Moving to Arkansas soon.

[Steven Soden]

My wife and I are looking to move to Arkansas. I am wondering of any real estate groups that may be helpful. Also looking for insight on the markets as they are vastly different then what I’m used too. What are the best long term investments in Arkansas? I realize Arkansas is an entire state but I’m not sure where in Arkansas we will be moving too yet.

[Jennifer Schelkopf]

Hi Steven, Arkansas is a beautiful state. I think you’ll love it here.

I’ve been investing in Arkansas for 7 years. Here’s a few things I’ve observed:

Little Rock and surrounding area seems to be most active area for real estate investors. It’s the biggest city, and there is a lot of housing that is older and can be purchased cheaply. I suspect it has the best cash flow potential for LTRs.

Northwest Arkansas is growing incredibly quickly. It’s home to the state’s largest university, several big tourist destinations (mountain biking, art museums, lake), and large growing corporations (Walmart, Tysons). It’s harder to find houses at low price points; the area has appreciated quickly, and the housing stock trends newer. I see fewer deals from wholesalers in this area.

I haven’t looked much at the other areas in the state, such as Fort Smith (third biggest city, cheaper houses are easier to find), Northeast Arkansas (I’ve heard it’s growing rapidly), and Conway (close to Little Rock, but I’m calling it out because I’ve heard it’s had tremendous growth in the last 20 years).

In addition to Bigger Pockets, you can find Facebook groups for Arkansas real estate investors. I also recommend the rei-nwa group if you end up in the Northwest Arkansas area: https://www.rei-nwa.com/

One more thing: if you don’t have a realtor yet and decide to move to Northwest Arkansas, I recommend Charles Rullmann. I worked with him to purchase my personal house and several investment properties. Contact info: https://nwahomesbycharles.kw.c...