Buying and using land without attracting attention

[GoingMobile]

I drove by the area Bob Wells bought land in northern Arizona yesterday. I don’t know if this was pre-existing or became popular with Bob’s video, but around the intersection of the two roads there is a mass of properties with makeshift buildings and rvs everywhere. Seems fine to me, no obvious problems, but also the kind of environment that could attract unwanted attention from nimbys and then authorities who might try to zone those people out. I hope not, but I would be hesitant to buy a parcel such as that for that reason. What are people’s experience with buying land in an area that becomes popular for such use?

 

[peteg59]

Some jurisdictions are extremely lax on property usage as long as some tax revenue is coming in.
Others, not so much.

Assuming Mr. Wells researched the specific area before shelling out $$ to buy?

 

[RVTravel]

Bob most likely (pretty sure) got his idea of buying land there since a lady on the old yahoo group has had property near there for a decade or more.

 

[Sofisintown]

Bob bought his acre years ago for 1000 bucks. That area now costs 6 to 8K.
there is no code or restrictions there, but there is also no water, electricity or regular road maintenance.You will have to make your own electricity, collect rainwater or haul it in, and dispose of your trash.
Before you buy there, check to make sure your specific parcel is not in the middle of a wash, because MANY are.
Find fema maps on realtor.com for flood zones

 

[RoamerRV428]

depends upon checking it all out for crime and whatever etc but IF I wanted right there, and to put down and RV and all 'seemed fine' thru my checks, then yea I might do it if I wanted to live right there! If I wanted a built home next to that, nope. gonna cut my value down to crap living next to that.......so the big question is your asking if I would buy there? maybe. Is it attracting attention in the wrong way, not sure? cause is anyone sure of that? til ya know.... but it might worry me if I wanted a real deal stick home next to that? so.....yea mostly I would not be a participant near any of that but who knows? Do trailer parks and 'less than' attract attention from locals, yes they will and will that reputation be based on crime, interaction with locals and more, yes it will. So each place to be is just an individual place to be checked if you want close living contact with such place. Has this place got an 'all ok great people' score? no idea with the locals or the law enforcement.

 

[jacqueg]

I drove by the area Bob Wells bought land in northern Arizona yesterday. I don’t know if this was pre-existing or became popular with Bob’s video, but around the intersection of the two roads there is a mass of properties with makeshift buildings and rvs everywhere. Seems fine to me, no obvious problems, but also the kind of environment that could attract unwanted attention from nimbys and then authorities who might try to zone those people out. I hope not, but I would be hesitant to buy a parcel such as that for that reason. What are people’s experience with buying land in an area that becomes popular for such use?

You MUST check out the zoning yourself. Just because people are already doing it doesn’t mean it’s legally OK for you to do it.

 

[maki2]

The area he bought in is popular with people who use it during the months when night time temperatures are above freezing and daytime temperatures are under 90. No tall trees out the for wind breaks. It does get lots of thunderstorms during monsoon season. The roads going back in from the highways are rarely paved a nearly always deeply rutted by monsoon season rain events unless one of the owners has their own road grading equipment. No mail service out there but some of the roads may have street addresses and delivery from USPS, Fed EX other types of truck delivery services and perhaps even Amazon. Not enough rainfall for things like vegetable gardening as you have to haul water in.

Of course a structure fire is going to be a major issue as there are no fire hydrants out in the high desert areas. It is a very dry area with lots of scrubby vegetation year around. Wildfires will spread quickly from one property to another lots of abandoned places out there with derelict RVs on them. The property taxes are low enough the just keep paying them even though they do not visit the property.

But of course there are lots of good people out there doing the off grid minimalist thing in sheds and RVs as well as yurts and dome homes. No doubt some rammed earth stuff as well. Not much in the way of hills to do underground homes in. You do see some of the steel shipping containers parked on properties but getting one brought in on a bad road is unlikely to happen. Shed kits are seen more often. Just remember that shed might be the tallest thing on the property. My friends who live out there came home one evening to discover their bedroom shed had a long slot with burt edges on the side of the shed. On the inside some of the wood studs near that strike had charring. Investing in a lighting rod for any structures is a good idea.

Do not buy there without first going to see it. Beauty is all in the eyes of the beholder. Much easier to keep being a minimalist and renting a storage locker if you must than trying to homestead out there.

 

[KD2USM]

If you are worried about what the neighbors might think, you probably want to buy elsewhere.

If you want to do your own thing and get to meet to locals, by all means, buy it. For crying out loud, take some risks, live a little people.

People are you afraid of their own shadow to take a risk these days. Time to put on your big adult pants and grow a back bone. Real life tends to hand out black eyes to the weak.

 

[maki2]

Most people who are nomadic are risk takers.

Buying land is very different from deciding where to camp next. If you don't have cash you have a financial contract. If you put up a non permitted structure you will lose your time and labor and also likely lose money in fines and/or other legal cost
I have a girlfriend who had acreage and was letting people live in a travel trailer on it. They were out of the site of the neighbor and the road but the neighbors turned her into the county for it because they were dumping human waste on what was zoned as a wetland. Of course the real issue was they did not want people living in RVs as neighbors.

 

[rruff]

Bob bought his acre years ago for 1000 bucks. That area now costs 6 to 8K.
there is no code or restrictions there

It's in Coconino County right? Valle AZ? Coconino has strict codes and they do enforce them... but maybe they aren't enforcing them out there. Getting away with it (for now) is very different from being legal.

 

[JDub]

You always have to consider too, what happens if things really fall apart economically and socially. The most basic, limited, and tenuous service that ARE available in remote areas - especially water, gas, and food, LE and Medical availability - will probably cease to exist and things could get ugly real quick...

The only reason it's possible to live in places like the desert is due to the (even limited) availability of those resources. Without them, the entire area quickly goes back to what it really is. Uninhabitable desert scrubland...

Just Sayin...

 

[rruff]

What are people’s experience with buying land in an area that becomes popular for such use?

Been doing a little research. Living in a camper or RV is allowed with permit. I don't know how hard that is to obtain, or all the requirements.

Page 105, sec 3.17: https://www.coconino.az.gov/Documen...Ordinance---Final-Approved-June-9-2022?bidId=

3.17.C.Performance Standards
1.One Recreational Vehicle or Travel Trailer may be used as a permanent residence, and must comply with all development standards of the applicable zoning district.
2.A permit or other method that demonstrates appropriate wastewater disposal shall be required prior to establishing the use on site.
3.Building permits are required for solid fuel-burning appliances, such as wood and pellet stoves, Installed as a heating source within the vehicle.
4.Equipment, machinery, and building materials stored on site must be screened with fencing.
5.Impact to neighbors from noise shall be minimal. Noise from generators must be mitigated with sound buffering materials such as rigid insulation or other solid materials, and shall not exceed 50 decibels at the property line.

 

[Headache]

It's in Coconino County right? Valle AZ? Coconino has strict codes and they do enforce them... but maybe they aren't enforcing them out there. Getting away with it (for now) is very different from being legal.

Codes in the county state that you can stay in your RV for 100 days per year so good on you for posting that.

 

[frodo2222]

You always have to consider too, what happens if things really fall apart economically and socially. The most basic, limited, and tenuous service that ARE available in remote areas - especially water, gas, and food, LE and Medical availability - will probably cease to exist and things could get ugly real quick...

The only reason it's possible to live in places like the desert is due to the (even limited) availability of those resources. Without them, the entire area quickly goes back to what it really is. Uninhabitable desert scrubland...

Just Sayin...

thank God some of you are supporting positive view points

 

[Ken in Anaheim]

Codes in the county state that you can stay in your RV for 100 days per year so good on you for posting that.

I've wondered if 4 people each bought an acre....and then did it again with 3 other adjoining acres....if you could then each live on "their" land for 100 days.........drive onto other acre, live 100 days....rinse and repeat forever (?)

 

[JDub]

thank God some of you are supporting positive view points

Ahhh, if you've been where I've been and seen the things I've seen in previously cohesive and functioning societies where the absolute and brutal anarchy that reigned was totally unforeseen and would have been laughed at if one had predicted it even 6 months prior...

"Ignorance is bliss"

Cheers!

 

[bullfrog]

I have wondered if people buy property stay 100 days and sell/trade for another property to stay another 100 days. Seems you could do that but maybe the required permit prevents it or required improvements are cost prohibitive?

 

[rruff]

You always have to consider too, what happens if things really fall apart economically and socially. The most basic, limited, and tenuous service that ARE available in remote areas - especially water, gas, and food, LE and Medical availability - will probably cease to exist and things could get ugly real quick...

All those things will collapse pretty much everywhere, if things fall apart. If you were someplace else in the boonies you might have better access to water, but that would be it. People in the cities will be worse off.

I wonder if people are thinking that owning land would give some security if things get that bad? I certainly don't. No one is going to honor property rights when they are starving. And everybody has guns, so...

 

[rruff]

I have wondered if people buy property stay 100 days and sell/trade for another property to stay another 100 days. Seems you could do that but maybe the required permit prevents it or required improvements are cost prohibitive?

I think if they grant you a permit you can stay indefinitely. Don't know they details on that permit though.

 

[bullfrog]

I would think there are time limits as the permit is to allow you a variance to give you a place to live while building a legal dwelling or making improvements to the property to do so, but you may be able to renew the permit also. Years ago it was crazy hard to do but with some counties in Arizona the tiny home movement is getting some changes made to the zoning/building codes I believe but those do not apply to RVs.