Taos Real Estate » Land Info http://galleryrealtyoftaos.com Taos real estate & tourism information, maps, homes for sale, land, statistics. Thu, 29 Jul 2010 20:32:26 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 Taos real estate & tourism information, maps, homes for sale, land, statistics. Taos Real Estate no Taos real estate & tourism information, maps, homes for sale, land, statistics. Taos Real Estate » Land Info http://galleryrealtyoftaos.com/wp-content/plugins/powerpress/rss_default.jpg http://galleryrealtyoftaos.com/category/taosrealestate/land-info/ Taos Real Estate – Water & Wells Off the Grid http://galleryrealtyoftaos.com/2008/07/03/taos-real-estate-water-wells-off-the-grid/ http://galleryrealtyoftaos.com/2008/07/03/taos-real-estate-water-wells-off-the-grid/#comments Thu, 03 Jul 2008 13:34:05 +0000 Jim Kimmons, Broker/Owner http://galleryrealtyoftaos.com/?p=1108 Water in a dry placeI saw that someone visited the site on a search about water and wells off the grid, and realized that I hadn't written anything about it.  So, here is what little I have to share.  If you want to live or vacation in a home built off the electrical grid, it is highly likely that you'll be collecting water mostly from rooftop collection systems and during the winter to get the snow melt.

If we have decent snowfall, and if you have a large holding tank, you should be able to collect most of what you need if you're frugal with the water.  There are also water haulers that can bring you a load, but I'm not sure what the cost is now.  There are rarely wells involved, as the location of many of these homes is where water is extremely deep.  Also, there just isn't enough power from solar battery systems to run the pump required to bring up the water.

One notable exception is Cielito Lindo, where they have a community well with an extensive solar array to power the pump.  The last time I was out there, they also had a trailer that the residents could fill at the well to take the water back to their homes.

Creative Commons License photo credit: Unhindered by Talent

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]]> http://galleryrealtyoftaos.com/2008/07/03/taos-real-estate-water-wells-off-the-grid/feed/ 0 Survey or ILR – What’s the Difference? http://galleryrealtyoftaos.com/2008/01/24/survey-or-ilr-whats-the-difference/ http://galleryrealtyoftaos.com/2008/01/24/survey-or-ilr-whats-the-difference/#comments Thu, 24 Jan 2008 18:10:35 +0000 Jim Kimmons, Broker/Owner http://galleryrealtyoftaos.com/2008/01/24/survey-or-ilr-whats-the-difference/ survey Survey or ILR Whats the Difference?When purchasing land or homes in the Taos real estate market, a surveyor will be doing some work on behalf of the buyer(s) and the title insurance company. Whether they are doing a "survey" or an "Improvement Location Report" depends on:

  • Whether there has been a survey within the last 10 years or so.
  • The negotiations of the buyer and seller, as the cost is very different.
  • If there are issues that concern the title insurer and might require a full survey.

As an ILR is normally a few hundred dollars, while a survey is a few thousand, the seller normally wants only the ILR performed. This is completely acceptable if the title company will remove any survey-related objections in their title binder based on the ILR. The vast majority of deals in the Taos real estate market require only an ILR.

There is also a large difference in the time frames required. An ILR can be done usually in a week or two, while a full survey can take months. This is not a desirable situation for buyer or seller in most cases. You'll also note that there is a disclaimer on the ILR that states that it is not a "survey" and not to be used as such by the property owner. The ILR is prepared solely for the title company to aid in their issuance of title insurance. It carries less liability and work for the surveyor, thus the lower cost.

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]]> http://galleryrealtyoftaos.com/2008/01/24/survey-or-ilr-whats-the-difference/feed/ 0 Taos Real Estate Covenants and Restrictions http://galleryrealtyoftaos.com/2008/01/04/taos-real-estate-covenants-and-restrictions/ http://galleryrealtyoftaos.com/2008/01/04/taos-real-estate-covenants-and-restrictions/#comments Fri, 04 Jan 2008 16:20:38 +0000 Jim Kimmons, Broker/Owner http://galleryrealtyoftaos.com/2008/01/03/taos-real-estate-covenants-and-restrictions/ Those buyers from urban areas in other states are frequently confused by the covenants and restrictions on Taos real estate properties. Let's bullet some points that should help.

1. Other than building codes, there are few County or Town appearance or style restrictions. Those are normally in the historic areas in order to maintain the character of the town.

2. Subdivisions with homogeneous covenants are becoming more common.

3. The vast majority of covenants and restrictions are in deeds on individual parcels.

4. In general, restrictions on the use of Taos real estate or on construction style are not onerous. The most common is for pueblo style one story. This preserves area character as well as views.

5. Some subdivisions require submission of building plans for approval. Again, criteria are usually reasonable and not a problem for owners,

In the purchase process, Buyers are encouraged to thoroughly review all covenants and restriction documents. Your real estate broker should go over them with you, and get any questions answered promptly.

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]]> http://galleryrealtyoftaos.com/2008/01/04/taos-real-estate-covenants-and-restrictions/feed/ 0 Easements in Taos Real Estate http://galleryrealtyoftaos.com/2007/12/31/easements-in-taos-real-estate/ http://galleryrealtyoftaos.com/2007/12/31/easements-in-taos-real-estate/#comments Mon, 31 Dec 2007 14:40:26 +0000 Jim Kimmons, Broker/Owner http://galleryrealtyoftaos.com/2007/12/31/easements-in-taos-real-estate/
Taos, NM is a very rural area. Situated in a beautiful valley, there is a large portion of the land in the county owned by the Forest Service, National Parks and Pueblos. A great deal of land is still used for agriculture and ranching. Many parcels have been split over the years for partial sell-off or for family members to construct residences.<p>

Many tracts have been divided in ways that allowed access to irrigation ditches or other surface water. Taos real estate land parcels can often be very long thin pieces, with water on one end. All of this has contributed to a great many interesting road access situations to land properties. Access and easements are important, and a prudent buyer will make sure that their title documents are in order to guarantee legal access to their property.<p>

There are also property owners accessing their homes and land via U.S. Forest Service roads. Though you will not get a full guaranteed access in your deed, nor will it be insured, the Forest Service has been open with their roads. A permit is required, and that can take up to nine months or more. Sellers should have these documents in their possession when they list, as buyers want more than just a promise when they pay for the land.<p>

Gallery Realty of Taos wants your Taos real estate experience to be a good one. We diligently work for our buyers and sellers to provide a seamless closing. Access and easements are an important part of the process.

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The Taos real estate MLS allows the Realtor® to list a lot or land parcel as having electric, telephone, natural gas, etc. as:

  • At lot - line or transformer is at one of the lot lines.
  • Nearby - very open to interpretation, could be across the road or 1/4 mile away.
  • None - utilities far enough away to be an issue, or no easements available to bring them.

The best search to locate land is to not limit it to utilities at the lot. As a matter of caution, when they are on the other side of the road, many agents will use the "nearby" category.

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]]> http://galleryrealtyoftaos.com/2007/12/30/utility-availability-and-land-listings/feed/ 0 Categorization of Land in the Taos Real Estate MLS http://galleryrealtyoftaos.com/2007/12/30/categorization-of-land-in-the-taos-real-estate-mls/ http://galleryrealtyoftaos.com/2007/12/30/categorization-of-land-in-the-taos-real-estate-mls/#comments Sun, 30 Dec 2007 15:44:08 +0000 Jim Kimmons, Broker/Owner http://galleryrealtyoftaos.com/2007/12/30/categorization-of-land-in-the-taos-real-estate-mls/
When you are searching web sites for land in the Taos real estate MLS, the categories found will include:

  • Unimproved - utilities not set up on lot, no building pad or drive.
  • Improved - utilities set up on lot, drive or pad sometimes present, ready to build.
  • Farm and Ranch.
  • Commercial.
  • Industrial.
  • Multi-family.

The vast majority of lots and land parcels listed will be listed as "unimproved", though utilities can be available at the lot line.

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