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New to AZ, following a dream, Land, Tiny house zoning rights etc ....etc

5K views 33 replies 14 participants last post by  Walter 
#1 ·
Hello there everyone.
(need your help questions later but first my backstory, ill try to be brief)

I FLED NJ (3 months ago)
after Phil Murphy took office and banned all of my magazines. It was not just about that I assure you for a DECADE I dreamed of leaving NJ and living in AZ as I vacationed here for many years, this began in my late 20s, im now 41, I left my job of 21 years with benefits and pension, and my wife did the same, I sacrificed decent wages to get out of misery, and so did she. I owe it to her to finalize this deal and have us a place to live, with NO bank milking us for interest.

I would have loved to save up another 20 grand, but could NOT TOLERATE NJ ANY LONGER.
We have ZERO debt, a budget of about 35k total to work with, (wont sell my silver or gold to get more cash)


THE PLAN:
- buy a lot, doesn't matter how small. (with utilities, then if need pay the average - 5-7k for septic install)
- Not in a flood zone (check fema site) preferably in Marana/Tucson if possible.
- Land that has THE FREEDOM that NJ DIDN'T have, that means:
PARKING A CAMPER or whatever I want on it for PERMANENT living as we save and possibly upgrade to a double wide. (call local township and ask?)

Is there any crazy unexpected things I should be aware of? hidden costs or legal issues? Any SPECIFIC township questions i should ask when i call?
Anyone out there ever do something like this?
Checking on liens on the land that i am looking at?

I really appreciate any of your time to read this mega long post and offer up any advice.
 
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#2 ·
1. I would avoid Tuscon and all of Pima county. They have the most restrictive land use laws in the state. The police there are awful. If you want to build any type of environmentally friendly house, you will get hassled. If you want to be off-grid-- you will get hassled. If you want to farm, you will get hassled. If you want to put up too many lights, you will get hassled. If you plant the wrong type of bush or tree-- you will get fined and hassled. You will need a permit for everything there, and will have the greatest chance of getting denied. Tuscon is pretty, but it is the El Paso of Arizona (a demoncrat poo hole).

2. I see you plan to use an RV or camper. That will work to avoid property tax increases. I would avoid a pre-built tiny house, they are well made but very tiny and very overpriced for what you get (here they sell for 2-3x the price of a mobile home with the same square footage). Many homesteaders around here are buying pre-made storage shed / cabins. They are roughed in and enclosed and cost around 10-15k. You usually get 2 lofts, and room for a kitchen, living area and small bathroom. You must finish electric, insulation, dry wall and plumbing/ cabinents. Genesis and azportablebuildings are two popular companies to find these. These sheds are on skids and are classified the same as RV's for tax purposes. Generally get a better bang for the buck than dealing with an RV. They are easier to fix and maintain since you have a 2x4 building that takes regular building supplies to work on. You can stand up in them and can have a real bathroom. Some folks expand by buying multiples of these buildings and having a common outdoor area in between them. If you go this route, you are going to have to check local zoning laws-- you are at the mercy of the city as to if you have to put a permanent building on the property.

3. Land prices are going up and up. They will continue to do so until the market in CA collapses. Cheap land is still available in some places, but you will be remote and maybe off-grid. You can find plenty that is not in a flood zone, but often access to the property may go through flood zones (washes). This is because the roads are not graded as well as out East. Since rain comes all at once when it does arrive-- some localized flooding will occur anywhere in the state. Unless you are living in the city on paved roads, I recommend a high clearance 4-wheel drive vehicle (a truck or a Jeep with axles and real 4-low 4x4 system). Of course, I recommend one of the above anyway, since you can't really go many places without one. FEMA determines flood zones and flood zone insurance. Check with the FEMA maps, or go through a real estate agent to have them do this for you. You want to be outside of a 100 year flood plain, ideally.

4. Check for water access and fissure issues in any area you buy land. If you have to drill a well, you are going to want to know as much as possible about well costs before you buy. An aquifer is often needed, but that can set you back 30k or more depending on how deep you need to go (often over 6000 or more feet is needed). You will not find many places where you can get by just drilling a shallow well (500 feet or less ground water well) and those places will command a premium.

5. Pumping large amounts of water from aquifers as well as mining for petroleum products-- has left many areas subject to fissures. These open up like sink holes. I would avoid an area prone to them, if possible.


6. If you want to farm anything, get soil samples tested before you buy the land. You have no knowledge of what previous owners did there and the soil could be contaminated with nasty stuff.

7. You are leaving the state of Bon Jovi... er New Jersey. Please leave all of it there when you relocate... or just stay away.
 
#4 ·
Another obstacle i am seeing is...

assuming i can get land, and even afford to do what i want with it (unlikely right now if a well is involved)

Traveling to and from work will be impossible due to the travel time. I am seeing Land that is a SOLID 1 hour drive from jobs for me and my wife. that would be 40 thousand miles per year of driving...
our vehicles would never survive long doing that, the cost of gas would murder us, and finally if 1 vehicle had an issue we would lose serious income.

I dont like Tuscon its more of a love hate thing, but I am trapped right now. I wish i could find an OUT somehow.

I am getting overwhelmed, I am now looking for OTHER areas where i might have a bit of freedom to do what i want but i do not know the area well.

Perhaps ill work here, stay at this rental home for a year, and save money. make some friends and ask some questions to find out any other counties or whatever.
 
#19 ·
Another obstacle i am seeing is...

assuming i can get land, and even afford to do what i want with it (unlikely right now if a well is involved)

Traveling to and from work will be impossible due to the travel time. I am seeing Land that is a SOLID 1 hour drive from jobs for me and my wife. that would be 40 thousand miles per year of driving...
our vehicles would never survive long doing that, the cost of gas would murder us, and finally if 1 vehicle had an issue we would lose serious income.

I dont like Tuscon its more of a love hate thing, but I am trapped right now. I wish i could find an OUT somehow.

I am getting overwhelmed, I am now looking for OTHER areas where i might have a bit of freedom to do what i want but i do not know the area well.

Perhaps ill work here, stay at this rental home for a year, and save money. make some friends and ask some questions to find out any other counties or whatever.
This would be your best bet. Save money and gather info on potential locations. While researching job prospects in those locations.
 
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#5 ·
1. Pretty much every county has zoning and building codes on their website. This will help you look

2. many communities allow you to park a trailer on the land if you are building, and some communities are not fussy about you taking a long time to build

3. you might approach your search in a different direction: have you thought about finding an area with jobs available and then seeing what is available for you to buy?
 
#7 ·
I would not live in Tucson, primarily because I know two people (unrelated) who moved there and they could not stand it due to too many rules and restrictions. Each moved elsewhere. It's turning into a mini Los Angeles because of all the Californians who migrated there to escape California, but they brought their liberal mentalities with them.

If you are dead-set on the Tucson area, make sure you check for any rules and restrictions in the area you choose. Unlike most states in the eastern US and midwest, in western state mineral and water rights are sometimes separate from land rights. This is important if you are buying a section of land and plan to build a home and sink a well. Also, the water table in an area where you build a home must have a sustainable long-term supply of water. I believe the rule requires a proven 100 year supply of water. There are areas in Arizona where no one is allowed to build permanent structures due to the lack of water. Sometimes people buy this land because it's cheap and then use it for camping or hunting.

ASSURED AND ADEQUATE WATER SUPPLY

Arizona is a state where only 14% of the land is in private hands. The federal government, state government, and Indian reservations own most of the land.

Here is another issue to be aware of with Tucson. If this passes, it pretty much guarantees that Tucson will become a ****hole.

Tucson, Arizona, Sanctuary City Initiative (November 2019)
 
#8 ·
Welcome

I escaped Kalifornia 7 years ago, with the wife and kids and have never regretted it. Every time we have to go back for a wedding, funeral or business, the correctness of my decision to leave is confirmed a thousand times over.

We enjoy freedom, a lower cost of living and actually have decent neighbors who are normal folks, etc. All-in all, its all good.

Arizona Tips

So Maricopa County, where Phoenix is located, is the fastest growing county in the United States. The libtards from California are moving in and are still a minority in most areas and in the state as a whole. This is good, as we don't want to mutate into Oregon or Washington, etc.

I live in a Master Planned Community with private Parks, Golf Course and even a Private Water Park, etc. Nice place, nice people, very safe, etc.

The HEAT down South is a thing. I mostly like it, but want less of it. Thinking about moving North to Prescott or Flagstaff, down the road. I don't like Tucson at all, seems dirty and too much border influence. If you like the outdoors, you will see signs of smugglers and perhaps a dead body or two. There are nice areas, but why live in the nicest part of a pile of dung.

I like Williams, outside of Flagstaff, but there are other areas to look at too. Just depends if you wanna play golf 365 days a year or play in the snow, etc.

When I moved here I wanted hot weather, but now I just want sunshine. We get over 300 days a year in most parts of the state and it doesn't have to be hot, to be sunny.

Mormons

About 99% of the Mormons I have met are nice family folks and aren't trouble for anyone. We have tons of "Jack Mormons" in Arizona too, they drink gamble and have fun. Back in the Western Days, the Utah Mormons established LDS colonies in Arizona, so we have lots, but they are not a majority, except in some smaller areas or communities, etc.

If you are going to live in a more rural part of the state, check it out and meet the people. You won't want to be the only non-Mormon family in town, etc. Like I said, not bad people, just different, etc.

Same goes for crime in rural areas, where some parts have a big meth problem. So do your research.

The RV option


If you can, I'd go the RV option, if you are a couple or someone with a small child, etc. Tons of legal places to camp for 14 days or year round for basically free. Drive over to Yuma in the winter and buy all your Rx's, a years supply across the border and get good quality, very cheap dental work done, if you need it. Go back to the U.S. side and relax in your camp ground. Leave when it gets hot and hangout in Sedona or Prescott and stay in the forest for free.

A lot of our "Snowbirds" never actually leave the state. Here's a cool Youtube link if being a Nomad interests you.

https://youtu.be/TVfOCiSGIm8

Welcome to AZ and good luck
 
#9 ·
Flagstaff has gotten pretty far left too, in no small part thanks to NAU. You'll see Flagstaff celebrating Pride in the Pines (pride in you-know-what--not good morals!) and signs up for "goddess meetings." I used to love Flag, but had to get out of there. It's starting to resemble California. Land around Flagstaff is super expensive, too.

The Williams area has intermittent lack of water issues that need to be watched for.

Also, if you are so far out that a fire department can't get to your place within whatever the parameters are for your area, they won't let you build or live out there.
 
#10 ·
Flagstaff has gotten pretty far left too, in no small part thanks to NAU. You'll see Flagstaff celebrating Pride in the Pines (pride in you-know-what--not good morals!) and signs up for "goddess meetings." I used to love Flag, but had to get out of there. It's starting to resemble California. Land around Flagstaff is super expensive, too.

The Williams area has intermittent lack of water issues that need to be watched for.

Also, if you are so far out that a fire department can't get to your place within whatever the parameters are for your area, they won't let you build or live out there.
I don't know about this (unless it is some local thing you know of) as I looked at plenty of properties with houses on them that were so far out the fire dept would have arrived in time to just start hosing down the already cooling embers
 
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#13 ·
Unfortunately for those non-retired folks looking to relocate to AZ your choices are pretty limited as you need to be close to the jobs. Which means housing/land costs are going to be high. Or you will pay the cost in fuel/time to commute in from further away.

Personally I really like St John's and Apache County but jobs are few and far between here.
 
#14 ·
When looking for a property another thing to consider is population growth and urban sprawl. What was a nice rural setting 20 or even just 10 years ago might now be surrounded by housing tracts. Tracts that dump their hundreds of commuters onto the same roads you travel which were designed to handle a 10th or less of the traffic.

Any location with lots of good paying jobs is going to see lots of growth. If your financial situation allows it, you might consider a lower paying job in a more rural location. Less money but also lower cost of living.
 
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#15 ·
Actually, I'm thinking of looking for some acreage that is in the way of urban sprawl to hold on to as an investment. Buy cheap, then sell high. A former neighbor bought some vacant land north of Flagstaff decades ago when it was well outside of the city, and now it's close to the Flagstaff mall. He's been offered loads of money for it, but is holding on to it and watching the value rise. It would be great to find something like that.
 
#20 ·
Some more random thoughts:

1. Anywhere in the rural Western US requires driving, and lots of it.

1.1 Fuel price is always a concern, but don't use it as an excuse to only buy small commuter city cars. Remember there are critters out here. A bull Elk is over 1000 pounds and with a rack-- is higher than the top of most lifted trucks. You don't want to hit one in a little car and have it go through the windshield: you will be scooped out with a wet-vac. You really need to have at least one 4x4 truck (I prefer the non-spark infested variety) or a truck and an AWD car/suv. I would buy cars used and drive them into the ground. Have lots of backups, wrench on one and drive the other.


1.2 Miles on the highway is not the same thing as miles around town. Constant stopping and going is far harsher on a vehicle. 120K miles on a modern car is NOTHING. You will put far less wear and tear on a vehicle with highway driving. For example, I can drive 60 miles here and hardly touch the brake pedal. Nothing rusts here as well. I have cars/trucks going back to the 60's... little to no rust.


2. Consider a remote job-- or get the job FIRST-- before moving. There are insurance companies that have remote reps that only need internet access and they pay pretty well and have benefits.

3. Best not to depend on living high on the hog, because premium jobs can go away and you won't likely find another in the community that pays the same. Shoot for blue collar jobs that pay in the 30-60's. I didn't do this and got accustomed to making a ton more money than I have this year. it is a bit hard to keep employment going since my field is specialized, but I do lots of work for clients working remotely. I would have been better served being a plumber or welder...
 
#31 ·
Thanks for those words of wisdom.
which reminds me, I have to get this off my chest, im still upset about it and its all my fault. Me and my wife bought a 2007 Sienna, It drives excellent, no issues , no lights , scan tool didnt bring up anything at least. BUT..
On my phone when i was checking the vin, I skimmed through too fast and after making sure it was not salvaged or flooded, I MISSED OUT on reading the vehicle history...
The vehicle had been clocked at 168k Miles ..BACK IN 2015.........my odometer reads 135k...

REALISTICALLY, if you think about it, the vehicle most likely has 248k miles...i say that because judging by its clocked history ..it was averaging at 21k miles PER YEAR....

Im so stupid to have done this, me and my wife paid 3500 bux, for a vehicle with a mileage discrepancy. I DOUBT we will ever be able to sell it now, and if ANYTHING happens to it, it wont be worth fixing.
I better pray for our/her sake when she finally manage to get a job (along with myself), it lasts at least a YEAR, that way we can live super cheap (beans and rice, tuna fish,) and save enough to buy something we KNOW the history of.

Seems like each day, another stupid mistake I make, at the most worst period of time in our lives lol.
 
#21 ·
As others have said, stay the hell out of Pima County. Tucson is a pro-illegal sanctuary city. Tucson PD used to be great many years ago in the days of Chief Rondstadt. Now, political correctness and protection of illegals has taken hold. Pima County Board of Supervisors corruption is well known. Add in it is a corridor for illegal immigration.

Phoenix Metro area - the only reason I go there is the job sometimes requires it.

Yuma - hot!

Santa Cruz County - used to be staunch conservative. Now hard core leftist.

Coconino County - the major population centers of Flagstaff and Sedona swing very left.

Mohave County - staunchly conservative. Bullhead City is not far from Laughlin or Vegas.

Gila County - major population center is Payson. Great area.

Yavapai County - staunchly conservative. Major population centers are Prescott and Prescott Valley

Graham County - major population centers are Safford and Thatcher. Heavy ranching, Mormons very well represented.

Cochise County - major population center is Wilcox. Nice little town.
 
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#24 ·
As others have said, stay the hell out of Pima County. Tucson is a pro-illegal sanctuary city. Tucson PD used to be great many years ago in the days of Chief Rondstadt. Now, political correctness and protection of illegals has taken hold. Pima County Board of Supervisors corruption is well known. Add in it is a corridor for illegal immigration.

Phoenix Metro area - the only reason I go there is the job sometimes requires it.

Yuma - hot!

Santa Cruz County - used to be staunch conservative. Now hard core leftist.

Coconino County - the major population centers of Flagstaff and Sedona swing very left.

Mohave County - staunchly conservative. Bullhead City is not far from Laughlin or Vegas.

Gila County - major population center is Payson. Great area.

Yavapai County - staunchly conservative. Major population centers are Prescott and Prescott Valley

Graham County - major population centers are Safford and Thatcher. Heavy ranching, Mormons very well represented.

Cochise County - major population center is Wilcox. Nice little town.
Biggest little city in Cochise County is Sierra Vista it has 10x the population of Wilcox.
 
#22 ·
If / when I move to AZ it will definitely be in the Tucson or Phoenix area.

I wish conser minded folks wouldn't just flat out be turned off / write off "urban areas", and just vote to change things.

Many of us have careers that depend on that environment, andnnot everyone wants to be in an isolated area, even as a prepper / survivalist.

People complain about urban areas being liberal cesspools, but avoiding urban areas entirely won't change that.

A huge part of the economy is also driven in cities, you should fight to take them back, not surrender them.

Sent from my Note 8 using Tapatalk
 
#23 ·
Noble idea but you are just peeing in the wind. The Dems welfare rat serfs breed faster then conservatives could move in, even if they wanted to.

I prefer not to live in such conditions and even if city was conservative we prefer to be away from crowds.


On Edit: Just because your job is in the city doesn't mean you have to live in it. You could commute from somewhere less crowded for work. Or like I mentioned, if circumstances allow, work in a smaller community.
 
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#27 ·
The USA as a country is not a going concern at this point, except perhaps as a prison facility to contain all of us, but not in the sense that we remembered it. So if the new US of A needs cities to survive-- all the more reason to see the blue hives fall via their own stupidity and vice (aka Detroit in 60s, and San Fran and New Orleans today). Their works need to bring about the fruits of their labors, and far be it from me to intervene or delay the consequences of their actions.

The average US city has NOTHING on biblical sodom and gomorrah and going back to live in a big box Orwellian dystopia is something I only want to consider after the vultures get done picking the city dwellers GRIDs infected corpses and trash piles of dung clean.

The loss of the USA was a terrible thing, but there are stages of grief and at this point, I have left the denial stage behind and am largely in acceptance. I cannot bring what was, back to life after it is dead. "He's dead Jim". We can only move forward and build something new.
 
#33 ·
check out Cochise county.
Land can be purchased for less than $1000 an acre.
There are many lots that owe back taxes where you can probably get it for next to nothing.
You can get a no inspection building permit for $105.
If you get property up against the Dragoon mountains (east side) or the Chiricahuas (west side) a well is not a problem. There are people on windmills.
If you want to haul water, there are water stations available.
 
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