New Mexico Residency

[Zurdo]

I’m gonna toss another thought out in case there are some folks who have experience. I’ve also considered buying an achre or do and homesteading. I have no idea how to even find information on this and what’s required for a property to be considered a residence. I imagine it’s different in every county but, like I said, I’m not even sure how to find this out, outside of using the real-estate agent as my resource.
I contacted the building commissioner in one TWP where there is a lot of land for sale. He directed me to the building regulation sites for the TWP and the state but I didn’t find it very resourceful for my needs.

 

[Freelander]

Somebody mentions having a street address and a P.O. Box. I lived in a house with that setup and a lot of companies would delivery to a P.O. Box. I think it has to do with not being a verified address. I hated it.

 

[Zurdo]

I’m gonna toss another thought out in case there are some folks who have experience. I’ve also considered buying an achre or do and homesteading. I have no idea how to even find information on this and what’s required for a property to be considered a residence. I imagine it’s different in every county but, like I said, I’m not even sure how to find this out, outside of using the real-estate agent as my resource.
I contacted the building commissioner in one TWP where there is a lot of land for sale. He directed me to the building regulation sites for the TWP and the state but I didn’t find it very resourceful for my needs.

Maybe homesteading is the correct term as I’m not planning on farming except for maybe my own use.

 

[sparkinprogress]

Only the DMV can answer that. As GM said, your present physical address is just temporary anyway. If you reg. in another county, you would probably need a physical address there for a while. If you will be getting a Real ID driver's license you will for sure need a physical address. After that, renewals will be sent to the mail service. Do you have a passport? Then no need to sweat Real ID on your DL.

I seen from a youtuber nomad that one guy got through into Mexico with a real ID (he didn't have a passport) Have your heard anything like that>

 

[sparkinprogress]

Somebody mentions having a street address and a P.O. Box. I lived in a house with that setup and a lot of companies would delivery to a P.O. Box. I think it has to do with not being a verified address. I hated it.

I used paypal when I was selling and you have to have an address besides a PO box there too

 

[abnorm]

^^^ Still cheaper than driving back "home"

 

[Zurdo]

I seen from a youtuber nomad that one guy got through into Mexico with a real ID (he didn't have a passport) Have your heard anything like that>

You have to present a passport to get the real ID but, yes, you can get into Mexico without having to show a passport if you have the real ID.

 

[Morgana]

I’ve also considered buying an achre or do and homesteading. I have no idea how to even find information on this and what’s required for a property to be considered a residence

The bar association used to have a program (probably still does) where for a small fee you can talk briefly to a lawyer in the relevant specialty area. In ~2010 in New Mexico it was $25, IIRC.

That could be helpful in terms of finding out where/how to start researching.

Or try a friendly law librarian. If you're still in southern NM, the nearest law school is at UNM in Albuquerque, but it looks like you can get some help by email:

A law school ID is required to enter the Library building, but the Library is happy to assist attorneys and self-represented individuals via email! Please send your research questions to [email protected].

Nolo.com has some good resources too.

 

[tx2sturgis]

I’m gonna toss another thought out in case there are some folks who have experience. I’ve also considered buying an achre or do and homesteading. I have no idea how to even find information on this and what’s required for a property to be considered a residence. I imagine it’s different in every county but, like I said, I’m not even sure how to find this out, outside of using the real-estate agent as my resource.

A quick search provided me with some leads...check these out:

https://governmentlandsales.us/state/new-mexico/
https://www.swproperties.com/gland-...term=land and acres for sale&utm_content=Land
https://www.tax.newmexico.gov/businesses/property-tax-overview/delinquent-property-tax-auctions/
https://www.landwatch.com/new-mexico-land-for-sale/sort-price-low-high

 

[Zurdo]

A quick search provided me with some leads...check these out:

https://governmentlandsales.us/state/new-mexico/
https://www.swproperties.com/gland-...term=land and acres for sale&utm_content=Land
https://www.tax.newmexico.gov/businesses/property-tax-overview/delinquent-property-tax-auctions/
https://www.landwatch.com/new-mexico-land-for-sale/sort-price-low-high

Thanks Tex, I looking more for property laws and regulations regarding what is considered a legal residence and also what restrictions/requirements as far as structures on the property. A good example where I’m currently staying. It was a Ranch back in the day and apparently the Ranch owner sold the majority of the properties off in 1/2 acre plots marketing it as a community. Turns out none of the new owners could legally build a home on 1/2 acre so there is left a whole grid of roads with no residents.
In my case, essentially, at least at first, can I just park on a purchased property, put up a mail box then call it my residence or does it require a “house” to be a residence? And, if the latter, what is considered a “house”? Those are rhetorical questions.

 

[tx2sturgis]

I understand the quandry but you probably need to zero in on two or three areas and then when you have a good idea about where you might want to 'settle', you can inquire locally about the rules and laws in effect there.

Sometimes the regs are very loose and casual, other times there are very strict laws about what is and what is not allowed.

Some remote pieces of land in Far West Texas for example, allow you to live (or camp) in anything you want to, haul your own water, bury or burn your waste, and provide your own power. Taxes are cheap, roads are usually dirt, neighbors are distant. But 100 miles in any direction, stricter regulations apply and you can't do any of that.

It's a case by case situation.

 

[bullfrog]

I have found several areas where people are allowed to live in RVs on property they own but only under certain conditions and for a short amount of time. All of those rules are subject to change it seems and even different inspectors seem to have a slightly different way of determining whether an improvement to the property meets the standard which would allow the owner to stay a little longer. It makes things difficult for anyone like me wanting to avoid confusion and conflict to develop a property in an area where I wasn’t familiar with all the county and state rules, regulations and inspectors. I look at buying property to develop and being successful having odds just a little bit better than playing the lottery. There are groups of people in eastern Cochise county in Arizona that have actively organized to help people and try to alter the direction of tighter regulations there. You might learn some interesting insights by researching what is happening there. Big problem now is anywhere someone wants to be is being bought up.

 

[Zurdo]

I understand the quandry but you probably need to zero in on two or three areas and then when you have a good idea about where you might want to 'settle', you can inquire locally about the rules and laws in effect there.

Sometimes the regs are very loose and casual, other times there are very strict laws about what is and what is not allowed.

Some remote pieces of land in Far West Texas for example, allow you to live (or camp) in anything you want to, haul your own water, bury or burn your waste, and provide your own power. Taxes are cheap, roads are usually dirt, neighbors are distant. But 100 miles in any direction, stricter regulations apply and you can't do any of that.

It's a case by case situation.

I’ve actually got it narrowed down to a small region of one county. I spent almost a year traveling most of the state. Nevertheless, I’m still struggling to find out enough to even consider purchasing property.
If I can find pro bono legal help like Morgana suggests, that would be awesome but finding another person who has been through the process would be like gold.
Unfortunately, I’m in cognitive decline and not quite as resourceful as I used to be.

 

[Morgana]

If I can find pro bono legal help like Morgana suggests,

These would probably be just enough to get you started doing some research, rather than full-on legal help.
But you got me wondering whether your age is high enough or your income low enough to qualify for actual full-on legal help. Might be worth looking into.

finding another person who has been through the process would be like gold.

Agree 100%.

Unfortunately, I’m in cognitive decline and not quite as resourceful as I used to be.

Well, based on your posts in general, I'd say you're doing a lot with what you've got. And this is a challenge that would stump anyone.

Meanwhile, back to the top of the thread,

what’s required for a property to be considered a residence.

You might want to consider making a list to answer the question "considered a residence for what purposes?" IIRC this started about driver's licenses, but you also mentioned mail delivery; then there's insurance, voter registration, taxation ... it might be that there's a different law governing each, rather than one law governing "what counts as a residence." (Hope not! but could be.)
If you had a list handy, that might make it easier for whoever's giving you legal aid/research pointers to give you a good thorough answer.

PS
Other thought:
The mailbox one might be big (since so many things depend on being able to get mail). And that might be a good thread to start tugging on, if you can't get more comprehensive advice elsewhere. ("Hello, Post Office, what do I have to do to get mail delivery at xyz location?" "You have to get abcd from the County." "Hello, County, what do I have to do to get abcd?" "You have to ..." etc.) I mean, give even the most unhelpful bureaucrat the chance to say "No [I can't help you until you do X]" or "You must [do X]" and it'll be like catnip.

Good luck!

 

[Morgana]

Another thought: It seems like a real estate agent ought to be able to answer some of your questions, and tell you where to go to verify their answers. So that might be another place to start your research, if you have a particular land parcel in mind.

As long as you're a legitimate potential buyer, no reason you shouldn't be able to ask any question you want. They have to pass a test to get a real estate license, right? So presumably they have to know stuff like this -- or at least know how to find out.

 

[justanothermaroon]

You have to present a passport to get the real ID but, yes, you can get into Mexico without having to show a passport if you have the real ID.

I had a SD license and now an AZ license, both Real ID starred, no passport was needed.

 

[CoyoteG]

I seen from a youtuber nomad that one guy got through into Mexico with a real ID (he didn't have a passport) Have your heard anything like that>

I got in and out with a real NM ID ️ in February at Aldongones.

 

[Zurdo]

I had a SD license and now an AZ license, both Real ID starred, no passport was needed.

My bad. Apparently my MI Lic is actually an Enhanced ID which is one level higher than the Real ID. That’s why I needed a passport for it.

https://www.dhs.gov/enhanced-drivers-licenses-what-are-they

 

[rruff]

I’ve actually got it narrowed down to a small region of one county. I spent almost a year traveling most of the state. Nevertheless, I’m still struggling to find out enough to even consider purchasing property.

What exactly are you trying to achieve? If it's just to be domiciled in NM, couldn't you use a mail forwarding service like most nomads do? You are going to be a nomad right, you aren't actually going to live on the land? If so, you definitely don't want mail or packages going to a location where you aren't...

 

[user 423]

I also believe my RV park will receive and hold my mail for an additional $60 to the yearly lot fee but Caballo Loco in Arizona is a really unusually accommading place. I would ask though.

Their website doesn't mention anything about mail. Have you stayed there? No mention of rates either.