I'm looking for cheap land to build an earthship (El Paso: how much, house)

[mikeshole]

I have around $2,000 and looking to pull off a miracle. Is it possible to make a small down payment on land, obtain whatever building codes are nesessary and atleast get the tire walls finished with such a low amount of money?

For those of you wondering what I'm babbling about, an earth ship is a self sustainable home that is ecologically friendly and allows you to live totally off the grid. Heres a quick rundown on how it works:

Sun comes in through windows facing south. The light's energy is absorbed as heat in the walls of tires that have been packed with earth. The tires act like batteries and store heat when the sun is shining and release heat when the sun is down. Never any heating bills. Electricity comes from solar power and water comes from rain and is reused. Grey water from the toilet doesn't get reused and is sent off to feed plants and grass growing inside.

In El Paso does every home have to have a septic system? I know it's maybe strange and gross for some of you to visualize treating your own sewage in your home, but I assure you it's naturally and doesn't make your house smell bad.

What about the permit situation? I just want to get all my ducks in a row and get the majority of tires done by march.

I'm expecting to have to pay 300$ for a building permit, atleast. Only problem is finding cheap land. I really need an acre, maybe less. The land has to be animal friendly though (goats, chickens)

Advice?

[Gary Siete]

Look outside the City of El Paso for cheaper land & fewer building/livestock regulations. Desert land is cheaper than valley land. Going east - past Horizon City in the El Paso County or in Hudspeth County. Going north - Chapparal, New Mexico and up the I10 into New Mexico (Anthony,Vado...), and west - Sunland Park NM.
Check of zillow.com and trulia.com for maps of available properties & prices. Depends how much $$ you have and how close the city you want to be.
It may be easier to get financing & low downs east of Horizon City. In the 1970's subdivisions were plated and sold as investment properties but little was developed and the roads remain desert trails. These are easy properties to pick up at good prices but beware of "land development" companies that sell at higher than market value.

[malamute]

The many colonias surrounding El Paso would be ideal for that kind of thing. Pretty much anything goes, permits aren't required for anything and a lot of people have goats, chickens, pigs, you're still close to town for all the conveniences. Plus you can buy lots cheap - and east of El Paso there is even more freedom and very cheap land.

[mistabinks]

Originally Posted by malamute

Pretty much anything goes, permits aren't required for anything and a lot of people have goats, chickens, pigs, you're still close to town for all the conveniences.

How every outlaw

[mikeshole]

Is the entire county of hudspeth the same as far as being able to just buy land and build right away with no paper work, codes or fees?

[Daryl P.]

You'll need to check with the County, and State Regulations.

[ocean2026]

The only problem with buying land far east or in the colonias, is that you might have to live there. Well actually way east you'd spend a fortune on gas each time you went to El Paso, sort of nullifying the "green"effect.

My advice - save up a bit more money and they buy some land where you would actually want to live.

[piyf]

You actually plan on living off just rain water as your source for water? If so you won't live long. Good Luck.

[mikeshole]

Actually these homes are designed to sustain a person on 2 inches of rainfall less than you get in Hudspeth County. Even in the event of an extended dry spell theres always water trucks.

[malamute]

Originally Posted by mikeshole

Actually these homes are designed to sustain a person on 2 inches of rainfall less than you get in Hudspeth County. Even in the event of an extended dry spell theres always water trucks.

If you go outside of El Paso city limits, you'll see a lot of "creative" housing so I don't think Hudspeth is your only option. There are areas outside Canutillo, Anthony, Vinton, Chaparral, Socorro, Sunland Park, where codes aren't enforced if they have any, pretty much anything goes. Land should be cheap enough in southern New Mexico in places that are quite close to El Paso. Definitely you can have chickens, goats, etc., plus water that isn't very far down.