Current residents of the San Luis Valley...Can I ask you a few things? (Alamosa: house, camping)

[Mike from back east]

Originally Posted by Canmae2

I am concerned now after reading some of these threads- Ive left the slv blanca area today and am purchasing land on Monday- what questions do I need to ask before I finalize ?

Thanks in advance,
Canmae

As always in that area, water rights and laws should be paramount, as well as any utilities that need to be in place. It can cost a small fortune to drill wells and have electricity run to home sites / bare lots.

[jazzlover]

Originally Posted by Canmae2

I am concerned now after reading some of these threads- Ive left the slv blanca area today and am purchasing land on Monday- what questions do I need to ask before I finalize ?

Thanks in advance,
Canmae

Well, the one that you will likely ask yourself within a few years, if not earlier: "What the hell was I thinking?"

Mike hit on some of the most important points--utilities and water rights. Another is simple legal access. Some land in the SLV was subdivided before even minimal subdivision regulations were put in place, so some parcels have no legal access--they are landlocked by other properties. Same with utility easements--you might not be able to get electricity to the site, even if you are willing to pay to have a line built.

Those inexpensive chopped up acreages available in many places in the SLV are inexpensive for a reason--they are often crap land, with access and water issues, and--sometimes--even clouded title. But, there always seem to be plenty of suckers willing to buy them. As the old saying goes, there's a sucker born every minute . . . and two to take him.

[debbie at bouontiful]

Driving through that area the first week of October on our way to Chama, NM, I saw land for sale everywhere. I also saw people living off the land off the main road with horses. I can't seem to figure out how one would live there on just a few acres with horses. Having horses I know the work involved (water, feed, hay and barn to get out of the harsh weather). I do see the attraction, it is earie looking out there. I like driving through the area and do at least once a year but water would be a big issue for me. I have a ranch and with two working wells plus year around creek I know the worth of water. Now if your purchasing the land to vacation on it would be great but if you had to haul water just to take a bath, that doesn't sound like fun.

[Rainbow Demon]

ANYONE buying land in CO should look at the WATER Rights first....and find out about the MINERAL rights second. You'll never mine for gold...but some hacker fracker Oil co. could easily bulldoze a road and drill pad 10 ft out yer backdoor if you have no mineral rights. Without water you won't be doing much else BUT hauling water LONG distances.

A safe bet is to write your contract(s) on the contingency that there IS a water right/mineral right associated with the land in question. Writing the contract as such, the seller will have to prove such rights actually exist. If they don't PROVE IT...or they BALK whatsoever....WALK AWAY. PLEASE DO NOT come here from elsewhere and believe, falsely, that you own the surface water or underground water or minerals via "purchase"....or that any sort of "right" exists.

Canmea2.... take note. you still have the upper hand til you sign. MAKE THEM be transparent. There's a ton of lots out there...don't make the mistake of thinking one acre of sage is all that different from another....especially if it is DRY LAND.

that shat is a dime a dozen here. Water is the future....plain and simple.

Good luck all

[ChickenLadySaysWhat]

Can anyone tell me what the culture is like for gays and lesbians in this area? My partner and I are considering moving out this way but I am fearful for our safety. With so little in the way of amenities being denied service at a local store could be a big issue for us too. Are people more on the live and let live side of things so long as we keep to ourselves?

Subfreezing temperatures, high winds, little access to life sustaining necessities? Bring it on. Judgement of other people? Now that's an issue.

[Vistaian]

Denied service? No way. People here are nice.

If the weather doesn't frighten you, and your bodies can handle living at 7700 ft elevation, then bring it on! But visit first.

The economy is pretty bad though. If you need to find a job that will be very tough. Places are closing down around here, and each time it happens more workers are entering the job market. When a position does become available somewhere, preference is given to the long term residents. There are few if any Help Wanted signs in the valley.

[ChickenLadySaysWhat]

That's wonderful news! I've lived on the Front range a decade now and am looking for somewhere to expand my goat herd so I don't expect to be looking for wage labor jobs. I'm glad to hear there's hiring preference for longtime residents. It'd make no sense to have newbies pushing people out of work. Thanks for your response!

[CTC]

I almost bought one of those parcels through BillyLands 7 or 8 years ago. I was in love with owning a piece of land for cheap. We went down to look at it after I put a down payment on it (was living in Leadville,CO). I found the parcel..This was the biggest sagebrush I have ever seen anywhere. A good 5-6 feet high. You couldn't even pull off the road the sagebrush was so big.

I backed out of the deal-the land was worthless for even camping out on as far as I was concerned. Be careful.

[Yakmen]

I'm in the same boat.. I am closing in December on a 5 acre plot.. Had planned to move there and build a place.. Slowly to be sure.. But build none the less. Me and my wife knows it's gonna be hard but hardships are nothing new us.. But after reading I'm starting to get the feeling they don't want us there.. And are using every bit of the law to back them.. I'm willing to fight the good fight but only if there's a chance of success. We have a long list of reasons for moving there.. Mostly because it's in the middle of nowhere and have been tired of dealing with monopolies like the electric companies and water companies.. Tired of my life style being considered illegal because of being a pot smoker.. Both for medical and recreation.
Anyway I believe I can still back out of this deal and put our money to a place that is accepting of us.. We are good people.. Would help anyone that needed it.. Not that unsoical. Can anyone tell me if I'm heading for big trouble and if so does anyone have any ideas on where in Colorado would be a good place.

[Rainbow Demon]

Check with the County agencies. Each county has different requirements/square foot minimums/restrictions on camping while constructing a home. In many cases you need a permit...so you're gonna end up at the county at some point...one way or another.

Water is regulated by the State. It would be a good thing to check and see if the prior owners of the particular property you are interested in have ever filed for a well permit/been denied a well permit/etc. These permits run with the land, not with individual ownership so any prior activity should be on record to see.

There is no "they". It's a community.....with rules...and expectations....like anywhere else. The only folks who can't understand the need for such things are those who have yet to INVEST their cash into such things. Once you do that, the guy next door living in the tent and crapping in a hole..cus he doesn't wanna play the game...isn't such a hero.

Does anyone have any further info about these (SLV) counties tightening up their Building regulations as was discussed here a few months ago? It will be interesting to see how this all plays out.

good luck