Do you know what you’re getting into if you decide to move to Bella Vista, Arkansas? Hey, my name is Phillip Shepard, and I want to tell you what to expect before you move here.
When you move to Bella Vista, Arkansas, you need to be aware of several things. The Internet capabilities aren’t as developed in the newer areas. Most of Bella Vista still uses a septic system instead of a city sewer system. There are also new restrictions on short-term rentals and a lack of restaurants.
Bella Vista, Arkansas, is an amazing place, but there are some things that might turn you off from moving here. That’s what today’s post is about, so stick around!
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A Brief Intro to Bella Vista
Before we jump into what you need to be aware of when moving to Bella Vista, we should talk briefly about the area and why you should consider this area. When living in Bella Vista, you truly have your own paradise or a little slice of heaven.
Trees are everywhere, which makes the area very nature-centric. You’re very close to Bentonville, with several golf courses, an awesome trail system, great recreation centers, pools, and lakes.
And the best thing about Bella Vista, if you’re not into cookie-cutter homes, is the abundance of custom homes. Large developers don’t come here to build average homes because of the landscape.
While Bella Vista is awesome and amazing, you should be aware of some of the downsides.
Internet Capabilities
One thing you should be aware of when you’re building a home in Bella Vista is that you might not always have internet cables run to your property just yet. Of course, there’s internet all across the area, including cable and fiber optics. Our main cable company is Cox Communications.
But if your new home is on a new street, the cable might not have been run in there just yet. If you’re the first one, or one of the first, to build a home in the area, you may need to pay Cox to run lines there.
Most people, however, build homes on streets where several other homes have already been built. In this case, you should be fine. But we’re talking more about new construction on a new street.
Of course, if you go with AT&T, they will run a line out there for free. That’s one of their perks.
You could go with some temporary solutions until you have internet lines run to your house. They include the following:
- Starlink, which is Elon Musk’s company. There is a waiting list, though.
- T-Mobile Hotspot. This isn’t from your phone but rather a large device that connects your entire home to the internet through your phone service.
Septic System vs. Sewer System
Most of Bella Vista uses a septic system, while about 10% of the area is hooked into the city’s sewer system. While they are expanding the sewer system, it’s not there yet, so that’s something you should be aware of.
If you’re unaware of what a septic system is, it’s like a private underground sewer system for your residence only. That means that you’re going to need to have it pumped out every 5-10 years or so, which can get expensive. And because it’s a private system, you’ll need to be more careful of what you put down the drain.
Grease, chemicals, and food shouldn’t ever be put in a septic system, as that can make it ten times worse.
However, the core of Bella Vista is on a sewer system, so if you buy a house in that section, you should be good. But when a sewer system is eligible to be put into a house up for sale in Bella Vista, and it’s still on a septic system, Bella Vista requires the old tank to be removed so the sewer system can be attached to the home.
This usually runs around $10,000, which might be part of the price of the home. Sometimes the seller will pay for it, and sometimes the buyer will pay for it. It tends to vary quite a bit.
Bella Vista HOA/HOA Fee
The next thing to be aware of in Bella Vista is the HOA/HOA Feed.
The HOA is the governing board for Bella Vista that sets the standard for properties and what property owners can and can’t do. They also manage the money paid into the association, which is $37 per month, currently.
When people move to the area, they bristle against the idea of a HOA, and I understand. I came from Chicago, and their HOA was…intense, to say the least. They wanted to control everything and get into everyone’s business.
But the HOA in Bella Vista is actually laid back compared to other cities. They’re mainly concerned about the infrastructure, aesthetics, and environment of the area. And your monthly fee actually gives you discounts on the area’s recreational facilities, such as the following:
- Golf courses
- Pools
- Recreation centers
- Shooting ranges
- Fitness centers
New Restrictions On Short-Term Rentals
Bella Vista has put new restrictions on short-term rentals. Real estate has done well in the last couple of years, especially in Northwest Arkansas, but Bella Vista has gained a lot of housing and residents.
One of the things that Bella Vista wants to avoid is becoming an area where a lot of people pass through without contributing to the community. So they put a cap on how many short-term rentals there could be in the area. Right now, there are maybe 400-450 short-term rentals, but they want to cap it at 600.
There’s also a permitting process when a homeowner applies, as they want to make sure the structure, electrical, and other items are safe.
Eureka Springs, which is northeast of here, is more of a tourist-centric city, and they have a lot of short-term rentals. How can you build a city or a town with so many people just passing through? So Bella Vista looked at this and decided they wanted to build a city, not a tourist location like Vegas or Branson.
This is why they have a restriction on how many short-term rentals they allow.
Lack Of Restaurants
Bella Vista doesn’t have very many restaurants or businesses yet. The reason for this is that, for a long time, the only way to get to Northwest Arkansas was Highway 71, and it ran directly through Bella Vista. And since we have three major businesses in the area, that means trucks are coming and going on a highway that’s not necessarily meant for traffic of that size.
When it goes through Bella Vista, it’s stop-and-go traffic complete with stoplights. However, they built a bypass around Bella Vista, and it has six lanes that go around the area back up to Kansas City.
When that was completed, it took much of that traffic out of Bella Vista, especially the commercial traffic. But that’s allowed more businesses and restaurants to open along 71 through Bella Vista.
There are new coffee shops, bike shops, restaurants, and other businesses, but I don’t think it’s quite enough just yet. But the area is growing, as certain businesses in Bentonville and Fayetteville are opening up third and fourth shops in Bella Vista.
Another reason we still don’t have a lot of businesses in the area is that it was originally zoned for residential use. So they’re re-zoning the area, especially along Highway 71, to allow commercial buildings and businesses.
Conclusion
If you’re considering relocating to Bella Vista, you’ll want to make sure you take the things we discussed in this article into consideration. And if you’re considering coming for a visit or to explore the area, let me know, and I can give you the $10 tour.