OK so I'm cross posting this from the survivalist/homesteading forum, so there is probably more prepping oriented questions than normal for the home town forum.  Id like to buy a plot of land in CO to build a house that is semi off grid and is self sustainable, preferably along the front range. In terms of "semi" I mean I would like access to a local power grid, but will have solar/wind and a battery bank as the basis for most of my power. Same with water, if possible, preferably well.

Heres what Id like to do and the concerns I have

1) An area that is close to a city but not IN a city. Isolated yet gives me the option to not be. Something like unincorporated Boulder, Golden, Colorado Springs. Maybe 20 minutes from the edge of town. Does not need to be along the front range, but close enough to a large population center. It can be deeper in the mountains to a certain extent but I want to be near a town and not a half a day's drive from an international airport (family is spread out and I travel alot).
2) Large enough to be both enjoyable and self sustaining. 10 acres plus with room to have animals, crops, woods, possibly flowing water (creeks/river) for power, room for shooting . Mountainous enough for offroading is a plus! Upper limit is really whatever is affordable.
3) Property taxes. I may buy the land several years to a decade before I build on it. Id prefer not to eat 10k a year paying for land Im not currently using. This is a long term/retirement location. Im pretty sure Im going to buy the land years before I build the house.Right now the places im looking at on land watch have some pretty decent size plots for under 100k, but will require development over a period of time. Wood, water, heat, electricity, the works.
4) Water. This is an issue in CO. Id like to have land with flowing water on it, but Ill also probably need to drill a well. Flowing water= power with the right equipment. It also gives access to fish as a food source. This is not a deal breaker but a big potential selling point. Also really hoping to get into fly fishing when I get more time in my life.
5) Food. Im going to have a plot that can provide food year round. Something along the lines of This With CO winters Im not sure if this is completely feasible, but Id like to have a structure that will extend the growing season for some plants significantly.
6) Building costs. Again much more long term. Id like to have a decent sized house (3-4 bed rooms) from a material that is pretty durable. Brick or stone preferable due to fires in the area. I know that the further out you get, the more you have to pay. Id prefer not to pay an arm and a leg for a small cabin. The place will probably end up having several structures on it from the house, garage/shed, greenhouse, chicken coop.
7) A basement. This one is key for several reasons I need to be able to build in an area that can accommodate a below ground level basement.
8) Last but not least, A VIEW!!!!!!!! I chose CO because its a beautiful state and Iv loved living there. This house is one Ill have to be carried out of so I want it to be somewhere that I can wake up every day and be happy just knowing that Im there.

Any info you guys have will be appreciated. Im sure I have not thought this through as much as some on here and Im looking for any advice you guys have!

I suggest you browse some of the Moving to CO threads, before you get your hopes up.
Are you dreams realistic, sure. Not in 1 place in CO.
Possibly not at all. You want water and a basement in the mountains??  Better have $$$$  and lots of it. Off Grid and close to major communities, maybe.............
Utilize any water running through the property Unless you're sold the land and water rights, Never Happen. Again search the Moving to CO threads.

Good Luck on your dreams

OK so I have lived ed in CO (renting) and have family owning in the state. I know I can't get all for them but they are things I'm looking for.I am trying to mimic a family home on the outskirts of Boulder so I know it can be done .running water is by far the lowest stipulation, but I threw it in there ftp see what the hive mind says.

As to the house, it doesn't have to be "in" the mountains.  Id love for something like this around the Silverthorne/Dillon area but I realize that it probably isn't an option financially unless I hit the lottery. Again, hoping the hive mind knows something I don't already.  Realistically I'm looking at the Golden or CO Springs areas.

Golden, aka Jefferson County, has some high property tax rates compared to other areas I've seen mentioned by family and friends.  I live in Arvada, also Jefferson County, and my taxes are ~$2000 on a $300,000 house.

If you are looking in Golden, try looking for a bit of land with a house up Golden Gate Canyon Road, highway 72 or near Blackhawk.  This would all be in mountainous areas.

As far as running water goes, CO is mostly dry everywhere on the surface.  Finding a creek, river, etc with land for sale surrounding the water is going to be expensive.  If you are looking in Golden and Boulder County you must have some deep pockets.

Most of the front range is pricey right now from CO Springs north all the way to Ft. Collins.  

You might find a nice piece of land up by Longmont or Loveland, that has a pond or Lake nearby for a couple of hundred thousand.

If you want a river that flows year round, the South Platte that flows along highway 85 north from Denver into Greeley could be considered.  You can probably find a few acres along the river somewhere in between Greeley and Denver.  This would also put you closer to DIA, and into Weld county which is slightly cheaper for buying right now.

I live in CO and am looking/MOSTLY DREAMING about what you have listed in your original post.

If I were filthy rich I'd try to find what you're looking for down south in the Gunnison area.  Living close to an airport or a big city would be last on my list, even though it needs to be included for the wife.

Try looking around the Peyton to Calhan area, east/northeast of the Springs, and north to the Kiowa/Elbert area.  The Bijou Basin is pretty in places.

If you'd consider something a little farther out, look around the Karval area.  Interesting country out there.  It's an hour or so east of the Springs.

Water is going to be an issue anywhere you go.

You either live out east, or south for land, or you live close in for amenities.    I know where land is, lots of it. Unfortunately it's dry land, along the KS. NE border.  There's land down southern CO. However as mentioned. AND there was a thread in GD, not someplace, you want to raise a family. OR leave items unattended.  
The town we live in has less than 6K. 20 yrs later it's 20K ++

Population increased 100K + people (that's not counting families), just new residents based on Auto and DL registration, in 2015. With an average of 100K in 16, increasing every year.

We've considered staying in CO, with goals similar to you, outside of mountain living.  Realistically, it's not happening. One can find 20-35 ac lots with modular or double wide on site.  Unfortunately it's in areas we do not want to live.  We're not talking places you are looking at. We're talking out of the wayastan. Adding kids in the mix, definitely not.
Water availability factors in, with no guarantee a well will not dry up or remain potable in the next decade.

If you want to raise kids and have that lifestyle, be prepared to drive them (EVERYWHERE) till they're 16.  
Curious what price range are you wanting to keep the dream in?

I'll echo the posters in this thread, that's quite a nice dream. Without knowledge of your price point, it's hard to help. You're talking big bucks in your OP, which may be the case for you.

For some perspective on the market, i bought a home in 2010 for 150,000 and sold it last year for 255,000. I then bought a house for 368,000. Prices are no longer cheap in CO.

some pretty cheap land around Cripple Creek. I bought 1.64 acres for $2,400 a few years ago.

I think your desires are very much out of touch with reality, unless you have serious cash.

The front range is expensive.  

Irrigation water is difficult to get, and expensive.

If you get a well, you can't normally irrigate much with it (water law)

Co winters will kill your garden.  You will need a big greenhouse, and a way to heat it.

The cripple Creek area or something like Idaho Springs is also a serious consideration.  I don't want go to far east of the front range.  It's stuff like this that I'm hoping to get from this thread. I know the areas around Boulder, the springs, and the I 70 corridor east of Silverthorne pretty well, but I know there a lot of hidden areas in the state that would fit what I'm looking for.
Right now my initial budget would be about 100k for the land, then down the road, build the house depending on my financial situation.  I'm thinking 250k for the house but that would include the power and well.  I am open to a lot with a house on it that could be renovated but I'm assuming that will be more of an initial cost.  I know there is property west of the springs that has pretty regular running water but have no idea  what that costs.

Right now 100k for the land with another 250k for the house.  But you bring up another topic I am hopingoing to get educated on with the Wells drying up.  Is this a common occurance?


ETA- I also know some areas water can be pretty polluted.  Rocky Flats is a place I'd like to avoid for this reason.  I'm sure with some of the study they use in the mines, there are several  other areas in the state that have similar pollution or toxin issues.

You stated you wanted 10 acres and a well.  In order to get a well permit you'll need 35 acres.

Again, UNLESS said property has the rights to that water. It's not yours, you cannot touch, use or think about using. It doesn't belong to you.  
Your post are contradicting them self.
You're expecting a dream piece of land, down the road, yet you really have No Clue about water rights, land needed to sink a well, climate conditions for growing etc.  EVERYONE WANTS TO LIVE IN THE MOUNTAINS.  Everyone who ends up doing so, Pays very well for that place they dream of.

We looked at property, 15 miles from denver.  One figures 15 miles "drive time" is maybe 20-30 minutes.  The land we looked at was 15 miles from denver, as the crow flies.  The land was 45 minutes, once off pavement, going down 4 switchbacks, on dirt.  

No 4wd, you were stuck in rainy or snowy weather.  Beautiful place, great views, water & mineral rights. Just was not practical from a daily commute standpoint.

 I mention this as you wan,t or keep hinting at living outside denver in the hills.  It's possible to do so.
Logistically, better have lots of $$$$ cause each and every delivery truck you need will cost, same for any contractor.  Then factor in the kids. Shopping etc.

The above posters are spot on. Don't mind Jim. We will stuff a playboy and some pills under his door to brighten up his mood but he's not wrong

Your idea is completely doable in the ozarks or pacific northwest. In co you need to atleast double that budget or start looking in the very southern part of the state.

Also consider wy.

I put him on my Ignore list. Even if he is right.

My first reply was overly brief, I was in a rush.  Here's my take.  FWIW, I live about a 25 minute drive from Longmont, and it's still expensive.



Most lots in unincorporated boulder or larimer probably start at 100-150k for the first acre.  Some really remote, limited/contested/seasonal access might bring that down.  A neighbors 35 acre lot between Longmont and Loveland in the unincorporated county just went for 410k.

No way you are getting 10 acres of bare land for less than a couple hundred unless there is something wrong, or it's 2.5 hours from the airport.  Going out east will make it cheaper.  The woods in CO are not self sustaining in terms of producing food, they are pine forests that grow slowly most of the time.  Flowing water is pretty rare, and if it is flowing, unless you own the right, you had better not touch it, you will get raped.  Water rights tend to be very expensive.  If you have a ditch run by a ditch company, you might be able to get irrigation water, but the shares in the ditch probably cost 30-50k per share.  Free running river rights, only very rarely available, are even more expensive.




If you have land that has ag designation, taxes are very reasonable annually.  You do need to do some kind of activity to maintain that designation.

See the above bits about water.  You are not going to legally pull water, or derive power, without lawyers and spending a lot of money (6 figures).  You need 35 acres for a well, and that well permit will limit the square footage you can irrigate, usually to a very small area.



I know guys with 25k climate controlled greenhouses, and what you have above is a tall order.  You are not harvesting outside during winter in CO.



Yep, Living in the mountains, or edge of the mountains, everything gets more expensive.  Road/trucks/utilities/etc.  Just getting 2 poles from the main road to your house could easily be a $20k activity for power.  Also, figure difficulties excavating if you are in the mountains.  My house got 15% more expensive in the first 24 hours of construction when I hit subsurface rocks the size of vans that were not indicated in the soils report..



Everyone agrees here!  The views will generally elevate the cost of the land.  There are two main 'views' - Buy in the flatlands and look west for some top rate views and sunsets, or buy in/near the hills and have serene valley views and localized canyons.  Some people buy in the canyons only to move later, as they get sick of the short solar exposure from the steep canyon walls.

Not to be discouraging, but I know people who have most of the same/similar desires as you do, working on this, who have over a million into their place already.  You can certainly do it for way less, but you'll have to weigh the importance of some of the factors above...  Moving further away, way east, or to a place with worse access will bring the land price down.  If water is really important, then factor that in, but figure on 50-150k for it, if it's available.   Water here has started many wars, and is controlled by several psuedo governmental cartels like the NCWCD.

Depends on where you are.  If you don't mind driving an hour to an hour and a half to get to Springs or Denver, you can get a nice house for cheap.  An example.  A couple years ago a house in Hugo (about 15 minutes from Limon) had an asking price of between 100 and 125k.  IIRC it was a four bed three bath modular with a basement.  On a quarter or half a city block.  around 08 (pre bust on real estate) a 2 bed one bath on forty acres in wild horse (about forty minutes from Limon) had an asking price of 38K.

where the fuck did you learn that?

Not to be discouraging, but I know people who have most of the same/similar desires as you do, working on this, who have over a million into their place already. You can certainly do it for way less, but you'll have to weigh the importance of some of the factors above... Moving further away, way east, or to a place with worse access will bring the land price down. If water is really important, then factor that in, but figure on 50-150k for it, if it's available. Water here has started many wars, and is controlled by several psuedo governmental cartels like the NCWCD.

Thank You.

A short OT. We're looking at places in N.NV.  Inquiring about water rights and digging a well.  Told direct and to the point.
IF we wanted to dig a well GFL. I f we wanted water rights.  Better be able to document it was for livestock or farming ONLY irrigation.  W/Out documentation one was SOL , or as she said Politely refused a permit.

Back on topic

He was partially correct. A well can be dug for under 35. Thus quashing any hopes of farming small acreage, for anyone. .

HOWEVER....

http://www.watercolorado.com/resources/articles/article4.shtml

Why is a rural real estate purchase of 35 acres significant in Colorado? In 1972, the State of Colorado required that property owners in Colorado must own at least 35 acres in order to have a Domestic Well or Livestock Well permits for their property. The main purpose for the 35 acre requirement was to limit the depletion of surface water, so that it would sustain itself over time.


What happens when you have less than 35 acres for your rural real estate purchase? The well permit that you are issued will be for “household use only.” Simply put, the water can only be used inside your home – no outside faucets are allowed! All additional water for livestock, crops, outdoor recreation, etc. must be hauled in or be taken from an extremely deep source.

To the OP. Don't give up on your dream!
Over the summer I picked up 10+ acres in Boulder County, just off a county maintained road, surrounded by national forest with a well and a house already on it. It might have been the deal of a lifetime, but it was done. Surprisingly the cost was not significantly more than your land budget. Flowing water in Colorado is probably going to be the hardest part with a budget, although if you go high enough in altitude you'll have surface water in the form of snow for most of the year :)

Is that a new law? Family in Boulder has a 5 acre plot with one.

Hence the thread.  I dont know much at all about water rights, pollution, construction costs in remote areas, HOAs, land taxes ect.  The running water is a pretty low priority and would be a bonus on top of a well.  Im wont be using the water for home or crop use (only way that would happen is in a pretty unlikely scenario, ie breakdown in government, where I wouldnt have to worry about the legal consequences).  Under most circumstances, I wouldnt be using the creek for anything other than fishing with a permit.  No matter what I would drill the well for water use. That being said I would like to know more about water rights in CO.

As to the cost, Im asking because I have seen several deals on land watch in Boulder, Clear Creek, Gilpen, Larimer, ect. all near my acreage and price range.  What Im concerned about is WHY they are priced like this.  20 Acres in Gilpen county fo 75k is something Im willing to jump for but I want to make sure Im asking the right questions.  It looks like a great buy but if its polluted, unable to support a well, or has other problems (mineral claims, ect) it could easily become more of a burden than a joy. Idaho springs is probably the best example I can give for vicinity to a large town. 30 minutes from Golden, a little over an hour to DIA.  Remote but not so much that I have to commute an hour just to go to walmart or pick up groceries.

In terms of commute, Im not as concerned about that as this is a more likely a lifetime goal than something that Ill be going back and forth from work for or be having to worry about kids commuting to school.  The access to cities is more for access to stores, utilities, and the ability for some social interaction. Not for work or kids.  Cost Im willing to look at as higher than most because Im looking to develop over the course of a couple of decades.  Ie, buy the land, build part of the house, drill well, add on, in waves over the span of a few decades.  The only way this becomes a problem is if the cost to maintain the land becomes to great for me to put away money for developing the property.  

Holy shit, Im not sure, but I think I may have bought my first gun from you.  Screen Name is very similar if I recall.  Tanner Gun show back in 2012?

Thanks again for the responses guys.

Already lived there.  Trying to ensure I find my way back.

This is exactly what Im looking for.  Well would be for house use, maybe some limited gardening.    The "crops" thing is something Ill look into.  Id like to have some supplementary crops or greenhouse on the property.  I need to find out if there are any exceptions for individual use ie crops that wont be sold but from the link you gave me, its not looking good.

A sister and her husband bought some property in Summit County several decades back, and built a house on it.  They drilled a well.  Everything went fine for years and years, then they got a visit from a water lawyer.  They were informed that their water rights were severely restricted--they could continue with indoor water for the usual purposes, but they couldn't use any outside taps.  There went her flowers.

This may end up being a significant factor on the size of the plot I buy.

Not me, don't recall being at the shows for some time. Then again i don't re........

DUDE, read the water rights link i posted. There's NO angle to finagle something everyone else is prohibited BY LAW from doing

call a few well companies.

http://www.jamesdrilling.com/index.php

 

http://water.state.co.us/groundwater/groundwater.asp

We have 36 acres in southern CO.  That was the criteria for a permit.  That's why developers create 35 acre parcels for sale.  We are in River Ridge Ranch and neighboring developements (Navajo Ranch, Black Diamond are the same.

Must be a similar name.   There cano be that many Jim's in the CO hometown forum.

Not doubting you and read the site.  It just blows my mind that you have to own half a county to have an out door tap on well water.  You would think here would be a work around.  Looks like this will probably be the first decision I have to make in the property I buy.  It looks like I'm now split between getting a larger plot or getting some thing close enough to a town to have some local supplied water. So far the biggest outcome of this thread.  Thanks keep it up

ETA- more info on the in laws house.  They have a 5 acre property but the water is split between local water and well water.  Basically they have a switch that they flip when they want to use the outside water taps.  So another option that may be the best option depending on the area I end up deciding on.

Something else to look at is distance to electric.  Especially on lower priced properties.  When I lived in the San Luis Valley, you could get dirt really fucking cheap.  Lots of people in the Chicago area bought their forty acres for a couple grand with no research site unseen.  To find out that at 3K a pole it would cost between 200 and 450K (depending on which area they bought in.) to get electric to the first house.  

Several times a year we would have letters from pissed off people accusing the whole valley of being crooks because they did not do basic research.

I own 36 acres in Park County. The way to get the property tax bill down is to qualify as an agricultural use. We've executed a lease with a local cattle rancher who also runs his cattle in the national forest on a lease with the USFS. That gets us an agricultural classification. At some point I fenced my property to keep the cattle out since I didn't like the flies and cow shit. That caused the land to be changed to "Vacant" and my property taxes went to $1600/yr. No thanks!

I took down as little fence as the assessor said I could get away with and signed with the rancher again. Annual property taxes are about $13. Yes, 36 acres, $13.

I'm not sure of the validity of it, but last year when I was searching for acreage in Park County, the Real Estate agents kept telling me that pot growers had come in after the new laws passed and scooped up many of the 35+ acre parcels that allowed domestic wells. They figured that cheap land and a greenhouse was a good investment.

Very valid. They cannot put money in the banks. So... The growers & dispensary owners have invested said money in to real estate. It's one of the reasons home prices are up there. Have $500K in cash. Buy homes for listed prices. Take out a home improvement loan. Slowly but surely pay back loan with weed money. it's now in the system. Growers get money back (legal by fed standars) when they sell or rent new homestead.

OK. Been out of the loop the last few days.  In terms of electric my goal is to be self sufficient.  Id like to run a line for back up and access to a grid, but the goal is to put more power into the grid than I draw out.

OK now this is progress!  Especially since I'm pretty familiar with Park county.   I would have no problem leasing land for cattle use.  It's close enough to break and CO Springs for me to get out some. Not a bad area at all. I didn't realize how much the land use affected taxes with some of these size plots.

Coincidentally, the property tax bill just arrived. It's $15.03. That's probably up about $2.50 over a decade or more. Those bastards!