Current residents of the San Luis Valley...Can I ask you a few things? (Pueblo: rent, crime) - Colorado (CO) - Page 5 - City-Data Forum

Hyperviktor · 02-26-2019, 09:35 AM

What about something small around 4 feet maybe ?

Something like this -

Could you think of any negative aspects ?

Also, would a bigger fence deter anyone snooping around or would it rather mean there must be something interesting on the other side of the fence ?

Mike from back east · 02-26-2019, 10:05 AM

Fences don't keep out any determined thieves. We've had reports in these forums in years past that homes left unattended in SLV are easy targets. I don't know how things are in the UK or Hungary but in rural areas here there is a no shortage of vandalism and theft -- to include stealing livestock. IIRC you are seeking some large windows; I'd expect them to be busted out by the dead-enders who resent it when others have something nice and I've seen this in my own extended family who had their big old farmhouse in WV burned to the ground by a malcontent. We have a small hard core of bad actors who will love finding ways to crack your concrete hot tub; for them it will be all in a day's fun.

I can't understand anyone going to all the trouble and effort you say you're willing to go to just for a place to stay for 30-60 days a year. You'll have to pay taxes on it, insure it, and maybe pay someone to visit the place every so often to keep an eye on it. My preference would be to rent a hotel room for visits, and they probably have a hot tub, daily maid service and a lot more; when your visit is over you just say thanks and walk away without having tied up a lot of money into an asset that will not be easy to sell no matter economic conditions. Myself, I put our money into dividend paying equities and spend the dividends without having to touch my capital. Anyway, that's just my two cents.

By all means keep chasing your dream and asking all the questions you wish.

Hyperviktor · 02-26-2019, 10:29 AM

Youd'd have the same anywhere I guess. In Hungary we have break-ins in small farm buildings in areas which are not remote or rarely attended so I'd say that not too special.

Vandalism is a new thing I haven't heard off - people wouldn't just break your stuff for fun, sure they will steal but won't go around to burn down your house or break windows etc. Maybe teenagers in a few isolated cases.

I'm not doing this as a business interest or to make money, it's more of a fun hobby. I don't tend to sell things I own, the land on it's own is forever, that's not something that can be destroyed ever. The building... let's see what happens, fingers crossed. Taxes are negligible, you got to pay them anywhere.

brown_dog_us · 02-26-2019, 10:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hyperviktor

I'm not doing this as a business interest or to make money, it's more of a fun hobby. I don't tend to sell things I own, the land on it's own is forever, that's not something that can be destroyed ever. The building... let's see what happens, fingers crossed. Taxes are negligible, you got to pay them anywhere.

People try to move to SLV generally have two misconceptions that end up ruining their plans. First, they don't understand the water situation. Second, they think they will be able to sell the completed house for what they have in it. You definitely don't plan to use more water than you have a right to, so if you're fine with the economics of building there then you will be fine.

Hyperviktor · 03-01-2019, 04:29 PM

How do you handle garbage? Collect it in bins and then take it to the disposal site? How often?

interloper1138 · 03-01-2019, 06:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hyperviktor

How do you handle garbage? Collect it in bins and then take it to the disposal site? How often?

According to the Costilla County website there's only one curbside provider in the county. (It's likely there are other individuals who provide curbside trash service but you'd have to ask locals).

Considering you'll only be around a few months at a time, though, it would probably be easier (and cheaper) for you to take your trash to the county dump yourself. The closest one is in Fort Garland and is open on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays of every month. The fees listed on the site are from 2012, so I'd call and ask, as they're probably a little higher now. The link I shared has more info.

Hyperviktor · 03-02-2019, 08:39 AM

Yep, that’s the site I’ve found. I maybe worded my question wrong but I’m more curious about how this works in practice on the household end - do you have a few bins in the garden and once they’re full you take them to the transfer site? I guess a bin store at a house should be pretty solid so it wouldn’t attract wildlife or maybe bears?

interloper1138 · 03-02-2019, 09:26 AM

Yeah, that's generally how it's done. One or more containers to hold the garbage bags, then you take the bags to the dump whenever they get full or whenever you have time to get to the dump.

Regarding wildlife, your main concern will be keeping bears out of your containers at night. This is a problem I'm still trying to figure out since I don't have a good space to store full bags whenever my waste bin in my home gets full. I'll have bears get into my garbage about a dozen times a year, primarily in mid to late summer. I haven't had a problem with any other types of wildlife getting (or trying to) get in, though. Granted my home is closer to the mountains than your lot, so you may not have the same types of problems.

If you do have issues with bears, you can buy metal bear-proof waste containers, but they're expensive and bears will still knock them around trying to get in which can be irritating if you're trying to sleep. It's best if you have an enclosed space like a garage or shed to hold your garbage until you can get it to the dump, but be aware that bears can and do break into homes, garages, and sheds out here in search of food, depending on how scare their natural food sources are in a year.

Again, this is another scenario that would be best to ask your future neighbors about so you can know what they actually experience. People do different things to combat this with varying success. You'll figure it out.

Hyperviktor · 03-02-2019, 10:46 AM

Sounds all good, I'd have bins within a building, the only question is how strong of a door you need to keep a bear out ?

Would they try to break through doors into homes or a shed or anything ? Does a metal door keep them out or do you need anything extra ?

Hyperviktor · 03-02-2019, 12:23 PM

Is there any safe / tried out way to store some tools safely on an empty land ? Some basic things such as a showel or a spade ?
Maybe a small metal box chained to a tree ?

I wanna do a few veey small things first thing when we get there, see how easy is digging, what's the soil like etc. and then I wouldn't want to leave stuff just lying around.