Moving to Fayetteville late spring 2015 (Springdale, Rogers: apartments, student loan, transferring to)

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by Loveswater_outdoors

Yea it seems to me that if you want to live on either coast, you better be a professional in an IT or Engineering field to make that 70-80k+ yearly salary to have any shot at affording the housing. I also don't see teachers making so much more there that it makes up for the 2-3 times extra rent price.

70 to 80 thousand earnings would still make buying in CA a bit hard, Florida, depending on where you live, not quite as expensive.

[gunslinger256]

Originally Posted by Loveswater_outdoors

Yea it seems to me that if you want to live on either coast, you better be a professional in an IT or Engineering field to make that 70-80k+ yearly salary to have any shot at affording the housing. I also don't see teachers making so much more there that it makes up for the 2-3 times extra rent price.

we struggled on twice that salary in a "poor" NYC suburb.

[thegreenflute334]

Originally Posted by Loveswater_outdoors

Yea it seems to me that if you want to live on either coast, you better be a professional in an IT or Engineering field to make that 70-80k+ yearly salary to have any shot at affording the housing. I also don't see teachers making so much more there that it makes up for the 2-3 times extra rent price.

A person might have a better shot on the east coast as a "professional in an IT and Engineering field" because we are are "up to our eyeballs" with these kinds of jobs here. I'm sure there are always "some" available but I have to agree with the other poster ( Extra Fancy) For those who haven't been to the Ozarks lately, you can sure tell-- by what they write on these forums.

BY the way.. 70-80 grand will buy you the same thing in Portland as it will here but you will get two bedrooms instead of one ( maybe) one bath. I can't comment on houses that are located on rural routes, because I really don't know.

[Rock Climber]

I think Fayetteville is actually really affordable, considering the type of town it is. I feel like Fayetteville almost prides itself on not being exclusive, but despite that, manages to maintain a higher than regional average price for homes. Still, you can find houses in decent little neighborhoods for less than 200k. What we're seeing here is the closer-in areas really appreciating rather quickly as the region grows. You'll find people really investing heavily into 60s ranches and otherwise unremarkable properties, just to be closer to downtown Fayetteville. I'm afraid most of the prewar fixer uppers are long gone, though, and have been priced out of starter home range. Its the same everywhere that isn't dangerous or crappy.

There are very few neighborhoods of Fayetteville that I'd consider to be shady, or really anything dangerous. Its hard to say. The main spine of our trail goes right through some of the poorer areas, and while there have been a handful of muggings in the past five years, considering the heavy use those trails get, its extremely rare that you hear about any type of crime, even in those areas.

Pockets of exclusivity exist in Northwest Arkansas, but by and large, the school districts have remained solid and virtually interchangeable and that has dampened the desire for exclusivity. The exception might be Springdale, having a heavily Hispanic population at this point in time. Their schools aren't dangerous or even that bad in quality, based on my own perception. Their facilities are new and impressive, and remind me of suburban Dallas high schools. Its relatively common to meet people who teach in Springdale but live in Fayetteville. Springdale schools might even pay more, if I remember correctly, simply because so many recent grads want to remain in Fayetteville and so the competition for Fayetteville Public School positions is very strong.

As for start ups, the local scene seems to be really catching fire the past couple of years. To Gloria's point earlier in the thread about the difficulty in keeping one's feet planted here, or making good money here, seems to be dissipating. Arkansas has made a huge push in generating venture capital in recent years, and it is really paying off locally. I read that Arkansas had something like $100 million in venture capital invested just last year locally. By comparison, Mississippi had something like $5 million invested into start ups.

I've lived other places, and if you can find a way to make a decent living here, NWA is a bargain, and a really, really easy place to live.

[Loveswater_outdoors]

Thanks Rock Climber. I find it interesting that people are living in Fayetteville yet teaching in Springdale, only because Springdale seems much cheaper. I mean if I was working, we could live in Fayetteville for sure, but on just one teacher salary while I go to school full time, we will likely have to live in Springdale. I suppose I will have to brush up on my Spanish.

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by Loveswater_outdoors

Thanks Rock Climber. I find it interesting that people are living in Fayetteville yet teaching in Springdale, only because Springdale seems much cheaper. I mean if I was working, we could live in Fayetteville for sure, but on just one teacher salary while I go to school full time, we will likely have to live in Springdale. I suppose I will have to brush up on my Spanish.

Brushing up on your spanish would be a good idea. Our granddaughter is a nurse practitioner in Springdale, believe me, she never realized how handy her spanish would come in. BTW, people are living in Fayettevile if they can because it has a better reputation, but the city government in Springdale has plans to upgrade the city and there are nice places to live in and around the area.

[Rock Climber]

Originally Posted by nmnita

Brushing up on your spanish would be a good idea. Our granddaughter is a nurse practitioner in Springdale, believe me, she never realized how handy her spanish would come in. BTW, people are living in Fayettevile if they can because it has a better reputation, but the city government in Springdale has plans to upgrade the city and there are nice places to live in and around the area.

That's correct. Far western Springdale is actually really nice. The area around HarBer High School. There is a lot of buzz about new investment into the downtown area of Springdale, which is located on the more Hispanic eastern side of the city.

[JWG223]

Been here a few days now. I can't tell these towns apart. They are all just one big town as far as I can see, with a little sign that tells me when I am leaving one and driving into the next.

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by JWG223

Been here a few days now. I can't tell these towns apart. They are all just one big town as far as I can see, with a little sign that tells me when I am leaving one and driving into the next.

That is pretty much what it is, especially Bentonville, Rogers, Springdale and lowell. As you get further east, west or north they become more easily identified. As for Bentonville, after 7 years I still get confused as to which way I am going...

[Rock Climber]

Originally Posted by nmnita

That is pretty much what it is, especially Bentonville, Rogers, Springdale and lowell. As you get further east, west or north they become more easily identified. As for Bentonville, after 7 years I still get confused as to which way I am going...

Yeah Bentonville is partially set up on a SW/NE street grid that always gets me turned around.