Partially Fenced Lot Free Of Zoning Restrictions

Rio Grande Estates is located just south of Belen off of Highway 60 in the shadows of the Manzano Mountains. Situated just forty miles south of Albuquerque, this master-planned subdivision was platted out and pinned back in the 1960's with the vast majority of the region subdivided into one acre parcels.

The subject property is a 5 acre lot located in the north eastern part of the subdivision in Unit 33. This Unit is one of only three in the entire Rio Grande Estates subdivision where the parcels are larger than 1 acre in size, which means that owning this lot will give you almost five times as much land as the vast majority of property owners in the region.

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 this table.

Road Conditions: The subject property is located along a road which neither the plat nor Google Maps have ascribed a name to. This Unnamed Road sits just east of Jacinto Street. While most of the roads in this subdivision are easy enough to navigate in any vehicle type, due to the remote and un-trafficked nature of this specific region, a larger truck or other off-road capable vehicle is recommended.

Road Conditions, Cont’d: In the gallery at the bottom of this page we’ve attempted to demonstrate how the quality and condition of the roads change as you approach the property from the northern entrance of the subdivision along San Lorenzo Road.

Power: The nearest residential power lines are more than a mile west of the subject property in the more developed part of the subdivision that begins just east of Veguita. Because of this, anyone looking to develop the land is encouraged to investigate alternative forms of power such as solar panels.

Gates: It should be noted that some sort of makeshift locked gate appears where Jacinto meets the turn-off to the Unnamed Road leading to the subject property. Our company has bought and sold over three hundred lots in this region and never before encountered such an obstruction. This sort of thing should not exist because all the parcels in this region were created with legal access roads. Thus, anyone erecting such a gate along a road would not only be doing something technically illegal but also blocking other landowners from accessing their property. That said, in rural locations that don’t see much traffic, this sort of thing is known to happen. Fortunately, our photographer reported that it was very easy to get around the gate and access both the Unnamed Road as well as the subject property.

Gates, Cont’d: While Hemingway Land is not aware of who installed the gate, our best guess would be the landowner to the immediate east of the property we’re selling.

Anyone considering purchasing this parcel is encouraged to scout the land in advance of deposit to determine how easy or difficult dealing with the gate (or perhaps even the neighbor who installed it) might be. Please Note: Not everyone who lives in rural locations like this has the personality of a rattlesnake. Some are very nice and accommodating people who are simply glad to have a neighbor for the first time in years. You never know.

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.

This fact alone makes the area ideal for anyone with an RV who's looking for land they can vacation to, camp on, or park and live on for lengthy periods of time without being disturbed by local constables enforcing zoning ordinances. This also makes the area fitting for other types of "unconventional" dwellings such as earth ship homes, tiny homes and shipping container homes, typically difficult to get permitted elsewhere. 

No HOA: Rio Grande Estates has no HOA and there are no annual dues associated with land ownership.

Covenants, Conditions & Restrictions: In addition to having no HOA, Rio Grande Estates has no covenants, conditions or restrictions (CCRs) recorded with the County. This means there are no subdivision restrictions on land use either.

Disclosure: Prospective buyers are encouraged to keep in mind that while Socorro County has no formal zoning and the subdivision has no recorded restrictions, 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 Engineer is 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.

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 in the table to the right 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.  

Fencing: It should be noted that fencing runs along both the southern and eastern ends of the subject property. Because of this, the boundaries of the parcel are well-defined and will likely preclude the need for an expensive survey. 

Rio Grande Estates Inventory History: Hemingway Land has bought and sold hundreds of lots in the Rio Grande Estates subdivision and we typically boast a revolving door of property here. Anyone looking to expand their parcel boundaries is encouraged to review our master spreadsheet of past and current inventory to see if we have now or have had in the past land which is adjacent to yours. NOTE: Adjacent lots are best identified by knowing the Unit/Block/Lot of your own property.

Rio Grande Estates Property Owners Facebook Group: Even though this subdivision was first created in the 1960's, the region has sat largely undeveloped since. Within our time selling land here, however, a number of like-type individuals looking to build unconventional structures and/or live an off-grid lifestyle, have purchased property from us, relocated and begun to develop the region and the sense of community within it. While there is still a great deal of undeveloped land here and plenty of privacy, a number of our past buyers have created a Rio Grande Estates Facebook group for those who own land here or are looking to relocate to help better educate people on the region. This group of land owners also acts as an excellent resource for things like surveyors, well drillers and fence builders. 

Adjacent Parcels: It should be noted that because this region was first subdivided almost entirely into 1 acre parcels, it is very difficult to find larger acreage here. For those looking for anything bigger than 1 acre of land you'll need to purchase adjacent lots which total the amount of land you're looking to develop (2 acres = 2 lots, 3 acres = 3 lots, so on and so forth). Prospective buyers should be aware that combination lots are very difficult to come by here and the larger the property you require, the less likely it is to exist. While Hemingway Land has sold a number of adjacent lots in this region (including lots combos as large as ten acres) that is the exception and not the rule in a subdivision platted like this one. In circumstances where we have two neighboring lots, they will always be sold together as they are inherently more valuable.

Rio Grande Estates sits just east of the I-25 corridor. From this subdivision, Belen is only ten miles north and Albuquerque only forty miles. The Rio Metro has stops in Belen as well as nearby Los Lunas which may help with commutes back and forth to nearby Albuquerque and as far north as Santa Fe.

The nearest Walmarts can be found in Belen, Los Lunas and Socorro and the nearest Home Depot in Los Lunas.

Elephant Butte Lake, the largest body of water in the state, is located only ninty miles south of Rio Grande Estates along the I-25. This region boasts excellent recreation opportunities such as fishing, boating, jet skiing, camping and RV'ing and may provide excellent weekend getaways for you and the family.