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Okay folks, this question has been asked many times before, but new input is always welcome to those of us searching around for retirement relocation.
We're in Indiana now and hoping to find a retirement friendly spot for slight relief from cost of living and/or warmer winter temps. We prefer a more rural setting with some privacy and quiet but would also like to be in reasonable contact with shopping and medical (20 miles?). Like other retirees, we hope to cut the odds against [potential] future negative changes to our homesite ... such as the prospect of a factory being built on some pristine meadow across the road. A county road property would be much preferred over a subdivision property.
We read on this forum that Fort Smith is a controversial choice. Some of you post that you can't wait to get away from Fort Smith and others post how much they like it there. Does Fort Smith have good medical access and a Home Depot or Lowe's or something like that? We like some of the homes listed near Poteau, OK and Greenwood Ar, and would love to get some insight about any and all of your thoughts on the NW part of Arkansas. We've dismissed Mena and Hot Springs as a result of several visits there but now want to focus on the Fort Smith - Fayetteville areas.
Okay folks, this question has been asked many times before, but new input is always welcome to those of us searching around for retirement relocation.
We're in Indiana now and hoping to find a retirement friendly spot for slight relief from cost of living and/or warmer winter temps. We prefer a more rural setting with some privacy and quiet but would also like to be in reasonable contact with shopping and medical (20 miles?). Like other retirees, we hope to cut the odds against [potential] future negative changes to our homesite ... such as the prospect of a factory being built on some pristine meadow across the road. A county road property would be much preferred over a subdivision property.
We read on this forum that Fort Smith is a controversial choice. Some of you post that you can't wait to get away from Fort Smith and others post how much they like it there. Does Fort Smith have good medical access and a Home Depot or Lowe's or something like that? We like some of the homes listed near Poteau, OK and Greenwood Ar, and would love to get some insight about any and all of your thoughts on the NW part of Arkansas. We've dismissed Mena and Hot Springs as a result of several visits there but now want to focus on the Fort Smith - Fayetteville areas.
Thanks.
I don't think either side is 100% right about Ft Smith, it has some good points, but certainly isn't the most desirable place to retire I don't think. Again, this isn't meant to be negative, I just think you might find more of what you are looking for a little further north. Yes, maybe Fayetteville, Bentonville, or Bella Vista. All offer exactly what you seem to be wanting and are very retiree friendly. Of course a lot has to do with your housing budget. Remember what one thinks of as dirt cheap, someone else will think of as too pricey. You can live on one of the lakes in Bella Vista and have a very nice home for $300,000, you can live away from the lakes and have maybe 1/2 acre for $150,000 to $200,000. Bentonville and Fayetteville are more conjested but you can go just 5 miles out of town and get the rutal feeling. This is what convinced us to move to NWA, the rural feeling and still close to all the conveniences we wanted or needed.
We did spend some time looking into Ft Smith, spent a couple of days there, it just wasn't for us. I think the best way to discribe Ft Smith (in my opinion anyway) it seems to have no real personality or WOW feeling.
Hi Nita - Thanks for your reply. Good info. I'll take your advice and search a little further north for available property ... probably near or below the $200K range. I guess the winter weather conditions can't be all that much worse 100 miles north, right? At least the conditions will be warmer than Jan - March in Indiana.
As a side note, we're not particularly interested in a "retirement community" or any sort of "subdivision". While driving North to South from Missouri to Fayetteville via route 71 last year it seemed pretty crowded and full of traffic. Like you say, though, getting off the main path may lead to a quieter environment.
Hi Nita - Thanks for your reply. Good info. I'll take your advice and search a little further north for available property ... probably near or below the $200K range. I guess the winter weather conditions can't be all that much worse 100 miles north, right? At least the conditions will be warmer than Jan - March in Indiana.
As a side note, we're not particularly interested in a "retirement community" or any sort of "subdivision". While driving North to South from Missouri to Fayetteville via route 71 last year it seemed pretty crowded and full of traffic. Like you say, though, getting off the main path may lead to a quieter environment.
What's your take on Siloam Springs?
Siloam Springs is very rural. There is almost nothing there, but they do have some Rogers and Bentonville Doctors that have satelite offices in SS and it isn't far at all from Springdale and Fayetteville. It is a nice community. Another area that is gaining in popularity all the time but might be a little to sub divisionish (a new word) for you would be Centerton. Also you might want to give some thought to Gravett or Gentry. Both are pretty much working class but both have some awesome country side and rural atmosphere. Bella Vista is thought, by many, to be strictly a retirement community. This is changing daily. A few years ago I think about 65% of the residence were 60 and older, now it is 39% last I saw. It still looks very much like a city of nothing but retired people, but if you go to the store, restaurants and even the churches you see more young people all the time. the east side of Bella Vista which is really closer to 71 seems to be the growing area for younger people. It is also more convenient to 71 and is Bentonville schools which are better than the west side, which are Gravette schools. One thing much of the towns are not is: sub division style. There are always going to be builders that will come in and build up a community but most of NWA is anything but cookie cutter mentality.
As for our weather, normally Benton and Wash counties will be about 5 degrees cooler both summer and winter than Ft Smith area, maybe 10 degrees sometimes. Yes, it will be better than Indiana. We have a lot of people living here from Iowa, Ill, In and futher north.
You might want to give a quick look to SW MO as well. These are just some thoughts. We went through the same thing only a few years ago. We considered Mo, AR, and OK. Oh, one more town, but again, it might be a little to isolated for you is Grove, OK. That was our second choice.
This is from somebdy that does not live in the area yet, but soon will. We have been through the NWA before and came down and spent 6 weeks earlier this year (arrived the day after the big snow this year) and really like the Bentonville and north area. We didn't find anything in the used market we liked so our new home is presently being built and scheduled for an end of May/early June completion date as it stands right now. It is in a sub-division but not quite your normal one. Our house is being built on a just over 3/4 acre. It has a little over 2600 sq ft with an attached 3 car garage, but what is different here is the builder is also building a detached 2 car garage for us. I will have an area to park my 5th wheel on one side of the garage and on the other side is a pad for my boat. All of this area will be concrete along with the driveway back to the other garage. We have 4 acres behind our house that will not be built on. I have already seen deer in this area browsing. Across the street from us there is a house and behind it is 9 acres of open area that will not be built on either. I will have a neighbor on each side but not right on top of us and the house across the street will have houses built on each side but that is all. One street goes into this area into a culdesac and just houses on each side and none behind any of them. Just 1 mile off I 540 and our exit is #88 so just a little hop and we are in town.
We are really looking forward to moving there and not have to put up with the the continous snow that we have had this year in Montana. While we were there we found all of the people were very friendly and nice to talk to. In fact the superintendent of the builder has already given me an invitation to go riding my ATV with him and his group. He made sure I had his phone number so I can contact him once we get settled in and ready to go riding.
Nita - Wow! Very good information. Thank you. I notice when I do a search for existing real estate near Bella Vista, the $200K range seems to be very thin. I've had my hand in "building" most of my life but do not want to do so this time around - aside from expanding or upgrading a kitchen/bath - so something already established seems more attractive today. I understand things change on a weekly basis and what is not there today might well be there tomorrow.
I appreciate your thoughtful comments. Your Missouri thought was good; however, I spent spurts of my childhood years in/around Lake Ozark and want to get south of that area. It's my assumption that Arkansas is a "retiree friendly" state and that the cost of living in Arkansas is reasonable for geezers. We were serious about relocating to Hot Springs two years ago and then backed away due to the way the town is split coupled with the tourism and hordes drawn to horse racing. We then looked to Mena and found that place to be too much removed from facilities for our taste. Back home to regroup.
Hard to make everybody happy, but I appreciate your input. If anything else comes to mind, please continue to post.
This is from somebdy that does not live in the area yet, but soon will. We have been through the NWA before and came down and spent 6 weeks earlier this year (arrived the day after the big snow this year) and really like the Bentonville and north area. We didn't find anything in the used market we liked so our new home is presently being built and scheduled for an end of May/early June completion date as it stands right now. It is in a sub-division but not quite your normal one. Our house is being built on a just over 3/4 acre. It has a little over 2600 sq ft with an attached 3 car garage, but what is different here is the builder is also building a detached 2 car garage for us. I will have an area to park my 5th wheel on one side of the garage and on the other side is a pad for my boat. All of this area will be concrete along with the driveway back to the other garage. We have 4 acres behind our house that will not be built on. I have already seen deer in this area browsing. Across the street from us there is a house and behind it is 9 acres of open area that will not be built on either. I will have a neighbor on each side but not right on top of us and the house across the street will have houses built on each side but that is all. One street goes into this area into a culdesac and just houses on each side and none behind any of them. Just 1 mile off I 540 and our exit is #88 so just a little hop and we are in town.
We are really looking forward to moving there and not have to put up with the the continous snow that we have had this year in Montana. While we were there we found all of the people were very friendly and nice to talk to. In fact the superintendent of the builder has already given me an invitation to go riding my ATV with him and his group. He made sure I had his phone number so I can contact him once we get settled in and ready to go riding.
Butch, much of what you are getting is typical for NWA. Our granddaughter nad her husband live in West Fork on 14 acres.
Just a quick note: make sure you go to Fred's for dinner or Sunday brunch, it is off 88 as well I think.
Nita
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