No Zoning Restrictions Plenty Of Privacy Overlooking The Rio Puerco

The subject property is a 5 acre parcel located in Rancho De Bernardo, a rural subdivision situated just south of Belen in the shadows of the Ladrone Mountains.

Occupying a large swath of land beginning just west of where the I-25 and US 60 meet and extending roughly ten miles north along the mesa, this remote desert subdivision boasts the kind of unparalleled privacy perfect for camping and off-grid living. 

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.

Legal Access: As noted, the Rancho De Bernardo subdivision begins just west of where the I-25 and US 60 meet and extends roughly ten miles north along the mesa. While there is a decent amount of development in the area closer to the highway, most of this subdivision remains undeveloped. Because of this, very few of the roads, particularly as far north as the ones that lead to the subject property, are maintained or even labeled. Despite this fact, however, prospective buyers can rest assured that the subject property, as well as all the parcels in the subdivision, have legal access.

Roads & Access: The subject property is a corner lot located where two roads the plat identifies as La Mesa Drive and Cerro Vista Avenue meet. Neither road, particularly in this region, is regularly maintained or trafficked. Because of this, a larger truck or off-road capable vehicle is recommended for anyone scouting the property.

Roads & Access, Cont’d: While there are more than a few ways to access the subject property, the most obvious route may be approaching from the south along Old West Ranch Road. This is one of the few roads in this region which is both named on the original plat and is labeled with road signs. In addition, it is also one of the only roads identified on Google and most mapping apps by the name on the plat, making it both the easiest to identify and least confusing to use.

Gates: As is to be expected in undeveloped, sparsely populated regions like this, some legal roads will have gates across them. Most of these appear to be more decorative than functional and few of them seem to correspond to a developed home site. None of them are legal. As our Photographers have indicated from multiple shoots in this region, anyone scouting the property can safely pass through all of these gates. And on the off chance one were to encounter a gate that is locked, in all likelihood the road one over will be wide open. 

Power & Utilities: Residential power lines can be found at the entrance to the subdivision servicing a few developed home sites there. Those power lines, however, stop at least four miles south of the subject property. Because of this, anyone looking to develop the land 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 & 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: 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 De Bernardo 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 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.

Conveyance Document: This property 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.

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.  

Rio Puerco: One of the notable features of this property is its proximity to the Rio Puerco, which runs just 900 feet east of the parcels' western boundary. Prospective buyers can rest assured, however, that despite this fact the subject property is not located in a flood zone.

Rancho De Bernardo sits just west of the I-25 corridor. From this subdivision, Belen is only twenty minutes north and Albuquerque only forty minutes. 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 ninety miles south of Rancho De Bernardo along the I-25. This region boasts excellent recreation opportunities such as fishing, boating, jet skiing, camping and RV'ing and may provide ideal weekend getaways for you and your family.