Another "Retire in CO" thread... (Boulder, Grand Junction: attorney, buying)

[davebarnes]

Originally Posted by EricBabula

anyone got any good stock tips?

https://www.bogleheads.org/forum/vie...p?f=10&t=88005

Works for me.

[EricBabula]

Originally Posted by brightdoglover

Yes. If you bought a lot and not acreage, yes for sure. There's are very good prefab kits, also. In the area known as Elk Meadows outside Ridgway (and up) there are incredible views and houses and lots well in that price range. One trick is to own by green belt or preservation land or such, and you can have the views without having to own the whole shebang. Consider looking up Elk Meadows, Ridgway, on zillow, for an idea.

I have built twice, once back East, and now here. I am all in on building especially if you can't find what you want to buy. Since I've been here, I'd say there's been two properties for sale in the three years that I would have wanted and could have bought. That's not a lot, plus, I always had multiple dogs so couldn't hang around or rent or wait. It was complicated and not cheap but it worked for me.

Strongly suggest you PM me and get the phone number for my broker from before.

See, that's the kind of thinking I like! If I can't get a large plot of land, maybe we can make a 1/2 acre work, if we are up against a green belt or nature preserve that won't be built on, which would ensure that our views of the mountains do not get obstructed! That might just work, too! Good to know there might be options, and that's the kind of help we'll need from the real estate agent(s) when we get to that point.

What is this (kinda confusing, or I'm missing something)? https://www.homesnap.com/CO/Ridgway/...Mountain-Trail
Looks like I can get 76.1 acres for $250K. But, then is says Lot 1, which leads me to believe it might just be a 1/2 acre lot or something, within the 76.1 acre "neighborhood". Love how they show you big, open space, a pond, and views of the mountains, but don't show a plot map as to what "Lot 1" means or where it is located. Also doesn't show any other homes. Strange.

PM sent.

[EricBabula]

Originally Posted by Dreaming of Hawaii

Go back and look at my post #2. The Buena Vista/Salida area does not have some of the things you originally said you wanted. Kind of lacking in the green green, especially if you want some acreage. And further than two hours to an airport.

If you still want acreage, then you might find a sad fixer upper for $500K. Houses where I live are selling in the mid to upper $400K on 1/2 acre lot.

I did mention acreage, more to not have as much noise near us than anything. But, I'm sensing that this might just be a pipe-dream if we want mountain views also, and have a $500K budget. Pretty sad that it's hard to find a decent home on a decent plot of land for less than a half-million dollars.

Thinking about brightdoglover's suggestion to buy a lot (maybe $100K - $200K) and build new (an additional $300K - $400K). Might work out best for us. But, we really do have to get our short-list narrowed down, and then start talking to real estate agents to see what options they can find for us.

[EricBabula]

Originally Posted by COcheesehead

Maybe, but.... We were told $250/sq ft and it really turned into $340/sq ft and that was with lumber costs at a lower rate.
Real estate is flying off the shelf here.

We had our house appraised in March 2020. It was just reappraised today for almost 10% more. That’s in a 10-11 month span. Crazy.

Man, that might be a better investment than the stock market! LOL!

[hikernut]

Originally Posted by EricBabula

What is this (kinda confusing, or I'm missing something)? https://www.homesnap.com/CO/Ridgway/...Mountain-Trail
Looks like I can get 76.1 acres for $250K. But, then is says Lot 1, which leads me to believe it might just be a 1/2 acre lot or something, within the 76.1 acre "neighborhood". Love how they show you big, open space, a pond, and views of the mountains, but don't show a plot map as to what "Lot 1" means or where it is located. Also doesn't show any other homes. Strange.

PM sent.

Cheap land is generally cheap for a reason. Remote location. Expensive to drill a well. No utilities. No year-round access. Etc.

Going completely off grid is getting easier today, especially if satellite internet becomes ubiquitous. But if you build something like that it will be pretty hard to sell should you ever want to move. Water is still a biggie, of course.

[otowi]

Another thing to beware of re: cheap land. Some land sites offer up mining claims and they look really attractive for their price, but you really don't own the land and can't do most things on it landowners would want to do, and have to do all kinds of things in order to keep the claim active, as well.

[COcheesehead]

Originally Posted by hikernut

Cheap land is generally cheap for a reason. Remote location. Expensive to drill a well. No utilities. No year-round access. Etc.

Going completely off grid is getting easier today, especially if satellite internet becomes ubiquitous. But if you build something like that it will be pretty hard to sell should you ever want to move. Water is still a biggie, of course.

Spot on. We have some lots down the road from us. The ones on the west side are more expensive than the ones on the south side of the same road. Reason. On the west they are in the city of GJ. On the south they are county land. No sewer, no water, no cable, no nothing.

[EricBabula]

Originally Posted by hikernut

Cheap land is generally cheap for a reason. Remote location. Expensive to drill a well. No utilities. No year-round access. Etc.

Going completely off grid is getting easier today, especially if satellite internet becomes ubiquitous. But if you build something like that it will be pretty hard to sell should you ever want to move. Water is still a biggie, of course.

Digging a little deeper, I found the plot plan for: https://www.homesnap.com/CO/Ridgway/...Mountain-Trail
Looks like they divided the 76.1 acres into 1 acre plots as part of a subdivision between Ridgway and Portland, west of Hwy 550, NE part of Section 44N 8W-5. Intersections are Spruce Lane and Forest Hill Rd, about 18 minutes from downtown Ridgway. So, it looks like it's $250K for a ~1 acre plot?

[CosmicWizard]

Originally Posted by COcheesehead

If I were you, I would get my butt out of Wisconsin ASAP before the western slope becomes “discovered”.

It's already discovered compared to what it was like in 2006 when I initially arrived in Grand Junction.

[CosmicWizard]

Originally Posted by EricBabula

Two hours to an airport is quite a drive.

Consider not only the time factor, but also the roads that you will be driving on for 2 hours!