For those with a pioneering spirit, creativity and the desire to build a home to suit your personal needs the Highway 14 corridor and Cerrillos/Madrid areas have many options for a building site.
Having built my own house, I know just what a thrilling experience it is to walk a vacant lot and visualize where to site your dream house is. Among the many things to consider will be the size of lot needed to pursue your desired lifestyle. Many parcels have utilities on or nearby and some are in locations thought of as solar communities and are “off the grid”. With the price of solar coming down and tax advantages this option is becoming more attractive and affordable. Driving through the area you’ll see many homes with solar arrays.
Being in the Southwest, water is always a huge issue. Some properties may have wells but most will require a well and septic system. Should a well be present always have it inspected by a professional inspector for the water production know as “gallons per minute” and to be sure the mechanical equipment is in good working order. The wells throughout the Highway 14/Cerrillos/Madrid area vary greatly. Some are slow producers and a cistern or holding tank are good additions to your water system, others produce more than adequate quantities of water but out here water conservation is a lifestyle and we work hard at not wasting a precious drop.
While, many folks dream of a charming adobe home with a private courtyard, others dream of a Northern New Mexico ranch style with a sweeping wrap around porch or even a contemporary blend of styles. Whichever style you prefer they are many construction possibilities, Frame, Adobe, Straw bale and Pumice-crete to name a few. All of these work well in our environment.
If you are contemplating building your own home be sure and look through the many listings in the Highway 14 Cerrillos/Madrid area. You’ll find lovely parcels from ¾ acre in the Historic Cerrillos Village, to 9 acres just off Highway 14 in Lone Butte as well as several 40 acres lots up on the Goldmine Road Mesa Top just to mention a few. But there are many more large and small parcels with and without improvements. The possibilities are endless.
