# Looking at buying empty property to develop. Advice?



## SEAmom (Jan 8, 2011)

We currently live in a subdivision in SW Ohio. In the next 5-10 years, we plan on buying a large piece of undeveloped property in Southern Colorado. Then we'll build a house, barn, etc. We've never lived anywhere west of Ohio, so don't really know what the potential issues may be. 

What should we look for and what should we avoid in our property search? I did an internet search for advice and nothing really popped up that was helpful.


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

I hope our Colorado friends come in. @bsms would be a great person to offer incite

Until someone smarter than me about Colorado gets here:

Fires and a permanent clean water source would be my primary concerns.

Quality hay availability. I’m not sure if one can buy timothy T. Reasonable pric, or if you have to give up your first born just for one season’s worth

Regardless of what area you think you want to move to, be sure there is at least one high caliber vet facility nearuby. Either an all animal facility or one for horses and one for small animal.

Unless you do your own farrier work, be sure of the availabilit of a good one. It’s likely every other person in some areas of fancy themselves a farrier but that won’t be the case

Also be sure you are within a comfortable driving distance for your own medical and dental needs 

Best wishes in finding property


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

Make sure where you choose to buy is riding friendly and animal care reasonable...
What is the weather pattern, snowfall and temperature common for today not the decade ago trends...
For me, before even my horses my own needs must be met...
Doctors, hospitals, dentistry, eye-care...
Shopping of more than just a few different food stores to meet changing needs as we age...
Shopping for things other than food such as clothing, household needs and now add the needs of your horses at home...

For me, a home on one-level with doors wide enough and layout friendly for heaven forbid illness puts you in a w/c for a little bit of time or forever...
I have a attached garage to my home and can not imagine not having this ever again if we were to move...
Housing of adequate size, aka the barn, layout that my horses can be put in and closed in for bad weather events all parts of our nation endure at times.
I want my farm machinery of tractor with bucket-loader at the least inside to offer longevity.
A hay barn so although some areas of that region have wonderful cheap prices on hay you need to buy in quantity so need a place accessible, high and dry to store it.
My land would ideally be a rolling countryside look to it so house, barns and outbuildings benefit from high in case of flooding rains, but that the horses also have some depression of ground to protect them from fierce winds blowing as they can howl at times in Colorado I remember from travels years ago.
All my property would be fenced perimeter and then cross-fenced interior connected by opening gates for ease of use and moving my animals when needed.
I would have a lit drive entry and gates that open and close by push of a button.
Multiple wells if not public water so you are never without if a well goes bad...farm wells that work dual from windmill or electric power supply..
If you are in snow/ice country, I would seriously look into a driveway with ability to defrost/de-ice itself, expensive but no more shoveling of snow as you age needed...
Access to well maintained roads, paved..
Ability to reach a more populated area, cultural events with a few minutes drive but enough out of town you have rural to enjoy your animals at home.
As was said, large and small animal vet care is a must to be close at hand or reachable in a short drive-time.
Farriers who are originally self-taught are fine as long as they also go for continuing education classes in case your horse{s} develop issues needing more advanced care than the average craftsman can offer are not days away.
There are always new things being learned and stagnating in their way may not benefit the horse or you best.
Knowing in the area are boarding barns regardless of discipline ridden also has you know support of feed stores, professional practitioners are nearby too.
Those would be things to start your mind whirring at possibilities to begin the search for areas accommodating to equines and humans having their animals at home..
🐴 🐎 🐴...


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## PinkPrancer (Nov 10, 2020)

So, we don't live in Colorado, but we're looking to make the move there sometime next year and we're hoping to acquire an acre or two of our own (already developed). One thing that has come up on my search that I need to look more into, is that the water laws in Colorado can be complicated, and may effect whatever irrigation plans you have in mind.

I'm sorry that's so vague, but I think it might be a useful starting point in gathering as much info as you can regarding what you can or can't do with water on your own land since it might not be the same for where you live now.


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## Avna (Jul 11, 2015)

Here's my advice:
Move to the general location you are interested in there and rent a place for at least a year (all the seasons). 

Colorado is REALLY DIFFERENT than Ohio. Completely different climate, and also culture. It is also a big state with wide differences within it. Away from the hip cosmopolitan areas it is kinda the Old West out there, which has its good and bad sides. As has been noted, water is an omnipresent issue. Opposite of Ohio. Also unlike Ohio, elevation has an enormous effect on what climate zone you are in. 

As far as developing property goes, raw land can only be characterized by how endlessly complicated the variables are, and most of them are invisible to the uneducated eye. Water, soil types, drainage, septic, zoning, road access, power, internet access, and much much more ... all unknown, without a deep exploration of each separate one. If you plan on living a good distance out of town, be aware of just how empty most of the West is. I know someone who has a ranch in Nevada who drives forty miles to just get her mail. You need to be very self-reliant and have a big toolbox of rural skills. 

I am not trying to discourage you.When we were young my husband and I developed a piece of raw land and lived there for forty years and raised our family there. It is incredibly satisfying to do (especially if, like us, you do everything yourselves). But do not underestimate the pile of work -- years of toil -- that you will be signing up for.


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## ACinATX (Sep 12, 2018)

PinkPrancer said:


> So, we don't live in Colorado, but we're looking to make the move there sometime next year and we're hoping to acquire an acre or two of our own (already developed). One thing that has come up on my search that I need to look more into, is that the water laws in Colorado can be complicated, and may effect whatever irrigation plans you have in mind.


Ooh, yes, I remember that now from my water law course. They have really weird water laws, and you'd better be 100% sure what rights you have before you buy property. If I recall correctly, there have been cases where people have been forced to take down rain barrels because the rain water belongs to someone downstream.

Along with that, you need to know what your property's source of water is. If it doesn't have one, you'll probably need to dig a well. I mean, if you have a right to do that. Find out how deep neighboring wells are. You might also want to find out about internet speed, if that concerns you. And then you'll need to get a septic system approved. It's always better to get a place that already has the well dug and a currently approved septic plan on file with the county, or better yet a septic system already dug. When we were looking for a place, I saw several properties where, because of wetland protections, there was really no place for a septic system. And with no septic system, you couldn't build a house. Maybe this isn't so much an issue in sourthern Colorado; we were looking in the Seattle area. Where is the electric hookup located? How is the land zoned? If you want horses, make sure it's zoned for them.

Get a local real estate agent that you like and trust. It's fine to look through sites like Zillow, but only the real estate agent can tell you, like ours did for us, "That property looks great on paper but it's under water half the year." Again, not so much an issue in Colorado, but if you're looking in a specific area he might be able to steer you away from crazy neighbors, fire-prone areas, and other pitfalls.


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## jrc111 (Aug 7, 2017)

We bought a 70 acre parcel in CO, S of Westcliffe in 2016, and put a 24 x 30 cabin, with 13 x 13 loft on it. We are off grid, so we have a well, 300 gal cistern/80 gal pressure tank and solar controller/batteries in an unfinished basement beneath it, which is not considered living space, as we opted not to put a 2nd egress in the basement. We put up a loafing shed and a 55 ft panel round pen for horses. We and our family use it several months during the summer; it’s at 8500 ft, so nice and comfortable without AC.

My principal advice is inquire about the County permitting process. We’re in Huerfano Ounty outside city limits and the county’s building policy is ridiculous. Well, septic permits, architect-designed foundation plan, radon specialist plan, plumbing, electric, state and county solar permits. A loafing shed > 144 sq ft requires an architect plan certifying snow and wind load capability. If you want solar panels on the roof, an aerodynamic engineering analysis is required.

Water is an issue. S of us many wells have gone dry. We’re signed up with a County water kiosk, but they’re not accepting new members. It can be commercially delivered, but you need more cistern, as delivery trips are expensive. We are careful about the water, as we can run out when city folks visit and take languid showers, and flush with every pee. Horses seem to use about 15 gal per day each, as it’s very dry.

Building is very expensive. Insurance can be an issue, as we could only get coverage for 80% of what it cost us to build. Others have had trouble getting any policy because of the fire risk. As an example of building cost, we recently inquired about putting in 500 ft of buck and 3 rail fence as a means of getting our horses out to graze. The quote was about $10K, of which $4K was labor - not bad for a day and a half’s work for 2 guys (no clearing or post hole digging required). I’m working on doing it myself, as I can get the wood here for about a third of the cost, and will just flatbed it there after notching the bucks myself).

HTH


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## 289250 (Dec 11, 2020)

Have a big bank account. The money will just fly out of your wallet faster than you can imagine. I know because I did something similar 16+ years ago. Whenever you start from scratch, especially in a new part of the country, you will almost guaranteed outspend your original budget by a long shot. Either that, or you will have to significantly pull back on your building plans which may or may not be something that will leave you happy in the long run.


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

JR Desire said:


> Have a big bank account. The money will just fly out of your wallet faster than you can imagine. I know because I did something similar 16+ years ago. Whenever you start from scratch, especially in a new part of the country, you will almost guaranteed outspend your original budget by a long shot. Either that, or you will have to significantly pull back on your building plans which may or may not be something that will leave you happy in the long run.


Amen — Amen ———— and AMEN!!!!!


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