advice on moving to little rock (Maumelle: credit, for sale, travel)

[hogrn]

We currently live in fort worth texas and my husband has a job interview in maumelle next week. If he gets this job we are going to move to little rock. We have a 5 year old that will be starting kindergarten this year. Good elementary schools are our top priority with picking a house. We have heard stay north and west, but don't know anything about the area. If I could get some advice on neighborhoods that would be awesome. Also I have seen houses for sale in Otter Creek that are really cute and good deals, but is it really as good of a neighborhood as it seems? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Also, I am a labor and delivery nurse and any advice on best hospitals to work for would be great too.

[Sam I Am]

Otter Creek itself is a great area, but south and east of there is kind of dicey. If your husband is going to work in Maumelle, why not consider there? Great schools and a wonderful atmosphere. Finding a great elementary that isn't private is kind of a trick. There are a few, but they are far between. The LRSD leaves much to be desired at this point in time. If you're stuck on Otter Creek, there is an elementary school right there in the neighborhood. For middle school go private. No other way to do it. The commute from OC would not be too bad to Maumelle since you basically would be traveling against traffic once you get north of the 430/630 interchange.

[bchris02]

Yeah, Maumelle would be your best bet. Pure suburbia and the areas surrounding it are much safer.

[hogrn]

what do people do with thier kids afterschool there?

[paramour]

Originally Posted by hogrn

what do people do with thier kids afterschool there?

There are a number of after school programs available that some people opt to use. Some are (or were??) available through the community center (gymnastics, taekwondo), whereas the majority of them are through daycares that accept students for after school only (and provide you with the option to use them during times that the kiddos are out-of-school).

[Stormcrow73]

I'd totally recommend Maumelle as well. Both elementaries serving the city are excellent. If you live on the norther or eastern side of town, your child would go to Pine Forest right in Maumelle which I've heard is very good. If you live on south or west sides of town you child would go to Crystal Hill Magnet which is actually in NLR. It's brand new and top notch. Maumelle has everything you could need at your fingertips with the non-essentials just a short hop away in LR proper.

[SwinerBock]

As far as hospitals go, wow, take your pick. I-630 is probably known as the hospital interstate. Arkansas Children's Hospital, St. Vincents, Baptist, UAMS Medical Center...probably a couple of others. I've heard good things about Baptist, and if I were in a medically related career, I could think of nothing more I'd rather do than work at ACH.

[Sam I Am]

And Arkansas Heart Hospital, which is supposed to be fabulous! They are accredited, with an ER if you do emergent care. On the north side of the river there is Baptist Springhill Memorial, and the V. A. system is on both sides...lots of places to choose from.

[rubberduck]

i'm the other half of hogrn, ha ha.... What about the areas towards chanel pkwy? it has been at least ten years since i've spent substantial time in the little rock area. I also have a few questions about the housing market in that area as well? It seems that maumelle, and out west toward chanel that the houses are a little more pricy compared to how bad the housing market is doing. anyone got any ideas?

[strumpeace]

On an unrelated note, I heard last week that Southwest Regional is closing up shop. Anybody got any news?