cheap land?

[bullfrog]

UPS is most dependable, everything seems to take a couple extra days, it comes to the Aramark Warehouse Hwy 276 Bullfrog Utah 84533 on weekdays out of Moab(Express takes longer for some reason). Fedex comes sporadically out of Mexican Hat Utah but seems to wait there until they get a truck coming this way. There is a USPS post office of sorts that receives mail out of Blanding Utah and it is open Monday thru Friday 10AM till 2PM. Sometimes general delivery USPS if it is a package is carried by UPS ends up at the warehouse which is open weekdays 9AM to 4PM and closed for lunch midday. BLM land is pretty much open but the Glen Canyon Rec Area is open for day use only until probably May 15,2020. There is BLM land just outside the gate. It is hot here already upper 80's to upper 90's but lake water is around 65 degrees. PM me if you get in the area. Main highways are open to pass through but some towns and almost all restrooms are locked down fuel by credit card only at the pump (gloves and wipes required} but once you get to the park hot showers and a restroom are available if I tell you where, also free internet in the lodge parking lot.

 

[desert_sailing]

Private land is great till it isn't.  Things like zoning changes, nearby home owner organizations, tax and insurance, utilities you are responsible for.  I get irritated enough dealing with a small generator the few cloudy months of the year.  I owned a private camp spot on the Little Sandy River in eastern Kentucky back in the 1990's. We were still working and had sold our house.  Keeping the brush down, digging water lines eventually putting in power lines, pouring a pad then every few years having it flood.  I sold it for a profit but was really happy just to get rid of it.  Where I live in the summer I have paid anywhere from nothing to $350 a month but that is everything including propane.  Where I live in the winter is probably about $200 a month as I pay for gasoline and propane as well as yearly rent.  The biggest expenses are because of the remoteness that we like so much.  A trip to town can be expensive.  I have a friend that lives in Benson Arizona cheaper than I can in these places because he pays $450 a month all inclusive including cable TV and internet but only has to travel 8 miles or so to a Walmart and stores.  He has access to lots of BLM/Trust lands as well.  I guess it proves it costs more to be a hermit!  On Lake Powell there are boat slips with $250,000 houseboats that pay $1800 to $2000 a month for a slip.  I quite often fish off the docks and when the houseboat owners fish with me find out I get to live there for $350 or less a month they are jealous.  My yearly social security is less than their total expenses for one month during the summer.  There are lots of opportunities out there.  Sitting still is cheaper than traveling for us so we only do it a few months a year.

ugg..  
I guess I will have to spend my first year checking things out. I probably shouldn't rush into buying a small piece of land quite yet.

I think I will stick with van nomading it  starting with up in the northern parts of Idaho and just make my way down along with the weather and by the fall find a nice place to winter like Caballo... or somewhere else where there are good people. Maybe that period of networking will lead to more options and ideas.

 I haven't planned a single thing out. I just know living in a small traveling home ..but not traveling tooo much is ideal to me.  I have a huge draw to simple and minimal tech  like very very little.. I would use kerosene lamps if LED wasn't so damn efficient. Of course I will have a small solar array and propane for heat etc. but not much else. I would love to never see another power line in my life.

Thanks for the input everyone. I was hoping to find the magic formula but I realize that it is different for everyone and I will just have to discover it as I  grow.... I just hope I stumble upon a group of roving artists...who surround themselves with kindness for their brothers, sisters and the earth.

 

[maki2]

Living on the property in an RV will run you up against zoning ordinances. However there is something called a "recreational lot" and those do allow for a time period of camping on the land. Not typically 365 days a year though. Every county has its own sets of zoning ordinances. You need to do some research so that you understand how to interpret the ordinances. When in doubt find out the tax number for the parcel of land you are interested in and talk to the county about what you can and can not do on that parcel. You can also have an attorney who specializes in property review the purchase contract for your own protection.

 

[Cammalu]

Desert sailing there IS a group of artists! They have a Facebook group but I can’t recall the name. They have their own section where they camp together at rtr. I’ll try to find them.

 

[Cammalu]

Its Rubber Tramp Art Community

 

[user 423]

BLM land is pretty much open but the Glen Canyon Rec Area is open for day use only until probably May 15,2020.  There is BLM land just outside the gate.  It is hot here already upper 80's to upper 90's but lake water is around 65 degrees.  PM me if you get in the area.  Main highways are open to pass through but some towns and almost all restrooms are locked down fuel by credit card only at the pump (gloves and wipes required} but once you get to the park hot showers and a restroom are available if I tell you where, also free internet in the lodge parking lot.

Thanks for the update.  I can handle higher temps as long as there's shade. Any shady BLM land to recommend in that area? I'm adding a shower at the back of my van and will avoid all public showers or restrooms once I hit the road.

Don't want to take any chances as I'm in the at risk group. I may be putting my porta potty back into use,too but it may be hard to find open dump stations. There's always the tried and true bucket.

 

[desert_sailing]

Living on the property in an RV will run you up against zoning ordinances. However there is something called a "recreational lot" and those do allow for a time period of camping on the land. Not typically 365 days a year though. Every county has its own sets of zoning ordinances. You need to do some research so that you understand how to interpret the ordinances. When in doubt find out the tax number for the parcel of land you are interested in and talk to the county about what you can and can not do on that parcel.  You can also have an attorney who specializes in property review the purchase contract for your own protection.

Howdy maki2,

Yes, I think the zoning for being in your rv/camping on your land in Klamath county Oregon is 21 days per 180 consecutive.

I did indeed have them check the tax lot so I knew the details of the parcel I was looking at.

The permit office was outstanding and super helpful. They told me a few great tips..For folks looking in Klamath County, there is no minimum sqft for a "dwelling" They are entirely accepting of compost toilets but a way to deal with the grey is needed. They are fine with a cistern or water containers over a well. Any structure that is built needs to be wired to code even if there is no access to the grid, they stated it was because of future use. If the intent is to have electricity it needs to be wired. Again there is no minimum to how much wiring you need to put in. One outlet makes the mark.

In regards to the limited camping rule they told me straight up that they do not have any way of enforcing that rule. They do not have the resources to enforce that provision nor document who is staying and for how long they are staying. I am sure if you have nosy Missus Bates as a neighbor who is documenting you then maybe there could be an issue. But the county is not enforcing that in any way. They told me that the Sycan unit is particularly rugged and remote. There are NO emergency services and law enforcement does not go out there except in the most extreme situations.

Of course that sort of property is definitely not geared to many folks especially those that need medicines regularly or who don't provision properly and need to make trips to town. As I mentioned I looked at surrounding plots and there are many many folks that have  several rvs parked in the trees. Many solar arrays in clearings and an occasional shack/dwellings. It is exactly my type of community. Doubtful that Missus Bates is out that way worrying about what the person 10 acres over is doing.

10 acres is enough to welcome a few other TRUSTED van folks to hang out in the summer. At 4500 feet it would be a nice and peaceful stay.

With the candor the permits office spoke with it was clear to me that Klamath County is a live and let live sort of place.. most of Oregon tends to be that way and is probably the only county I would be likely to make a purchase in. Indeed the Sycan Unit is probably the ONLY area within the county I would be likely to purchase land in.

But I do need to sort out and reconcile my needs in this new adventure before making a purchase. Would be great to meet someone with land down south for winter and then mosey up north for summers and stay on my piece... I love to share and that is very hard to do if I am all alone in the middle of nowhere..:/  but I have no problems with myself and could also be contented enjoying the creation.

What I have found out talking to everyone here on the forum and in the real World is that I have no clue on how to proceed once I am mobile.

 

[desert_sailing]

Its Rubber Tramp Art Community

Thats awesome!

Thanks for providing me the info. Just a quick look at their site and I am already feeling this is my tribe!

 

[desert_sailing]

Oh lookie here. This is actually the neighboring piece of the parcel I called the permit office about. I prefer it and now I find it on a dif listing!!

It is a nice bit of land with a seasonal stream, plenty of trees and tons of fallen timber great for firewood!

Below is the link.  Tell me if you think that isn't a perfect slice of heaven! WOW..its even 5k less than the piece I was considering!

https://www.landsofamerica.com/property/9.86-acres-in-Klamath-County-Oregon/5411195/

 

[Desertthorn]

Before buying any property, check zoning laws. We had this gentleman buy some land near to us and it was just going to put in electric and drill a well and the county came and evicted him.

 

[bullfrog]

Be very careful, many times little known laws, regulations and requirements change. Having a seasonal stream can be a problem if you intend to excavate or alter the land (watershed) in any way. I found having millions of acres in the southwest to use without buying or paying a little to rent was much better than owning when it came to trying to make improvements on the land I already owned. Many places you cannot or will not be able to live in an RV fulltime now or in the future possibly, just saying.

 

[desert_sailing]

Before buying any property, check zoning laws.  We had this gentleman buy some land near to us and it was just going to put in electric and drill a well and the county came and evicted him.

Absolutely best advice. It was the very first thing I did. I am thinking also that I may search for land in very poor counties. The zoning office in Klamath County indicated to me that they don't have the resources to go out and check the very rural areas. In fact she suggested just sending her a picture would be sufficient.. LOL

A very poor county would have even fewer resources to baby sit people just living a basic life. Theory yet to be tested.

You are correct bullfrog.. that was definitely on my list of questions to the zoning office/permits. They say directly that you can camp.. I belive it was 21 days per 6 months in Klamatah county.

However she elaborated further that they do not monitor that and there is no way the can determine when the clock started on you camping on your land. The problem would be being reported by a nosy, neighbor.

When I looked at this piece in particular I checked the whole neighborhood with google earth.. and found that nearly EVERY plot of land had several rvs, campers, shacks..etc.. with solar arrays. I could tell it was my kind of neighborhood. Now if only another parcel would open up there. That piece was gone the day after I spoke to the permits office..LOL

The water restrictions on how far away to build was a big concern as the "stream" went right through the middle... I figured that was why it was soo cheap.. 10 acres.. with a stream in the middle reducing available use to 1 acre on either side?.. Oh hey.. we got this great 10 acre piece of land for sale.. super cheap... but you can only use 2 acres.. ahhahahhaha sucker...

 

[maki2]

It does look like a very pretty piece of property, trees, level and a creek.

 

[desert_sailing]

I saw also that the 10 acre piece adjoining south is/was for sale. It has even more seasonal water on it. LOL.  Did you see all the other campers. vans, rvs that are parked everywhere near there?!  LOL it is awesome. One of the nearest neighbors to that parcel had like 30 old cars interspersed through his trees.

A spare part or mechanic is just across the way.. take them a blueberry pie.. and your water pump is back online.

Id rather share neighborly good will than spend 200 bux to a repair person.

Maybe next year I will have enough experience doing the vanlife on where and if to build a little off grid, home base? Either that or half way to Fr. Polynesia.

 

[izifaddag]

This whole thread has been very educational.
I went to the Caballo Loca website and watched the video with Bob twice. I only have a minivan and a 12' converted enclosed cargo trailer but I guess it would be the same price as a full RV.
It is kind of hard to figure out. A full hook up for only 12 hours a day is useless. Oh I know invest a fortune in a solar setup. But solar can't run an electric fire or an AC unit. Ok use a generator, well then I might as well go free standing and forget the hook ups. I use water containers and a dry toilet.
A generator will use gas and that works out to $200 a month - maybe, maybe more.
I am absolutely sure they are great people, a nice community. For sure.
The cost of camping there is a bit unclear. It is about 40 miles to the nearest supermarket more into Tucson and there isn't anything to see there anyway.
It starts to look a bit like BLM is a better bet then move every 14 days. Why would you pay a year and only use for 6 months? I think he said $880 for a year so if you can only use it for 6 months in reality it is $880/6= $146 which is still a great price. But then you have to add in generator gas another $200 at least. So now we are at $350 minimum. Then figure in grocery runs.
I look at Desert_Sailing's puzzle and I see yet another one. At the moment I am living rent free on a concrete pad under a steel awning near Tupelo, MS. The gentleman lets me park here for free. There is water and an electricity socket I hook into. I rent a storage bay in the same town it is $50 a month. I have a bunch of small monthly bills that add up to about $400.
I want to desperately move but as soon as I roll off this pad the money starts rolling out. Both Caballo Loca and D_S's are good deals but BLM is cheaper isn't it? I have been working this problem over for a long time and I can't solve it. I guess the open road is an expensive way of life.

 

[bullfrog]

Caballo Loco is a great deal if you need storage and like a remote winter base camp. They do have showers,toilets and a community center for your use if you rent. You are paying $600 a year for a storage bay. I pay $880 a year for a lot with a 10'x10' storage building and park a 25' camping trailer with a 4x4 truck as well in a location I want to visit during the winter months. I do spend an additional $600 dollars a month during those winter months, usually 3 to 6 months as I make 2 or 3 trips into Tucson or the surrounding parks and wildlife areas each week as well as run a generator 3 or 4 hours a day, so $3600 plus $880 equals $4480 a year or about $375 a month. There are really nice RV parks in Benson that have 6 months stay / 6 months storage on the lot you rent year round for I believe less than $3000 and they are full hook up with internet and cable TV. Escapees has one of their parks there that is less than $400 a month. If I just had a single rig I traveled in there are several federal lands and parks to stay at if I didn't need all the storage. I could stay in Gilbert Ray State Park for $20 a day and be just a few miles from Tucson and next door to the Desert Museum as well and stay under what I spend for the winter months at Cabello Loco. I also have family in Tucson that enjoy my camp during the summer so that is a bonus as well. We work during the summer in Utah and travel spring and fall for the winter there and have found it easier this way for now. Once we quit working summers we will probably travel more but still keep the Caballo Loco lot for storage if nothing else. Summer jobs or volunteer positions that furnish a free full hook up site are one option you might consider. It is hard to beat a free full hook up site near town that you currently have!

 

[izifaddag]

Thank you for that breakdown Bullfrog it was very honest and made good sense. I am spoilt where I am now. My only complaint is the loud booming from people around me. Whoever invented that hideous music should be shot. I like the idea of Benson. To be honest Caballo Loca is shabby and rundown. The toilets and showers do not look much better than a Mexican prison. How the man has the gall to sell a spot of scratch ground to a boondocker for $17 is beyond me. He should be grateful for $10. 
I like your thinking though. It is good to have options. Thank you again for your posts. Most helpful.

 

[IGBT]

We bought some super cheap land in eastern Washington state ($30 a year in taxes on 30 acres!)

We just put another pole barn on it (first one we built ourselves, open side 24 x 40 x 16 feet high for tall RV), second one we had built 30x40 metal enclosed with a concrete floor.

I am a big fan of cheap land!

 

[tx2sturgis]

I want to desperately move but as soon as I roll off this pad the money starts rolling out. Both Caballo Loca and D_S's are good deals but BLM is cheaper isn't it? I have been working this problem over for a long time and I can't solve it. I guess the open road is an expensive way of life.

Maybe hang in there till the fall, around mid-September or so and, depending on government financing and pandemic effects, head on down to the LTVAs (Long Term Visitor Area, part of the BLM system) in southern Arizona around Quartzsite, as mentioned earlier in the thread.

For $180 you get about 7 months of land use, to park and live in your rig. Water supplies and trash dumps are nearby, as well as entertainment and events all season long. Winters in the Quartzsite area are mild to warmish most of the time. The rest of the year, the warm months, you could head north to forest land or rent a spot somewhere with full-hookups if needed.

 

[izifaddag]

Excellent idea and plan. Thank you. That sounds good. Just have to hope that the place I am at now doesn't get sold. I also like what Bullfrog has said. Although I do not really consider the Caballo Loca place a particularly good deal. 
I have a feeling you know this place but I'll mention it. About halfway through Nebraska there is a very big bridge that crosses the interstate. There is a museum inside. I was very impressed with the exhibit that showed early 'RV'ers crossing the USA. It explained how motels came about and the interstate system. I was naively hoping that this was still possible. Boy was I wrong!! Stop by the side of the road nowadays and settle for the night and you will probably get shooed away. Born 100 years too late I guess.