Land in San Luis Valley

[CTC]

I bought a parcel down there about 10 years ago from BillyLands.com because I wanted to buy some "land"

It was about 10 k for 5 acres or so of the tallest sage you have ever seen-we are talking 6 feet high in spots

Yes it had great views of Blanca-but you could not even pull off the dirt road to camp on your own 5 acres without a dozer and chain pulling some sage away

Actually Billy Lands was great to work with and did not try to gloss over (too much) what the land actually was

They had a warranty period where one could bail and get your money (most of it back) so I did

Was lucky because I could check out the land in person and I bailed, they gave me my money back

Millions of acres of BLM throughout the west just like it ( actually much better) for free to camp and explore on

To The People who buy down there and do not check it out first: The land is cheap there because it sucks

[NW Crow]

It is a repeat of things said before but:


I'd suggest you don't buy before you visit, before you understand the building regs, water, utilities, winter, before you understand the full development costs, before you understand the community, vibe, poverty, shortage of jobs (or paying customers for business ideas), neighbors, crime situation and law enforcement response, distance to small city and big city for shopping, health care, etc.


It might work for you if you do the prep. Many of those who start down this path disappear from the forum and probably from the land.

[Dreaming of Hawaii]

Originally Posted by NW Crow

It is a repeat of things said before but:


I'd suggest you don't buy before you visit, before you understand the building regs, water, utilities, winter, before you understand the full development costs, before you understand the community, vibe, poverty, shortage of jobs (or paying customers for business ideas), neighbors, crime situation and law enforcement response, distance to small city and big city for shopping, health care, etc.


It might work for you if you do the prep. Many of those who start down this path disappear from the forum and probably from the land.

Exactly, but we still get people like NewLandOwner who complain that we are being too negative to newbies. SIGH!

[Colorado Rambler]

Originally Posted by Dreaming of Hawaii

Exactly, but we still get people like NewLandOwner who complain that we are being too negative to newbies. SIGH!

Sometimes when I'm feeling especially sadistic, I am tempted to answer folks like NewLandOwner by telling them that the SLV is Colorado's most wonderful, best kept secret ever. Buy all of those 5 acre lots that you can possibly afford! In the SLV that old wive's tale that "rain follows the plow" is actually true. Your Hispanic neighbors whose families have lived there for 300 years will welcome you with open arms and gladly share all their irrigation shares with you if you don't drill a well and hit a geyser of water at 10 feet first. Sage and mesquite is easy to clear and the presence of sage means the land can support crops from artichokes to zucchini with no extra fertilizer needed. All that horsefeathers about a chilly climate is simply untrue. Actually, the area is bathed with warm zephyrs both by day and by night. Alamosa has a world class airport with connections to NYC, LA, Rome and London. See how "nice" I can be if you catch me at the right time?

[Mike from back east]

Originally Posted by Colorado Rambler

Sometimes when I'm feeling especially sadistic, I am tempted to answer folks like NewLandOwner by telling them that the SLV is Colorado's most wonderful, best kept secret ever. Buy all of those 5 acre lots that you can possibly afford! In the SLV that old wive's tale that "rain follows the plow" is actually true. Your Hispanic neighbors whose families have lived there for 300 years will welcome you with open arms and gladly share all their irrigation shares with you if you don't drill a well and hit a geyser of water at 10 feet first. Sage and mesquite is easy to clear and the presence of sage means the land can support crops from artichokes to zucchini with no extra fertilizer needed. All that horsefeathers about a chilly climate is simply untrue. Actually, the area is bathed with warm zephyrs both by day and by night. Alamosa has a world class airport with connections to NYC, LA, Rome and London. See how "nice" I can be if you catch me at the right time?

You forgot to say that when they visit they should stay in the Alferd Packer suite at the Casa de los Tontos.

[Colorado Rambler]

^^^

Actually, I think Alferd needs to be encouraged to answer a few letters from all the newbs who have written him and whose letters are starting to pile up unopened in his room at the rest home here in Cortez. Winter puts him in an unpredictable mood, and I've already caught him trying to send off an invite to President Obama and a few other prominent democrats for dinner. I guess he figures once Obama steps down from the presidency, no one will pay much attention if the former president just vanishes.

[LHS79]

Probably a lot newbies expecting to move into a trailer, grow promo bud (hey, I read an issue of High Times so I am now an expert!) and live off the land.


Of course they then have to meet some dispensary owners who would actually want to buy the schwag but that is a topic for another day.

[boulder2015]

Originally Posted by NewLandOwner

In my opinion, there seems to be heavy negativity regarding "newbies" being successful building in this area.

Is there somewhere a person can go to get sound advice on building and living on the land? San Luis on particular.

This is the sound advice. People are giving it to you freely. The water issue overwhelms everything else.

[EastwardBound]

Does anyone have information or advice on the amount of pollution in the water and air pertaining to the use of pesticides and other agricultural related chemicals?

I have done research on this, finding that there 'could' be a higher level of arsenic and other contaminants in well water. In addition to the sometimes conflicting literature out there, it's also nice to hear what locals have to say from experience.

Thank you!

[otowi]

Water companies release quality reports to customers at least once a year and I think if you check their websites many of them have their data online. I am not sure where you would like for data on air pollution.

Well water will vary a lot depending on location and history - no two wells will be the same, even if they are nearby each other.