Retirees Seeking Peace and Quiet,
Affordable Homes, Pretty Lakes and Mountain Scenery Come to Bucolic Bella Vista
in Northwestern Arkansas
Cost of Living: Below the National Average
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Not far from Oklahoma, Kansas and Missouri,
popular Bella Vista (population 26,000) is nestled
in northwestern Arkansas' lush Ozark Mountain foothills.
It was originally founded as a planned resort and a members-only
retirement community in the mid-1960s, but as word of its
appealing lifestyle spread, families and singles began moving
here, too (although even today 68% of residents are age 45 or
better). In 2006, Bella Vista Village became an
incorporated municipality with a city government, and it
has been growing quickly in recent years, with 30% more people
living here now than just a decade ago. Why?
Reasons abound, but residents most often point not only to the
scenic surroundings, plentiful amenities and outstanding outdoor recreation
(this part of Arkansas is gaining a reputation as an outdoor
playground), but also to the gentle way of life,
conservative values, friendly people, low crime rate and
reasonable cost of living.
In fact, the cost-of-living in Bella
Vista is 5% below the national average. The
median home price is $185,000, but home prices run the gamut, from the
$30,000s to nearly $1 million, ensuring something for every pocketbook
(lakeside homes start in the low-$200,000s). Not only does real estate come in all
price ranges, it comes in
all shapes, ages and sizes because originally only lots were
sold and homeowners chose their own home designs.
Undeveloped lots are still for sale
(from around $1,000), so
sporadic building continues, making for an eclectic mix of neighborhoods.
Town homes and timeshares are also for
sale, and a section of Bella Vista is reserved for
mobile homes. There are also homes for
lease. The primary builder throughout the years has been Cooper Homes
because it is the company that started Bella Vista
Village back in the 1960s, but other builders have made
their way here, too.
Although Bella Vista now has a city government
in place, the Property Owners' Association (POA) still manages the amenities and water
and trash pick-up services (fire, police, road and infrastructure
maintenance are are handled by the city). The POA charges an assessment, which is on top of city taxes,
but it is reasonable, $16 a month for unimproved property
(without a water meter) and $24 a month for improved property
(with a water meter). Anyone who owns property in
Bella Vista is automatically a member of the POA, and those who
own property but have not yet built a home are still assessed
the monthly fee. Some subdivisions may also impose HOA
fees.
The monthly community-wide fee is used to maintain, operate and improve the
vast amenities provided by
the POA, all of which are private.
Residents enjoy seven lakes (which range in size from 35 acres
to 475 acres), seven golf courses and a practice center, the Bella Vista Country Club,
five recreation centers with
pools, numerous tennis courts, a gun range, extensive walking trails,
public gathering areas, parks and pavilions. The POA presents
special events and holiday parties, and there are dozens and dozes of
clubs to join, including everything from bowling and investment
planning to
fishing and folk dancing. All property owners are required to
purchase a photo ID ($35), and most of the recreation venues, except
the lakes, charge an additional fee (anywhere from $3 for using a
recreation center to $14 for 18 holes of golf to $1,245 for a
year-long, covered boat slip at one of the marinas). There are
also fees for things like tapping into the water system and
registering a boat.
When it comes to taxes, Arkansas is a great place to
retire. Its real estate taxes are some of the lowest in
the country, with property assessed at no more than 20%. The
taxes are calculated at roughly a little over 1/2 of 1% of a
property's fair market value (or approximately $1,200 annually on a
$185,000 home). All households are eligible for
a tax refund of up to $350 regardless of income or age. Social Security is exempt from taxation as is up to $6,000 in
military, civil or private pensions. Other income is taxed
on a sliding scale from 1% to 7%. There is a 6% statewide tax on
non-food products, but food is taxed at just 2%.
Because
of its size, 36,000 thickly wooded acres (65 square miles) with 36,000
home sites, thousands of which are still undeveloped (only 12,000 or
so homes have been built), the community has a very rural
quality. Most dwellings are on decent-sized, wooded parcels
(some are on the sides of hills), and every home site adjoins a green belt or common
property, creating a sense of privacy. There are no motorized
watercraft allowed on any of the lakes, and RVs and boats must be
stored out of sight. Tree frogs sing in the evenings, and the aroma of honeysuckle tickles the nose in early
spring. Deer, raccoons, opossums and the occasional bobcat peacefully
coexist with their human neighbors.
Bella Vista, Arkansas
As Bella Vista transitions from being a covenant-controlled
retirement community to a city that welcomes more singles and families from
nearby Fayetteville (15 miles) and Bentonville (8 miles), its ambiance
may change. For now, though, it has some of the characteristics of a city and
some of a planned retirement development. It also has its share of part-time
and vacation-home owners, from as
far away as California and New York, as well as absentee owners with plans to
build at retirement time.
Residents enjoy fifteen churches and a public library,
which has public access computers, wireless internet, a
number of book clubs and an interlibrary loan program. Other
businesses and retailers, however, are in short supply, another reason that the
community does not feel like a city. There are a
couple of grocery stores and four or five restaurants, but movie theaters, bookstores, more
restaurants, gardening stores, hardware stores, banks and the rest are found in nearby
Bentonville (population 35,000 and the headquarters of Wal-Mart) or Fayetteville
(population 72,000). There is,
though, a Wal-Mart just outside of Bella Vista city limits.
This is an
interactive map. Click on the arrows in the upper left hand
corner to move the map to the East, West, North or South, and click on the +/- signs
(more than once if necessary) to zoom in
and out.
The city has a few doctors' and dentists' offices,
but it does not have a hospital. However, Northwest
Medical Center, award-winning for general surgery, is in Bentonville and is a
128-bed acute-care
facility. It is accredited by the Joint Commission and
accepts both Medicare and Medicaid patients. For military retirees,
Fayetteville, just down the road, has a VA hospital.
There is no Bella Vista senior center per se since the
entire city is somewhat of a senior gathering in its own right with
its dozens of clubs, events and activities. Something
seems to be happening nearly every day (and weekends are particularly
busy). The city also welcomes volunteers in a variety of
capacities, another way to stay involved in the community.
This corner of Arkansas experiences four seasons.
In summer, temperatures can reach
90 degrees but they usually do not dip below the mid-60s. Winter
temperatures are in the 30s, 40s and 50s. Precipitation averages
4 inches a month, and snow does happen, as does the occasional ice
storm. On the comfort index, a combination of temperature
and humidity, Bella Vista comes in below the national average.
The tornado risk is 190% above the national average. The
sun shines 215 days of the year. The water and air
quality both meet the national averages.
For all of its pluses, and there are many, Bella Vista also has
some drawbacks. Fees for using the amenities can add up,
although probably not to much more than the monthly HOA fees imposed in many
planned communities. Some residents feel that the POA wields too
much power. The city is hilly, and roads can get a little
treacherous in winter. Many homes use propane for heating, which
some residents like and others do not. There is no public transportation
within the city. Some long-time residents are not happy with
children now living in their midst.
Despite these downsides, Bella Vista beckons. Its
affordable lifestyle, scenic setting and abundant amenities make it a
great retirement spot.
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