Moving to Fayetteville from CA! (Benton, Bentonville: sales, lease, insurance)

[unpackthebags]

Hey!
So, I'm moving to Fayetteville in July. I have a few questions about what to do! I just recently turned 18 and I also recently moved to the states from Asia so... I'm new to lots of things! Any advice would be nice!
So my questions are....

1.I only have a California driver's license. I'm planning to buy a cheap car off craigslist from a private seller. What can I expect? will there be papers I need to sign? What do I need to bring? My license? can I even buy a car even though I don't have an AR drivers license? I know a lot about cars and what to look for in a used car with inspection and driving, that's not the kind of advice I'm looking for.. I have no idea what to expect. Will the seller just let me take it after paying? Do we have to go to the DMV? Should i go there on foot or by bus or with someone? I've never done this before. I won't have a car so to get to the locations to check out the cars, I'll have to take the bus. What should I do?
2. What jobs can I get in Fayetteville ? Where can I start looking for one? (I'm a college student. Not in Fayetteville though. I am getting my degree online but can hopefully transfer to one of the schools in Fayetteville after.)
3. What's the deal with Lindsey Management? I've been hearing some bad things but the lady who talked to me on the phone was so sweet and helpful! Anything I should be worried about?

[Rock Climber]

1. I haven't done a Craigslist car, but I think to register a car bought off Craigslist you will need a "bill of sale" from the seller and that should suffice. It might help to have that document notarized. Most banks will notarize a document for a nominal fee.
The "DMV" here is called the "Revenue Office". Its a rather simple process compared to Texas (my home state). Expect to receive your license printed out and handed to you before you leave the office. In Texas, you'd do all of the paperwork and get a temporary slip and receive a license in the mail within two weeks. Arkansas does it really conveniently, IMO.

2. There are lots of jobs waiting tables and stuff around town. In fact, I've noticed a large upswing in restaurants openly advertising "Help Wanted" over the past couple of weeks.

3. Lindsey has a reputation of rather cheaply-built properties. I have no first-hand experience with them. They don't seem like bad places from the outside. It may be a case of them being the largest and most well-known property development company locally, and so they seem to get a lot of criticism just because of the volume of properties they own.

[nmnita]

Rock Climber has given you some good answers. You will not need an AR license to buy your car but you will need to register it as soon as you purchase it and will need an AR license. They are easy to get and not that expensive but they are a must, as well as proof of insurance.

You can find jobs here easily, but you haven't given us any clue as to what type of work you are hoping to get. I am assuming, at your age, you will be happy to work in retail or the food industry. The biggest problem you will have is your timing. School will just have started, a lot of kids will be looking for jobs in and around Fayetteville.

Good luck and keep us posted.

[Wanderlove]

You can always find a job here even if it's not exactly what you want & just keep looking until you find the right one.

I have rented from Lindsey on 2 different occasions & never once had a bad experience.

[DC at the Ridge]

In order to get your car registered, you will need proof of insurance and you will also have to pay sales tax on the vehicle. I think it's currently 6.5%.

[ArkansasTgirl]

I've bought vehicles off of craigslist in the past couple of years. You don't need a separate bill of sale, its on the back of the title. The first time I bought a car off of craigslist in Arkansas I made the guy do a bill of sale even though he said I wouldn't need it, he was right it was a waste of time. Just make sure you fill out everything on the back of the title.

There are no sales taxes on cheap vehicles, I don't know exactly what the cutoff price is now, I didn't have to pay any taxes on my motorcycle to get tags. I'm positive anything under $2500 you won't have to pay any sales taxes on.

[Sam I Am]

Lindsey will hold you to the letter of your lease. Make SURE there is a transfer clause in case you get a job you have to move for or have another life-altering event. Also check out the move-out fees...sometimes they are outrageous. Just know you will never get your entire deposit back.

Make sure you get the title to that car. Don't take a "yeah, I'll get it to you later". A relative just went through this experience with a dealer out of Monticello and is now the proud owner of nothing except a canceled check for $500 earnest money and a handful of promises.

You don't have to pay sales tax on anything under $4000; anything over that amount is what you pay taxes on. i.e., if the car costs $5000, you will pay tax on $1000. You will also need to declare it as personal property in the county you reside in to get it licensed.

Welcome to Arkansas!

[OurGreatEscape]

Typically the process for dealing with a new/used car is: With car title in hand, head up to the "new" Court House (located on the corner of College and Dickson). Go to the assessor's office. This is where you assess personal property and give you a form showing you paid last year's personal property taxes. Because you are new to F'ville and AR, I'm unfamiliar how it will effect your paperwork. Call the Assessor's office now to find out.

After a visit to assessor's office, a trip to the tax collector's office may be necessary.

Now you'll head over to the Ar Revenue Office. This is located on Razorback Rd near MLK Jr Blvd. Take your checkbook Grab a number and be prepared to wait. When your number is called, hand over your title and any forms you received from the Court House. Write your check for the sales tax. The clerk will keep your car title (it will be mailed to you after the vehicle is registered with the state). Clerk will give you a license and car tags to place on your vehicle.

Pat yourself on the back. You just made it through a someone difficult and tedious process

[sdquarle]

What languages do you speak? If you speak Chinese, I'd head up to Bentonville and get yourself a well paying job at one of the vendors.

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by sdquarle

What languages do you speak? If you speak Chinese, I'd head up to Bentonville and get yourself a well paying job at one of the vendors.

that may not be as easy as it sounds for an 18 year old, with probably very little work history.