Bella Vista Insight (Hot Springs, Benton, Bentonville: real estate, tornado, gated)

[gregandvicky]

After extensive research online we have narrow it down to Bella Vista. I have looked at all the realty sites, all homes for sale and builders. Can anyone give me some input on reliable builders and their web sites.
I would appreciate any thoughts you might have about Bella Vista as in comparison to Mountain Home or Hot Springs, or anything else comparable. The more info the better as we are going to start planning for a visit to the area.
Thanks

[bborum]

Check the tornado paths. That area has been a hiway for them recently. It is also close to the airport. Also city water and sewer. Much of that area is still not on the system. The area has grown so rapidly that the infrastructure has not kept up.
I manage Beaver Town Inn and General Store. www.beavertowninn.com in Beaver. Between the I540 corridor and Eureka Springs. If I can be of assistance, please let me know.

[JeffAtkins]

I strongly suggest Hot Springs Village, especially if you are retired. HSV is gated, there is little traffic, the roads are much better, and its all on sewer.

HSV is about 15 miles northwest of downtown Hot Springs. You'll have to contact a realtor (I can recommend a good one) or myself for access, we don't let just anyone in

[maggiemae]

I've done quite a bit of online study of Bella Vista myself. It appears to me that BV is undergoing some significant changes right now. What was once primarily a quiet retirement village has now become an incorporated town that is attracting all demographic groups, particularly those seeking less expensive housing.

You might want to spend some time reading BV's weekly newsletter, The Weekly Vista (available online.) Dogs running loose seems to be a major problem in BV, along with an increasing number of property crimes (theft of property, vandalism, etc.) The change in demographics has been cited as a reason for decreased use of BV's recreational facilities. A number of BV's restaurants have apparently closed down and its golf courses are apparently seeing decreased business. I'm wondering if maybe BV is on a downhill slide as far as being a nice retirement community.

I agree with the poster above who suggesed you consider Hot Springs Village. HSV is another Cooper Community, very similar to BV, but seemingly without the problems associated with rapid overgrowth and changing demographics.

[TeeJayMaJay]

Down here in FL - Eric Estrada is on TV almost daily "pitching" BV again - Not sure if you know what I am talking about but he pitches real estate all over the USA. He used to do one for Hot Springs but we do not see that one any more but we see this BV one A LOT!! He pitched BV about 3 yrs ago and then stopped, but I see that the very same commercial is being played again (the fly here for a free weekend to see BV).

The reason why I "see" that is that my "reitred" in-laws used to live there in BV. They retired there in the mid 90's, gorgeous place if ya ask me but lots of hills and they had icy winters which frustrated them -they had to stay inside so many days since everything closed up and it was so treacherous to drive if they got out. Father in law has since passed away and now m-in-l now lives in Bentonville and the traffic there is horrendous.

So I would go there to SEE FOR YOURSELF but stay a long weekend to "feel" it out. The reason I hate seeing Eric pitching properties is because he did it to my town here, a few yrs ago, on Chicago TV channels and we went from pop of 23,000 to 65,000 in a little over three years and our city is still trying to "catch-up". Being from ILL I loved seeing more ILL folks come but wow the traffic is nuts and services are still lacking - still have only one post office - ha! So I would re-think it - but must admit it sure is a pretty place with all the clifs. VERY PRETTY!!

[TeeJayMaJay]

One more thought -
My in-laws checked out Mt Home, too, but they ended moving to BV - not sure why it was more of a choice than Mtn Home. I think they liked that it was close to other communities so that could do more activities - not really sure. (do not want to offend any Mtn Home folks)

In regards to ERIC - I see his has on the web three ARK places now - but we only see the BV commercial at this time

HOT SPRINGS: Affordable Hot Springs Village Arkansas Land For Sale

HOLIDAY ISLAND: Holiday Island Land - Holiday Island, Arkansas, Land, sale (broken link)

BELLA VISTA: Bella Vista Village Home Sites - Bella Vista, Arkansas Land for Sale

Wow this guy gets around...I wanted to send these to you NOT to promote him but just in case you wanted to fly there for free to see....check it out!! I would before I moved there!
=)
....but like I said - with his promotional efforts our little town is jammed pack now, we had to build another High School, 3 more elementaries, and so on. Amazing!!

[Dublin]

Sorry guys, but I had to speak up for my beloved Bella vista.

I've lived in NW AR for 17 years. Bella Vista has been a favorite of mine for a long time. Yes, they are going through changes right now, but none too drastic or bad. I don't see crime, gangs, or stray dog problems in BV, and the traffic is hardly anything to complain about!


Greg & Vicky ~ Where are you moving from?

[dennyray62]

i think it might be good to note that HSV and Bella Vista were built by the Cooper Communitites Company at the same time. That said, the Coopers lived here (HSV) and loved it. The real issue with BV is a MAJOR HWY running RIGHT down the middle of it, wereas HSV is a bordered by 2 minor hwy's and has complete gated access for all of it's 13,000 residents. There are several reasons it is called the largest gated communitiy in the US. At 26,000 acres, there is a lot to love and it is SOOOOO Quiet, NOT a hwy though the middle. And incase you have not had a septic system problems lately, no field lines breaking and spilling raw sewage onto your yard, backing up into you house, etc, then you may not know how much you will love the state of the art pressurized sewage system in HSV. Thoughts to ponder ....

intersted in more history of HSV ?
try our blog
Hot Springs Village (broken link)
or
Hot Springs Village (broken link)

dennis

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by Dublin

Sorry guys, but I had to speak up for my beloved Bella vista.

I've lived in NW AR for 17 years. Bella Vista has been a favorite of mine for a long time. Yes, they are going through changes right now, but none too drastic or bad. I don't see crime, gangs, or stray dog problems in BV, and the traffic is hardly anything to complain about!


Greg & Vicky ~ Where are you moving from?

We have only visited as
did our daughter. We not only looked in BV but almost every area you can mention in NWA and NEO. BV really had so much going for it. It is dry, but on the boarder of MO, compared to some of the other places in AR where you can not buy anything. The area is quiet, but still expanding. It is close to good medical care, cultural activities etc.

Weighing the difference between BV and HSV, BV won hands down, highway or no highway. This is not to say, HSV isn't nice, but there is something very appealing about BV. As for tornados, well, I am not overly concerned. We all know if we choose to move to the midwest, AR, OK or nothern TX we have to be aware of them. If you live in Calif there are Earthquakes, the south and mid Atlantic area hurricanes.

NIta

[DC at the Ridge]

My parents lived in Bella Vista for years. They lived in the Scottsdale area in western Bella Vista. They never had a tornado. I think there was only one ice storm last winter which slowed things down abit, but the winters are generally mild, spring and autumns beautiful, summers can be hot (as right now it is over 100 degrees, but until this past week the summer has been pretty mild). The highway running through Bella Vista is an important highway, but not what I would call a major highway. And there is a bypass planned to go completely around Bella Vista. It is in a dry county, but all that means in Benton County is no liquor stores. You can buy a drink with your meal most anywhere, most anytime, including Sundays, and if you want to buy a six-pack, it's a short drive to a package liquor store. The area's growth recently means shopping and entertainment venues have improved tremendously. Since Bella Vista is only opening its first elementary school this year (previously most of the kids attended school in nearby Bentonville, and the new elementary school is part of the Bentonville system) there really hasn't been much gang activity. Bella Vista is now a city, and there are some growing pains associated with that as the city must now provide services that the Property Owners' Association previously handled. The city isn't going downhill by any means.