10 Acers in the Big Bend Area (Update)

[glenn-k]

Just found this - thought it may be of interest to your explorers if any.

http://www.mindat.org/loc-4135.html

[sdextereo]

Hello all of you West Texans.
I have been paying on a peice of land for a few years now in the Sanderson, Texas area.
I have not visited my property yet "do to extreme distance from home" but plan to spend
my winters there in a few years.
I hear the area is very remote, the sort of thing I like.

[davidW]

Well,

YOU have a ton more information than most at this point.  I think you'll be ok as long as you watch them.  I have heard there is NO water on the entire property except the 3-4 wells that are there and they happen to be on the officer's properties.  I really don't want you to feel bad about this.  It's important that you know all of this and make it work for you.  There are a bunch of owners in that master property.  Eventually, it isn't going to work out for the "wrong doings" that are taking place.  I would get in contact with the guy that has the lawsuit against the owner and see what he has had to deal with. 

This company's business plan is pretty common in the area, West TX and New Mexico.  Sell the land VERY cheap and even offer financing with a nice down payment.  Charge Home owners fees that are extremely high for providing nothing.  Eventually, people that never looked at the land, stop paying for it and he re-claims the property.   Thus, making constant income.  You can go to the home owners website that is on the tereluga ranch site and read the turnover rate per year.  It's like 50% new owners each year.  The biggest problem people don't realize is there is no way to get to thier property.  They have "access" which means they are allowed to travel across an easement to get there but since there is no road, no one can really get there.  Eventually, the "group" will gett enough money to make more roads than is there and then the price goes up.  I would imagine that you can't vote the current officer out of his office for some "voting" reason and # of voting shares, etc...

So, go see your land.  If you can get to it and like it, have fun.  If not, you will probably try to sell it like the other 50%.  Again, I hate to bring bad news, but I would be much happoer knowing the truth now and working with it than finding it out over time.

Let me know how it goes.
Scott

I have to chime in on this Terlingua topic as a property owner that lives a days drive (25 hours) from the Ranch:

Yes, there are some current legal issues taking place (this is America the lawsuit world capital); however, let's look at the subject here:

The HOA fees are next to nothing when looking at any other place. Annual cost = $140 plus $25 for a key to the pool, bathhouse. I almost bought a condo somewhere to use and rent that had monthly fees of $400 plus a management fee if renting out. The majority are like this near 'resort' communities. This is highway robbery. I was disappointed in my yearly search throughout the US. Amenities were the same. Pool, bathhouse, lodging, etc.

Roads are maintained. However, there is no guarantee that those off the grid, high elevation, and slopes of mass degree can get there in a 2wd. This should be known via the seller and due diligence. There are those that choose to be way off the grid. Anyone with a car has a hard time down my paved road in Michigan during a medium snow storm. I pay $3000 a year in taxes and my road gets plowed late in the day.

50% turnover rate? Well people are just unrealistic. They knowingly purchase property they will never use or see if at all once; yet, they wont admit it.. Somewhere down the road they find something else to spend their money on. They didn't spend the time searching for what was right for them. When they come back to reality , they know they can't live in the desert.

Moreover, there are those that want to try and make a buck. They buy and resell. They buy, divide, and sell. This will also cause a high turnover rate.

Yesterday, I received a huge packet in the mail from an outfit in SW Texas. They want a down payment without even listing the tracts available.  I have yet to have a question answered by this outfit regarding tracts. Instead they send marketing material that is no different from its website.

In the end the buyer must perform due diligence on the land and ones own self. What is right for you? What are you willing to pay and for what?

Hats off to all that have and those getting ready to venture into the wild be it desert, woods, mountains, beach or the mind.

[glenn kangiser]

I see you found it.  Thanks for the update.  Some people moving to the country are surprisingly incapable and will of course, whine.

[phalynx]

I have to chime in on this Terlingua topic as a property owner that lives a days drive (25 hours) from the Ranch:

Yes, there are some current legal issues taking place (this is America the lawsuit world capital); however, let's look at the subject here:

The HOA fees are next to nothing when looking at any other place. Annual cost = $140 plus $25 for a key to the pool, bathhouse. I almost bought a condo somewhere to use and rent that had monthly fees of $400 plus a management fee if renting out. The majority are like this near 'resort' communities. This is highway robbery. I was disappointed in my yearly search throughout the US. Amenities were the same. Pool, bathhouse, lodging, etc.

HOA fees should be non-existent on raw land.  I don't pay one penny for an HOA in a subdivided, restricted property.  Terlingua has a long history of taking advantage of people (no real crime in that, there is a sucker born every minute).  My statements above were intended to make people aware of issues of them and others who are buying property site unseen or on Ebay, etc..  If you go out to the place and love what you see, clearly it's not an issue.  It's when people see beautiful brochures of sites only to find out that none of it exists yet.  Sure, it may happen.  Sometimes it does. 

With the legal issues of that place, there is a "non-representative" # of lawsuits against the ranch than the average place.  The database upgrade was a clean example of the "questionable actions" taking place out there.

To you point, due diligence is absolutely what anyone should do before buying any property.  In Vern's case, his expectations were right on par with what he purchased and was thus, very happy.  I am glad for him.  I know finding the right property is a real pain. 

Re-reading my post, I sure seemed bitter.  I really don't know why I was that morning but, as with some future communities, my intentions were noble.

[davidW]

HOA fees vary. My Uncle lives in subdivision that charges zero HOA on undeveloped land. However, my parents own a home 10 miles away in a different subdivision. Undeveloped land is charged half of the HOA fees. Why? Because of the lake, beach, pool, clubhouse, etc. Even though one hasn't developed yet, they still are entitled to use the facilities.

That being said, I am all for reduced HOA fees on undeveloped land if there are amenities. Otherwise, I agree that there should be none at all if there is nothing for the community.

In my personal land search, I have yet to find no HOA fees for undeveloped land where there are amenities as previously mentioned. It would be nice 

[TS_TX]

The HOA fees are next to nothing when looking at any other place. Annual cost = $140 plus $25 for a key to the pool, bathhouse. I almost bought a condo somewhere to use and rent that had monthly fees of $400 plus a management fee if renting out. The majority are like this near 'resort' communities. This is highway robbery. I was disappointed in my yearly search throughout the US. Amenities were the same. Pool, bathhouse, lodging, etc

My first post and I am going  

You are paying people to tell you what you can and can not do on land you are buying

So you can have a key to a pool that isn't built and a club house that isn't.

Wow where was I when this idea was being hatched. ??

HOA fees should be non-existent on raw land.  I don't pay one penny for an HOA in a subdivided, restricted property

I wouldn't buy restricted property either. . ..


If I want to open a junk yard on my land I should be able to - oh yeah I forgot I can.

Why? Because of the lake, beach, pool, clubhouse, etc. Even though one hasn't developed yet, they still are entitled to use the facilities.

They are entitled to use the facilities that don't exist yet


Why an I the only one that thinks this is nuts?

I must live in an alternate universe or some thing.


Gosh now  I wonder if I can sell tickets to ride on my space ship even though I have not developed it yet?

In my personal land search, I have yet to find no HOA fees for undeveloped land where there are amenities as previously mentioned. It would be nice 

Hmm quit looking at sub-divisions clusters with big promises and just buy land. Regular land is  just as undeveloped and you ain't got no body of idiots telling you what you can and can not do on your land.

All this property I see in the pictures on here is in the country just like mine is. Yearly taxes any my land payments is all I have to pay for - and I can have a junk yard, goat farm, or nudest colony what  ever I want on my land.

[glenn kangiser]

Good points, TS_TX.

I hate any kind of HOA's but like to keep my junk semi-presentable if in public view or out of main public view.

My nudist colony I like to have semi-private.  I don't care to have all the young perverts lusting after my perfect body.

Welcome to the forum.

[davidW]

The HOA fees are next to nothing when looking at any other place. Annual cost = $140 plus $25 for a key to the pool, bathhouse. I almost bought a condo somewhere to use and rent that had monthly fees of $400 plus a management fee if renting out. The majority are like this near 'resort' communities. This is highway robbery. I was disappointed in my yearly search throughout the US. Amenities were the same. Pool, bathhouse, lodging, etc

My first post and I am going  
I am going over your comments

You are paying people to tell you what you can and can not do on land you are buying
You can do what you want with the land. However; do no forget the government. They will tell you when they want they are ready

So you can have a key to a pool that isn't built and a club house that isn't.
The comment was directed towards the undeveloped property of the land owner. Not undeveloped facilities

HOA fees should be non-existent on raw land.  I don't pay one penny for an HOA in a subdivided, restricted property

I wouldn't buy restricted property either. . ..
I wouldnt buy investment property with severe restrictions either unless it is for the purpose of resale, lease, or renting to others. It is called investing and making money


If I want to open a junk yard on my land I should be able to - oh yeah I forgot I can.
I can too! However, I do not want a junkyard on every piece of land I own

Why? Because of the lake, beach, pool, clubhouse, etc. Even though one hasn't developed yet, they still are entitled to use the facilities.

They are entitled to use the facilities that don't exist yet
'One' refers to the property owner, not the facilities



Gosh now  I wonder if I can sell tickets to ride on my space ship even though I have not developed it yet?
Virgin has sold out completely for its initial space launch.
My posting had nothing to do with undeveloped facilities so please do not misconstrue what was written. Moreover, if people didn't invest in unseen/non-existent, tangible/intangibles, goods and services, where would we be today? It is called investing

In my personal land search, I have yet to find no HOA fees for undeveloped land where there are amenities as previously mentioned. It would be nice 

Hmm quit looking at sub-divisions clusters with big promises and just buy land. Regular land is  just as undeveloped and you ain't got no body of idiots telling you what you can and can not do on your land.
To each their own. I personally like a variety of land. Just because a person is looking for an immediate return on investment with long term strategies doesn't mean they 'out there'. It is very satisfying to know that every month you get a check for an investment you made even if it is a condo/house/etc in a sub that has crazy idiots running the HOA as long as profit is over cost. Good research will allow one(the individual) to decide what to buy.

All this property I see in the pictures on here is in the country just like mine is. Yearly taxes any my land payments is all I have to pay for - and I can have a junk yard, goat farm, or nudest colony what  ever I want on my land.

I am the same; however, the secluded land that I own doesn't make me money.

BTW 

[Erin]

Hmm quit looking at sub-divisions clusters with big promises and just buy land. Regular land is  just as undeveloped and you ain't got no body of idiots telling you what you can and can not do on your land.

I agree completely! 
See my post about "paying more than it's worth."