Rural properties in No Co (Denver, Fort Collins: real estate, houses, buying)

[Piper TJ]

Wow, I see that it's been a while since my last post.
Here's the sitch: Have been relo'd and changed jobs numerous times, and have finally settled in with my own small business. Currently live on east coast, but may have opportunity to move west. The fam and I have a lot of "critters", but it's more of a hobby/small tax write-off than a working operation.


We have family outside of FTC, but haven't checked on the real estate situation in YEARS. What we're looking for is acreage, outside of Denver (my future, potential business territory ) but not at the cost of 100k/acre. What I'm seeing in the searches is matchbox houses and lean-tos for barns. If I'm going to do the whole shebang, then it will likely be a custom build with the proper amenities, so, buying land.

My job is atypical (not a daily commuter) where I just need to be near my territory, as it is home-based, so am considering out on the plains and even into WY. Am seeing 40 acre lots for < 200k and minimal/no restrictions.

Question/s: Any places that are no-go? Benefits to living across the border? Considerations in general?


Thanks in advance

[StealthRabbit]

WY is income tax free, but comes at a cost (constant wind + commute for everything). Torrington is one of the nicest 'full-service' towns near CO. With farmable climate and soils. I also like Pine Bluffs for southern WY. And several other nice small towns.

For mtns.... Snowy range is wonderful and a few nice places to live, Saratoga is biggest with a small airport. Encampment is closest to CO accessible to Ft Collins, Granby, or Steamboat (and Laramie). Wood landing, jelm is a small community closer to Laramie. If you want freeway access, Buford is a one family town you can buy. Very close to Vedauwoo. Rock climbing, and halfway between Cheyenne and Laramie.

Critters..... Prairie land does not support much large livestock (such as one cow / 40 acres). Don't overgraze, or native land will be ruined for decades.


For No CO acreage... Depends, but I would look west of Ft Collins / Rist Canyon / LaPorte for proximity to services. Red feather lakes a bit further out.
I grew up 15 min from FC, in Masonville (population 5 at the time). No development then. But spendy today. (Still a nice location and fairly remote, but close-in). Weather / climate is banana belt compared to southern WY.)

Nunn for prairie "watch Nunn grow". Briggsdale or Hereford or Grover, but you'll be paying Colorado taxes, prices, and politics.

Denver access is pretty ez from Wiggins, I have a few farmer friends there. Akron is much cheaper. I have family in Haxtun and saw a home there for under $30k, which is a typical vehicle cost for most. (Not me... Mine cost $35 and gets 50mpg on free fuel, since 1976, while living in CO). Still performing fine.

Check each state for regs / reporting / taxes for your business. I had seven businesses while in Colorado, and took them to an income tax free state. I now have a lot more free time (less business reporting hassles). My on-line business friends often register in US protectorates, and keep a mainland domicile in SD. (Income tax free, with only one overnight/ lifetime to establish domicile). If it interests you... Lots of nice places in SD. Spearfish is a favorite community for me. College town, mtns and recreation nearby, <1 hr to Rapid.

Many choices for you. Enjoy the search.
Suggest you stay with local people, attend events as if a local, volunteer in the community, talk to everyone, especially library, sheriff, building and planning, schools, hardware, groceries. Remember.... Some day you might have to sell this place.

[Thoreau424]

Originally Posted by Piper TJ

We have family outside of FTC, but haven't checked on the real estate situation in YEARS.

What's "FTC"?

[LHS79]

Originally Posted by Thoreau424

What's "FTC"?

Fort Collins

[Thoreau424]

Originally Posted by LHS79

Fort Collins

Oh. I've only seen it abbreviated as FC or FoCo.

[RosieSD]

We've been contemplating a similar move, although we are now leaning more towards living in Fort Collins proper. I've seen some very nice acreage properties near Livermore, Rustic, and Red Feather Lakes and we really like that area a lot (it is a bit of a schlep from Fort Collins though). As Stealthrabbit notes, the area in Rist Canyon is absolutely beautiful, even after the recent wildfires --- that and Bellvue itself are our two favorite rural areas in proximity to Fort Collins. But it tends to be pricey. Another area where I've seen some nice looking properties is to the west and south of Wellington near Soapstone Prairie reserve. If you are looking for flatter, more usable land, that would be a good place to look with easy access to FC.

A few caveats:

Be sure to research how water rights work in Colorado and Wyoming, both overall and for individual properties. Colorado and Wyoming both have some restrictions on well drilling and the right to use water in streams flowing through your property that surprised us as we looked at properties. Here in California, we live a rural area, and had no problem adding a well to our property to provide for livestock and irrigation, but it seems more complicated to add a well to certain properties in Colorado/Larimer County than here due to the water rights issue. Even if you have water running through your property, you can't just tap into it for your property use; the property has to have rights for using the water. Properties with established water rights usually seem to come with a higher cost.

Also, do your research on the new Reservoir that is scheduled to be built north of Fort Collins. That may affect access to and use of properties in the surrounding areas along north 287 in future years (Rural LaPorte, North of Fort Collins, perhaps Livermore).

All in all, it's a beautiful area. Good luck with your plans!