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Moving to Bentonville? Here’s How to Choose the Right Neighborhood

Bentonville is one of the most interesting cities in NW Arkansas, and if you’ve decided to move there or invest in property there, you’ll have a robust selection of neighborhoods to choose from.

But what exactly are the best neighborhoods in Bentonville to consider?

And how should you approach your decision to choose between them?

The Most Popular Neighborhoods in Bentonville

The city of Bentonville has a variety of major neighborhoods, including:

  •         Downtown. Downtown Bentonville is known for its walkability, its historical buildings, and ample shopping and dining options. It’s a bit more expensive than the surrounding areas, but if you want direct access to all the city has to offer, it’s a great place to reside.
  •         Hidden Springs. North of downtown, you’ll find Hidden Springs, a family-centric neighborhood with a warm community. Here, you’ll find beautiful houses, private parks, and even walking trails throughout the neighborhood.
  •         Wildwood. South of downtown, you’ll find Wildwood. As the name suggests, it’s full of open spaces, parks, and hiking trails. It’s also home to a wide variety of houses, from small cottages to large townhouses and everything in between.
  •         Woods Creek. One of the newer neighborhoods in Bentonville is Wood Creek; there, you’ll find plenty of modern constructed homes and big yards – as well as a community pool and a playground.
  •         Talamore. Another new community in Bentonville is Talamore, which is home to beautiful, newly constructed houses. It also features a pool and a playground for residents.
  •         Riverwalk Farm Estates. Near Little Sugar Creek, you’ll find the more rural area of Riverwalk Farm Estates. It enjoys scenic views, many different housing styles, and ample tree cover and space.
  •         Stone Meadow. A gated community near Bentonville, Stone Meadow is ideal if you want more privacy and security. The houses are beautiful and well-maintained, and you can enjoy a sense of community around the pool, the clubhouse, and the nearby tennis courts.
  •         Heathrow. One of the older neighborhoods in Bentonville is Heathrow, which is another great neighborhood for families. It has a radiant community and is located near excellent schools, stores, and dining options.
  •         Chapel Hill. If you have the budget for it, you may also enjoy Chapel Hill. Full of luxury amenities, including a private golf course, Chapel Hill is celebrated for its gorgeous houses and landscaping.

How to Choose the Right Bentonville Neighborhood for You

So how do you choose the right Bentonville neighborhood for you and your family?

neighborhood

  •         Personal priorities. Before anything else, you should take a moment to sort out your personal priorities. Are you willing to stretch your budget to the limit if it means getting access to a safe neighborhood? Are you willing to compromise on aesthetic preferences if it means getting access to better school districts? You should know what’s most important to you and what you’re willing to compromise on, because it’s unlikely that you’re going to find a truly perfect neighborhood.
  •         Prices/budget. There are some beautiful neighborhoods in Bentonville with truly luxurious amenities, but they aren’t affordable to everyone. Buying a property that’s too expensive for you could set you up for default and other financial problems in the future, so it’s important to stay within your budget. Before you start researching various neighborhoods, take the time to calculate how much you can afford to spend on a monthly mortgage, reverse engineer a target home price, and narrow your search to neighborhoods that can support that purchase price.
  •         General location. Where is this neighborhood located? Is it close enough to downtown that you can enjoy the amenities there? Is it close to your place of work so that you have a shorter commute? Think broadly and consider narrowing down your list of possible neighborhoods.
  •         Amenities. What amenities are available in this neighborhood and at this time? Are there going to be more amenities to be added in the future? Some neighborhoods have hiking trails, walking paths, access to parks, pools, and other community features. Others have access to great dining and shopping options. The quality and value of an amenity depends heavily on your personal preferences.
  •         Crime rates. The crime rates in Bentonville are, collectively, lower than the average in Arkansas. But as you might imagine, some neighborhoods are safer than others. A private, gated community is likely going to be safer than certain areas of downtown, for example. Most people prefer living in a safer area to a more dangerous one, but this typically comes with a price increase as well.
  •         Access to transportation. Don’t forget about access to transportation. Ideally, you’ll live in a neighborhood with access to multiple transportation options; you should be able to get on the highway easily, take advantage of public transportation, and benefit from walkable streets as well. Not every neighborhood is going to offer everything, so consider what’s most important to you and your family.
  •         Nearby schools. If you have kids, or if you plan to have kids in the future, it’s a good idea to take a close look at the nearby schools. You want your kids to have a great education, but as you might imagine, prices associated with houses near great school districts tend to be higher.
  •         Aesthetics. There’s nothing wrong with considering aesthetics as part of your neighborhood search. You may prefer living in an area with unique, beautiful houses, or ornate landscaping. You may prefer living in an area with sleek, modern homes, or in an area with older, more unique ones. It’s entirely up to you, as this is a highly subjective variable.
  •         Future. What do you anticipate for the future of this neighborhood? Is it going to grow? Is it going to shrink? Is it going to develop in some unusual way? These aren’t easy questions to answer, but if you look at factors like job trends, housing price trends, and plans for future development, you can get a read on how this neighborhood is going to develop in the future.

There are many ways you can get access to this information and more:

  •         Work with an expert. Consider working with an expert, or several, to get more objective, reliable answers to your questions and more information about the neighborhoods you’re considering most. Arkansas real estate agents are indispensable in helping you make the right decision.
  •         Research online. You can find answers to most of your objective questions with online searches and online databases. For example, you can learn all about the different school districts in the Bentonville area, compare different neighborhoods in terms of crime rates, and even look at houses in each area.
  •         Visit in person. It’s also a good idea to visit each neighborhood in person, so you can see what it looks like in real life. A combination of the spaces, amenities, and aesthetics of a neighborhood can give you an overall vibe. Do you feel comfortable standing in and walking around this neighborhood? Could you see yourself living here for the next several years?
  •         Talk to residents. During your visit, consider talking to residents. Strike up conversations with people on the sidewalks and see what the people who live here think of the area. Do they have any major complaints or concerns that worry you? How long have they lived here, and are they happy to be in this neighborhood? And what do you think of the people here; are they friendly and welcoming?

One of the best ways to become more familiar with Bentonville and all its neighborhoods is to work with a local real estate agent. They can help you understand the nuances and differences between these neighborhoods, showcase properties within them, and help you as you make some of the most important financial decisions of your life.

If you’re ready for a free consultation to get started, contact us today!

Derek Bryan
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