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I think you will enjoy Bentonville more than Fayetteville. I've lived in Fayetteville the past 4.5 years and we are relocating to Bentonville. Fayetteville is first and foremost a college town...I love Fayetteville and could post forever about all the good qualities of Fayetteville...the trail system is absolutely amazing here (I'm a triathlete - so biking and running access are important to me). However, Bentonville is the "place" to be in my opinion for families not associated with the University of Arkansas (the flagship public institution for the state). Fayetteville is indeed a college town. Most of the upscale homes in Fayetteville (your price range) are not close to amenities. Especially trails and such - much of the trail system in Fayetteville is not near upscale housing. In Bentonville, you have a few more options for upscale housing closer to the city core. If Walmart HQ is the job - Bentonville can seem a bit incestuous - because most folks are Walmart folks. This is a SMALL town. Fayetteville will allow you to interact with folks not working at Walmart...but likely work for the University or JB Hunt.
My husband always says...in the south a mansion is right next to mobile home...you'll find in Fayetteville its more like a nice home/subdivision is awfully close to college student apartments...if you're in the downtown core.
Hope this helps a little.
This actually helps a ton. I've been on the computer researching realtor.com non-stop, and while I've found homes in Fayetteville, I've noticed they're further outside of town. If I'm going to be in a small town, I want to be in the middle of it all. I don't know if anyone reading this knows the East Bay Area of California at all, but we lived in Danville a long time (near Walnut Creek? Lafayette?) Anyway - we lived close to downtown Danville so we were walking distance to all the shops, foodie restaurants, and nightlife (small as it was, it was perfect for us as has-been college students!) I am loving what I'm finding in Bentonville, I've just been really drawn to Fayetteville because I love the hills. It could all change once I see in person though. I'm really looking forward to it, but probably giving my poor husband whiplash with my constant changes of heart (never done a big move before!) - But Bentonville is top of my list due to schools, being able to be right downtown, and the restaurants available. Any feedback on local USA swim programs? I've checked out Northwest AR aquatics and contacted their head coach, my daughter in on our local year-round team and my 2 youngest swim recreationally. Hoping to get them involved immediately if we make the move (I'm a former swimmer turned runner - also triathlete! - and am on both boards for the teams, so we are super crazy swim family!)
Finally - any feedback on the subdivisions Heathrow and Talamore? If those aren't close to downtown, which are? I like homes that have a little character to distinguish them from every other home in the area - craftsman style, Western, Tudor, ranch...all awesome options, but I see a lot of similar homes (just as with here, we have a master-planned subdivision called Serrano Country Club and it looks like the opening scene from the Showtime show Weeds! hahaha)
Hi - I can tell you that we have been looking through both Heathrow, Talamore, Oak Tree, and Talamore. Healthrow & Talamore are hilly. Northern Bentonville is hilly...much of Fayetteville is flat...except the downtown area. Its a little deceiving. Plenty of hill repeats for you. I've been to Danville and Walnut Creek...we are in no way either of those...My husband lived in San Fran proper (Marina) for the first 2 years we dated...we love East Bay area and we LOVE it here. As long as you can travel/vacation from time to time - its really awesome living here. Have you looked into AquaHogs? Our tri team: Triple Threat Racing is strongly geared towards youth. Our swim coach is extremely plugged in to the swimming scene. PM and I'll be glad to introduce you. In fact - any specific questions - please PM me.
Again, you can't go wrong with either city really - but Bentonville would fit your lifestyle a bit better... I think. Oh, and we even have our own vineyards here now. : ) Check out: Sassafras Springs Vineyard
Hey everyone,
I've read all the recent forums and see a few concerning people like me who are possible relocating to NWA from California. However, I have JUST 2 full days in June to visit (4 day trip, but travel time is basically the first and last day).
In this time, I need to get an idea of whether this could work for us. I am a mid-30's mother of 3 girls - basically 4,5, 12) & it would be for an incredible career move for my husband. At first I was dead-set against it, but I'm an avid trail runner and lover of all things nature (we live by Folsom Lake and are on the coast near Monterey regularly), so once I started perusing the brochures that have been arriving in the mail plus some web searches, I'm pretty interested.
Housing seems fantastic. In searching the 700-1,000,000 range, seems like you can get basically the same as here but at half the price.
One concern is weather. I'm born and raised in Northern California (bay area). I'm a sunshine girl. I get depressed easily in adverse weather, but I also love occasionally jogging in cool, coastal, foggy weather. From what I've read it can be unpredictable. I don't do snow, I don't do tornadoes, but could I live with the idea of possibly experiencing them for a few years? Probably.
I am pretty laid back, love exercise, love arts and culture and nightlife, but I love a good family town, friendly people, GOOD FOOD!, wine, and I'm also a pretty regular vinyasa yogi. I realize this is crazy detail, but since my time is so limited there, I want to try as much as I can. Where should I spend time?
Bentonville seems beautiful with the town square and museum/trails. Is the downtown area a nice place to live? I keep hearing about Pinnacle Country Club in Rogers as a place where many people live and recommend? I am used to suburbia, so that doesn't bother me, but I really don't know where else I can check out in such a limited time. I plan to "run" the town, jog around, pay a visit to Fayetteville when we land (we both went to UCD so love college towns!), then explore Bentonville and Rogers. Oh - my friend, also a Ca native from the East Bay, said it is really flat and boring there. Except all I see are hills, lush greenery, natural beauty from the brochures. What am I missing?
Okay, any ANY help you can provide, I will be so utterly grateful. Final question - Starbucks??? Good grocery stores? Best restaurants and bars to try? My husband travels there a lot for work, so he raves about the options coming in, but I'm skeptical (so I'm not disappointed) - skeptical but also interested! And PLEASE tell me it is not still dry there? I read that from a few years ago, hahaha! THANK YOU!
You would love some aspects of it, but based on what I've seen there, you may be a bit "metro/city" for the area. I don't know you, but please visit before you move for sure.
You would love some aspects of it, but based on what I've seen there, you may be a bit "metro/city" for the area. I don't know you, but please visit before you move for sure.
She is visiting before she moved here. As for your opinion, I think it is fine to have one, but I doubt you know enough about the area the OP now lives in to understand. For the most part Bentonville, isn't much different than the Folsom area where she is living and NWA is very metro feeling. To me a chance to experience something very new is a wonderful one. She has said, if it doesn't work out, they can always return to their roots eventually. This is not, necessarily a permanent move. When we were in the professional world and our kids were young, we made many such moves. Only one was a disaster and even then, we gained something from the experience. No, NWA isn't the bay area, but it certainly isn't in the middle of Hicksville either.
This actually helps a ton. I've been on the computer researching realtor.com non-stop, and while I've found homes in Fayetteville, I've noticed they're further outside of town. If I'm going to be in a small town, I want to be in the middle of it all. I don't know if anyone reading this knows the East Bay Area of California at all, but we lived in Danville a long time (near Walnut Creek? Lafayette?) Anyway - we lived close to downtown Danville so we were walking distance to all the shops, foodie restaurants, and nightlife (small as it was, it was perfect for us as has-been college students!) I am loving what I'm finding in Bentonville, I've just been really drawn to Fayetteville because I love the hills. It could all change once I see in person though. I'm really looking forward to it, but probably giving my poor husband whiplash with my constant changes of heart (never done a big move before!) - But Bentonville is top of my list due to schools, being able to be right downtown, and the restaurants available. Any feedback on local USA swim programs? I've checked out Northwest AR aquatics and contacted their head coach, my daughter in on our local year-round team and my 2 youngest swim recreationally. Hoping to get them involved immediately if we make the move (I'm a former swimmer turned runner - also triathlete! - and am on both boards for the teams, so we are super crazy swim family!)
Finally - any feedback on the subdivisions Heathrow and Talamore? If those aren't close to downtown, which are? I like homes that have a little character to distinguish them from every other home in the area - craftsman style, Western, Tudor, ranch...all awesome options, but I see a lot of similar homes (just as with here, we have a master-planned subdivision called Serrano Country Club and it looks like the opening scene from the Showtime show Weeds! hahaha)
Our kids also swam on year round programs for many years, as did our two older granddaughters. I do not know much about the USA program, but I am guessing your best bet will be in the Bentonville area. I do want to mention one thing, and this is simply a guess: I doubt the overall quality of swimmers and programs will be quite as high in California, but I am sure you realize that.
As for homes that are cookie types, in your price range you will have choices: I am guessing you will be very happy with them and the quality. BTW, the areas you are researching, those listed above as well as Hanover (they are all in the northern part of Bentonville) are not within walking distance to the downtown area, but are very close.
She is visiting before she moved here. As for your opinion, I think it is fine to have one, but I doubt you know enough about the area the OP now lives in to understand. For the most part Bentonville, isn't much different than the Folsom area where she is living and NWA is very metro feeling. To me a chance to experience something very new is a wonderful one. She has said, if it doesn't work out, they can always return to their roots eventually. This is not, necessarily a permanent move. When we were in the professional world and our kids were young, we made many such moves. Only one was a disaster and even then, we gained something from the experience. No, NWA isn't the bay area, but it certainly isn't in the middle of Hicksville either.
I'm not familiar with Folsom area, no. However, the Bentonville area, unless I missed something, may not have the atmosphere I perceived OP as loving in its entirety. It is not a place I would move to if fine dining and wine tasting or a night life were important to me.
Is it hicksville? No. I wouldn't be moving there if it were, lol!
Anyway, I'm more than open to learning. What is a nice place in Bentonville area to drop $120 a plate on that's worth it? Like I said, I'm moving early next year and it would be great to know of a few of the nicer places in town. Thinking of it more, I'm sure something good is on that list because of the people and their income who filter through based on the companies headquartered there. So...advise?
Ps. I honestly did not know there were $700k houses in Bentonville proper. The $230k house my contractor showed me makes me think a $700k house would be absurdly large or cost that based on real estate. Or maybe my opinion is simply skewed as a lowly rn making $85 a year, lol. Lots I don't know about my six and 7 figure friends lives.
In Bentonville, you have a few more options for upscale housing closer to the city core. If Walmart HQ is the job - Bentonville can seem a bit incestuous - because most folks are Walmart folks. This is a SMALL town. Fayetteville will allow you to interact with folks not working at Walmart...but likely work for the University or JB Hunt.
My husband always says...in the south a mansion is right next to mobile home...you'll find in Fayetteville its more like a nice home/subdivision is awfully close to college student apartments...if you're in the downtown core.
Hope this helps a little.
Bentonville is a company town. Everything revolves around walmart. When we were looking to move, we combed through Bentonville and Rogers subdivisions. But most of them reminded me of the movie "Stepford Wives" ( Manicured lawns, nice looking houses but clubby). Fayetteville offered a little bit of diversity (compared east coast!!).
Bentonville is a company town. Everything revolves around walmart. When we were looking to move, we combed through Bentonville and Rogers subdivisions. But most of them reminded me of the movie "Stepford Wives" ( Manicured lawns, nice looking houses but clubby). Fayetteville offered a little bit of diversity (compared east coast!!).
yes, to some degree Bentonville is a company town, being it has gained a lot of recognition from WalMart being headquartered there, but out granddaughter, who lives in Bentonville, has nothing to do with WalMart. Her husband is a VP at a company, headquartered in the Midwest, he is the head of the office here. There neighbor on one side is a dentist, and the other side owns a heating and air conditioning company. I think many people have a view of Bentonville that just isn't real. It is just like people saying Bella Vista is only for the retired people, when the average age of people here is about 50 and getting lower each year. Now as for the manicured look, yet, that part you have right and many of us, unless we live in a rural setting are looking for that look. I would hate to have a $500, 000 or more piece of property next to a house that was not well maintained. The nicer neighborhoods in Fayetteville are the same.
[quote=JWG223;34946241]I'm not familiar with Folsom area, no. However, the Bentonville area, unless I missed something, may not have the atmosphere I perceived OP as loving in its entirety. It is not a place I would move to if fine dining and wine tasting or a night life were important to me.
Is it hicksville? No. I wouldn't be moving there if it were, lol!
Anyway, I'm more than open to learning. What is a nice place in Bentonville area to drop $120 a plate on that's worth it? Like I said, I'm moving early next year and it would be great to know of a few of the nicer places in town. Thinking of it more, I'm sure something good is on that list because of the people and their income who filter through based on the companies headquartered there. So...advise?
Ps. I honestly did not know there were $700k houses in Bentonville proper. The $230k house my contractor showed me makes me think a $700k house would be absurdly large or cost that based on real estate. Or maybe my opinion is simply skewed as a lowly rn making $85 a year, lol. Lots I don't know about my six and 7 figure friends lives.[/QUOTEpend ]
I don't know about spending $120 as plate for dinner unless you are including wine? In fact there are not a lot of places other than maybe the east coast, San Francisco etc where dinner by itself would cost $120 per person. There are a couple of very nice steak houses in Rogers and Fayetteville that are not chains and can set you back $150 to $200 for dinner for two. One of them is Mr.Bs in Rogers on Walnut and one is Mermaids in Fayetteville. There is also the River Grill in No. Bentonville. (no it isn't on a river)
I do agree, there isn't a lot of true night life in NWA, but I am not sure the OP really means she wants to have a really active night life. WE do have Walton Center in Fayetteville, with the new one being built in Bentonville, and a few similar places. Not to mention the outdoor life she is hoping for and places like Crystal Bridges.
BTW, Folsom is east of Sacramento, very much like any suburb we have here, or any other area in our country. It isn't a metro area like you might be thinking and is a couple hours drive from the San Francisco bay area. If she is happy living in Folsom she will be happy living in NWA>
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I am loving what I'm finding in Bentonville, I've just been really drawn to Fayetteville because I love the hills. It could all change once I see in person though. I'm really looking forward to it, but probably giving my poor husband whiplash with my constant changes of heart (never done a big move before!) - But Bentonville is top of my list due to schools, being able to be right downtown, and the restaurants available. Any feedback on local USA swim programs? I've checked out Northwest AR aquatics and contacted their head coach, my daughter in on our local year-round team and my 2 youngest swim recreationally. Hoping to get them involved immediately if we make the move (I'm a former swimmer turned runner - also triathlete! - and am on both boards for the teams, so we are super crazy swim family!) 
