Finally put in my job application with a "start date" as soon as Feb 28 listed. Hoping to move to an apartment in Rogers, and in a year, put a house about where my Jeep is sitting...

REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO IT!


Overlooking my half of the valley:

And hunting:


However...when I told Aloysius about the winters...he was not pleased about the move...

Congrats!

What industry are you in?

You'll fit in well with some of the htf guys who like cats... Couple of them are downright wierd about their cats

Nice looking plot of land

Welcome. There are a few Rogers guys here.

We have bad winters?

That cat will be pumped when he sees all the birds and mice he can chase...

BTW when you get to the point when your ready to build, holler at me

Thanks. I'm not so much into cats, as much as I can't have the breeds of dogs I like in an apartment setting, and my Maine Coon acts just like the German Shepherd I had as a kid acted. I have yet to meet an "I don't like cats" person who has met Big'un who doesn't change their attitude, at least about him. Sleeps by my pillow, follows me room to room, lets me roughhouse with him, growls at the door when something/someone is out there instead of running and hiding, looks "shamed" when I catch him doing something and yell at him, etc. He's a dog pretty much.

A few days ago, it was 3*F on my property up there per Wunderground. I bought the AWD Jeep just to contend with the mountain I will live on in the winter.

He'd better be sensible about it. I've seen some hawks, and while Maine Coons are large, there are also bear on my property, I hear. He'd better be sensible...

I didn't notice the LA location tag. This winter and last have been rougher than usual though. I remember before then we had 25 months in a row with at last two days in the 70s during the week.
 

Coon's aren't cats, they're weird looking dags...







Whale cum!

Ty all! Just checked my application status and saw this:


Thank you for your interest in joining *company*. You are actively being considered for this position. Please continue to check your application status for updates.


Here's to hoping!

Good luck and your land looks great.

Thanks, it took almost half a year to find it. I gave my realtor specs, and she located it:

Mountainous (I want a view)
Mostly forest
Paved access
High speed internet on site
Creek preferable
Easily accessed home-site
Several miles outside of city limits of any town, but no-more than 30 minutes from downtown Rogers, or Fayetteville.
20-40 acres
Under $75K.

If I had that^^^^^^

I'd build this:

Not at all shabby! My contractor wants to take advantage of the mountain, though, and perhaps build into it. I'm going to do the same with him as I did with the realtor. Ask a few things of him, and let him figure it out:

-2000sq ft
-3-4 bedrooms
-Elevated deck on the front with at least 10 feet protrusion from the house, at least 12-15' off the ground.
-Fireplace located in the livingroom area with the house designed so that it could heat the house if the power were out, at least SOMEWHAT effectively, but mainly for looks/enjoyment.
-Garage that fits 2 vehicles
-2 story design likely to accommodate deck, but if he can somehow work all of this into 1 story, cheaper, and build into the mountain...more power to him. Say, he puts the garage below and builds back into the mountain, kudos! Whichever is cheaper for him/me.
-$180kish budget (pretty non-negotiable, this item. The rest will bend to fit this).

Major components: Square footage, Deck, Garage.

Everything else is sliding-scale negotiable.

I have spent the time to eat with this family, to get to know them as individuals, and to let them get to know me. We are all friends on Facebook, and loosely keep up with each other. We are, though, business associates, at the root of this, and I have also kept my distance as such---what is it they say, don't work for family or church? These people have not become "my family", because of that. However, I know them pretty well, really like what I see of their work and professional ethic, and they have gotten to likewise know me. I do consider them friends, at this point. I'd feel dirty saying otherwise. They are good people, and long after the house is built---or even if for some reason it never got built---I plan on staying in touch with them.

I feel like a house is a personal thing. An expression of the owner. For someone to build me a house that I will truly 100% like, I felt like they had to get to know me a bit. That is why I went about finding a contractor who is married to a realtor, through friends I had, and began this process THAT way, instead of from another angle. I've been working at this end-goal for about a year and a half, now. I want to live there in NWA for a year, and then build. Like I said, aside from my "hard criteria", I want my contractor to "figure it out". I do not build houses for a living. I do not know what is smart on paper vs. what is smart in the real world. I want someone who does, making those calls!

It also helps that they love shooting, and did a similar thing as myself with land + house in an area they can feel free from the press of humanity. So, all this said, I believe that what I don't know about a house, they can make up for---which is to say, I will provide the 2% kernel of knowledge about what I want, and they can provide the 98% of how to get it done.

I've been thinking about something like this:

However, my bank has urged me to consider something of this nature:



Seriously, though, this is similar to what I'd like if I can get it in Brick or something less maintenance intense than wood:

Welcome to Arkansas OP, looks like you've got a nice place picked out to call home.

Thanks! The people I have met there are also great. That's part of why I wanted to move there. People there are happy.

Where do you live in LA?  I just moved up my self about 7 months ago from Covington.  I'm going to really miss oyster and crawfish season.
Nice piece of property and a house will look great with that view.

I wish I didn't have to say. Shreveport :(

Ah the dirty dirty S'port!  I've got some good friends from there, well they claim Bossier.  Anyways, welcome and if your allegiance lies with another football team besides the Razorbacks may god have mercy on your soul(trust me, I'm living being enemy lines here).

I go through there several times a week.  I20 through Shreveport is one of the worst stretches of interstate in the nation.  

I hate to one up but I will say i10 in Baton Rouge where it necks down to one lane right after the bridge east bound has to be the worst stretch of interstate in the entire country.

Welcome to AR!!!!

You do know, we have a rule here...

All coon asses that relocate to our state must cook up some of that fine Cajun cooking for us AR boys.    When's the party?  

I though it was give up allegiance to that nasty ass school they have down there and start calling the Hogs.

That too.

I'm Switzerland when it comes to sports. I'm too busy working, shooting, hiking, etc. To care one way or the other.

With you on that point. I only care for sports for the food and commercials

I like him already. Dad, can we keep him?

Oh Great Beard:

The plebeians are awaiting thy decision

Well, I was hired and start work on March 2. Should be up there by the latter half of Feb. Looking forward to it!

Congrats!

Congratulations! I spent a few years up there in school, and I would love to float back up that way.



Welcome to the only state mentioned in the Bible!



 

Please expand on this

Genesis 8:13

Nice...But I don't think Noah ever made it here

Well, situated now. I moved about 3 weeks ago. Started my job at Mercy, and have been blown away by the quality of not only the equipment, but also the staff there!

I'm currently living in Bentonville, and everything is very convenient. Cheap $385/mo apartment. Really nice for the price, and noone bothers me/it's a great area.

The people in this area are so healthy, polite, helpful, over-all competent at their jobs, and I love the way they drive! Moving here was the best decision I have made in a long time, and if you disagree with any of this, then why don't you move to the dump that is Shreveport, LA, stay for a week, and when you get back, you can appreciate the utopia that this place is, comparatively!

Anyway, been out hiking a bit on my land, and took a few pictures/videos:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEA544kGPTs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5H-Axsr4fm4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WU8XXYr73YU

nice piece of land you have there.
watch out for these guys

Very nice!

Yes, I have been hiking with no spray or anything right now, as we JUST had a freeze. I have not paid for this hubris. That said, I fear that in 1-2 more weeks, I will need DEET.

Nice place. Glad things are going your way.

Under $75K
How did you find this?
I take it there are no mineral rights or gas drilling in the are?
I've checked on land in north central AR, and they want $7000 and up because of gas drilling.

Mineral rights come with property in AR, unless it was shown to have been split. Unlike Texas, where it seems they are always split? Anyway, I hired a title company to research the property, and they did not find a split anywhere in the history, so yes, it came with mineral rights. No, I am not aware of any gas/oil drilling in the area.