Boyle Park Neighborhoods? (Little Rock, Maumelle, Norman: sales, real estate, rentals)

[sapphos]

Can anyone tell me about the neighborhoods South of the highway around Boyle Park? I see a lot of nicer houses there but curious about the safety of the area. For instance around this address? 40 Berkshire Dr, Little Rock, AR


Also, no one has replied at all to my other post - can anyone at least answer my questions about the yearly car taxes which I can't seem to find anywhere?
Thanks

[Sam I Am]

Berkshire is in Broadmoor, which comes and goes in popularity and problems. We owned a house there about 15 years ago - the neighborhood went into a slump, then revived. There are good pockets and bad pockets, and you just gotta be there to see. Are you wanting to buy or rent? Lakeshore is a better bet.

Car taxes are based on the age of the vehicle and whether it is a light passenger, truck, SUV, etc. They are not expensive at all, or at least I don't think so.

See if this helps - any specialty tag (teacher, wildlife, college, Susan Komen, etc.) will have additional fees.

http://www.dfa.arkansas.gov/offices/...edule_fee1.pdf

Edit: Are you talking about licensing costs or personal property taxes? That is also based on the age of the car, county tax, etc....but I have no idea of where you'd find that other than to call the county clerk and ask.

[ArkansasSlim]

Sam is correct on neighborhoods because of the changing demographics in L.R. Several years ago we had friends living in the Boyle Park area and it was considered upper middle class, but I don't know about now. Vehicles are taxed as personal property and we have an '07 Chevy Silverado Xcab and an '07 VW Passat and the tax on them is $533.69 per year. Sales tax in L.R. is 8.5% except on groceries, and they are very little but I don't remember how much. I have no real estate so can't answer on that. I am a retired combat vet and my vehicle tags are $3.00 and change each but, as Sam wrote, regular vehicle tags depends on age, weight and retail price, but a "family sedan" and PU is around $30 per year.

[sapphos]

Sam I Am- thanks for the information - we're going to be renting. My husband has been working out there for 7 months and now we're planning to move the entire family. I've posted other questions in the past but am narrowing down my ideas now. I think you've responded to me before.

We were actually looking first for walkable neighborhoods but barring that just places not too far out from L.R. maybe no more than a 10-15 minute drive to Whole Foods, parks in Little Rock, Dassault. I've sent my husband looking at Maumelle (he said too far and it wouldn't work for us after the first month), NLR around Park Hill and Lakewood? which he said he liked a lot, and he knows Hillcrest and WLR having lived in both. We've also been checking everythign North and West of Hillcrest all the way to WLR. Looking for an affordable house or townhouse preferably no more than 1100 a month but also not willing to live in a borderline area since we've done that already. The only caveat is that we homeschool so schools are not an issue for us - but we are heavy library users so that is a biggie for us and we love having access to local farmers's markets or small local shops.

I had already seen the Arkansas list you posted but coulnd't figure out what it would cost us to switch our plates. The worst part is I am about to renew our tags because they are due but oh well...

Arkansas Slim - is taht 533 COMBINED? or per car? We don't have any income or car taxes in Florida but I lived in Connecticut at one point and the car and income taxes were a killer.

[sapphos]

oh yes and I think I posted this somewhere else but I am ULTRA spoiled right now - with five grocery stores within a mile radius - one of which is a Fresh Market and the other a small locally owned health food store, a post office, town pool, library, privately owned pet supply store, and parks. I know I won't necessarily get that again but I can wish right

[ArkansasSlim]

The 533 is for both vehicles. There may also be an extra fee to license an out of state vehicle.

[Sam I Am]

We just licensed my father's brand new Honda from Mississippi - there were no extra fees. Also, Sapphos, you will not pay the property tax until the year after you license...you will just pay the registration fee.

I live in Pope County and my spouse and I both drive 10 year old cars and we declare my sons' cars too - our tax is about $250 on all of them - the older the car, the bigger the tax break (and we drive cars until the wheels fall off! ). Pope County also has a lower county tax than Pulaski County/Little Rock.

As I said, the areas in Boyle Park can differ drastically and it is a "drive through" neighborhood on some streets since you can cut through from Asher Avenue to University. Me personally? I'd just say no since the area can't decide what it wants to be. But I haven't driven through there recently, although I do have a cousin who lives there. She has not had any crime personally but there were a rash of house burglaries not too long ago. You can walk in that area, but I wouldn't want a small child outside around the street unless you are right there, or unless you live on a cul de sac.

I'd look at Broadmoor, Pine Valley, Point West, Pleasant Forest, and the lower west Hillcrest area around Woodlawn, Lee, and the Hall High area.

There's a condo now on Craigslist which would be north off Cantrell, just east of Mississippi - going into the Pine Valley area:

Fabulous Condo at Sought After Location

White Oak, which is west a little bit - great neighborhood

3 bedrooms, 2 baths, House, $1000 from Rainey Property Management

North Off W. Markham west of Barrow, a good neighborhood:

Wonderful WLR house for rent

I know you have a very specific list of what you are looking for - is there any chance you would move short term into a house that is being sold for staging? I saw one on Normandy for $1100, just to live in for a little while. Normandy is a very desirable area, but things aren't really moving quickly there. It might be your answer while you get your feet on the ground - but then again, you may want to just move and settle in. Gotta laugh at their disclaimer - "you must have nice furnishings" - hello, who gets to decide THAT? But here's the link anyway:

$400K Normandy Home w/Character! - Only $1100/Mon Home - Rentals

[sapphos]

thanks Sam I am and Arkansas Slim

Sam I am - thanks for the links I just sent you a private message. I can't do a showhomes house because we have 2 cats and with our daughter we don't want to move right after with our daughter.