New Houses Up In Prairie Grove, Down In Farmington

LYNN KUTTER ENTERPRISE-LEADER This house is under construction on Infantry Lane in Sundowner Estates subdivision in Prairie Grove. New housing starts are up in Prairie Grove for the third year. The city issued permits for 88 new single-family homes in 2015, compared to 63 in 2014.
LYNN KUTTER ENTERPRISE-LEADER This house is under construction on Infantry Lane in Sundowner Estates subdivision in Prairie Grove. New housing starts are up in Prairie Grove for the third year. The city issued permits for 88 new single-family homes in 2015, compared to 63 in 2014.

FARMINGTON -- About 20 fewer houses were built in Farmington in 2015, compared to 2014, while a few miles west in Prairie Grove, the opposite was true. The city of Prairie Grove saw its housing starts increase by more than 20 from 2014 to 2015.

In 2015, Farmington issued 48 permits for new houses, according to Rick Bramall, building official. In 2014, Farmington had permits for 65 new houses.

Permits for new houses in Prairie Grove have steadily increased the past three years. In 2013, Prairie Grove issued 40 permits for new houses. This increased to 63 permits in 2014. Permits jumped again in 2015. Last year, Prairie Grove issued 88 permits for new houses.

The record for Prairie Grove is 114 permits for new houses in 2005. The second highest year was 2006 with 96 permits for single family homes.

Buyers want to build new houses in Farmington but the problem is a lack of inventory, said Keith Marrs, principal broker with Legend Realty in Farmington. Marrs developed Twin Falls subdivision in Farmington and he said all 127 lots are sold. About 80 percent of the lots have houses on them.

"We don't have a place for anyone to build (in Farmington)," Marrs said. "I get calls all the time from people asking if there are any lots available. We need inventory. There are a lot more buyers than property."

Bramall said most of the houses in 2015 were built in Twin Falls, Valley View, Silverthorne and Southwinds subdivisions in Farmington. Others were "hit and miss," built on single lots located throughout the city. For instance, a couple houses were built along Highway 170, one on Rheas Mill Road and one on South Appleby.

Marrs said he believes Farmington is "wide open" for growth. The problem, he said, is that the cost of developing property has increased. He said he believes the next round of lots in Farmington will be from a larger development firm that will have to build the houses to make it work.

"I've looked at two different pieces and I can't do it," Marrs said. He added, though, he believes it will happen in Farmington at some point.

Brammal said Farmington has one platted subdivision, Saddlebrook on Clyde Carnes Road, but the subdivision has been involved in litigation for several years.

"It would be a good one if it ever opens up," Brammal said.

Prairie Grove is seeing growth, Marrs said, because it has empty lots available for sale.

"There are a lot of lots in Prairie Grove. Prairie Grove is a fantastic value," Marrs said. "I think we also are seeing growth in Prairie Grove because of the school and because it is only five miles down the road (from Farmington)."

Prairie Grove has construction in all of its newer subdivisions with probably most of the new homes being built in Sundowner Estates, said Mayor Sonny Hudson.

Hudson agrees the city's growth is a combination of factors. Developed subdivisions are in place with many vacant lots available. City officials also are hearing what newcomers say about Prairie Grove.

"It's a desirable place to live," Hudson said. "Naturally, I'm prejudiced but people drive through looking for places to live and they like Prairie Grove."

People tell them they like the cleanliness of the town, its downtown area and that it is outside the city of Fayetteville but close enough to drive to restaurants, shopping and other amenities of a large city.

When the economy took a downturn, some in Prairie Grove worried about the new subdivisions with vacant lots. Hudson said he was not concerned.

"When things change and houses start being built again, there is no better way to go back into a growth area than to have lots available," Hudson said.

Along with existing subdivisions, new growth also is happening in Prairie Grove. Last week, Rausch Coleman Homes submitted plans to the city for phase two of Highlands Green in the Valley View area. This includes installing roads and infrastructure for 31 new lots.

General News on 01/27/2016