BM Moving soon: What about Conway? (Little Rock, North Little Rock: real estate, property taxes, income)

[veganwriter]

My goal (continues) ... to move to the midwest and buy a small farm. I just got a job in Tulsa, Oklahoma. That's going to be the company's location ... but someone told me about Conway, Arkansas.

What do you think? (For a brother from California??)

[junkman18]

Originally Posted by veganwriter

My goal (continues) ... to move to the midwest and buy a small farm. I just got a job in Tulsa, Oklahoma. That's going to be the company's location ... but someone told me about Conway, Arkansas.

What do you think? (For a brother from California??)

Anyplace is better than california.
Been through Canway a few times looks nice to me as do most places in Arkansas,

[Sam I Am]

So.....I'm not making the jump from farming to Tulsa to Conway....are you wanting to live in Conway and satellite from there? Where's the farm?

You have deeply confused a poor Southerner, but I'll try to help - why don't you tell me what you're looking for.

Conway is a very, very nice smaller town...several colleges, lots of people work in Little Rock or North Little Rock. It's definitely on the move and is in a good central location in the state, since you can't get anywhere unless you go through Little Rock, lol!

As far as being a "brother", I can't see that matters....California? Well - whatever - it wouldn't be a point of contention for ME...you'll find lots of yuppies and baby boomers in Conway in addition to young families and folks that have been there forever...

Why don't you try farming in Arkansas?

[veganwriter]

Thanks "junkman18" and "so am I".

Um ... "So am I" ... I heard somewhere that when a "southerner" starts out with that "I'm just a poor country boy" stuff, that'd you'd better put your hand on your wallet ...'cause a sharp mind is shuffling the cards. (smile)

I wrote that one very fast yesterday ... but you read it right.

1. My FIRST DREAM is to buy a small farm ... in either Arkansas, Missiourri, Oklahoma, or Kansas.

2. I just got a job in Tulsa, Oklahoma. So that will be my "home base" until I can figure out where I want to live.

3. While I still love the California I grew up in, that place has changed. I would remain here if I could afford to buy a home ... but it got crazy a long time ago. Quality of life has been drained out of this place. (But while we do have a rich supply of crazy and demon-fed folks who have made the place home now ... there's still a lot of beautiful people here too. Just ... harder to notice them ...)

Thanks for the information about Conway. You hear a lot of things about places. I'm an old 12-Stepper, and there's an ex-nun who attends one of my favorite meetings here in the Bay Area. She's originally from Arkansas. Every time she sees me now, she asks if I'm still thinking about moving to Arkansas. Then she starts talking about her family and how her brothers are in the Klan and then she drops off into despair and walks away. So ... that's why I'm asking. (smile)

I don't plan on changing anything. I just want a place where I can go to church on Sunday, wave hi to a few folks on the way home, and plant me some fresh tomatoes, greens and a few flowers. Raise a few dogs. (Oh ... almost all of our parents came from one place in the south or another. So, I may be born and raised Californian, and I enjoy my Peete's Coffee, but my values seem to be very southern.)

So again ... thanks. Any more comments would be greatly appreciated.

[Sam I Am]

Oh, good grief. What the hell do we have to do down here to prove we aren't a bunch of loony tunes running around in white robes?

If her brothers are in the Klan they keep it a secret. It's politically incorrect here, too, and it will be in Missouri, Oklahoma, and Kansas as well.

We love Arkansas because we love a simpler life, and it sounds like that's what you're after. Yes, there are areas that are predominantly white. Yes, there are areas that are predominantly black. Yes, there are areas that are primarily Hispanic. Yes, ..... well, you get the point. You don't hear of hate crimes around here - don't you think if the Klan was running loose someone would have picked up on it by now?

Ignorance is everywhere, but I think the ex-nun has painted with a pretty broad brush. Sometimes I wonder if we will ever overcome our undeserved reputation as barefoot hillbillies.

[JohnN]

Conway is a nice town, I think 4 colleges there. Schools are fairly good. It is growing, fairly clean, friendly, etc. There are some traffic problems, so if that's an issue, check your housing and traffic patterns out. Good luck.

[Stormcrow73]

Hey Vegan

from the way you describe yourself, I don't think you'd have problems at all being made to feel right at home most anywhere in the state. Personally, I think if you were to move somewhere outside of Fayetteville you're going to feel like a little bit of the Bay area followed you. As far as AR goes, Fayetteville is VERY progressive. Plus, it's only a hop, skip and a jump from Tulsa. Once you get to Tulsa, take a drive over to Fayetteville, visit the farmers market and get you some fresh organic produce in a relaxed, easy going place and you'll probably never miss the Bay area ever again.

[TootsieWootsie]

I was born there, roots really deep there with relatives still...but you couldn't get me to move there for anything. Too down home for me.
Got relatives that teach school that still say ain't and cain't when they talk. One with a Masters who is just about as ignorant as all get out, raised outside Conway and just....well, provencial and backwards in their thought patterns. And they are no exception to the rule there, so be prepared: this is no California-progressive thinking area!
HOWEVER, Conway is the fastest growing city in Arkansas right now. It is really hopping I have heard.
Lots of oil seeking there for the oil barons, too. The soil is rich there for growing, and my family were farmers.
If you are looking for a small community and laid back living, then this may be the place for you. I'd check out the NW corner, too, if I were you, too, but I'm thinking of the Ozarks and Branson for fun and beautiful scenery.
Check out the high tax rates in the State, too. I was much surprised when I did homework on their tax rates. Not so cheap as you would assume they would be. This will be a real consideration when you retire.
Have relatives in Harrison in the NW corner of the State, which is like 30 minutes from Branson, MO. What fun that would be to visit there, eh?
Like I said before, if you want ez living and a laid back down home style of life, Conway may be for you. It is the exact polar opposite of California, though, so be prepared.
Insofar as being Black is concerned: I would not worry as Little Rock has a huuuuge African-American population, so you will not be alone. Not to worry about that at all.
Good luck in your quest!!!!

[my2angels]

I am also looking into moving to Northern Arkansas. I was concerned about my husband's race (Mexican-American). But visiting over there a few times and I don't think it will be a problem. I think there are just a lot of rumors about "Arkansas".

[Sam I Am]

Originally Posted by my2angels

I am also looking into moving to Northern Arkansas. I was concerned about my husband's race (Mexican-American). But visiting over there a few times and I don't think it will be a problem. I think there are just a lot of rumors about "Arkansas".

Thank you, Angel......it's not Deliverance here. Every state will have their share of the ignorant, the uneducated, and whackos. If the OP was talking about moving to a town of 200 where everyone is related I would probably tell him he might have to fight to be accepted, and that holds true with small towns no matter where they are. For the most part, Arkansas is getting more and more progressive - you won't find a lot of the SoCal or Greenwich Village mentality here, just pockets that probably aren't even comparable to the large cities. It's just a slower state, but very beautiful and very natural.

For Tootsie - what taxes are you talking about? Income tax? Sales tax? Real estate and personal property tax? I'm a bit confused by this, as we have seen a HUGE influx of people come in, particularly from the west coast, because the cost of living is so much less and they say their property taxes are running them out of California, Nevada and even Texas. Could you elaborate on that, please?