Transplant from the UK!

[GreyAreaRanger]

I've been doing some fishing in Hot Springs, hoping to get back out there again and use my in-laws fishing boat as having no luck off the dock.
Couldn't get a fishing license last time as I hadn't received my SSN :')

Ah so you're limited to state parks until you get your SSN. Fortunately, Arkansas, has plenty to offer and is quite a beautiful state when you get the chance to explore it!

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[AzScorpion]

Amazing! That's exactly what we are wanting to do next year, either buy or build but definitely Bella Vista. I'm up there most of the time using the trails. It's in much better condition that everywhere else currently after our seven tornadoes...
Excited to have you here, I'm definitely keen for some trail exploring and will have a lot of questions about the market up there.

I know that whole area is the mnt biking capital of the country! I haven't been on a bike (without a motor) in over 40 years lol we're mostly into hiking which you can still do on most of the trails up there. I've been researching that area for almost 3 years now and found a really great builder up there. He's a small builder which I like (not a production builder) but will build to suite your wallet and needs. I'd be happy to share any info I know about the area and one thing I've noticed is that prices up there are starting to go up some. It's still a very reasonable area but they are climbing some. Looking forward to meeting up!

 

[GreyAreaRanger]

I know that whole area is the mnt biking capital of the country! I haven't been on a bike (without a motor) in over 40 years lol we're mostly into hiking which you can still do on most of the trails up there. I've been researching that area for almost 3 years now and found a really great builder up there. He's a small builder which I like (not a production builder) but will build to suite your wallet and needs. I'd be happy to share any info I know about the area and one thing I've noticed is that prices up there are starting to go up some. It's still a very reasonable area but they are climbing some. Looking forward to meeting up!

If you have dogs, be sure to have them wear an orange reflective vest for safety against hunters. Also, since you mention having a house built, 2x6s will drastically help with cooling and heating cost. Lots of fishing and hunting options up there if you are into that!

 

[AzScorpion]

If you have dogs, be sure to have them wear an orange reflective vest for safety against hunters. Also, since you mention having a house built, 2x6s will drastically help with cooling and heating cost. Lots of fishing and hunting options up there if you are into that!

Thanks for the info, no dogs or any pets. I've been in the trades for 42 years and have built several houses myself. One thing I'm doing is spray foaming the walls, roof decking and crawl space which will really make it air tight and help with the heating and cooling since the HVAC will now be in a conditioned space. I'm also doing Zip System sheathing on the exterior walls and roof so I'm hoping to be able to heat the place with a candle. ?

 

[GreyAreaRanger]

Thanks for the info, no dogs or any pets. I've been in the trades for 42 years and have built several houses myself. One thing I'm doing is spray foaming the walls, roof decking and crawl space which will really make it air tight and help with the heating and cooling since the HVAC will now be in a conditioned space. I'm also doing Zip System sheathing on the exterior walls and roof so I'm hoping to be able to heat the place with a candle. ?

You know more about all that than I do! My grandparents had built a house on Bull Shoals and some of my earliest memories were of helping with the build. I do remember one winter that had a blizzard come through and know out the power to the mountain and they were practically keeping the house comfortable with just candles and a single space heater in the living room where they had the most amount of open air.

 

[AzScorpion]

You know more about all that than I do! My grandparents had built a house on Bull Shoals and some of my earliest memories were of helping with the build. I do remember one winter that had a blizzard come through and know out the power to the mountain and they were practically keeping the house comfortable with just candles and a single space heater in the living room where they had the most amount of open air.

That's honestly what I'm hoping for too. There's so many new products out since I built my last house back in '97. Spray foam was just getting big then and still very expensive and even windows have come a long way. One good thing about that area is they don't have any "extreme" weather for long lengths of time. They'll get a few days of below freezing through the winter and some stretches of high heat through the summer. I'm putting in a real fireplace so I can add a wood insert. If/when the power goes out it should heat the whole house easily. Plus my girlfriend is cold when it's 100 out here so she'll enjoy the wood heat.

 

[GreyAreaRanger]

That's honestly what I'm hoping for too. There's so many new products out since I built my last house back in '97. Spray foam was just getting big then and still very expensive and even windows have come a long way. One good thing about that area is they don't have any "extreme" weather for long lengths of time. They'll get a few days of below freezing through the winter and some stretches of high heat through the summer. I'm putting in a real fireplace so I can add a wood insert. If/when the power goes out it should heat the whole house easily. Plus my girlfriend is cold when it's 100 out here so she'll enjoy the wood heat.

Yea they had started preparing for building it in the early 90s and finished it all around 2000? They didn't have any actually builders to build, just family who could come up and help. My understanding was that clearing the land of trees and a path for larger vehicles to make it though to build the foundation and basement took a lot of time plus waiting for inspectors to approve the work done so that they could continue. For some reason they didn't have a fireplace and I don't know why now that I am looking back.

 

[jharphoto]

I know that whole area is the mnt biking capital of the country! I haven't been on a bike (without a motor) in over 40 years lol we're mostly into hiking which you can still do on most of the trails up there. I've been researching that area for almost 3 years now and found a really great builder up there. He's a small builder which I like (not a production builder) but will build to suite your wallet and needs. I'd be happy to share any info I know about the area and one thing I've noticed is that prices up there are starting to go up some. It's still a very reasonable area but they are climbing some. Looking forward to meeting up!

Sounds ideal! Yeah I think investing in that area sooner than later will really pay off in a few years.
Let me know when you’re settled in and maybe we can go find some trails!

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