I know the area where I would like to settle, but finding a place that is affordable, in a good location, and fits other criteria (medical) can take some help. Here are my current thoughts and if anyone can provide insights or help, let me know.
Ideally, I would love to be near Tombstone. Fell in love with the area last year. I’ve been primarily looking to the east (Sunsite, etc.) but am also willing to look west and north. But, there are some considerations.
I don’t want to be too close to Tucson, or rather where people fleeing Tucson are likely to flood. Sierra Vista is out as it is a nuclear target. Don’t want to be east or ESE of it because of fallout, also want to be 15 or more miles away. I don’t have to be in a town, rural works for me. I would love to be able to go off the grid as much as possible, will see.
In my dreams, I wish I could afford to buy some land and build something into the side of hill. In fact, if I could build into an old mine or cave, all the better. I’ve got an idea for building my “werewolf” house from the stories up against the side of a hill that I would love to make happen. Got an idea that if the engineers agree should make for a very energy efficient home. Have also thought of excavating, using containers, and making a semi-underground home.
Meantime, second level of ideal is to find something affordable, already built, that will work. Again, rural, particularly if in mountains/hills.
Third order is to find about anything, move, then look. Not the best use of resources, but it may be the best option.
Reason I’m asking if anyone reading is from rural Arizona is that the web is not ideal for finding the right place, or even a good one. Many sites are skewed towards expensive homes in towns because they make the most money that way. People in the area, however, know that ‘the old Thompson place’ out at the end of dead-end lane is vacant and the owner would like to rent or sell. I’m looking for that type of help as I can’t just pull up and go out there for a month or more right now just to look around.
So, anyone out there know of anything?
UPDATE I: Two things. I mentioned the expensive rental sites, but you also have some other postings on other sites. Just saw one where what looks like a nice enough place (bit close to the border) is listed at $1. If not a typo, wondering what the deal is. Yes, I have contacted to find out more.
Second, fair question on what I want to run by the engineers. Simple. If it can handle the loads, want to use native stone to form interior and exterior walls were I to get to build. Exterior do 1.5 to 2 feet, then 6″-8″ gap, then another 1.5 to 2 feet of stone. When wall almost complete, spray the gap with truck-bed liner, let set, then fill with low density thermal foam. Max thermal and excellent sound reduction as well. Based in part off some (very) northern European/Scandinavian wall designs from the 1700s and 1800s. For that and for the container idea, create a good roof that can handle the rains when they do happen, and cover that with overburden.
That place for a dollar?
Easy….no water rights.
They’ll put you in jail if you try to drill a well.
Just spitballin….but while alcohol is for drinking, water is for fighting.
The West is…. different.
Good point, thanks.
I like those dreams! Couldn’t get away with that stuff myself, owing to family constraints (though since 2020 happened, my wife has gotten more amenable to the way-out-nowhere hidden castle idea).
Arizona… I think an ex-GF’s more recent ex-BF may still live in Tucson, but I don’t have recent contact info. Only other Arizonan who comes to mind is Leslie Fish, who has the right sort of mindset, but she’s in Phoenix. Hmmm, I wonder what became of her Fan Haven project…?
Oh, yes: containers. I’ve heard that burying shipping containers is a bad idea (had been pondering that one myself, years ago); they’re only strong at the corners, and there are other issues I don’t recall. Setting them inside a mine should work, I think, as long as you’re not piling dirt atop them.
1) you really need a knowledgeable real estate agent (I’m in Tucson so I’m not in the running ). He or she will know about the off-market possibilities.
2) you also need to set price parameters for buying or renting.
Wish you all the best. Martha
Thick walls: more like SW US Adobe walls (real Adobe, not Adobe veneer…). In that climate, with hot and sunny in daytime but cool at night, the theory is that the walls soak heat in the day and release inside at night while they cool on the outside at night.
Do your research, I remember pre-internet publications…
Also consider the New Mexico bootheel and Western NM.
With your thermal foam infill idea, think carefully about rats,mice and who knows what else burrowing in and making themselves a hard to reach home. Deserts can have some gnarly critters looking for there own bit of real estate.
Magical places to live tho.