Hello from NM

[bpdchief]

What did you think of the Spartanburg area?

The people were incredibly friendly... stopped to ask a question and got invited in for dinner. lol It was not as pretty as I expected (though I don't know what I was expecting) and it was different seeing 4-5 BIG black men split up to let a white boy have the sidewalk. Saw my first car load of girls in thong swimsuits at a convenience store... and thought "you'd get arrested for dressing like that where I'm from". I'm sure it is a wonderful place . What do you think of the area?

 

[user 22017]

The people were incredibly friendly... stopped to ask a question and got invited in for dinner. lol It was not as pretty as I expected (though I don't know what I was expecting) and it was different seeing 4-5 BIG black men split up to let a white boy have the sidewalk. Saw my first car load of girls in thong swimsuits at a convenience store... and thought "you'd get arrested for dressing like that where I'm from". I'm sure it is a wonderful place . What do you think of the area?

Never been there. Just shared an article about cities with the best climates:

Eleven of 20 listed at U.S. News are in California, so I eliminated those... and a few others. That left:
Fayetteville, Arkansas.
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
Greenville, South Carolina.
Spartanburg, South Carolina.

From Post #33

On the YT map that many ppl link to showing 70 degree average temps in the U.S., I noticed a spot in North Carolina that stays at 70 throughout the summer. I think it is referring to Mount Mitchell, which is the highest elevation east of the Mississippi. Don't know the camping situation around there, but it looks pretty.

 

[wanderin.pat]

I’ve was switching between Rockhound and Pancho Villa State Parks but ended up planting temporary roots at an RV park near Deming so I can establish NM residency. I just extended my stay through most of April then creeping slowly north for the summer after that.

Gosh, we could be neighbors.

 

[rruff]

Never been there. Just shared an article about cities with the best climates

Although tastes vary... I think the people who make those lists have never lived in those places...

If you like sun, mostly dry air, a lack of bugs (especially the biting ones) and moderate temperatures, then high altitude in the SW is the best... except for the southern CA coast which is really nice.

 

[Morgana]

I think the people who make those lists have never lived in those places...

Yeah, I sometimes get excited about those lists (cheapest, most livable, friendliest, most walkable, etc etc etc) until they mention someplace I've actually lived & I often barely recognize it. Still addicted to reading them though!

 

[JDub]

Fayetteville AR? I went to school at the U of A (Woo Pig!) - I assure you, the climate there in the summer is almost as bad as Bama's... Guppy Gaping hot! Great little town though, Dickson St leading down out of the campus is the best university party row I've ever been to...

Cheers!

 

[bullfrog]

^^^Went to UCA in late 1970s. Lived in Tumbling Shoals on Greers Ferry Lake. Hot, humid, insects, poison oak, pitiful schools, poverty and prejudice. Loved it there till I discovered the Southwest. Lol!!!

 

[user 36413]

NM is a pretty state. I especially like the southern part. I was considering selling my home in the Myrtle Beach area and moving to NM. I still might. It seems like a place that doesn't get a lot of wildfires, hurricanes, or earthquakes. It's not as warm as western Arizona which is good in the summer but colder in the winter. I see a lot of cheap land for sale in places. I'd love to buy some and set up a base camp or build a home there, God Willing.

 

[Sky]

Yes dew18504- did the same thing left Ca 28 yrs ago and purchased when it was dirt cheap lol in norte NM below the Co border. I kept traveling a lot mostly for work and snow birding mostly back to family and friends in AZ and CA . We do get wildfires here but in the highlands where there are conifer forests more. I have wanted to check out Silver City and southern areas but have not yet much done so. More and more I am a New Mexican now and glad that Texas and AZ are close enough by if this state get's too Calli like. So I encourage you to follow your instincts whatever you decide.

 

[rruff]

NM is a pretty state. I especially like the southern part.

Plenty of wildfires in the mountains!

The southern part of TX, NM and AZ in the 4,000-7,000 ft range have the best year round climate in the US, except for the S CA coast. And a lot of the land is cheap and sparsely populated. I live at 7,000 ft for instance, and the average high ranges from 50 (and sunny) in Jan, to 82 in July.

The tricky part is that if I was to build a hovel, I'd want it set up very simple. Totally off grid, catch water off the roof, a few solar panels and batteries, solar hot water, passive solar heat with a woodstove backup, poop in a bucket or hole in the ground, etc. Obviously I'd be astray of any building codes if they were enforced.

Cochise County in AZ (SE corner) has long had a rep for "doing your own thing", but they are slowly getting restrictive. For instance you need a septic system for grey water even if you have a composting toilet, and the composting toilet needs to be one of a handful of expensive commercial units. There was something about needing a particular type of water heater also, which I wouldn't use. Seriously, I don't think one guy's poop on a 40 acre parcel is going to cause any issues, or my few gallons of washing run-off, but... that's how it is.

Apparently Greenlee County (just north and east), still has zero codes, but it's a long way from anywhere. It oddly doesn't seem to have much land for sale either.

TX around Alpine and Fort Davis would be another option, as I've heard there are no codes in the boonies, at least none that are enforced. There are lots of places in NM where I'm sure you can get away with it, although the more popular (and not necessarily populated) counties tend to have code enforcement.

 

[user 36413]

Something like this would be nice, it's near Deming, NM

I could get used to that view.

<3

2 acres for $6,000 plus $150 document fee! Power and water are nearby too.

You can also get it with owner financing so no bank or even a credit check.

I see a lot of places like this via https://www.landmodo.com/land-for-sale-by-owner

I came across their youtube.com channel.

 

[rruff]

2 acres for $6,000 plus $150 document fee! Power and water are nearby too.

The listing states no power or water. Maybe it's "close" but you'll still pay a lot to get it there. https://www.landmodo.com/properties...e-2-sprawling-buildable-acres-for-just-100-mo

That's a zoomed in photo. Not the view you'd have. This is the street view from just north of the property.
https://www.google.com/maps/@32.138...359.61093&pitch=0&thumbfov=100!7i13312!8i6656

 

[user 36413]

The listing states no power or water. Maybe it's "close" but you'll still pay a lot to get it there. https://www.landmodo.com/properties...e-2-sprawling-buildable-acres-for-just-100-mo

That's a zoomed in photo. Not the view you'd have. This is the street view from just north of the property.
https://www.google.com/maps/@32.138...359.61093&pitch=0&thumbfov=100!7i13312!8i6656

Yeah, it's only one of the photos they show for the property. There are many other properties like this.

 

[Sky]

Plenty of wildfires in the mountains!

The southern part of TX, NM and AZ in the 4,000-7,000 ft range have the best year round climate in the US, except for the S CA coast. And a lot of the land is cheap and sparsely populated. I live at 7,000 ft for instance, and the average high ranges from 50 (and sunny) in Jan, to 82 in July.

The tricky part is that if I was to build a hovel, I'd want it set up very simple. Totally off grid, catch water off the roof, a few solar panels and batteries, solar hot water, passive solar heat with a woodstove backup, poop in a bucket or hole in the ground, etc. Obviously I'd be astray of any building codes if they were enforced.

Cochise County in AZ (SE corner) has long had a rep for "doing your own thing", but they are slowly getting restrictive. For instance you need a septic system for grey water even if you have a composting toilet, and the composting toilet needs to be one of a handful of expensive commercial units. There was something about needing a particular type of water heater also, which I wouldn't use. Seriously, I don't think one guy's poop on a 40 acre parcel is going to cause any issues, or my few gallons of washing run-off, but... that's how it is.

Apparently Greenlee County (just north and east), still has zero codes, but it's a long way from anywhere. It oddly doesn't seem to have much land for sale either.

TX around Alpine and Fort Davis would be another option, as I've heard there are no codes in the boonies, at least none that are enforced. There are lots of places in NM where I'm sure you can get away with it, although the more popular (and not necessarily populated) counties tend to have code enforcement.

Thanks for the added info and I did consider that area of AZ getting restrictive and glad I headed to where I am but the possibility of increased code loving folks trying to change things is possible everywhere in due time.

 

[Sky]

Yeah, it's only one of the photos they show for the property. There are many other properties like this.

I have just under 5 miles off road and so prefer 4WD and while that does cost more I am at the end of the development and have good roads mostly since there is no traffic as it is when ya have a lot of people using tearing up roads that makes it worse. Lately with climate change having to have a 4WD is debatable even today I went and back in using the 2WD.

 

[user 36413]

Plenty of wildfires in the mountains!

The southern part of TX, NM and AZ in the 4,000-7,000 ft range have the best year round climate in the US, except for the S CA coast. And a lot of the land is cheap and sparsely populated. I live at 7,000 ft for instance, and the average high ranges from 50 (and sunny) in Jan, to 82 in July.

The tricky part is that if I was to build a hovel, I'd want it set up very simple. Totally off grid, catch water off the roof, a few solar panels and batteries, solar hot water, passive solar heat with a woodstove backup, poop in a bucket or hole in the ground, etc. Obviously I'd be astray of any building codes if they were enforced.

Cochise County in AZ (SE corner) has long had a rep for "doing your own thing", but they are slowly getting restrictive. For instance you need a septic system for grey water even if you have a composting toilet, and the composting toilet needs to be one of a handful of expensive commercial units. There was something about needing a particular type of water heater also, which I wouldn't use. Seriously, I don't think one guy's poop on a 40 acre parcel is going to cause any issues, or my few gallons of washing run-off, but... that's how it is.

Apparently Greenlee County (just north and east), still has zero codes, but it's a long way from anywhere. It oddly doesn't seem to have much land for sale either.

TX around Alpine and Fort Davis would be another option, as I've heard there are no codes in the boonies, at least none that are enforced. There are lots of places in NM where I'm sure you can get away with it, although the more popular (and not necessarily populated) counties tend to have code enforcement.

I am certainly no expert on this subject but there is a lot of land all around the Holbrook, AZ area and if I recall there are few restrictions. I believe it's in Navaho county.

I don't want to rough it too much at home so I would want a septic tank, well, and electric power although I would still collect rainwater and use solar as much as possible. I might want to have a chicken coup too.

Where I live now we have a HOA which is very restrictive IMHO so being required to have a septic tank and stuff is not a bother to me. Right now I can't put up Solar which seems weird considering how sunny it is here in SC and we can't have an RV or boat parked. Anything that fits in the garage is ok. I only bought this house in 2018 to make my wife's dream come true of living in Myrtle Beach (and having a home that was just built no one else ever lived there).

Don't get me wrong, it's a great house and yard and the neighbors are the best but I never liked having a HOA to be honest. Yeah I know it's good in some ways but it's just not what I want.

I hope she lives long but with her health outlook right now she expects to have maybe a year left.

When she is gone, I won't able to keep living here, too many memories so I will sell and move at that time. Texas is too Texas for me, CA is too CA for me, Nevada, Arizona, NM are states I would choose. I would love Colorado but I don't want all that snow and cold weather. I do want to live where I don't need to put up a fence or mow a lawn, LOL. Bonus if I can raise chickens and goats and let my dog run around chasing them.

Being a disabled Vet I get my healthcare from the VA so maybe someplace not to far from the VA Hospital/Clinic

<3

Who knows, maybe I will even find someone to share it with.

 

[rruff]

Yeah, it's only one of the photos they show for the property. There are many other properties like this.

Best not to get too excited until you check all the details. If you plan on putting up a regular house or even trailer with "all the things" it won't be cheap no matter where you do it. I'd want a lot more than 2 acres, and flat desert scrub isn't my thing... but those properties are close to Demming and not far from pavement either.

 

[rruff]

I would love Colorado but I don't want all that snow and cold weather.

Holbrook is just as cold in winter as a lot of CO. Southern NM and AZ would be best for you I think.

Good place to browse climate data for western states. Click on a state near the bottom: https://wrcc.dri.edu/Climsum.html

Facebook site for Cochise County AZ residents doing their own thing (building permit opt-out). https://www.facebook.com/groups/526362518236614

 

[user 36413]

I like the temp range you said you have, where is that again? Are you in Cochise County. NM and Nevada will eliminate property taxes for 100% disabled vets so that is a big factor for me. TBH, I would probably end up buying a house already built in an area with no HOA and not too far from a VA Medical Center.

I could still buy some land somewhere to just go and camp on anytime which would be nice. I am going to want to have a nice 24' Class C someday if God is willing to camp with.

I am getting too old for tent camping and sleeping in a minivan but it works for now. I really like the LTV Wonder vans! I love the bathroom in this one but I would rather not have a slide out. From what I hear they are problems waiting to happen, LOL. There are some other really nice floor plans though.



Cochise county is some very beautiful country for sure!

 

[rruff]

I like the temp range you said you have, where is that again?

Ruidoso, NM