Partially Fenced with Power

Land Description

Location & Size

The subject property is a 20 acre parcel found in the Santa Rita Ranches, a sprawling rural subdivision located roughly twenty miles north of Magdalena in the remote hill country of Socorro County.

Boasting forest road access and consisting of generously portioned ranchettes, the Santa Rita Ranches features expansive views of the Rio Salado Valley as well as Ladron Peak and provide their property owners with unparalleled privacy and peace.

County, State: Socorro County, New Mexico

Lot Size: 20.02 Acres

Nearest Town: Belen

Street Address: Not Designated

Zip Code: 87825

Latitude & Longitude:

Center: 34.39130,-107.24430

Nw: 34.39170,-107.24840

Ne: 34.39160,-107.23990

Sw: 34.39010,-107.24870

Se: 34.39020,-107.24050

Legal Information

Legal Description: Santa Rita Ranches, Lot 2

Parcel Number: 2

Account Number: R017331

Annual Taxes: $5.00

Access & Utilities

Roads & Access: The subject property is located in a remote area roughly twenty miles west of the I-25 and twenty miles north of US Highway 60. Despite the location, our photographer reported surprisingly decent driving conditions and stated anyone with a larger truck or off-road capable vehicle should encounter little difficulty.

Roads & Access, Cont'd: The Santa Rita Ranches subdivision can be approached from the I-25 outside of Belen along State Road 12 or from Highway 60 outside Magdalena along Forest Road 354 (which eventually becomes State Road 12). Despite snaking through miles of open desert, however, the driving conditions can be reasonable once you know where you're going.

Roads & Access, Cont'd: Within the subdivision itself, the subject property is located where Bear Mountain Loop meets Ladron Vista Circle and boasts frontage along both. Roads within Santa Rita Ranches consist of graded dirt and gravel, are regularly maintained and can likely be navigated by any vehicle type.

Roads & Access, Cont'd: Anyone looking to scout the property is advised to study a map prior to driving into the region. A mapping app such as Land ID can be particularly helpful in an area such as this where not every road has a name, and not every named road has a sign. In addition, taking a spare tire with you is probably also a good idea.

Power & Utilities: Despite its remote setting, the subject property - as well as most of the parcels here - boasts power at the lot line. Underground utilities can also be found running along the Forest Road just outside the Santa Rita Ranches. Because of this, it may be easier and more affordable to get connected to the grid than one might imagine in this rural setting. Anyone looking to investigate the cost of getting power connected on the subject property is encouraged to contact either PNM or Socorro Electric Cooperative, two utility companies servicing this region.

Legal Access: Yes

Access Road: Bear Mountain Loop & Ladron Vista Circle

Access Condition: Well-Maintained Dirt & Gravel

Access Frontage: Undefined

Power: At The Lot Line

Phone: Mobile or Satellite

Water: By Well or Holding Tank

Sewer: By Septic/Alternative

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.

POA: The Santa Rita Ranches is governed by an owner's association whose mission statement is to maintain and preserve the natural beauty of the region. This primarily takes the form of maintaining the roads throughout the subdivision. While the POA does have a website it appears to be largely a work-in-progress with little information available for review. That said, their Facebook page seems to be updated with greater regularity. It also appears to provide greater insights into the goings-on of the community. Anyone curious about owning land here is encouraged to review both.

Covenants, Conditions & Restrictions: When the Santa Rita Ranches were first subdivided, the developer drew up a set of covenants and restrictions to run with the land. While most of these are what we like to refer to as “reasonable, good neighbor restrictions” dealing primarily with the disposal of trash and prohibitions on excess noise, there are a few covenants that deal with acceptable structures or use of the land. Because of this, anyone considering purchasing the property is encouraged to review the Santa Rita Ranches Covenants and Restrictions document linked here.

Covenants, Conditions & Restrictions, Cont'd: Notable restrictions enumerated in the above-linked document include: Residential structures must have a minimum living space of 400 square feet; The exterior of the structure must be “in harmony” with the natural surroundings; Structures may be no taller than 35 feet in height; Double wide mobile homes and modular homes may be used as permanent residences but single wide mobile homes may not; RVs, campers, trailers and travel trailers may not be used as permanent home sites but may be used as temporary dwellings during the construction of the permanent home site; All permanent structures will need to be completed within 12 months from the time of ground-breaking. Livestock such as horses and cattle are acceptable; Anyone looking to restrict horses and cattle from trespassing on their land will need to fence their property.

Annual Dues: Annual Dues within Santa Rita Ranches are $200.00 per lot and go primarily toward maintenance and upkeep of the community roads.

Zoning: No Formal Zoning Designation

HOA: Santa Rita Ranches Property Owners Association

Covenants, Conditions & Restrictions: Yes

Annual Dues: $200.00

Time Limit On Building: 12 Months From Ground-Breaking

Title Info

Title: Free & Clear

Liens and Encumbrances: None

Mineral Rights: None

Recent Survey: None

Title Insurance: Yes - Through New Mexico Land & Title

Conveyance Document: Warranty Deed

Suggested Type Of Closing: Title/Escrow

Doc Prep Fee: Waived

Nearby Towns

Magdalena: 21 miles (48 min)

Belen: 48 miles (1 hr 17 min)

Los Lunas: 60 miles (1 hr 29 min)

Albuquerque: 81 miles (1 hr 47 min)

Elephant Butte: 118 miles (2 hr 17 min)

Nearby Attractions

Elephant Butte Lake

The Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge

Abo Canyon

Alexander Municipal Airport

Bosque Del Apache National Wildlife Refuge

Manzano Mountains State Park

Rio Salado River

Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument