Dreaming of Colorado.... Don't

[jimindenver]

I am free to buy any land that fits my needs but part of that process is finding out that fulfilling my needs is allowable. Normal people research schools, transportation, taxes, shopping and more. Checking to see what was allowed should seem pretty basic. The guy might have gotten away with it if it didn't look like a long term eyesore.

 

[user 37446]

^^

Agree totally. It's "Buyer beware" on anything, especially real estate.

Perhaps try to "rent" or lease some land, that way you don't have the investment and can up and leave anytime. My niece and her husband bought remote CO property down away from Alamosa, (Forbes Park) some scamish development from the 1960-70's that never really took off. They thought that within 20 years, due to population pressures, it would have appreciated lots. Nope. Same lots that sold for 3-4K are selling for... 3-4K. Every year or two they get an offer of $500 cash for their lots (2), as many other out of state owners have given up and just want out. 

Here's the description of the place from "Jim and Elaine.org", who are rv' ers:

Forbes Park is a "Covenant Protected" gated community. The following text was taken directly from the Forbes Park website:

Forbes Park is a private, rural subdivision located in the heart of the Sangre de Cristo Mountain range in Southern Colorado. It can be accessed from Rt. 160 at the eastern edge of the San Luis Valley, 40 miles west of Walsenburg, 14 miles east of Fort Garland, and 45 miles east of Alamosa. Forbes Park is located in Costilla County and supports the Sierra Grande School District. 
Forbes, Inc. developed this area, began selling lots in 1977, and "sold out" around 1982. There are 3,346 lots ranging in size from 1 to 14 acres. The Park encompasses approximately 13,046 acres of land. About 8,000 of these are specific lots, the rest of the acreage is comprised of Common Land. 
The Forbes Park Land Owners' Association's mission is to preserve, protect, and enhance the environment in Forbes Park in order to increase the value of member properties. Members are encouraged to become involved with any of the volunteer committees or other activities in the Park."

They saw some beautiful (very cold and snowy out east of Alamosa, beware) land and bought in 2007. Had to drill a 180 well and install septic, still dont have a cabin on it...

For those who want to know how much rural (crappy) Colorado land costs, here's some example listings from "MountainpropertyColorado.com"
(For some reason they didn't cut and paste, these are just a few of the FSBO ones.)


Lot 1128 Laker Lane, Blk 53 Unit E-1, 1.8 acres, best offer over $3,000

123 Wagon Mesa Loop, Unit A-1, Block 2, lot 123, 1.75 acres, will accept any reasonable offer

511 Leslie Loop, $4850, 2.68 acres, driveway in place, backs up to green space, I will negotiate because I need to pay medical expenses...

1380 Kennard Lane, Unit F-1, Block 68, lot 1380, 1.32 acres, any reasonable offer accepted


**Ha ha, I just found my niece/nephew-in-law's ad... (he always tries for the moon)...
1510 McMennamin Place, 3.4 acres, unit F-2 Block 77, Backs onto BLM land, beautiful aspens and views of valley, wagon creek and vintage train tracks, asking $10,000...

*********

So if you want "cheap land", its there, but no power, water, limited to no access, and who knows what the covenant restrictions are.

 

[user 37446]

Yuck!  Mods, I tried 15 minutes of backspace key to remove the copy and paste that did not show until all the white space appeared when I posted, but it seems all there still!!

Sorry!

From Wikipedia, entitled a history of Forbes Park Co:

"Forbes Park is a gated community in the historic San Luis Valley of Colorado about 13 miles (21 km) east of Fort Garland and 130 miles (210 km) southwest of Colorado Springs. It is characterized by its alpine meadows, aspen, spruce and fir forests, and several alpine lakes. Forbes developed Forbes Park starting in the mid-1970s and sold all properties. The homeowner's association maintains roads, common areas and the club house. Only short-term camping is allowed, and covenants ensure that new construction fits into Forbes Park's natural, alpine setting. The association has snow plows and many of these parcels are accessible year-round."

 

[user 37446]

I looked up the Costilla County CO (Forbes Park) land use restrictions. Only an 87 page PDF!  On pg 35, under "Restricted Use" it prohibits using an rv to reside (dwell) in for more than 14 days every three months without a "long-term camping permit"

from www.colorado.gov/pacific/costillacounty/atom/771

 

[Weight]

If we chose to live in a community, we have to conform to the community rules. They are always published and can be found. Often exceptions can be granted, if requested first. His mistake is he jumped first. Now I hope someone will help him with his problems. Sure doesn't have much to due with high property taxes, or utility right-of ways.

 

[TrainChaser]

Lenny: "Meh, nothing at all happened to our freedoms. They're still there just as they always were."

Perhaps you haven't been paying attention... When our Constitution's Fourth Amendment SPECIFICALLY says "... against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause...", and government officials do the exact opposite for profit, that is illegal.

Weight: "If we chose to live in a community, we have to conform to the community rules. They are always published and can be found. Often exceptions can be granted, if requested first."

You haven't lived in many places with HOAs, have you?

 

[jonsun]

It's on thing if billy bob moves his trash heap in and shoots his guns all day, It's another if someone has non-residential, wooded plot outside city limits, parks a camper on it and builds a lowes shed.

 

[user 37446]

^^ Yes to above.

It's sad that you can buy rural/remote property and "think" you can park on it, put a shed on it, mess around on it and then find out the county forbids what you want to do. There are places that are so remote that the likelihood of being caught are low, however with satellite photography employed by the county treasurer's offices, any deviation from how it looked before is found. 

Maybe came netting under a forest canopy would work.

In Canada we have "crown land" which is the same as National Forest land, same restrictions. People squat on it, buy adjacent to it and co-op it until a "timber cruiser" from the province sees it, then gotcha.