Moving to Blanca, Costilla County. Please tell me about this area (Colorado Springs: gated community, living in)

[DOBIELUVRS]

I sent an email to the Building dept of Costilla County to find out about the codes in SLVR. I was told that all homes have a 600 square foot minimum size and must have a septic system in place. Since we wanted a smaller home with a composting toilet, we stopped looking there. If anyone finds out any different information please post here as we are interested in Southern Colorado to retire and definitely want a tiny home.

[Mike from back east]

Pardon me in advance, but how can people live in a 10x12 foot "house" of only 120 sq ft? My master bathroom is bigger than that, not even counting the walk-in closet.

[Colorado Rambler]

A yurt? Indian teepee? I know - an old mining shaft! Anything is possible in the imaginary SLV that shady real estate people try to palm off onto the unwary. I think there should be a sticky at the top here that says simply: San Luis Valley? You'll be sorrry!

[Vistaian]

Originally Posted by Colorado Rambler

A yurt? Indian teepee? I know - an old mining shaft! Anything is possible in the imaginary SLV that shady real estate people try to palm off onto the unwary. I think there should be a sticky at the top here that says simply: San Luis Valley? You'll be sorrry!

If you do that be sure to do it in the context of the shady real estate people. I moved to the valley about a year ago and I am definitely not sorry.

[Colorado Rambler]

^^^

Glad to hear it. Alas, we get so many posts here from people who have been misled about the SLV. Of course most of the real estate folk are honest people, but there do seem to be more than a few rotten apples in the SLV barrel.

[katgiirrll]

I frequently check tinyhouselistings dot com and just saw someone selling 5 acres with a 363 square foot house/cabin and it stated you could install septic tank or live off grid. This isn't the first one I've seen so there must be something I'm missing in the building codes or something...

To Mike from the east, many people are interested in tiny houses (whether prebuilt or diy) for various reasons. Less is more thought process. Living mortgage free. Less impact on the planet. Etc. But I get it's not for everyone

[coolopals]

Lol, we just bought 5 acres near Fort Garland, off Hwy. 160/Beekman Rd. area. We are out in the boonies, hill country of Texas now, have been out here over 20 yrs. About an hour out of Austin, tx. We bought out here because at the time, not many people even close to this area, now it is building out this way quickly, & the elders we are having to take care of are not much longer for this world. We were wanting some place a bit more isolated again without many neighbors. I think we did some decent research, & the place we bought is in the Sangre de Cristo ranches, very near Sangre de Cristo creek. Also planning to hopefully put up some kind of cabin with solar, etc. Sure hope we did not mess up, but timing was of the essence, we had to either do it, or someone else would have, for sure. We are planning our first trip to check out the property in September, maybe even sooner if possible. Any feedback on this area would be appreciated. It is approx. 6 miles north of Fort Garland..

[debbie at bouontiful]

I think it sounds great. Like my husband and I we bought a ranch out in the middle of no where too. Thought it was great with the closest neighbor a mile away but for some reason people are moving out this way and the ranches (like mine) are being divided into smaller horse property as oppose to cattle ranches.

Good Luck!

[debbie at bouontiful]

Let me run this by you. I for one drive route 160 every year on my way to chama, NM. from Trinidad. (I live on a ranch in OK) So I know the area (a little) there is a blogger you may already know that blogs for Mother Earth McElmurray's Mountain Retreat. They may be in your subdivision but I think the Sangre de Cristo subdivision. They are about 10000 feet up so pretty high up on that mountaiin. They buy all supplies in Ft. Garland and once a month trip to Pueblo.

Look up their blog and maybe you'll find lots of good information on the area for yourself and maybe they can help with well, electric (if wanted) so forth. I think your embarking on a wonderful new life.

[SLValleymagic]

Our experience with others who have built, get a "permit" for a large storage/garage building, then put windows and a front door in it. The county rarely checks when buildings like that are finished. YOu just need a site drawing to show them where your septic and your building(s) will be. Draw in the larger house, but you don't necessarily have to ever build it.