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Bought Property near St Johns AZ

140K views 2K replies 57 participants last post by  Steve_In_29 
#1 ·
My wife and I will be retired two years the end of this month and we signed the papers on a property in AZ back at the end of May. We still have things to finish up here in CA and probably won't be totally moved for a while yet. I also need to get a shop built there to house all my stuff.

House is a 1452sqft 2bed/2bath log cabin on almost 40 vegetated acres, 9 miles east of a place called St Johns (pop:3400). The house sits at 6400' elevation and while technically still a desert it is cooler and wetter then 29 Palms and in a micro-climate that allows trees. Property cost us $160K and seller paid closing costs.

From horizon to horizon I can see (with bino's) eight other houses. Closest neighbors are almost 1000yds away with the next set of houses right at a mile. The property is on a County maintained gravel road, has electricity, well, septic and cell service (Verizon). Property is fully fenced (4 strand barb wire) which the realtor said the rule of thumb was $10K for 40acres. Still have to do something to keep goats in though.

The house is 14 years old but has never been lived in full time. First owner's wife got ill and needed to be closer to major medical before they even moved in. Second owner bought it as their future retirement place but after his wife spent the first nights there she refused to go back...saying it was, "too quiet"..."too dark"..."too isolated"...etc. They are from Los Angeles so I imagine St John's was quite a shock to her.

There aren't really any jobs there but we are retired so it doesn't matter. There is a small grocery/hardware store, a chain auto parts, a Subway and Dollar General. Two Mexican restaurants and two American (one of which doubles as the Italian place) and if I want pizza it's just a local place. The closest McD's, Walmart, Home Depot, etc is 60 miles away in Show Low. This wasn't such a change for us as Walmart is already 20 miles away here in 29 Palms, with the closest big city (Palm Springs) being 50+ miles each way.

Everyone we have met seems nice and even the teenagers were polite. We also didn't see a single person that looked like a gang banger or thug. Not to say the place is lily-white, just that we saw people and not scum. There is apparently a problem with meth in the area, as there WILL be in every poorer location, but my closest neighbor (ADOT cop) said there is rarely any issues out where we live. My house has been sitting basically unoccupied for a decade and has never been broken into.

That neighbor did come out with a gun to ask me who I was and what I was doing out there when we stopped by the property the night before the realtor took us out there...my kind of guy. We hit it off as we talked for an hour in the dark...and it is DARK!!! out there. He is former Phoenix PD that moved his family to St John's to get out of the rat race and now works commercial traffic enforcement on I40. We later met his parents (nice people) who live 4 miles closer to town on the same county road.

While the CC&Rs state "no shooting" on property, the neighbor says he shoots on his all the time with no problems. Apparently the Sheriff won't enforce the HOA shooting prohibition and the HOA has no way to do so either. HOA is really only for road maintenance. There is also BLM land a mile up the road that I can shoot on and a range in St Johns for about $60 a year membership.

We choose St John's (after over 2yrs of searching) because it is so out of the way. Though it's almost city living compared to some of the ones we were considering. Places where it was a 70 mile trip (each way) to simply buy a gallon of milk for instance. The longer we have been around people, the less we want to be. It is amazing how hard it is to actually get away from people now but not needing to worry about employment allowed us to really widen the possible locations.

We had looked for somewhere with the least chance of having or being affected by disasters. No earthquakes, floods, mudslides, tornadoes, hurricanes, forest fires, Black Lives Matter, etc. While also avoiding swarms of flying insects and high humidity. We didn't want to be in even a small city nor on the access/egress routes to one (didn't want to wake up one day to the zombie hordes).

Blue States were immediately off the list as well for obvious reasons. Though I am given pause by AZ's mere 4 point spread between Trump/Hillary and we did manage to pick one of the few blue counties in the state. Hopefully our two conservative votes can help. One benefit of the reason the county is blue (poverty) is that it is also the county with the lowest property taxes from what I am told. Mine are $500ish a year and I was informed that buying a similar property in the next county over would have tripled that.

We have been out to the property twice since closing and will be spending another 10 days there starting Sunday. With each visit we are liking it more and are looking forward to living there full time.
 
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#3 ·
It isn't perfect but does come close enough to meeting the slightly different standards my wife and I desired so that we were both able to compromise slightly to make the decision to buy it.

For instance she wanted greener and even more remote (she was originally talking about off-grid in Alaska) while I wanted better on-property shooting. She settled for less trees and an easier trip to town while I was ok with the BLM land and range as shooting back ups. Some properties were down such circuitous routes that I had real concerns for my wife's ability to be able to get to town if I happened to pass before her. So while we are a ways out of town the trip is easy as it is literally take a left out of our driveway and drive 9 miles to town without having to make any turns onto other roads.

Yet even with such relatively easy access it is still pretty isolated, as the road ultimately goes no where and only people who live or have business out there pass by on a daily basis. I believe that the single road access also plays a part in keeping the riff-raff out, as it's not like they could shake pursuit on that road if they got spotted doing anything out there.
 
#6 ·
Welcome to Arizona.

I live in the Far North Phoenix metro area and would like to retire in the Northern part of the state and trade the cactus for pine tress. Still have a decade or so before that happens.

Show Low has a lot of meth heads, drug dependent people and basic trailer trash. Always a good idea to carry a gun, anywhere you go. Kinda like comparing 29 Palms & Palm Springs vs. Mecca and Thermal. with Show Low being closer to the later two.

The only other issues I see in the North is that the crimes per capita are higher than in Phoenix generally. Flagstaff has a lot of college kids and does get the reservation people coming into town to go on alcohol benders, as the res is dry.

You should be O.K. in St. John's area.

One thing to prepare for is the heat and the snow. Make sure you have a way to make it at least overnight or longer, if your car/truck breaks down on a rural road in the mountains or the desert. Stuff happens and we have a lot less people here than in California, so getting help could take longer. if you venture off road or on the back roads, invest in a SPOT system.

https://www.findmespot.com/en/

I've been here over 5 years now and I don't miss California at all. You will love living in America.
 
#7 ·
Going to the big city of Show Low would only be a once a month or so proposition and my neighbor said the new Walmart in Taylor (and the area in general) has a better clientele. That is where he prefers to take his family for shopping.

The heat is actually less in our area of AZ then we have been dealing with for over 30 years of living in 29 Palms. While the cold in AZ will be worse, we still get below freezing here in 29 as well so do have experience and clothes to deal with both temp extremes.

In 29 we are the last gas for 100 miles and have always had to prepare for breakdown contingencies. Also have extensive experience with four-wheeling out in the middle of no where and the self-help aspects of doing so.

We just got back from spending 12 days at the property. Had the house further plumbed for LP (previously only a heater used it) and a 1000gal tank installed.
 
#11 ·
While coming from the Phoenix Metro area (I'm guessing?) must make Pinetop seem wide open to you, it is WAY too crowded for our tastes. I would venture that with the trees and National Forest restrictions on growth the property there isn't cheap either.

There is a nice State Park (Lyman) with a lake about 20 miles south of St John's we can use if so inclined.
 
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#10 ·
While in AZ this last time I also discovered there is a move afoot to carve a new County out of parts of Navajo and Apache Counties.

They want to take the relatively small parts of both counties that actually pay property taxes and combine them to form a new county called Stigreaves. Leaving the respective reservations as the only remaining parts of the existing counties.

I am torn by this because while one of the biggest attractions for people in the current Navajo part of the new county is the claim of lowered property taxes (currently approx 3 times what I pay), I foresee my already lowest in the State property taxes here in Apache County being raised a bit from the deal.

The upside is it might create a new Red county, though I don't think it matters during a Presidential election.
 
#16 ·
This was the view from my front porch when we were at the house in August. And yes as a desert dweller already I am well aware that it will brown up once the rains stop.



 
#20 ·
Oh look my stalker is here and he was in such a hurry to post his drivel that he didn't even bother to read the OP before posting a comment that adds nothing to the thread.

Even a person with minimal reading comprehension would have seen that in my OP I clearly stated the property is on a WELL. What did you think...I depended on rainwater or something?

Plus where did you get the idea that this is a BOL? Once again reading is fundamental and would have revealed this is where we will be living once we tie up our loose ends in CA.

Now go back to your safe space as I'm sure those facts have hurt your feelings again.
 
#19 · (Edited)
Thanks That is all pretty much State Trust Lands so I won't have to worry about it filling in with houses.

For those thinking that my back porch might only have a view of other houses...this is the view from my back porch looking north. Full disclaimer if I look northwest there are some houses to be seen (but the closest is almost 1000yds away) and looking northeast the rancher's house is the only one in sight and is about a mile away.

 
#22 ·
Already purchased the property? According to my LEO neighbor the area between Concho and Show Low has a lot of crime (mostly thefts) due to meth.
 
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#23 ·
hey steve, any updates? I PMd you. I have been looking at land in St. Johns (i'm in phoenix now). About a 4 hours drive and 220 miles so I could get there on a tank of gas if need be. Land there is quite cheap and remote enough to be away from the riff raff, but close enough to civilization that supplies and services are still available fairly easily.

update us!!
 
#24 · (Edited)
I got the PM and sent you a reply.

Not much to update. We are still tied to CA by my wife's work comp case that is dragging on and so are splitting our time between the two houses.

Had a new 12'x20' shed built last month and are still needing a 30'x40'ish sized garage put up before we could fully move anyways. Had the metal roof resealed after 14 years of no maintenance and are getting new windows this month.

It was 17 degres that morning.


Apparently it has been a mild winter from what I have been told with temps in tens/20's at night and warming up to the 40's, 50's and even into the low 60's during the day. There was a bit of snow the weekend after we left last month but it melted quickly.

Looking from my neighbor's porch, the slight rise to the right of center is our house's location.


I did score (40) 55 gal drums of various types as well as (8) 275 gal totes that I split with my neighbor and his dad (who also lives out there). All drums/totes are once used and the totes are food grade as are most of the drums. I will hopefully be able to pick up a trailer full of pallets this time (just have to wait for some construction to be finished at my source). Got all that for free.

The more time we spend in AZ and St John's in particular the more we are liking it. I have met several CA transplants there (the good kinds, not liberal douche bags). Two of whom, opened businesses there. Also several escapees from the Phoenix area, one of whom opened the pizza/ice cream shop in town.

City Hall and part of the main drag. There are no stop lights in St John's.
 
#25 ·
WOW.....I haven't been down that street in 25 years. I should take a couple of days and get over there and into Springerville, Alpine and Luna Lake.
 
#26 ·
Hey Steve,

Good to see your progress and fantastic pics from your porches. I am hoping to be out there within the year. I might even get out there for a week in 3 months to scope things out.

My land is raw and undeveloped. It doesn't even have a driveway, let alone a house or any structure. So, I'm in a very different situation than you are. But, I'm just as excited as you about living there.

The broker who sold me the land told me they don't allow shooting, so I plan on joining that gun club you mentioned. But, I was hoping to do some running and gunning on steel targets to prepare for 2 Gun matches, so that BLM land you shoot at sounds great.

I'll email you when I know the dates I'll be out there, so I can buy you lunch and pick your brain about the area, where to shop, etc.

Thanks neighbor!

Jack
 
#27 ·
Hey Steve,

Good to see your progress and fantastic pics from your porches. I am hoping to be out there within the year. I might even get out there for a week in 3 months to scope things out.

My land is raw and undeveloped. It doesn't even have a driveway, let alone a house or any structure. So, I'm in a very different situation than you are. But, I'm just as excited as you about living there.

The broker who sold me the land told me they don't allow shooting, so I plan on joining that gun club you mentioned. But, I was hoping to do some running and gunning on steel targets to prepare for 2 Gun matches, so that BLM land you shoot at sounds great.

I'll email you when I know the dates I'll be out there, so I can buy you lunch and pick your brain about the area, where to shop, etc.

Thanks neighbor!

Jack
There is a big difference between can't and not allowed. The Sheriff won't enforce the HOA's rule as it is legal to shoot on your property in AZ and the HOA has no way of enforcing it themselves. So as long as your rounds aren't impacting in your neighbors property there is no issue.
 
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#32 ·
The restriction has more to do with them mostly selling the properties as idyllic desert getaways to city folk who wanted to be one with nature and are often scared of guns. That being said the bozo who thinks it's the wild west and can't be bothered to have a proper backstop is an issue as well.
 
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#29 ·
I looked at Saint Johns in 2005. I talked with numerous well drillers in the area and none sounded real positive. Kept saying "hit and miss" a lot.. Made me nervous. I liked the area but ended up in Cochise county because I figured at the time that it had a better water supply. It also has a small military base with lots of generators should the grid go down. ( as well as security in case of total society collapse.) Cannot beat the weather down here.
 
#31 ·
Pretty much every where in AZ is hit or miss for a well though as the water table can vary greatly from property to property. My property is on a 500 foot well but just a few miles down the road the water is well over 1000 feet down. There is a website for the AZ State Well Registry that can give some idea of the water depth (if there are other wells already drilled nearby).

We had considered southern AZ but decided against it due to the drugs/illegals funneling through the area. Not much of a problem if you live in town but we didn't want to have to deal with them on a secluded property in the boonies. Plus we wanted something with a bit more vegetation.

Unless you are in the town right next to that military base (and possibly not even then) I wouldn't count on those generators to be taking up the slack as far as a grid down situation. Unless you are talking about possibly "acquiring" one and getting it off the base during the event.

29 Palms despite being butted up against the large Marine Base won't be seeing any of their power as there is no way to transfer it to the town. Despite that 29 is actually in a really good situation for a total grid down scenario as there are a couple large solar fields here locally that with minimal effort could be separated from the State grid and kept on the local grid to the town.
 
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#30 ·
We got more snow last week but it was still melted by later in the day. This was supposed to have been rain, which we left a day early to avoid on our return to CA but the neighbor sent us these pictures of their place from last Thursday morning. Every little bit helps for the drought though.



 
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#36 ·
We got more snow last week but it was still melted by later in the day. This was supposed to have been rain, which we left a day early to avoid on our return to CA but the neighbor sent us these pictures of their place from last Thursday morning. Every little bit helps for the drought though.
Indeed. Sedona area got something like 4 inches of snow and here in the Prescott - Prescott Valley area we received a couple inches. Didn't stay long but like you said, every bit helps.
 
#33 ·
Yup - for the first 10 minutes after the broker told me "no shooting", I was confused and upset. But, the more I thought about it, who knows what could happen if some yahoo didn't know how far a bullet could travel. When I get out there, I'll ease into things and see what's going on.

You mentioned BLM land that you can shoot on. Is it north of you? I think I'll probably 20 miles or so north of you.

Take care!
 
#34 ·
There is BLM land just east of me on the same road (though I have seen conflicting designations on it between BLM and State Trust) but I haven't done any shooting on it yet. My neighbor and I are setting up an area for shooting on his property and that is where I have been getting my gunpowder fix so far.
 
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#37 ·
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#38 ·
Another view of downtown St John's. The old High School turned County Annex around Christmas time.

 
#39 ·
We had the clouds come down to visit us when we were in AZ last month.



What you see on a clear day (my closest neighbor).

 
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