The upscale residential market in northwest Arkansas continued to burn hot in 2022, with more than 60 homes selling for $1.5 million or more.
It was a third consecutive record year for Benton and Washington counties, the two most populous counties that make up the region. The 2022 numbers doubled the previous year’s total of 30 homes sold for $1.5 million or more.
The region’s combination of strong economic base and growing population makes it a popular place to live in a tightening housing market. The Arvest Bank Skyline Report, released in mid-March, said that the average home sold in Benton County sold for more than $400,000 in 2022, while the average Washington County home sold for $362,000 in the first half of the year before rising to $376,000 in the second half of 2022.
“The growth of the northwest Arkansas housing market continues to accelerate,” said Kristen Boozman, the owner of Portfolio Sotheby’s International Realty in Rogers. “In addition to Tyson Foods, Walmart and J.B. Hunt Transport’s job growth within our region, we are seeing an increasing number of people moving here who have jobs unrelated to our major employers. People are moving here by choice — not because they were transferred here.
“People were moving here to escape the larger metro areas with higher costs of living, many of whom work from home and are attracted to the quality of life northwest Arkansas provides. This has put more pressure on our already low inventory, which then pushed home values higher than we have ever seen.”
The most popular areas for the most expensive homes remained the same. The gated community surrounding the Pinnacle Country Club and golf course in Rogers again led the way, while homes on Beaver Lake and gated communities in Bentonville such as Talamore and Scissortail were also popular. Pinnacle had another robust year with five homes sold for $1.5 million or more, with another 21 homes selling for at least $1 million.
It was a Fayetteville subdivision, though, that topped the list in 2022, not in the number of homes sold but in the value of the ones that did. Clear Creek, which is built around Tyson Foods Chairman John Tyson’s Blessings Golf Course, had three of the five most expensive homes sold in 2022, including the most expensive, and six of the top 28.
1. $4 Million
Buyer: R. Patrick & Jennifer Cameron LLC Seller: Kellie Anne Lavy Living Trust Neighborhood: Clear Creek, Fayetteville Date Sold: Sept. 9 Year Built: 2004 SF: 11,343
The most expensive house sold last year in northwest Arkansas is in the upscale, gated Clear Creek community surrounding Tyson Foods Chairman John Tyson’s Blessings Golf Club. The three-story home has seven bedrooms, eight bathrooms, three fireplaces and a four-car garage, along with a host of other amenities. Patrick Cameron, a former two-year letterman as a deep snapper for the Arkansas Razorbacks, is a financial adviser and real estate investor. Trevor Lavy is the chairman of the board of Priority Bank, and he and his wife, Kellie, have five daughters, several of whom played golf for the University of Arkansas, whose home course is Blessings.
2. $3.6 Million
Buyer: Harp Trust Seller: Rafael Ortega Jr. Neighborhood: Rural Washington County Date Sold: Oct. 21 Year Built: 2012 SF: 7,355 SF
This five-bedroom, six-and-a-half-bath home sits on 43 acres. Its amenities include a mud room and recreation room with a playground. It has a pool, pool house, two barns and an outdoor basketball court. Jim and Holly Harp are the owners of Quality Millwork in Springdale. Buck Ortega is a former NFL player and Planet Fitness franchisee in northwest Arkansas.
3. $3.31 Million
Buyer: CNAK Consulting LLC Sellers: Bobby D. Ralston and Alice F. Ralston Neighborhood: Clear Creek, Fayetteville Date Sold: Oct. 14 Year Built: 2020 SF: 7,518
Another home in the Clear Creek subdivision surrounding Blessings, this five-bedroom, seven-bath house sits on a 3.3-acre lot and has a pool, four-car garage and three fireplaces. CNAK is led by Charles Dawson, the CEO of GeoSurfaces of Baton Rouge, a company that installs artificial turfs at athletic venues. Bobby Ralston is a former executive with J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc. in Lowell.
4. $3.2 Million
Buyer: Prentice Revocable Trust 2008 Sellers: Kevin Fuksa and Traci Fuksa Neighborhood: Beaver Lake Date Sold: June 17 Year Built: 2017 SF: 7,845
The four-bedroom, seven-bath home sits on nearly 2-and-a-half acres on Beaver Lake and has a two-slip boat dock. It has three fireplaces, a shop, two offices, a theater and game rooms and a gym. Alexander Prentice is an executive with Techemet Metal Trading in Pasadena, California. Kevin and Traci Fuksa are real estate investors from Oklahoma.
4. $3.2 Million
Buyer: Sound Gambit LLC Sellers: Nathan A. Hodne and Tina M. Hodne Neighborhood: Clear Creek, Fayetteville Date Sold: June 29 Year Built: 2019 SF: 5,280
Another home in Blessings’ Clear Creek subdivision, this one has five bedrooms, six bathrooms, a pool and a four-car garage. It also has a wine cellar, a game room and two laundry rooms, including one with a dog shower. Sound Gambit is led by Joe Morse Jr., the COO of Pepper Source in Rogers. Nathan Hodne is a senior vice president at Tyson Foods Inc. of Springdale and Tina Hodne is a real estate agent.
6. $3 Million
Buyer: Charles R. & Brenda K. Salley Family Revocable Trust Seller: John W. Blassingame Jr. Revocable Trust Neighborhood: The Estates of Lakeway, Rogers Date Sold: Oct. 21 Year Built: 2019 SF: 3,386
This four-bed, four-bath home is in a gated community on Beaver Lake. It has a two-slip boat dock, three fireplaces, two laundry rooms and a dog kennel. It sits on 3 acres. Randy Salley is head of Salley LLC, an IT company, and is a former executive with Walmart Inc. of Bentonville. John Blassingame is a financial adviser in Southlake, Texas.
7. $2.65 Million
Buyer: Russ A. & Karisa N. Sprague Family Trust Seller: Vickie Tilley Revocable Trust Neighborhood: Decatur (Benton County) Date Sold: June 22 Year Built: 2004 SF: 9,987
This seven-bed, eight-bath home sits on 33 acres. It has a theater, game room, gym, wine cellar and spa, along with a barn and a pond. There is also a 1,110-SF apartment. Russ Sprague is an executive with NWA Executive Rentals in Rogers. Vickie Tilley is the vice president of development of MS Graphics and president of Dynamic Energy Concepts, both in Decatur.
8. $2.5 Million
Buyer: Michael A. Fyler & Melinda F. Fyler Trust Seller: Jennifer L. Arndt LLC Neighborhood: Beaver Lake Date Sold: April 28 Year Built: 2015 SF: 5,506
This three-bedroom, seven-bath home is on Beaver Lake on the far eastern edge of Benton County. It has a private two-slip boat dock, mother-in-law quarters, a 1,800-SF shop and two laundry rooms. Mike Fyler is the owner of Kansas Chemical in McPherson, Kansas. Jennifer Arndt is the owner of JLA Construction in Brookline, Missouri.
9. $2.4 Million
Buyer: Oso Toro LLC Seller: Mark Melton Construction Inc. Neighborhood: Downtown Bentonville Date Sold: Sept. 28 Year Built: 2022 SF: 4,641
This new four-bedroom, six-bath home is in downtown Bentonville, just off the square. It has a 927-SF apartment, two-car garage, a pool and hot tub and two fireplaces. Oso Toro is managed by Mandy Lindeman and its mailing address is that of Walmart CFO John Rainey, the former CFO at PayPal and Lindeman’s brother-in-law. Mark Melton is a Bentonville homebuilder.
10. $2.34 Million
Buyers: Daniel Wilcox and Jae-Yeon Wilcox and Harry Wilcox Sellers: Amanda Whalen and Michael Whalen Neighborhood: Downtown Bentonville Date Sold: April 26 Year Built: 2016 SF: 3,418
This four-bedroom, five-bath home is just off the downtown Bentonville square. It has a three-car garage, a pool with an automatic cover system and an exercise room. Daniel Wilcox is an attorney with Tyson Foods. Amanda Whalen is the CFO of Klaviyo in Boston and was previously the CFO of Walmart International.
Home Sales of $1.5 Million or More in 2022 in Benton and Washington Counties
