a nice blend of small town charm and big city convienences.

So when you come visit- check out North Central Arkansas :-) We have charms of our own for growing families.

[DFWMike]

Harrison is a beautiful area and has a fed ex freight distribution center that may help you and him find a good job, also jb hunt hq is located in Springdale in Northwest Arkansas, several distribution areas in that area, not to mention Wal Mart's HQ distribution center. Probably alot of possiblities for you guys in Fayetteville area as well as Harrison, only thing you have to decide is whether you want a mid size metro or a small town. Home prices would be cheaper in Harrison I'm sure.

Arkansas is pretty well situated in the middle of the country, these are just the big ones I could think of, but I'm betting there are some pretty good operations in Little Rock, Fort Smith or NW Arkansas. Not to mention there are some great schools in NWA, just make sure you do your homework before you pick which city to live in up there.