Realtors in Conway are salivating at the influx of new Hewlett-Packard employees coming to town when the new HP complex opens later this year. Over 1,200 people will work at the new HP facility and a good number of them will relocate to Faulkner County. That's welcome news in the middle of a recession. Some of the employees are in central Arkansas for the weekend to look at what Conway has to offer.
They flew in from places like Colorado Springs and Boston, 15 people in all, checking out the housing prospects in Conway. There's no word exactly how many of HP's 1,200 employees will relocate to Conway since the company plans to hire the majority from Arkansas, but realtors think those who do come will like what they see.
Those with the city and chamber of commerce took a handful of HP employees on a home tour Saturday. With 600 to 700 homes on the market in Faulkner County realtors couldn't be happier.
"I don't think we've ever experienced anything like HP coming to Conway. I haven't," said Pam McDowell with Pam McDowell Properties.
It's the biggest thing McDowell has seen in her 30 years in Conway real estate. She says homes are taking longer to sell, even in Conway where the population has more than doubled from 1990 until now. But this means things are about to pick up in a big way.
Mayor Tab Townsell says the city of 60,000 has a lot to offer. "This is not the end of the world or flyover country. It's actually a high quality of life here," he said.
Mayor Townsell says in addition to the housing options, the city boasts great restaurants, shops and some hidden treasures like bicycle lanes for fitness enthusiasts. Townsell says to look for even more new construction in west Conway as folks continue to pour in. "The real estate community, the business owner, we're all so excited because it means new jobs, it means fresh blood," McDowell said.
HP already has a temporary location in downtown Little Rock with about 40 employees. But the new facility should be completed by late this year.
