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Northwest Arkansas Alerts

A daily look at the most significant and interesting stories affecting Northwest Arkansas, written by local reporters.

Axios Northwest Arkansas

Axios Northwest Arkansas Thought Bubble

Dating can be expensive, but you don't have to spend a ton of money to have a good time. 

Whether you're on a first date or have been together for years, here are some date ideas under $25.

At each performance, the theater reserves 30 discounted tickets for anyone younger than 30 or currently enrolled in school.

Best for: Couples who appreciate theatre.

Cost: $10 per "30 under 30" ticket. Reserve them in advance online.

Details: The theater is located at 477 W. Spring St. in downtown Fayetteville.

Tour the museum's lush trails and collection of American art before grabbing drinks or bites at Eleven, the restaurant inside.

Cost: Free general admission. Plan a visit.

Details: Crystal Bridges is located at 600 Museum Way in Bentonville.

Go deeper: Satellite space at The Momentary also offers free general admission with an Onyx Coffee inside.

A wall that says the Momentary with a logo

The Momentary. Photo: Worth Sparkman/Axios

Casual spot George's Majestic Lounge regularly offers budget-friendly tickets for local bands.

Best for: Those who appreciate live music.

Details: The venue is located at 519 W. Dickson St. in Fayetteville.

Rent a double kayak for one hour, and explore Lake Fayetteville.

Details: The marina is located at 1330 E. Lake Fayetteville Road.

Get competitive at Arkadia Retrocade, which boasts a variety of vintage games.

Details: The arcade is located at 1478 N. College Ave. in Fayetteville.

5 date ideas under $25 in Northwest Arkansas

Dating can be expensive but here are some ideas to have fun without busting your wallet.

Tour Crystal Bridges in Bentonville. Photo: Christina Horsten/Picture Alliance via Getty Images.

Northwest Arkansas

Dating can be expensive, but you don&#x27;t have to spend a ton of money to have a good time. <ul><li>Whether you&#x27;re on a first date or have been together for years, here are some date ideas under $25.</li></ul>

Things to Do

The Northwest Arkansas metro issued 29.8 single-family building permits per 10,000 people in the first quarter of 2022, the latest analysis by real estate company Redfin shows. 

Why it matters: As the number of homes for sale remains near all-time lows and monthly mortgage payments are near their record high, building more housing is one way to ease the affordability crisis.

Data: Redfin; Note: Northwest Arkansas did not meet the population threshold for Redfin's analysis; Table: Thomas Oide/Axios

Zoom out: Single-family and multifamily building permits are up from pre-pandemic levels in most U.S. metros, Redfin found.

Of note: Redfin defines "single-family" as buildings with one to four units and "multifamily" as buildings with five or more housing units.

Yes, but: "There still aren't enough homes to meet the pace of household creation, and we need to be more prepared when demand inevitably picks back up," said Redfin chief economist Daryl Fairweather.

The bottom line: Ramping up new home construction will help move the market toward balance, if only a little.

NWA builds even as housing costs skyrocket

The metro area issued 29.8 single-family building permits per 10,000 people in the first quarter of 2022.

Illustration of a plywood house that is also an upward arrow. 

Real estate

The Northwest Arkansas metro issued 29.8 single-family building permits per 10,000 people in the first quarter of 2022, the latest <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="analysis" data-vars-click-url="https://www.redfin.com/news/metros-building-new-construction-Q1-2022/" data-vars-content-id="5c4bda60-606f-414e-b5b1-9bcf70c3b8c3" data-vars-headline="NWA builds even as housing costs skyrocket" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.redfin.com/news/metros-building-new-construction-Q1-2022/" target="_blank">analysis</a> by real estate company Redfin shows. Why it matters: As the number of homes for sale remains near all-time lows and monthly mortgage payments are near their <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="record high" data-vars-click-url="https://www.redfin.com/news/housing-market-update-price-drops-surge-to-19pct/" data-vars-content-id="5c4bda60-606f-414e-b5b1-9bcf70c3b8c3" data-vars-headline="NWA builds even as housing costs skyrocket" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.redfin.com/news/housing-market-update-price-drops-surge-to-19pct/" target="_blank">record high</a>, building more housing is one way to ease the affordability crisis.

Real Estate

Business

Enjoy a drink with a view at these spots as the weather heats up.

Why it matters: Getting outdoors and looking over familiar areas from a different perspective can lift your spirit, especially if you're lifting spirits.  

Details: Grab a celebratory drink atop this restored, historic church in Bentonville.

Of note: The rooftop is open weather permitting — and closed Sundays.

The rooftop of The Preacher's Son. Worth Sparkman/ Axios

Details: A lively, laid-back hangout serving local food and drinks in Fayetteville.

Perks: A menu of "destination" cocktails highlighting different countries — including the Zelenskyy (Ukraine — vodka, lichi, lemon juice, ginger liqueur) and Copenhagen Sling (Denmark — Danish aquavit, orgeat, lemon juice, angostura and lemon bitters).

A view of a rooftop bar with a church behind it

Eat and drink al fresco. Photo courtesy of Feed and Folly

Details: Enjoy a cold pint and some of the best views in Fayetteville from this rooftop patio.

Go when: you want a lively night out and don't mind mingling with the college crowd.

3 must-try rooftop bars in Northwest Arkansas

Dickson Street Pub. Photo courtesy of the pub

Food

Enjoy a drink with a view at these spots as the weather heats up.Why it matters: Getting outdoors and looking over familiar areas from a different perspective can lift your spirit, especially if you&#x27;re lifting spirits.

Escape the summer heat with these swimming spots, all listed on pool-sharing company Swimply.

How it works: It's like Airbnb for pools. Swimming pool owners rent out their spaces for chunks of time.

The pandemic came with a silver lining for Swimply, which is now betting the market for opening up private homes for leisure activities extends beyond shutdowns.

Take a dip in this family-friendly pool with a relaxing setup and lots of privacy.

Cost: $30 per hour for up to five guests (plus $5 an hour per guest after five guests).

Bring a group and enjoy this property's luxe guest house and heated pool.

Cost: $64-$80 per hour for up to 30 guests (plus $5 an hour per guest after 30 guests).

Kick back in this sprawling getaway that's great for parties and entertaining.

Cost: $45-$50 per hour for up to 10 guests (plus $1 an hour per guest after 10 guests).

3 private pools to rent around NWA starting at $30 an hour

Great pool for kids in Bentonville. Photo courtesy of Swimply

Entertainment

Escape the summer heat with these swimming spots, all listed on pool-sharing company Swimply.How it works: It&#x27;s like Airbnb for pools. Swimming pool owners rent out their spaces for chunks of time.

Northwest Arkansans have to earn 48.3% more than a year ago to afford the region's median-value home, per the latest analysis by real estate company Redfin.

The big picture: The income needed to afford a home has soared as limited inventory and strong demand have driven up sale prices, and surging mortgage rates have made home loans more expensive.

Why it matters: Wages and salaries are not increasing at that pace, further constricting entry into the housing market for many people.

By the numbers: In March 2021, a hopeful homebuyer had to earn at least $40,463 to afford the median home for sale in the Northwest Arkansas metro area, Redfin found.

This March, that figure jumped to $59,992.

For a median sales price home of $324,000, a monthly mortgage with 5% down jumped from $1,012 to $1,500, per Redfin.

Of note: A monthly mortgage payment is considered affordable if a homebuyer spends no more than 30% of their income on housing.

Meanwhile, wages grew 5% nationwide over the same period, according to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics. 

The median household income in the NWA metro is $61,761, according to newly released census data for 2016-2020.

Zoom out: Across the U.S., buyers need 34% more income to afford a home, Redfin found.

What they're saying: "Housing is significantly less affordable than it was a year ago because the surge in housing costs has far outpaced the increase in wages, meaning many Americans are now priced out of homeownership," said Redfin deputy chief economist Taylor Marr.

Higher wages required to buy a home in Northwest Arkansas

Wages and salaries are not increasing on pace, constricting entry into the housing market for many.

Illustration of a gold-plated house-for-sale sign.

Northwest Arkansans have to earn 48.3% more than a year ago to afford the region&#x27;s median-value home, per the latest <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="analysis" data-vars-click-url="https://www.redfin.com/news/homebuying-affordability-march-2022/?utm_source=newsletter&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=newsletter_axiosmarkets&amp;stream=business" data-vars-content-id="edd44d4b-46a9-4a2c-9ef3-cbd7c6b955bf" data-vars-headline="Higher wages required to buy a home in Northwest Arkansas" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.redfin.com/news/homebuying-affordability-march-2022/?utm_source=newsletter&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=newsletter_axiosmarkets&amp;stream=business" target="_blank">analysis</a> by real estate company Redfin.The big picture: The income needed to <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="afford a home" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/nw-arkansas/2022/03/16/rising-nwa-home-prices" data-vars-content-id="edd44d4b-46a9-4a2c-9ef3-cbd7c6b955bf" data-vars-headline="Higher wages required to buy a home in Northwest Arkansas" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/nw-arkansas/2022/03/16/rising-nwa-home-prices" target="_self">afford a home</a> has soared as limited inventory and strong demand have driven up sale prices, and surging mortgage rates have made home loans more expensive.

Sami Sparber

Featured stories

NWA builds even as housing costs skyrocket

3 private pools to rent around NWA starting at $30 an hour

Higher wages required to buy a home in Northwest Arkansas

5 date ideas under $25 in Northwest Arkansas

3 must-try rooftop bars in Northwest Arkansas