[martin9499]

My wife, 8 year old daughter, and i would like leave Memphis and the crime and racial tension as well as crime to enjoy an early retirement. I would like to continue a real slow paced law practice and my wife and daughter like nature walks. We would like to do some slow boating and dock fishing. Where do you think that might be possible.

[nmnita]

anywhere in NWA should meet your needs, lots of walking paths, nature, boating, fishing, good schools and wonderful people. plus almost no crime...

Nita

[JeffAtkins]

Originally Posted by martin9499

My wife, 8 year old daughter, and i would like leave Memphis and the crime and racial tension as well as crime to enjoy an early retirement. I would like to continue a real slow paced law practice and my wife and daughter like nature walks. We would like to do some slow boating and dock fishing. Where do you think that might be possible.

I've lived in the Memphis area (worked at FedEx by the airport), so I know exactly what you are talking about.

Hot Springs Village has one of the lowest crime rates in the country. There are over 20 miles of trails, and the Hernando Trail (and the HSV Trails Committee) just won the 2008 Governor's Fitness Award in the Trails Category.

There are lakes all over the Village that are open for boating/fishing, and several that are open for skiing/tubing. Lake Ouchita, one of the cleanest lakes in the country (and great boating / fishing), is only a few miles west of the HSV West Gate.

HSV is most noted for its golf courses, there are 8 courses available to all property owners or their guests (or through a membership lease).

As far as semi-retirement, you could have a limited home-office operation, and/or open up an office within or just outside the Village. The east gate is 18 miles from downtown Benton (Saline County courthouse) and the Balboa and West gates are about 16 miles from Hot Springs (Garland County courthouse).

I will send you a link with a couple of videos.

[martin9499]

great information. thank you.

[RogMar]

Originally Posted by martin9499

My wife, 8 year old daughter, and i would like leave Memphis and the crime and racial tension as well as crime to enjoy an early retirement. I would like to continue a real slow paced law practice and my wife and daughter like nature walks. We would like to do some slow boating and dock fishing. Where do you think that might be possible.

How "rural" do you want to be?

I had the same desires as you, and the foresight to make my purchase long before actual retirement, as to beat a lot of the cost.

A lot of the areas in NWA do have a country setting, with stores, schools and restaurants nearby.

I am much more rural, having purchased a farm, and am quite happy living "out on the dirt roads".

What kind of law do you practice?

Most of the attorneys here like to stick to the simple probate, real estate, divorce, personal injury kind of line. Not too many guys wanting to do trial work. Most trial guys are in the larger cities.

By "larger", I mean with population of 10,000 and up.

I assume you're not specializing in product liability or patent law?

Might get kinda hungry "round these here parts".

[strumpeace]

martin --

I just moved to Arkansas from Memphis a few months ago -- and for the same reasons (minus the retirement part). I think you'll find that outside of Little Rock metro, there's very little hustle-and-bustle in Arkansas. There's nothing here (even Little Rock) that's comparable to Memphis proper.

Best wishes.

[Bull Winkus]

IMHO if you threw a dart at the state map and it landed anywhere N. or W. of Little Rock, you'd be happy to hang your shingle there from now on.

For the record, I chose Horseshoe Bend. It's not far from Missouri, Mountain Home, and Batesville. It's so peaceful the deer use the streets for their trails.
//www.city-data.com/forum/4500735-post15.html

[martin9499]

Originally Posted by RogMar

How "rural" do you want to be?

I had the same desires as you, and the foresight to make my purchase long before actual retirement, as to beat a lot of the cost.

A lot of the areas in NWA do have a country setting, with stores, schools and restaurants nearby.

I am much more rural, having purchased a farm, and am quite happy living "out on the dirt roads".

What kind of law do you practice?

Most of the attorneys here like to stick to the simple probate, real estate, divorce, personal injury kind of line. Not too many guys wanting to do trial work. Most trial guys are in the larger cities.

By "larger", I mean with population of 10,000 and up.

I assume you're not specializing in product liability or patent law?

Might get kinda hungry "round these here parts".

i can and have tried a good many lawsuits but if i move it would to be the quieter stuff like probate etc. nothing complex.

you think i will still go hungry?

you know of any good property?

[martin9499]

Originally Posted by Bull Winkus

IMHO if you threw a dart at the state map and it landed anywhere N. or W. of Little Rock, you'd be happy to hang your shingle there from now on.

For the record, I chose Horseshoe Bend. It's not far from Missouri, Mountain Home, and Batesville. It's so peaceful the deer use the streets for their trails.
//www.city-data.com/forum/4500735-post15.html

do you know of any property in your area described above?

[RogMar]

Originally Posted by martin9499

i can and have tried a good many lawsuits but if i move it would to be the quieter stuff like probate etc. nothing complex.

you think i will still go hungry?

you know of any good property?

Well...depends onwhere you go.

If you go to planned communities or the upscale areas of NWA, you have a built in base for wills & trusts, probate, estate planning, etc.

Most anyplace will have the usual fare of light criminal, quasi-criminal, light civil, various domestic, etc.

I'm thinking you no longer want to do a pro-bono homicide defense for a client with an IQ of 61.

In actual rural communities, I'm not seeing a lot of local action. That is, the guys in practice aren't local. They may or not be from the state.

How much are you willing to scale back? I mean, you can make a pretty good living almost anywhere, but if you go rural, you can forget your corporate clients, but always have the opportunity to pick up farm clients.

Let me tell you, there are *many* farm clients of a class that two or three will carry you just fine. Yes, there is money there.

You want fishing and walks in the woods. Many of the areas that these folks talk about will give you that if you don't want to live in the country.

If you do want to live in the country, you can usually do all that and never leave your "yard".

I live 15 miles from Melbourne, about 15 miles from Ash Flat, which also encompasses the Cherokee Village/ Highland/ Hardy area, of which there are many retirees and Cherokee Village is a planned community which has lots of need for counsel.

Also about 15 miles from Horseshoe Bend where Bull Winkus and some others here bought.

There's always small town city attorney also. Supplements the practice real nice.

Land? Yes, there's land available. In my area, it's currently running ~$2,000 an acre around me, and if you have 10 acres or more, the *only* restrictions you have is that well and septic must be 100 feet apart.

Other than that, you have for all practical purposes ceceded.

Land prices will vary according to where you go, the closer you get to NWA, the higher it gets.

Bull mentioned throwing a dart at a map, and outside of certain areas you're gonna do good, and I'd agree. I'd probably add avoid the delta region, it is it's own animal, and the southern part of the state unless you want to work for Riceland rice.

Think about ideally what environment you'd want, if shopping and restaurants close by are a priority. If cultural events within an hour is desirable. If you do or don't want the sounds of the neighbor's cows when it's hay time....variables.

Personally, you couldn't drag me back into neighborhoods, ordinances, and keeping up with the Jones'es with a team of mules...but that's just me.

Think about taking some weekends and visiting some areas. You'll find people here that would be glad to show you around.

No, counselor....you're not gonna get hungry.