Yes, you know the opening line of Glen Campbell’s Rhinestone Cowboy. Well, it’s not the streets of Broadway, and I’ve not been walking them so long. This is Hot Springs Village, Arkansas, and I’ve been walking some streets here since I first visited in September 2018. Join me. With over 30 miles of hiking trails, Hot Springs Village offers many more unofficial trails, thanks to many streets barely occupied by homes. When you visit, venture around the neighborhood where you’re staying, but be eve...
Apr 22, 2025•13 min
Nobody gets a vote in what you decide to do in retirement, unless you give it to them. I’m not saying to ignore your family or friends who have your best interests in mind. But for all of us, at or nearing retirement age, we have to figure it out for ourselves. That means we have to figure out what matters to us, and how much it matters. What may work ideally for me and Rhonda may not be what works best for you. Hence, the phrase, “You do YOU.” Let’s discuss some recent studies that examine how ...
Apr 18, 2025•28 min
Full Disclosure: McGraw Realtors is a sponsor of our program. Rick Marshall is the #1 waterfront specialist in Hot Springs Village real estate. He joins us today to deliver our monthly real estate update for Hot Springs Village for March 2025. Contact him for a FREE, no-obligation relocation packet at WelcomeToHotSprings.com. Here’s Rick’s March update for the Lake Coronado area, too. Thanks to our exclusive media partner, KVRE • Join Our Free Email Newsletter • Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel ...
Apr 15, 2025•12 min
Join us as we stroll through parts of the Cedar Creek Trail inside Hot Springs Village and discuss what we’ve learned since buying a house here. There are many surprises, including community, cost of living, safety, climate, and taxes. Thanks to our exclusive media partner, KVRE • Join Our Free Email Newsletter • Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel (click that bell icon, too) • Join Our Facebook Group • Support Our Sponsors (Click on the images below to visit their websites.) ______________________...
Apr 11, 2025•44 min
Ike Eisenhauer joins me today to answer a few questions you’ve asked. Full disclosure: Ike Eisenhauer State Farm sponsors our show. Thanks to him, we can share insights about Hot Springs Village, Arkansas. Call Ike for your insurance needs. He’s got an award-winning team ready to help serve you. If you’re interested in a short stay at his incredible rental suites, click here: Maison226.com Thanks to our exclusive media partner, KVRE • Join Our Free Email Newsletter • Subscribe To Our YouTube Cha...
Apr 08, 2025•26 min
Hot Springs Village was given days’ advance notice that we’d be getting 6-10 plus inches of rain beginning mid-afternoon on Wednesday, April 2, 2025. As forecasted, around 4 pm, it hit: thunder, heavy rain, and some lightning. By nightfall, a supercell system was extending from Texas to Pennsylvania. I was watching Ryan Hall Ya’ll live stream weather updates. I’m preempting the episode I had scheduled for today because this weather event is now labeled “once-in-a-generation.” We’ve not seen anyt...
Apr 04, 2025•16 min
Happy April Fool’s Day! But rather than play a trick on you, I thought I’d show off how wonderful Spring is here inside Hot Springs Village. Thanks to Grok.com , an artificial intelligence search engine, we receive the following answer to the question, “What is a typical spring like in Hot Springs Village, Arkansas?” Spring in Hot Springs Village, Arkansas, is generally a pleasant and mild season, characterized by warming temperatures, blooming flora, and a transition from the cooler winter mont...
Apr 01, 2025•16 min
Google says the United States has over 19,600 “retirement” communities. Some of these are restricted to people 55 and older. Some are populated mostly by older folks. Hot Springs Village falls into that category. We’re a “retirement community” based on the demographics, not based on any restrictions – that’s one great reason to consider Hot Springs Village as your retirement destination. Thanks to our exclusive media partner, KVRE • Join Our Free Email Newsletter • Subscribe To Our YouTube Chann...
Mar 28, 2025•17 min
Hot Springs Village is a year-round golf community. The Diamante Country Club is the only private golf club inside the Village. Today, Rick Maxey , golf All American and member, and David Howard , Golf Pro at Diamante, join us. This marks Diamante’s 30th anniversary. Known as “The Gem of the Ouachitas,” Diamante Country Club is a premier private club featuring a world-class golf course (currently ranked number 5 in Arkansas by Golf Digest), clay tennis courts, state-of-the-art pickleball courts,...
Mar 25, 2025•16 min
Retirement planning always involves questions of cost. How much will it cost to live there? What are those costs? Today, let’s break down some of these to make it easier to figure out if the cost of living inside Hot Springs Village is attractive enough for you to consider making your future home here. Let’s begin with the monthly POA (Property Owners Association) assessments. These expenses are current as of 2025. $50.42 a month for a single lot (commonly called “unimproved assessment,” which j...
Mar 21, 2025•23 min
During a recent visit to Diamante Country Club, I met with Johnny Hibbs , a board member and chairman of the courts committee, and Geoff Hodsdon , a tennis pro and the man in charge of the courts. Diamante features four (4) Rubico clay lighted tennis courts and four (4) championship-level pickleball courts. Thanks to our exclusive media partner, KVRE • Join Our Free Email Newsletter • Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel (click that bell icon, too) • Join Our Facebook Group • Support Our Sponsors (C...
Mar 18, 2025•14 min
It’s time for our monthly update with Rick Marshall , a waterfront specialist with McGraw Realtors inside Hot Springs Village (formerly Trademark HSV Real Estate). First, Rick shares sound advice on preparing your house inside Hot Springs Village for a faster sale. If you’re considering selling your house inside the Village, contact Rick at (501) 601-7425. January and February have been slower months than expected, but the good news is that the Village is currently a buyer’s market. There may be...
Mar 14, 2025•20 min
Today, Terri Socha , Membership Director, and Paul Murrison , Diamonte Country Club General Manager, will introduce us to the country club inside Hot Springs Village— Diamante Country Club . This marks Diamante’s 30th anniversary. On Tuesday, February 25th, I spent the day with the fine folks at Diamante Country Club, assisted by Carol Ansley Bodge . Just a week earlier, Hot Springs Village had experienced freezing rain and sleet, but the sun was shining on this day. It was approaching 70 degree...
Mar 11, 2025•16 min
Rick Marshall, waterfront specialist with Trademark HSV Real Estate, now McGraw Realtors (effective March 1, 2025), joins us to discuss the top three dangers inside Hot Springs Village. Many of you are researching Hot Springs Village to decide whether or not it’s your ideal retirement destination. Rick’s list may help you figure it out. Thanks to our exclusive media partner, KVRE • Join Our Free Email Newsletter • Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel (click that bell icon, too) • Join Our Facebook G...
Mar 07, 2025•23 min
Retirement requires careful planning. Most residents of Hot Springs Village are mature (ahem, older) people of retirement age. Planning involves more than finances and where we’ll live. It also includes how we’ll live and what we’ll do with our time. Smaller communities like Hot Springs Village can provide wonderful opportunities to pursue activities we may not have pursued before…now that we have time. Who you surround yourself with matters! Thanks to our exclusive media partner, KVRE • Join Ou...
Mar 04, 2025•19 min
I received a message from a couple in New England interested in considering Hot Springs Village as their retirement destination. They hope this winter will be their last in New England. But the weather wasn’t their question. Instead, they wanted to know about house sizes in the Village and how they could prepare to downsize—not just their house but their stuff. You don’t have to downsize in retirement, but most of us want to. You can get as big a house as you desire here inside Hot Springs Villa...
Feb 28, 2025•36 min
Effective March 1, 2025, Trademark HSV Real Estate merges with McGraw Realtors . This means improved resources for Laurie and Ken Henderson, the brokers/owners. With a focus on luxury homes inside Hot Springs Village and a special focus on Diamante—the country club inside the Village—Laurie and Ken (and their entire team) will be able to take full advantage of the operational efficiencies of one of the top real estate companies in America. McGraw Realtors has been earning the trust of their clie...
Feb 26, 2025•10 min
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a magical technology that has advanced dramatically in recent years. I used a few online platforms to determine how AI would answer the question, “Why should people retire to Hot Springs Village?” Here are the top seven answers most of the AI engines returned. 1. Awesome Natural Environment Hot Springs Village is in the Ouachita Mountain foothills, offering stunning mountain views, lush forests, and pristine lakes. This natural beauty provides a serene and picture...
Feb 25, 2025•24 min
The second winter storm of 2025 arrived inside Hot Springs Village late Tuesday, February 18. Overnight, the temperature dropped into the mid-teens, but only after we got some freezing rain and sleet. Other than real estate and the cost of living, the weather may be our audience’s next most requested topic. Winter weather isn’t bad, and I’m a Southern boy, so I’m qualified to comment. But today, the roads are reportedly slicker than cow snot on a Linoleum floor. Thanks to our exclusive media par...
Feb 21, 2025•8 min
The Magellan Beaver Dam Trail inside Hot Springs Village was created in 1999. It’s about a mile long – 1/2 a mile to the end, then back. But we prefer to make a loop along Cedar Creek because I’m a sucker for flowing water. That route makes it slightly longer. The trail is easy and relatively flat, except when you trek down closer to the water (like we did). Depending on how fast you walk, it will take you about 20 minutes. We took our time to bring you a video of the trail’s appearance in late ...
Feb 18, 2025•35 min
Around here, it’s mostly known as the Balboa Beach area, but it’s much more. Located on Ponce De Leon Drive, a lot is going on around the beach. There’s a playground, volleyball court, grilling facilities, cornhole “courts,” picnic tables, covered areas, a pavilion, the Balboa Marina , a gas station, a spillway, and a trail. Nearby is the Sunset Grill , which has the best dining views of Lake Balboa. Thanks to our exclusive media partner, KVRE • Join Our Free Email Newsletter • Subscribe To Our ...
Feb 14, 2025•18 min
Ike Eisenhauer State Farm is a proud sponsor of our show, HSV Inside Out. Ike and I recently visited his office to discuss insurance and retirement investments. This video gives you a sense of what a visit might be like if you choose to discuss your retirement needs with Ike or any member of his team. Thanks to our exclusive media partner, KVRE • Join Our Free Email Newsletter • Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel (click that bell icon, too) • Join Our Facebook Group • Support Our Sponsors (click o...
Feb 11, 2025•11 min
Lake Lago is one of the 12 lakes inside Hot Springs Village. The other lakes are recreational, but Lake Lago is the village’s water source. That means no houses are allowed on the waterfront, and no recreational activity is allowed on the lake. The Lake Lago Lookout is located just off Jarandilla Drive inside Hot Springs Village. When you visit, be sure to check it out. It’s one of the many must-see places! Thanks to our exclusive media partner, KVRE • Join Our Free Email Newsletter • Subscribe ...
Feb 07, 2025•13 min
The January 2025 rainfall inside Hot Springs Village was 6.58 inches, compared to our 30-year average of 3.64 inches. This year, the rainfall increased by 81%. Much of it arrived late in the month, around the 29th and 30th. I ventured out on Friday morning, January 31st, to give you a sense of Hot Springs Village after a deluge. It’s crisp, clear, and reasonably quiet. We’ll begin with a video of the Lake Pineda Spillway raging during Thursday’s rain. Then, we’ll show you what it looked like the...
Feb 04, 2025•29 min
Welcome to lakefront living in Hot Springs Village, Arkansas. Today, we begin an ongoing, monthly series on lakefront and lake community living in the Village. Our first guest is Steven Scott FitzGerald . Steven, his wife, Deborah, and a couple of hounds (Greyhounds) and cats live on Lake Balboa’s shores, the village’s largest lake (around 940 acres). We intentionally recorded this show in Steven’s backyard the day before the January 2025 winter storm hit. It was the nicest day Steven and I knew...
Jan 31, 2025•44 min
Be sure to watch Friday’s episode with Steven Scott FitzGerald (about living on Lake Balboa). Steven suggested folks visit Hot Springs Village in January to see if they like how things look during the most drab months of the year. His logic was sound. If you like it during a proverbial ugly month, you’ll love it when all the trees bloom, and the weather is warmer. Steven’s comment prompted me to take you on a drive to show you what the Village looks like in January. Enjoy! Thanks to our exclusiv...
Jan 28, 2025•23 min
Today, we begin our monthly real estate updates with Rick Marshall, a Waterfront Specialist with Trademark HSV Real Estate , a sponsor of our show. We recorded today’s show at 29 Costa Del Lago Lane in Hot Springs Village, Arkansas . This magnificent view of Lake Cortez features 1.8 acres of 399 feet of waterfront. Thanks to our exclusive media partner, KVRE • Join Our Free Email Newsletter • Subscribe To The Podcast Anyway You Want • Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel (click that bell icon, too) ...
Jan 24, 2025•27 min
Many in our audience have never been to Hot Springs Village. Regularly, they ask if living in the Village is like living in “the country.” They often confess they picture life here as rural living. That inaccurate depiction sometimes causes people to think of service providers like insurance and real estate as one-man bands holed up in some dingy strip center. I’ve repeatedly described Ike’s agency in emails and texts to our audience members but have long promised them a video tour. Today, I del...
Jan 21, 2025•17 min
This episode was recorded in December 2024 in response to several emails from people planning their retirement and considering Hot Springs Village as their destination. They repeatedly asked, “How did you guys prepare for life inside the Village?” Here is my answer. Entering 2024, I started a Google spreadsheet to begin what I dubbed “Encore Chapter v2.0—The Ideal Outcome.” An encore performance is the final group of songs after the main concert performance is over—the final act. All humans can ...
Jan 17, 2025•37 min
Many villagers report various snow depths during the first winter storm of 2025 (they say we may have another one around January 20th). A few friends told me they got considerably more snow than I did. We got about 6-7 inches at my house, but these friends live on top of hills and mountains, while I don’t. Those who have never visited Hot Springs Village may not realize the diversity of topography here. There are mountaintop houses, hilltop houses, lower-land houses, golf course houses, lakefron...
Jan 14, 2025•13 min
