Watch The Video Below To Learn More
- The Ranchos De Taos Estates subdivision was originally carved out of the surrounding Carson Estates subdivision. At the time of its creation, it was platted out and subdivided into only a few hundred quarter acre lots. Because of this, it is impossible to acquire larger amounts of land here unless you purchase multiple adjacent properties.
- All parcels within the Ranchos De Taos subdivision have legal access, as roads and easements were allowed for in the original Plats of the area. A four wheel drive or other off-road capable vehicle may be required to navigate some of the roads. As is to be expected, some areas are easier to get to than others, some roads are easier to drive on than others.
- While power can be found nearby on the 64, city utilities have not yet been extended into this subdivision, hence making solar energy a necessary but affordable solution. When the day comes that power lines are extended throughout this area, however, the value of this land will increase immeasurably making this an even better investment.
- Wells are generally considered infeasible in this area and most residents either rely on rainwater catchment systems or refillable tanks for their drinking water.
- If you're purchasing land to build you should check with the county zoning office to learn what permits are required on land smaller than 3/4 of an acre.
- Taos County has very relaxed zoning laws, and in an area such as this which is zoned County Rural Area, a person can park an RV and live out of it for 180 Days even without a building permit. Realistically, one can probably live out of it for much longer as it's doubtful that anyone in county government is keeping track of how long what is parked where.
- Our quarter acre lots (single lots) are priced at $900, our half acre (double) lots are priced at $1,800 and our three quarter acre lots (triple lots) are priced at $3,000. Based on all available comps both on the MLS and the internet, these are the lowest priced and most affordable lots within this area.
- The Hemingway Land Company is always buying and selling in this region, and thus, has a revolving door of inventory here. Our plan is to acquire as many lots as possible in the interest of recombining adjacent quarter acre parcels to make larger one acre parcels, and hence, create more value for our buyers. Linked below is a list of the properties we own in this subdivision as broken down by Legal Description of Unit/Block/Lot. This list will be updated as time goes on to reflect which lots have been sold, and what properties are Under Contract or Coming Soon. Should you already own land in this area and are looking to expand your property boundaries, we encourage you to review this list to see if the land you're looking for is one we may be listing in the weeks ahead.
- A Note About Photos: The photos displayed on this listing page are from the Ranchos De Taos subdivision as well as the surrounding Carson Estates subdivision and are NOT property specific. Anyone looking to get a better sense of the terrain or surroundings of an individual lot will need to scout it personally.
- DISCLAIMER: The GPS coordinates given on each of the listing pages and in the spreadsheet linked below come directly from the county GIS office and NOT from our typical software. Because of this, we will not be able to supply buyers with corner points for the individual lots. As with all the properties we sell, buyers are encouraged to hire a surveyor to tell them exactly where the lot begins and ends, particularly if they intend to build on the property.
RANCHOS DE TAOS ESTATES
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Do you have any adjacent lots?
Only where indicated on the spreadsheet. If we have two or more properties that are next to one another we will always sell them that way as they are inherently and exponentially more valuable than if sold separately.
I’m looking at Property X and Property Y. Are THEY adjacent?
No. If they were adjacent we’d combine them into one listing.
I’m looking at Unit 1, Block 37, Lot G. Is that adjacent to Unit 5, Block 196, Lot A?
No. If you look at the spreadsheet we have linked on this page you’ll see the Legal Descriptions of the properties. These are written logically. Unit 1, Block 1, Lot A would be adjacent to Unit 1, Block 1, Lot B. So on and so forth. If you’re looking at two properties wondering if they’re adjacent - or even close by - simply review the legal descriptions or hyperlinked GPS coordinates.
Do you have any 5 or 10 acre lots? Or anything bigger than a quarter acre?
No. This entire area was subdivided over fifty years ago into quarter acre lots. There is nothing larger, and the only way to get something larger is to purchase adjacent lots.
What are the chances you’ll get a bunch of adjacent lots that total 5 or 10 acres?
Highly unlikely. That much adjacent acreage in this region is the rural land equivalent of a unicorn. But if it’s that important to you we’d encourage you to subscribe to our weekly newsletter or YouTube channel. New properties debut on our site every Friday and are announced in those platforms first. By subscribing to either you’ll be among the first to know should we ever have a listing like that.
If you get a bunch of adjacent lots totaling x amount of acres, can you call me personally to let me know?
No. That’s what the website, the email blast and the YouTube channel are for.
Why is it so difficult to find larger acreage in this region?
Quite a few reasons:
1) When the subdivision was first created in the 1960s, these lots were sold as investment properties outside of a rapidly developing Taos community which would “one day soon” be worth a lot of money. Hence, they were sold for expensive prices that precluded most casual investors from purchasing more than one.
2) Environmental laws adopted throughout the state in the 1970’s devalued the viability of a quarter acre lot. Because of this, most of the people who purchased these ten years prior suddenly lost interest in their land. Because they lost interest in the land, they never bothered to insure that the property would transfer to a next of kin upon death. Hence, a lot of dead people own land in this region that their families can’t sell and that we/you/no one can buy.
3) Because most family members/next of kin continue to pay the rather negligible yearly tax bills on the land they don’t own, the land has never been foreclosed on by the state and resold at auction.
4) Because the tax bill is so small, most family members continue to pay it rather than attempt to navigate the probate process required in New Mexico to formally and officially put the land in their names.
5) Because the tax bill is so small, it has to be in default for longer than the customary Three Year period allowed for in New Mexico law before the state will foreclose on it. Put another way, it costs more to resell it at auction than it does to leave it in default accruing interest and penalties.
Do these lots have “legal access?”
Yes.
How are the roads in this area?
There are a few main, named roads throughout this subdivision such as Sheep Herder Road which are the easiest to navigate. Despite the fact this region receives a decent amount of traffic from the people who call it home, however, most of the other roads are rough and will require a larger truck or off-road capable vehicle to traverse.
Are there any covenants or restrictions for this subdivision?
No.
Are zoning laws strict in this area?
No. Taos County Planning & Zoning is fairly laid back about the use of real property within the rural areas of its county, particularly in this subdivision. This is why so many people tend to create ‘alternative’ or ‘unconventional’ housing situations out here like tiny homes, shipping container homes and yurts and why this area has become such a haven for the Earth ship community.
Can I park/live/camp in my RV on this land?
Yes.
For how long?
According to Taos County zoning law, people are allowed to park/live/camp in their RV for up to 180 Days. And with that said, it’s questionable anyone is enforcing this timeline.
Do I need a minimum of ¾ of an acre to build in rural parts of New Mexico?
That’s the conventional wisdom, yes, but the reality is there are numerous “work-arounds” when it comes to getting permits to build. Most of the “¾ acre restrictions”, particularly in regards to septic installation, have to do with New Mexico Environmental Law. Numerous “green” alternatives, however, have been created in recent years which may make it easier or more affordable to circumvent the traditional septic system regulations. For further questions about this, we recommend you explore the NM EPA’s website here or contact their offices at (505) 827-2855.
What kind of septic systems are typically installed on lots under ¾ of an acre?
Our understanding is that for lots under ¾ of an acre, septic options may include Advanced Treatment Units, Split Flow Systems and ET Beds. All buyers, however, are strongly encouraged to contact the NM EPA with specific questions about septic systems, septic installation, proper permitting, etc. Additionally, if your intention is to build on the land, you may want to address your questions to vendors in the local Taos County region.
Can I build X, Y and Z on the property?
Probably, but questions like this are best addressed to the Taos County Planning & Zoning office, whose number is (571) 317-3122.
Is there power in this region?
Not throughout the subdivision, no, but obviously the closer you get to the highway and other homes, the closer you’ll get to power and hence, the more affordable it may be to get power extended to your property. It should be noted, however, that solar panels and other alternative forms of energy are very popular in this region as traditional sources of power may either be too impractical or prohibitively expensive to get extended and installed. Anyone looking to build in Ranchos De Taos Estates should anticipate relying on alternative energy sources as the primary method for powering their new home site.
What is the water table depth in this region?/Can I drill a well?
Our understanding is that the water table is quite deep out here. It may not be impossible to drill a well though it may be prohibitively expensive.
How else can I get water?
Holding tanks and rainwater catchment systems are popular alternatives and are used quite a bit in this region. We’ve heard of a communal well that exists out here where residents can pay a nominal fee for a gallon of water. That being said, we can’t substantiate this and all buyers are encouraged to investigate this potential source of water on their own.
How’s the internet/wi-fi in this area?
Having no first-hand experience with it ourselves, we can’t speak to this issue directly. That being said, we’ve had a number of people scout properties in this region and no one has ever reported any problems using their smart phones to locate the lots.
Can I scout the property I’m interested in prior to purchase?
Yes. Please do. We encourage anyone who’s going to buy from us to view the land they’re interested in prior to purchase.
Can you take me on a tour of all the properties you have?
No. We’re investors, not realtors. Additionally, we have no office in New Mexico nor staff on standby waiting to give people guided tours.
How can I scout the property then?
It’s easy. Simply bring the listing page of the property you’re interested in up on your smartphone. Click the GPS coordinates (latitude longitude) displayed on the table and your smart phone should give you turn-by-turn directions out to the land. There are also a number of mapping apps that can help with this.
Is the land marked – like with a ‘For Sale’ sign?
No.
Has the property been staked or surveyed?
Not recently and not by us, no.
This entire region was platted out years ago. Stakes or pins may have been used to mark property boundaries but it’s questionable whether they still exist or can be found. While they may be there, we’re not making that guarantee to our buyers.
The GPS coordinates we give you to locate the lots are fairly accurate and should get you to a location that will give you an excellent sense of precisely what chunk of land it is that you’d be buying. For a specific sense of where the lot begins and ends, it is ultimately best to hire a local surveyor.
Why don’t you get the lots surveyed?
Three reasons:
1 - For our purposes of creating listings, we have software that tells us everything we need to know about the property’s size, shape and location.
2 - We never know if our end buyer will want or require a survey.
3 - If the survey costs us $1,000 we’re simply going to goose the price of the land $2,000. Hence, it’s ultimately cheaper for the buyer to pay for the survey themselves.
All of your Iisting pages typically have five GPS coordinates - four corner points and one center point. Why do these Ranchos De Taos Estates lots have only one and can you provide the others for me?
The GPS coordinates we typically provide for our listings are ones we get from software that pulls its data from county records. Because our software does not provide the same degree of insight about lots in this region it suggests that while most of Taos County is online, the necessary mapping files for this region were never computerized or digitized. That of course is just speculation. Whatever the case, the coordinates provided on our listing pages are ones gotten directly from conversations with the County GIS office.
As is to be expected, because the County GIS has other things to do with their time besides look up the approximate locations of lots in their county, they do not go out of their way to provide the same breathe and depth of information to us that we normally like to provide to our buyers. As with all the properties we sell, we encourage our buyers to get the land surveyed, particularly if they plan to construct a home or fence on the property. This is especially true of these lots, whose coordinates were gotten from a third party who does not have the same obligations for accuracy to us that we have to you. We’ve checked the coordinates off a plat map overlay on Google Earth, and have tweaked anything that seemed incorrect. Keep in mind, however, we’re eye-balling a one dimensional map on a three dimensional globe, so there’s going to be greater room for error than if these coordinates had come from our software.
Do you have a Plat Map of the region that you can provide for me?
Yes. That said, it’s unlikely you’ll get much from reviewing it but is is linked here - Ranchos De Taos Estates Unit 1 - and in the gallery at the bottom of this page. For anything more specific than this, such as a particular Block or Lot, you’ll have to contact the County Clerk’s office directly and request a plat of that specific region. If such a plat is available, it’ll likely provide more detail than what can be found on the Unit map.
How can I buy one of these properties?
Simply click the ‘Buy Now’ button at the top of the listing page of the property that interests you most. This is the blue/turquoise square with the price and the words ‘Buy Now’ written on it. We also have ‘Buy Now’ links in the spreadsheet. Simply find the property that interests you and then navigate over to the M column of the sheet. ‘Buy Now’ buttons are also linked there.
Can I get title insurance on one of these lots?
You can try and we’re certainly willing to entertain the attempt, but most title companies in Taos County won’t insure land in this region. Because of this, it’s best to call them in advance and find out if they’ll cooperate with such an effort before discussing the purchase/potential down payment with us.
Why won’t Taos County title companies insure land in this region?
We’ve heard a number of excuses from Spanish land grant issues dating back a couple hundred years to the fact the Clerk’s office burned down in the 1930’s. In our estimation, however, it comes down to typical title company apathy and indifference (Translation: there’s not enough money in it for them).
Do you offer financing on these lots?
No. Because of the demand for parcels in this region, coupled with the general aggravation we endure when we offer it, no financing will be available for land in this subdivision.
How soon can I start using the land?
As soon as you give us money, it’s yours to do with as you please.
Disclaimer: While The Hemingway Land Company does extensive research on all our properties prior to listing them, there are always County-specific rules/regulations we will not be aware of. The information provided on this page is, to the best of our knowledge, correct. All prospective buyers, however, are encouraged to contact the county at the links and numbers provided in this table to confirm that whatever plans that buyer has for the property in question are in fact legal, feasible and permitted. Due diligence is the buyer’s responsibility and all sales are final.