What is attracting California and west coast folks to Northwest Arkansas? (Little Rock: high crime, safe area)

[AngelwithHornz]

Ppl move thats part of life. And Arkansas happenens to be one of the poorest states ppl can sell there house in Cali and come to Ar and buy a new house and live off of the left over money for years!!!

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by briansgi

I beg to differ! Looks like everyone is moving out of California as fast as they can!
Data Comparisons by Topic > Bar Graph > Net Domestic Migration, July 1, 2005 Through July 1, 2006 - Population Reference Bureau (http://www.prb.org/Datafinder/Topic/Bar.aspx?sort=v&order=d&variable=706 - broken link)

The only growth you are seeing is from illegal immigration!

you are 110% right. There was a time when everyone flocked to Calif, but those days are over. Everyone (or almost) we know still living there, either 1-intend to re-locate or 2-are there because of jobs or family. We have a handful of friends that wouldn't leave on a bet, but they are few and far between.

Nita

[Mems]

We bought property in Van Buren County 5 years ago only because we have friends there and visited a few times. A deal on property came up that we could not pass on. It's in the forest and incredibly beautiful. Never planned to move there at the time, but since it's such a nice place and free of all this traffic, we have decided to make it our home as soon as we can. I don't live in California, but do live in the NorthWest, and can totally understand why someone would give up the dirty city and crime, to move to a more picturesque, serene setting.

[CCScarfaro]

I have to comment on one thing I find a lot on this thread. California is a big state..... there are areas very similiar and very suburban as what you might see in any state.. So the hign crime and traffic? thats not exclusive to every place in California... so I dont think everyone from California is flocking to NWA to escape these stereotypes. I live in Thousand Oaks, Ca. little traffic, no crime ( amongst the top 5 each year for lowest crime rates) and about 50 miles from LA proper. Which unless I am flying somwhere never go. So back to my old post... I still think most relocate to NWA for the early retirement.

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by CCScarfaro

I have to comment on one thing I find a lot on this thread. California is a big state..... there are areas very similiar and very suburban as what you might see in any state.. So the hign crime and traffic? thats not exclusive to every place in California... so I dont think everyone from California is flocking to NWA to escape these stereotypes. I live in Thousand Oaks, Ca. little traffic, no crime ( amongst the top 5 each year for lowest crime rates) and about 50 miles from LA proper. Which unless I am flying somwhere never go. So back to my old post... I still think most relocate to NWA for the early retirement.

Of course all states have crime, traffic etc and all states have peaceful places to live. I have been in Thousand Oaks, I have a brother who lives in Simi Valley, you do have more traffic and crime, plus high cost of living, illegals (yes, in 1000 oaks) etc. No, not everyone comes to NWA for early retirement, nor to retire. Many major cooporations have moved here in the last few years or plan to. Calif has great weather, take away fires, floods and earthquakes, they have the beauty of the ocean and mountains, but nowhere, especially in So Calif do they have the same peacefulness that exists in smaller, less conjested states.

Nita

[JGAngel97]

Everyone has their own reasons for moving out of CA. I am a native Southern Californian who moved to Las Vegas for family and real estate reasons. Couldn't afford a home in CA after a divorce, etc. If I could live in a place like Ferndale (a restored, quiet
Victorian village) I would move back to CA. There are areas in the redwoods and along the coast that I would love to call home -Santa Cruz, Pismo Beach, San Luis Obispo, Mendocino, Humboldt County and on and on and on. Unfortunately, it's all too expensive.

We are coming to Bella Vista in August to check the area out more fully. We visited because of the free trip and fell in love with the place.

I lived in Simi Valley for almost 30 years. Before that, the San Fernando Valley which is
a suburb of Los Angeles. Like Thousand Oaks,(it's next door) Simi is one of the safest places to live in the US with a population over 100,000. California is NOT like what you see on TV. It's not all Hollywood and weirdos. It is a beautiful state with places like Yosemite and some of the most beautiful, rugged coastal areas you can imagine. Most Californians aren't Britney Spears or the like, just as Arkansas is not full of hillbillies!

I wish we could move to AR and retire. We are not rich people. Not everyone from CA, NV or AZ are wealthy even if they own a home. People are the same everywhere. There may even be some normal ones in Hollywood, CA!!! Nah.

[CCScarfaro]

Very well put. I just was trying to paint a different picture then what I have been reading from the post. Nita? illegals in Thousand Oaks? if your talking about the landscapers and housekeepers, well, they go home at the end of the day. Just teasing you. Your right, every area has its elements.

I just think the draw for some to NWA and areas like this would be the thought of cashing out of the expensive home and retiring early. That is the draw for me at least. If money wasnt an object I wouldnt leave Thousand Oaks. Though I do have to say, each year we come back to NWA, my inlaws have a lake home on Beaver and each year something new appeals to me about the area. This will be my 8th year back and I went from saying to my wife, Hell No, dont even think about it...... to well maybe, if everything works out right. Will be back there next week for 3 weeks, I will see what gets my appeal this time??

[Happy Cells]

Well, the answer to why so sooo many Californians are leaving the state is actually fairly simple.
Number one. The COST OF LIVING. The COST OF HOUSING. It's totally INSANE!
Only a filthy rich type, or a maniac buys a house at over 1000.00$ per square foot!
That's right. A 700 sq. foot cottage, in a lousy neighborhood costs over, OVER 700.000.00$. I can't afford that. So next year, I'm moving out, for ever. I was born and raised in California, and love the natural beauty of the state, but the costs outweigh the benefits by far.
Numerous California cities have nagging crime problems, and the tension here is palpable at best, ready to explode at worst.
California has not just LIBERAL politics, but has EXCEEDINGLY WEIRD LIBERAL POLITICS.
I consider myself middle of the road here. Traditional, interested in the environment, and the betterment of life for Americans mostly by their own hard work, with the Government not only getting out of the way, but doing what it can to FACILITATE Americans bettering themselves, instead of keeping them dependent on the Government "nipple".
Well, those views are NOT in sync with the dominant paradigm in California. Here radical left politics IS the NORM. And if you don't toe the line, people get in your face violently, and I've had just about enough of that, so, next year, I'm out.
All the folks out there in the U.S. that have those "cali" type points of view flow into the state and only reinforce the prevalent attitudes to the detriment of all the others.
It's a shame. California used to be such a neat place but it has really REALLY gone down hill.
The illegal immigrant problem, lax law enforcement, high cost of living, congestion, traffic, dwindling open space, urban sprawl, super highways everywhere, more fruits and nuts than a road side stand on I-5. It's just too TOOOOO much.
So, I'm not surprised at all that Californians are moving out in droves. The more liberal ones, they looks for liberal enclaves to live in, or they stay in Calif, and try to ignore the house of cards that's been built around them. The more middle of the road to conservative Californians, they obviously head to the more traditional conservative states, so they can at least live with like minded folks, and not have to worry about naked protesters in the streets, or open sex-act parades sashaying down main street at every opportunity.

[RogMar]

Originally Posted by Happy Cells

That's right. A 700 sq. foot cottage, in a lousy neighborhood costs over, OVER 700.000.00$.

We'll live to see that in NWA.

Scottsdale, AZ was very affordable at one time.

The L.A. burbs were very affordable at one time.

Seattle, WA area was very affordable at one time.

Been there, done that.

[WheninRoam]

Originally Posted by rickca

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.

Finally someone says it! This is so true; I'm very tired of people wishing Californians would quit moving to their state, when in fact it's the opposite. As a fourth generation Californian, I too am being pushed out. It's sad that my children won't get to experience the California I had when I was younger-it really was the place to be. NO place like it, for sure.