why so cheap in San Luis Valley SLV (Alamosa: buyer, deed)

[ceg0720]

Originally Posted by ColoGuy

Lots of wind. Not enough rain. Good jobs are scarce. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. The valley is not for everyone. Certainly not for wimps. Plenty of growth so eventually prices will reflect that. This will take a long time since the valley is pretty huge. About 100 miles by 70 miles. Give or take.

It is better than a lot of people like to make it sound. I don't know why some people thrive on picking on the valley. It has plenty of strong points....including affordability.

ColoGuy - 'affordability' - key word - I will be selling my 5.4 acres in the SLV for $500 ... already have a buyer who is living in the area (in a real house!) never mind that I eventually had paid over 10000 for this piece of land that I never saw and hoped to move to one day (which never came) .. am too old to be living out in the middle of nowhere ...

[Mike from back east]

Originally Posted by ceg0720

ColoGuy - 'affordability' - key word - I will be selling my 5.4 acres in the SLV for $500 ... already have a buyer who is living in the area (in a real house!) never mind that I eventually had paid over 10,000 for this piece of land that I never saw and hoped to move to one day (which never came) .. am too old to be living out in the middle of nowhere ...

Sorry that you had to take such a loss on the land. There've been tons of land deals (swindles?) all over the country, for decades, even swampy lots in inland Florida that cost a pretty penny back in the day but are still dismal swampy lots that have little resale value until another real estate bubble comes along. I recall reading about Colorado land in Forbes Magazine 45 years ago, now I read about people in this forum selling the stuff.

[ceg0720]

Originally Posted by Mike from back east

Sorry that you had to take such a loss on the land. There've been tons of land deals (swindles?) all over the country, for decades, even swampy lots in inland Florida that cost a pretty penny back in the day but are still dismal swampy lots that have little resale value until another real estate bubble comes along. I recall reading about Colorado land in Forbes Magazine 45 years ago, now I read about people in this forum selling the stuff.

It really hurts - I'm 67 and disabled ... found out I have squatters living in a trailer on my land .. and just now have been told that I have to get them evicted before I can sell .. nevermind that I can't drive that far .. one option is not paying the property tax (oops - already paid this year's - darn). My son said to just let it go ... to take the loss ... at my age it would have been nice to get at least half of that money back ...

[boulder2015]

Originally Posted by Mike from back east

Sorry that you had to take such a loss on the land. There've been tons of land deals (swindles?) all over the country, for decades, even swampy lots in inland Florida that cost a pretty penny back in the day but are still dismal swampy lots that have little resale value until another real estate bubble comes along. I recall reading about Colorado land in Forbes Magazine 45 years ago, now I read about people in this forum selling the stuff.

For a state like co, where conservatives constantly complain about over regulation, it sure seems like there is a lack of oversight of these real estate scammers? Why is that? Sure seems to contradict the "nanny state" rhetoric i hear so often. Its like a little taste of florida in the rockies. Is it that the dem politicians are just taking bribes from the scam companies? Or is there a longer history in the state? And why is it so prevalent in san luis valley? Is it new age, "get back to the land" hippie delusion emanating from crestone? What gives?

[boulder2015]

Originally Posted by boulder2015

For a state like co, where conservatives constantly complain about over regulation, it sure seems like there is a lack of oversight of these real estate scammers? Why is that? Sure seems to contradict the "namny state" rhetoric i hear so often. Its like a little taste of florida in the rockies. Is it that the dem politicians are just taking bribes from the scam companies? Or is there a longer history in the state? And why is it so prevalent in san luis valley? Is it new age, "get back to the land" hippie delusion emanating from crestone? What gives?

Also are there laws requiring realtors to disclose and explain things like mineral rights and water rights to buyers? People seem utterly flabbergasted by the entire concept?

[sunsprit]

Originally Posted by boulder2015

Also are there laws requiring realtors to disclose and explain things like mineral rights and water rights to buyers? People seem utterly flabbergasted by the entire concept?

such disclosure not required although honest answers to buyer's questions are ethically expected.

this is how so many folk from out of the area get taken advantage of by the sellers/realtors of the area; ie, the buyers don't know what the issues are and the questions to ask regarding a property for their due diligence.

the agents allow folk to make assumptions based upon their real estate purchases and customs "back home" ... where it may be a riparian climate so water law is an entirely different situation than what presents in Colorado.

posted above: "Or is there a longer history in the state? And why is it so prevalent in san luis valley? Is it new age, "get back to the land" hippie delusion emanating from crestone? What gives?"

LOL ... land scams out in the West have been a part of it's development beginning with territorial ... pre-statehood ... days. Nothing new under the sun there.

SLV stands out only because it has it's visual charms and appeal, so folks want it to be something that it may not necessarily be by conflating what they know about other areas of the country with their perceived good aspects of the area. It's easy to be delusional about what presents when you've got a pocketful of misinformation combined with a want for a piece of paradise on the cheap. Most folk who have bought into the fallacies of the area did so without performing their own due diligence ... relying upon the marketing skills of the sellers/agents who were very careful to highlight the benefits without telling the whole story.

In their buying excitement, I think most folks who have fallen for the scams really wanted to believe that they were getting a good deal ... and sold themselves on the purported benefits. All sizzle ... no steak.

[boulder2015]

Originally Posted by sunsprit

such disclosure not required although honest answers to buyer's questions are ethically expected.

this is how so many folk from out of the area get taken advantage of by the sellers/realtors of the area; ie, the buyers don't know what the issues are and the questions to ask regarding a property for their due diligence.

the agents allow folk to make assumptions based upon their real estate purchases and customs "back home" ... where it may be a riparian climate so water law is an entirely different situation than what presents in Colorado.

posted above: "Or is there a longer history in the state? And why is it so prevalent in san luis valley? Is it new age, "get back to the land" hippie delusion emanating from crestone? What gives?"

LOL ... land scams out in the West have been a part of it's development beginning with territorial ... pre-statehood ... days. Nothing new under the sun there.

SLV stands out only because it has it's visual charms and appeal, so folks want it to be something that it may not necessarily be by conflating what they know about other areas of the country with their perceived good aspects of the area. It's easy to be delusional about what presents when you've got a pocketful of misinformation combined with a want for a piece of paradise on the cheap. Most folk who have bought into the fallacies of the area did so without performing their own due diligence ... relying upon the marketing skills of the sellers/agents who were very careful to highlight the benefits without telling the whole story.

In their buying excitement, I think most folks who have fallen for the scams really wanted to believe that they were getting a good deal ... and sold themselves on the purported benefits. All sizzle ... no steak.

Thanks for the info! Yeah i get that land fraud is nothing new, but it just blew me away how many threads about slv scams there were on cd forum and how many people bought land that is so tough to utilize. And i first learned of the area from hippies who talked about crestone and "living off grid". No idea what happened to them.... but i get the appeal, slv is one of the most beautiful places on earth. However i know that it takes a lot to survive there...

[TCHP]

Originally Posted by boulder2015

Thanks for the info! Yeah i get that land fraud is nothing new, but it just blew me away how many threads about slv scams there were on cd forum and how many people bought land that is so tough to utilize. And i first learned of the area from hippies who talked about crestone and "living off grid". No idea what happened to them.... but i get the appeal, slv is one of the most beautiful places on earth. However i know that it takes a lot to survive there...

Perhaps it is that "off the grid" type of living that created such an attraction combined with the perceived liberal world religious view of Crestone and some slick marketing and low prices that drove people to jump without doing due diligence.

SLV is beautiful in a stark kind of way, but IMO, it is not the ideal that comes to my mind when thinking of Colorado mountain living. I try to recall adverts I've seen for SLV or Trinchera, or other places in The Valley, and from what I remember, most of these ads did not accurately reflect what I see as the majority of the SLV in all my trips across it. The beautiful mountain vistas and flowing water are all found around the perimeter of the valley, not in the low priced sage rich acearage being sold in all these "developments."

[vp1979]

Looking at some land here. I own goats and fowl at this time. We want to build an earthship, put up a fence and be left alone. Do neighbors complain about chickens and such? The realtor said swine was only animal restriction. Is this true? If I buy 10-20 acres I basically want to be LEFT ALONE by authorities and neighbors LOL. I also want to be able to water a garden for household consumption without it being a hassle. Plan on using grey water for any water needs outside of a garden and animal watering. We currently uses 3-4 kiddie pools and a water bucket to water our crowd. Is anyone hassled over watering animals? Im not talking large ag just small homestead. Waiting for a call Monday from Costilla county in regards to water usage and septic permit costs and restrictions. If I buy I want to be able to use water for garden and pets without a hassle and without bending or breaking rules. Property is said to have "water rights". Im just waiting for a clarification of what those rights may be or entail. Grew up in NM so Im familiar with "water rights and usage issues" stark nothingness, endless sage and extreme temperature fluxes.

[Rainbow Demon]

So what did the county say? (you may have to go through the Division of water Resources to find out about water rights)

From my understanding...what you will need to water livestock/ a garden is a DOMESTIC well permit or a ditch right.... neither of which is likely in the SLV/in conjunction with the cheap land you are targeting to buy. More likely, IF you can get it, is that you would receive a "household use ONLY" well right. This does not give you a right to water livestock or anything else outside the home or collect rainwater. (unless the law has changed) >No outside watering whatsoever<

Best of luck