Dear David & Mary; I Loved Daytona Beach, Fl. but, I relocated to the Branson, Mo. area about 18 years ago and I am Home Now! We located to a small Community of Highlandville, Mo. that lies between Springfield, Tablerock Lake & Branson, Mo. We have the Best of both worlds. 25 minutes to all 3 locations, Low Taxes, & Friendly Neighbors.

Thu May 8 2008, 14:24

Hey, NWA is great! Enjoy all 4 seasons. Lots going on there. Upscale shopping, great resturants, jobs, lower taxes than some places, fun activites....hiking, boating, most resent triple A baseball "The Natural". Come enjoy the good life. I have a great home for sale. I am an agent and it is my personal home. Being relocated with husbands job. View my websitehttp:// www.phyllislloyd.com click on the links to read more.

Wed May 7 2008, 12:04

Hi David and Mary, My husband and I moved to Holiday Island, Arkansas 18 years ago and love it! He was originally from New England and I from the Los Angeles area, so we ended up in the middle of the country. Please view the web sites I have listed to get a better perspective of our community. We are 5 miles north of Eureka Springs, AR (a Victorian town plus) and an hour from Branson, MO. Our community has fabulous retirees from all over the country and wonderful families too. If you would like more information please do not hesitate to contact me. I have worked as a sales agent for the local developer from 1990 to 1997. I then entered into the Coldwell Banker franchise system, which is where I still "reside"! Thank you. www.HolidayIslandRealEstate.com, www.HolidayIslandArk.org

Tue Apr 29 2008, 08:33

I believe you will appreciate the slower pace of things her compared to other parts of the country. The beauty of Northwest Arkansas will capture your heart right away. The Dogwoods are in full bloom right now and it is a sight to see. Pet friendly? I would say very much yes. There are several dog care centers, specialty pet stores, walking trails (leash required) and some special functions for pets.
As far as the cost of living goes gas, and food is pretty much the same across the country (Except California) and housing right now , well all I can say is it a Great time to buy in Northwest Arkansas. There are deals to be had. There is a very large inventory of homes right now and prices are down.
I have helped several people relocate here from all parts of the country and one of the things that amazes them the most is the lack of violence. Sure we have or problems but all in all it is a very safe place to live.

Fell free to contact me for more information.

Hope to hear from you soon.

Thu Apr 24 2008, 21:11

Hi David and Mary,

My husband and I moved from Florida to NW Arkansas. We like you, no longer wanted to retire in Florida for a lot of reasons. We have no regrets about moving to NW Arkansas. Personal income tax was a bit of a shock. The link I have provided will take you to the Census website and you can click on the Arkansas county of interest. You might also check out the Statistical Abstract for Arkansas published by the University of Arkansas. It is a valuable resource.

http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/maps/arkansas_map.html

You can also visit my website and click on the MLS search tab and fill out the Free Neighborhood Report and receive a market report about the area you find of interest.

Good luck on your move.

Thu Apr 24 2008, 11:10

Hello David and Mary,

I moved to NWA about 3 yrs ago. It is a fantastic place to live. I was raised military and have lived all over the world and seen a lot of it. Spent many vacations in Florida, also.

We have all four seasons, mountains, rivers, lakes and forrests. 8 miles west of Fayetteville is a civil war battlefiel park. Very interesting. We also have a great performing arts center. Walton Art Center....
I don't want to live anywhere else.

That being said, I also work for Century 21 in Northwest Arkansas and would be happy to show you around. Our cost of living is extremely less expensive than Florida. The cost of a new construction home around 2000 SF can be bought here for around $200,000 depending on what type of amenities you are looking for. We also have a large selection of townhome and condo living. Great golf courses too!

Would love to hear from you.

Warmest Regards,
Shannon Hill

Tue Jan 15 2008, 14:54

Hello David and Mary,

Wanted to say a quick hello. You will love NWA. I moved here 5 yrs ago and new within two weeks; I was home. I have lived in NE and Cetral Arkansas and all over the world. This is a fantastic place to settle. We have all four seasons, rivers, mountains, lakes, woods and streams. Not to mention, great golfing and lots of other family activities. Fayetteville is a mecca for earth friendly and animal friendly people.

With all of that being said; I'd like to introduce myself. My name is Shannon Hill and I work for Century 21 in Northwest Arkansas. I would be thrilled to help you guys find your dream retirment home. I have worked with many transplantees from Florida and other places. We love new people in Northwest Arkansas. come and see how beautiful if really is here. We would love to have you.

Warmest Regards,
Shannon Hill

Tue Jan 15 2008, 14:53

You might also consider Russellville, more centrally located in the state, great area and the I - 40 runs right by us for easy transit. Also more bang for your buck here and very steady market with very steady growth.

Tue Aug 7 2007, 14:02

I have lived in South Arkansas, Central Arkansas & now Northwest Arkansas. NWA is by FAR my favorite!! Here are a few more links about the area that you might find helpful:
Chamber: http://www.bentonvillebellavistachamber.com
City of Bella Vista: http://www.beautifulbellavista.com
City of Bentonville: http://www.bentonvillearkansas.com
NWA News: http://www.nwanews.com
Arkansas State Parks: http://arkansasstateparks.com

I've got 2 dogs that love it up here! (a Lab named Sooie & a Beagle named Scout) There are several pet friendly parks that we like to walk & run them. As LaVeta mentioned, there are endless opportunities to explore the lakes, rivers, & trail systems & now we also have a new museum of American Art being built: http://www.crystalbridges.org It is going to be BEAUTIFUL!

Right now, there is also PLENTY of availability of housing. Recently our market was overbuilt & we have homes that are ready for new residents! If you would like a sampling of the housing that is available, shoot me an email! I'd love to send you some selections that match your criteria.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me. I put my website as a reference. You can also search all of the available listings there.

Welcome to Northwest Arkansas! I'm so excited for you to come join us!

Fri Jul 13 2007, 21:00

Hello... moving to Arkansas is the Right Choice. Check out Hot Springs Village as well athttp:// www.hsvpoa.org andhttp:// www.hotspringsvillagechamber.com

Sat Jun 30 2007, 05:23

Dear David and Mary,

You will love NW Arkansas. Bentonville/Bella Vista is the heart of a dynamic and robust growing economy. The urbanized population for a 60 mile radius, that includes three states, is estimated to be approximately 528,833. Per the 2000 census, that's approximately 181 persons per square mile. Bella Vista caters to retiree's with 9 golf courses, 8 man-made lakes and several recreation facilities that offer swimming, tennis, miniature golf, picnic and play areas.

Per the last special census, the median income was $45,264. The biggest negative for the area is the sales taxes in the local communities are approximately 9%. The property taxes make up for the higher sales tax with some of the lowest tax rates in the country. And seniors over 65 are given a tax credit along with the ability to lock their assessed value. The only way taxes for seniors go up would be if the millage rate is increased by popular vote. The state income tax rate is 7% or less. The largest employers are Wal-Mart, Tyson Foods and JB Hunt. The Chamber of Commerce predicts that health care will be the next largest employer in the area.

Bentonville has a population count of approximately 28,470 per the 2006 special census. The daytime population of Bentonville is approximately 60,000 persons. Bella Vista's estimated population is nearly 26,000.

There are many recreational opportunities in NW Arkansas, from the many lakes, rivers and streams to the many hiking trails and outdoor recreation spots. If that's not your cup of tea, there are always the fine arts offerings. We pride ourselves on being culturally diverse due to the abundance of global employers in our area. The schools are some of the best in the country.

If all of the above descriptions of NW Arkansas aren't enough to entice you to move to our little slice of heaven, you haven't checked out all the beautiful views of nature. From rolling grasslands to jagged cliff's of shear rock, to the variegated hues of green that dot the landscape from all the different species of tree and fauna. Springs and fall are exceptionally brilliant in color rivaling any fall showing of New England.

If there is any further information that I can provide for you, please feel free to call my office. Visit my site for any additional information that you would like to find about the area.

Fri Jun 29 2007, 14:33

David and Mary,

I am not sure about that area but I am a experience mortgage banker. I would suggest that one of your pre-planning items should be financial evaluation. IE, if you will be needing a mortgage for your new home. If so, I would like to give you my website address and welcome you to contact me for a No Cost Consultation over the phone. It is my experience that you will make the best decisions if financing is planned early on in the process.

Best wishes.

Bill Warren

Sat Jun 23 2007, 11:15