The Short Answer
Bella Vista is a city in Benton County, Arkansas, with seven POA lakes and seven POA golf courses. POA dues are $40 a month for an improved lot and $16 for an unimproved lot, per the Bella Vista POA, as of November 2026. Downtown Bentonville and the Walmart Home Office are each about 20 minutes without traffic.
- City and county
- Bella Vista, Benton County, ArkansasCity of Bella Vista
- POA dues
- $40 a month improved (with a water meter), $16 a month unimprovedBella Vista POA, as of November 2026
- Lakes
- 7 POA lakes. Loch Lomond is largest at 477 acres; Lake Norwood is smallest at 33 acres.Bella Vista POA
- Golf
- 7 POA golf coursesBella Vista POA
- Schools
- Bentonville, Gravette or Pea Ridge, depending on the addressCity of Bella Vista
- Price
- Median sold price $352,000; 105 closed sales in October 202671B Team, from MLS data; NABOR attribution below
- Drive to Bentonville Square
- about 20 minutes without traffic71B Team estimate, November 2026
- Drive to Walmart Home Office
- about 20 minutes without traffic71B Team estimate, November 2026
Living here
City and POA
Bella Vista is a city in Benton County, Arkansas. The city runs police, fire and streets. The Bella Vista Property Owners Association owns and runs the lakes, golf courses, pools and private trails, and it also runs the water department. Monthly assessments and amenity usage fees fund those amenities, per the POA.
Adam's Take
"Bella Vista is a natural wonderland. Home prices remain low relative to the rest of Northwest Arkansas."
Adam Flemming, Broker
POA dues
POA dues explained
Bella Vista POA dues are $40 a month for an improved lot and $16 a month for an unimproved lot, per the Bella Vista POA, as of November 2026. An improved lot is one with a water meter set. An unimproved lot is one without a water meter. Assessments are due the first of the month and stay with the property, so unpaid dues from a prior owner still have to be collected.
A 2025 member vote to raise assessments to $45 for improved lots and $17 for unimproved lots failed. Turnout was 41.51%, short of the 50% quorum, per the Bella Vista POA. So dues stayed at $40 and $16.
A separate $40 Activity Card, valid for 12 months, is needed for some amenity uses such as boat registration. Confirm the current rates with the POA before you buy.
The 7 lakes
The 7 lakes compared
The Bella Vista POA runs seven lakes. Personal watercraft such as Jet Skis are prohibited on all of them, and motorized watercraft 26 feet and longer are prohibited, with limited grandfathering, per the POA.
| Lake | Acres | Max depth | Boating | Our page |
|---|
| Loch Lomond | 477 | 80 ft | All-sport; marina at Lakepoint | Loch Lomond |
| Lake Windsor | 220 | 79 ft | All-sport | Lake Windsor |
| Lake Ann | 112 | 53 ft | All-sport | - |
| Lake Avalon | 67 | 50 ft | No-wake; beach | - |
| Lake Rayburn | 45 | 75 ft | No-wake | - |
| Lake Brittany | 37 | 75 ft | No-wake | - |
| Lake Norwood | 33 | 79 ft | No-wake | - |
Source: Bella Vista POA lakes page. Loch Lomond is the largest and newest, completed in 1981. Lake Windsor is the second largest, completed in 1975.
Which lake
Which lake fits you
Loch Lomond, Lake Windsor and Lake Ann allow waterskiing, tubing and wake boating in the main body of the lake. Avalon, Brittany, Norwood and Rayburn are no-wake lakes. If you want skiing, start with the three all-sport lakes. If you want quiet water, look at the no-wake four. Private docks are allowed only on designated lake lots, with ACC, City of Bella Vista and POA approval. Check with the POA about any dock before you buy.
Homes and prices
Homes and prices
In October 2026, Bella Vista had 105 closed sales, down from 108 in October 2025, per the 71B Team, from MLS data. The median sold price was $352,000, down 5.3% from $371,856. Homes took a median of 34 days to sell. The median sale-to-list ratio was 99.3%, down from 100.0%. There were 646 listings on the market, active and pending, up 12.9% from 572.
Bella Vista's $352,000 October median was below Benton County's $370,000 October median, per the 71B Team, from MLS data.
Based on information from the Northwest Arkansas Board of REALTORS® for the period October 1, 2026 through October 31, 2026. Deemed reliable but not guaranteed.
See homes for sale in Bella Vista and Bella Vista home values.
Golf and trails
Golf and trails
The POA operates seven golf courses in Bella Vista, per the Bella Vista POA. Courses listed on the POA golf page include Country Club, Highlands, Scotsdale, Dogwood, Kingswood and Berksdale.
Monthly assessments help fund recreation facilities, private trails, the RV park, the lakes, the golf courses and the water department, per the POA.
Schools
Confirm by address
Most students on the east and central part of the city attend Bentonville Schools. Some students on the far east side attend Pea Ridge Schools. Students on the west side attend Gravette Schools, per the City of Bella Vista. School zones can change, so confirm any address with the state district finder before you decide.
Getting around
Drive times from Bella Vista
Drive times without traffic from Bella Vista city center, per a 71B Team estimate using OpenStreetMap routing, November 2026. Rounded to the nearest 5 minutes. A weekday morning will run longer.
| To | Drive time without traffic |
|---|
| Downtown Bentonville Square | about 20 minutes |
| Walmart Home Office, Bentonville | about 20 minutes |
| J.B. Hunt HQ, Lowell | about 30 minutes |
| Arkansas Children's Northwest, Springdale | about 40 minutes |
| Tyson Foods HQ, Springdale | about 40 minutes |
| University of Arkansas (Old Main), Fayetteville | about 45 minutes |
For the other side of those drives, read Where to Live if You Work at Walmart, J.B. Hunt, Tyson Foods, Arkansas Children's Northwest and the University of Arkansas, or the employer commute guide.
Bella Vista FAQ
Questions people ask about living in Bella Vista
How much are Bella Vista POA dues in 2026?
$40 a month for an improved lot (a lot with a water meter) and $16 a month for an unimproved lot, per the Bella Vista POA, as of November 2026. Confirm the current rate with the POA.
Did the Bella Vista POA dues go up?
No. An August 2025 member vote to raise them to $45 and $17 failed because turnout was 41.51%, short of the 50% quorum, per the Bella Vista POA.
How many lakes are in Bella Vista and how big are they?
Seven POA lakes. Loch Lomond is the largest at 477 acres; Lake Windsor is next at 220 acres; Lake Norwood is the smallest at 33 acres, per the Bella Vista POA.
Which Bella Vista lake is best to live on?
It depends on boating versus quiet water. Loch Lomond, Windsor and Ann allow skiing and wake sports in the main body; Avalon, Brittany, Norwood and Rayburn are no-wake, per the POA.
Can I put a dock on a Bella Vista lake?
On a designated lake lot, yes, with ACC, City of Bella Vista and POA approval. Docks can reach up to 18 feet into the lake, or 15% of the way across, whichever is less, and a seawall is required, per POA dock policy. Check with the POA before you buy.
What school district is Bella Vista in?
Bentonville, Gravette or Pea Ridge, depending on the address. East and central areas are mostly Bentonville; the west side is Gravette; the far east is Pea Ridge, per the City of Bella Vista. Confirm with the state district finder.
How much do homes in Bella Vista cost?
The median sold price in Bella Vista was $352,000 in October 2026, with 105 closed sales, per the 71B Team, from MLS data. That was down 5.3% from $371,856. Homes took a median of 34 days to sell, and the median sale-to-list ratio was 99.3%. Based on information from the Northwest Arkansas Board of REALTORS® for the period October 1, 2026 through October 31, 2026. Deemed reliable but not guaranteed.
Is Bella Vista a good place to retire?
Bella Vista has seven POA lakes and seven POA golf courses, per the Bella Vista POA. Downtown Bentonville and the Walmart Home Office are each about 20 minutes away without traffic, per a 71B Team estimate, November 2026.
Sources: Bella Vista POA (dues, lakes, golf, City/POA/ACC roles, dock policy in Current Policies Sept 2026, 2025 Assessment Vote Results); City of Bella Vista public schools page; 71B Team drive estimates using OpenStreetMap routing, November 2026; 71B Team from MLS data for October 2026 city sale figures; Northwest Arkansas Board of REALTORS® attribution for October 1, 2026 through October 31, 2026.
Last updated November 6, 2026.
