What is attracting California and west coast folks to Northwest Arkansas? (Bay: mortgage, equity)

[joebaldknobber]

There has been in influx of folks from California / west coast to Northwest Arkansas the past few years.

I am curious what is the attraction? I know that Californians are used to having the mountains and scenic desert on one side and the Pacific ocean beaches on the other.

And you folks are also used to reliably mild weather. There are no beaches nearby here in NWA. So what is the attraction?

Understand I am not criticizing anyone or anything - I am just curious and want to understand.

[MotleyCrew]

Probably taxes. It is what attracted us to AZ and now we are considering retirment in AK or AL.

[rickers]

Cost of living $$$$$$$ !
Less crime !!!!!!!
Getting pushed out by overcrowding due to lack of border and lust control !
nothing that a good old fashioned world war, plague or famine wont fix !

[jeep4x4]

Originally Posted by rickers

Cost of living $$$$$$$ !
Less crime !!!!!!!
Getting pushed out by overcrowding due to lack of border and lust control !
nothing that a good old fashioned world war, plague or famine wont fix !

Lets keep that in California where it is needed..

[GetmeoutofAR]

I don't know but I wish they would go back to California

[Niners fan]

I think the better question is: What is pushing people out of California? For me it is high taxes, a terrible business climate (regulations, taxes, uncertainty about future proposals), poor schools, a legislature that spends like crazy and then proposes more taxes, and a huge influx of illegal immigrants. In the last 6 or so months alone there have been serious proposals in California for:

- a 25 cent per bag tax on plastic grocery bags
- a ban on all mylar balloons in the state
- requiring thermostats in new homes that the state could control in a power crunch
- taxes on SUVs that would amount to over $4000 per vehicle

And these are just off the top of my head. Couple that with the high cost of living and you can see why so many people are leaving.

We are headed to Idaho. It is sad to me that we feel like we are being pushed out of California. But I can't justify spending $3+ million on a new warehouse for our company in a state like California when who knows what they are going to propose to regulate or tax in the coming years.

All that being said, I hate to hear of Californians moving into a state and trying to make it more like what they left.

[sbernard]

I think it's a combination of a lot of different things. Taxes, property values, a more calm laid back way of life. Some just come here to escape the 'rat race'. They've been hurried and trapped with a million other people on the freeway everyday, and just want to slow down.

I sold a spec house early this year to a CA couple who'd sold their 3BR, 2 BA run of the mill home in California. They found they could come here and buy a really nice home for a fraction of the cost. So, in effect, they dumped their over priced California property with a huge mortgage, and bought here for the equity they had out there. Bigger, nicer, new home---no mortgage and lower costs of living.

[rickca]

I am from California and thinking of re-locating elsewhere. Costs are extremely high here, I am young, 23, and still have not finished college. Living in the Bay Area or Southern California it is very difficult to get ahead as the cost of living and very competitive job market tend to keep people down.

Everyone complains about Californians moving to their state, well, guess what: California is THE state that "everyone" is moving too, it has driven up costs here to insane levels, people who are older and already have had a start on their career move here thus taking jobs from recent California born graduates. Those of us born here are people too and have the same right as anyone else from the U.S. to move where we like, if we had it our way everyone who wasn't from California would leave so we could have our state back, but its not going to happen so we will continue to move out of state.

[undertheironsea]

Work and cheaper housing, lower cost of living.

Plain and simple.

[undertheironsea]

Originally Posted by rickca

I am from California and thinking of re-locating elsewhere. Costs are extremely high here, I am young, 23, and still have not finished college. Living in the Bay Area or Southern California it is very difficult to get ahead as the cost of living and very competitive job market tend to keep people down.

Everyone complains about Californians moving to their state, well, guess what: California is THE state that "everyone" is moving too, it has driven up costs here to insane levels, people who are older and already have had a start on their career move here thus taking jobs from recent California born graduates. Those of us born here are people too and have the same right as anyone else from the U.S. to move where we like, if we had it our way everyone who wasn't from California would leave so we could have our state back, but its not going to happen so we will continue to move out of state.

You can say the same about Californians moving to cheaper areas that have had more experience and taking jobs away from native born Arkansas graduates. There's two sides to every story. Or, even the kids transferring with family that go to U of A. They weren't born here either.

I'm 23 and still haven't finished college as well. When the time comes, I'm sure I'll have just as much of a right to **** and moan about not finding a teaching job as anyone else would. But that's not going to change a thing--the South is getting filled with yankees and there's nothing I or anyone else can do about it. There are good people and bad people that come with that. I put up with it just like anyone else does. Is there a magic, mystical place where everything is just like I like it and the people are exactly like I want them to be? Yeah. It's called Heaven. Until I get there, I'll just shut up and enjoy what I have before there's only 10 or 15 Southern people left south of Kentucky, Missouri, and Virginia. Northwest Arkansas is nice to visit, but honestly, you guys can have it. Enjoy it.