For the last couple of years, I’ve helped several people move here, and during that time, they’ve said similar things about this area. The last one on this list surprised me.
My clients say great things about Bentonville, Fayetteville, and Rogers, Arkansas. These things include friendly people, it’s a lush area that’s outdoor-centric, and there’s much less traffic than where they came from. There’s also so much to explore.
If you want to know what my clients say about Northwest Arkansas, stick around. We’ll discuss that and more.
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The Area Is Outdoor-Centric
The first thing I’ve heard people repeatedly say is that the area is very outdoor-centric. One of the biggest draws to the area is the lush outdoor spaces and, of course, mountain biking trails.
But not everyone I’ve helped find homes are into mountain biking. Being that this is the mountain biking capital of the world, this might not be good to spread around. However, people get caught up in outdoor activities, such as kayaking, outdoor yoga, and things like that.
And they don’t even realize that they’re embracing the culture. But as they get involved with more outdoor activities, they eventually realize that they’ve spent a lot of time outdoors.
So that’s one thing about this area that I love, and it’s that there are so many outdoor activities that draw you outside and participate. If you want to be outside more, or if you’re stuck inside due to it being too cold or too hot, NWA is very outdoor-centric and organized to encourage people to go outside.
The People Are Friendly
My clients continuously tell me how surprised they are to find the people around here very friendly. That’s one thing I was shocked about when I first moved here because coming from a larger city, it was difficult to get used to.
If you’re coming from a larger city, one of the things that might surprise you is how easily someone will just come up to you and start a conversation. You might be standing in line, and someone starts talking to you.
Friendships start more easily here, and there are several events where you can hang out together and get to know each other.
Of course, my first reaction to this friendliness, as it might be yours as well, is that people have nefarious purposes. Am I going to be pickpocketed when distracted by someone else? Is the person trying to take advantage of me? What’s their angle?
But that’s not usually what happens here. It’s normal for people to strike up conversations and want to be friends. There’s no agenda, no nefarious purpose, nothing like that. It’s just how most people are here. They want to build a community here rather than a city.
And since most people move here from other areas, they have that in common, and it’s a great thing to build a friendship around.
It’s a Lush Area
Most people who move here exclaim how lush it is here. They might come from larger cities where there’s very little green space or from the Southwest, where it’s mostly desert. So when they see our trees and the many green spaces, they gush about all of the trees here.
And while the grass here is so lush, the thing about Northwest Arkansas is that most people don’t worry about their lawns or the grass. Grass is grass, and it’s going to do what it’s going to do.
But trees–my goodness, people love their trees! There are several tree companies in this area, and I’ve yet to see anyone cut trees down. They grow wild, but if you cut down a tree, they expect you to plant one in its place. That’s why it’s so lush here.
On a side note, fall is just breathtaking here.
There’s Less Traffic
If you’re coming from an area with a lot of traffic, you, like so many of my clients, will be pleasantly surprised at the amount of traffic here. I agree–I came from an area where gridlocked traffic was a common occurrence, and to come here where I can get anywhere in a matter of minutes sometimes, I feel that’s one of the best perks of the area.
Whereas it might take 15 minutes to move a mile in larger cities, that same 15 minutes will get you several miles here. If you’re coming from an area with tollways, on-ramps, off-ramps, and several miles of gridlocked highways, you’re in for a great surprise because you can jump in the car and go.
You can go anywhere in the area without a lot of traffic and get there quickly.
So Much To Explore
Another thing I keep hearing from clients is that there is so much to explore in the area, which is why I move here. You can choose from any of the following, plus more:
- Music venues
- Outdoor activities
- Museums
- Hands-on indoor museums
- Kayaking
- Fly fishing
- Rock climbing
- Sports like pickleball
You can even get into an opera or theater community if you like. Creative types can definitely find something to do in this area. If you’re not a creative type but love strange dog breeds, there are groups for that too.
The thing my clients love is that there are so many things to do and places to explore.
It’s Very Clean
The last thing my clients say about the area is that it’s so clean. This surprised me a bit because I’m so used to the area that I don’t think about it anymore. Northwest Arkansas is very clean because people respect the outdoors differently here than perhaps other areas.
You don’t see people throwing trash on the ground here, but rather, you’ll see people respecting the land much differently than other cities.
There’s a lot of land that’s dedicated to preservation and will never be used in residential or business developments. Several people who’ve relocated here came from other areas that didn’t respect the land, and they decided they didn’t want that. So they respect the land differently here.
Long story short, NWA is very, very clean. I’ve spent a lot of time on I-49 driving back and forth, selling homes. Several times, I’ve seen street sweepers out on that highway collecting trash. Not because there’s a lot of trash out there but because tax and city dollars are allocated for this purpose.
Northwest Arkansas is very clean and bullish when it comes to outdoor recreational areas. It’s actually a multi-billion dollar industry, and it’s in their best interest to keep it clean here. A lot of people and organizations are committed to keeping the area clean.
The other thing is that regular folk like me prefer to keep it clean because we take pride in our home.
Conclusion
So many of my clients continue being amazed at the differences here compared to other areas. NWA is outdoor-centric because of how lush it is, and the people are very friendly. You can get anywhere in only a few minutes due to less traffic, and because of that, it’s easier to explore.
If you’re looking to relocate to a great area, you really need to consider Northwest Arkansas. You won’t be disappointed.