RANCHO RIO GRANDE
LAND FOR SALE

LOCATION & SIZE

Rancho Rio Grande is a rural subdivision situated just west of the I-25 corridor south of Belen and set against the backdrop of the Ladrone Mountains.

Originally platted and subdivided in the 1960’s and prior to the redrawing of County lines in the 1980’s, Rancho Rio Grande straddles both Valencia and Socorro Counties. The subdivision extends from Los Lunas in the north to Highway 60 in the south and consists entirely of generously portioned 5 acre ranchettes.

Despite the similarity in name, location and origin, land in Rancho Rio Grande provides very different benefits, and appeals to very different types of land buyers, depending on the County it’s situated in. For instance, the part of the subdivision located in Valencia County has seen incredible growth and development over the years but is subject to a number of zoning regulations. These regulations are designed to foster more residential development and may be limiting to buyers looking to use their land in less conventional or structured ways such as tiny homes, shipping containers, yurts, earthships and general off-grid living. Additionally, because of the stark difference in regulations between the two Counties, the Socorro County properties have proven far more attractive to those looking to use their land recreationally, whether that be for seasonal camping or simply for extended stays in their RVs.

LEGAL INFORMATION

When we speak of property we typically use an address — 123 Main Street for instance.

As most vacant land does not have a physical address, however, county governments will identify it in other ways, such as a "legal description", a parcel number or a tax code. The information provided in the table to the right are the ways in which the various state and county agencies will identify this specific parcel of land. These signifiers are important to have when speaking with these agencies – whether they be the assessor, the zoning office, or even the local utilities – and may prove invaluable when initiating conversations about whatever research a buyer intends to do.

Whenever one exists or has been assigned to the land, the physical address will be included in the Subdivision Details section.

ACCESS & UTILITIES

Legal Access: As per the original plat, all parcels in the Rancho Rio Grande subdivision have legal access.

Roads and Access: Despite seeing little traffic or maintenance, due to the arid climate of the region, the roads throughout Rancho Rio Grande are in good condition and can be navigated by any vehicle type.

Roads & Access, Cont'd: While all of the roads in this region are named, and some are labeled with road signs, most of that signage can only be found on the Valencia side of the subdivision. Additionally, depending on the mapping app you're using, roads may have different names, or the same road may be labeled differently depending on which County it's in. Because of this, potential buyers are encouraged to review the maps available on this website prior to scouting the property.

Power and Utilities: While the local utility company has been extending their service throughout Rancho Rio Grande for years, most of that expansion remains on the Valencia County side of the subdivision. And while there are a few developed home sites in this region boasting residential power lines, they are the exception and not the rule. Because of this, anyone looking to develop land here is advised to consider alternative energy sources such as solar panels. Anyone curious to investigate the cost of getting service extended to the subject property is encouraged to contact PNM, the local utility servicing this region.

Wells and Water Service: As with most of the rural land we list, city water service does not exist in this region and anyone electing to develop the land will need to either utilize holding tanks or install a well. Applications for well drilling permits and water rights are handled by the Office of the State Engineer. Anyone curious to learn more about this process is encouraged to visit their website here. Anyone looking to investigate the water table depth common to this region is encouraged to contact well drillers local to the area.

ZONING & RESTRICTIONS

Zoning: Socorro County has no formal zoning ordinance, and per their own government website "does not restrict the use of real property" within the county boundaries.

No HOA: The Rancho Rio Grande subdivision has no HOA and there are no annual dues associated with land ownership here.

Covenants, Conditions & Restrictions: In addition, there are also no recorded covenants on file with the County enumerating any subdivisions restrictions. This suggests that the property can be developed not only with conventional structures such as single-family residences, mobile and modular homes but also unconventional structures difficult to get permitted elsewhere such as shipping containers, tiny homes, earth ships and yurts. This also suggests that the land can be used for camping or extended stays in an RV.

Disclosure: Prospective buyers are encouraged to keep in mind that while Socorro County has no formal zoning, land in this region will still be subject to state-wide laws, building codes and environmental regulations. This is especially true as it pertains to how waste is disposed of and wells are drilled and installed. The NM EPA oversees septic permits and the State Engineeris responsible for well permits and are two organizations you or your contractor will deal with eventually. State regulations aside, however, Socorro County remains one of the most ideal places in New Mexico for developing land with as few ordinances to conform to as possible.

TITLE INFO

Conveyance Document: Properties in this region will be conveyed one of two ways depending on how the buyer elects to fund and close the transaction. For anyone electing to pay our Company directly and outside of escrow, Hemingway Land will provide a Special Warranty Deed. For anyone electing to close through title and escrow and purchase title insurance, Hemingway Land will provide a Warranty Deed. In rare circumstances when Hemingway Land has already had the title insured, a Warranty Deed will be provided regardless of how the buyer elects to close and fund the transaction. See individual listing pages for specifics.

HELPFUL LINKS

The Hemingway Land Company does our best to represent the properties we list as accurately as possible. Our research, however, will always be limited.

Because of this, included below is a list of the relevant state and county governments, agencies and authorities as well as local utilities (and all their respective websites and contact information) which should help to answer any questions a buyer may have about developing this specific property.

Whenever possible it is best to speak with these agencies first as they will always be a far greater source of information about the local region and the regulations which govern it.

• Socorro County Assessor's Office(575) 835-0714(Click Here)
• Socorro County Planning & Zoning (No Formal Office)See Website For Details(Click Here)
• Socorro County GIS(575) 838-5700 ext 1251(Click Here)
• PNM(888) 342-5766(Click Here)
• New Mexico State Engineer(505) 827-6091(Click Here)
• Well Drilling Info(Click Here)
• Well Drilling Permit Application(Click Here)

MISCELLANEOUS

Topography: Land in Rancho Rio Grande is predominantly level terrain easy to park, camp and build on.