Wild Horse Ranch - Any info???

[Faithful One]

I've been looking at properties within Wild Horse Ranch (west of Laramie). It is being heavily advertised and I'm just looking to get some info some of the Wyoming (Laramie) folks may know about this "development".

What should I beware of when purchasing land in Wyoming? Ive heard about water issues, but it seems the few people who have drilled there have found water. Is there more to it than this? Seems the land is pretty cheap. Starts at about 2K/ acre.

I live in Illinois and my freind just heard about the Wild Horse Ranch just outside of Laramie Wyoming, and I was wondering if I could get someone to give me some information as I check this place out, they do have covenants on the "Ranch".

You know the stuff the company doesn't tell you when they are trying to get you to buy. I have found alot of conflicting information and I would really like to find the truth.

Another thing I noticed by looking at the website was if somebody called and said they were interested in the lot, they get you to put $1000 down to hold the lot for 2 weeks or 30 days, etc.
As soon as you do this, they mark the lot as a pending sale! They leave the lots "pending" to appear as though they are flying off the ranch as fast as they can list them. Every time I talked to the Sales Person, he was telling me how he "just sold another!"

Typical used-car type salesmanship, anyhow it is at a great price and would like some info from any locals in the area.

[Windy in Kansas]

Six miles further west is property that my great aunt and husband owned, probably one of the last stage stops in Wyoming. It was sold off many years ago after having been a guest lodge for a number of years. It is now the Vee Bar Guest Ranch.
http://www.veebar.com/The_Ranch.html

I hope to visit the area some day so if you buy be sure to let me know so I can stop by to say hello.

[ErinP]

Seems the land is pretty cheap. Starts at about 2K/ acre.

Which seems pretty pricey by Wyoming standards. Unless the land is actually in the mountains (not just a "view"), you should be able to find something on your own cheaper than that. And with fewer neighbors, restrictions, etc. that you'll find in a development.

But I'll freely confess to finding the idea of neighbors closer than a mile to be absolutely appalling!

[SFM in KY]

That area, with very few exceptions, is likely to be "high desert" with an emphasis on the "desert". Topsoil is likely to be thin and need lots of improvement to grow anything (including garden) and there just is not enough rain to manage without irrigation ... which in this case sounds like it would be a well.

I had to go 400 feet on the place I lived in northern Wyoming, which was actually considered "better" land ... and the well production was only 3 gallons per minute, which meant that any watering had to be done at no more than that rate or it would go dry. I did raise a garden, but used drip hoses and tremendous amounts of mulch.

If it is "high plains" you're going to have wind all the time in the winter, especially ... 20 mph is considered a light breeze in that area for most natives.

I've no idea where you are living now don't know what kind of climate/ land you are used to but you need to realize that ranchers in that area will figure on 20 to 40 acres per cow/calf pair when estimating how many head of cattle they can run on summer pasture, figured May through September, not irrigated.

I raised in Montana and lived in that area most of my adult life as well. I miss the west, would love to go back but that is not one of the areas I'd look at personally ... and $2000 an acre seems high to me.

[Faithful One]

YouTube

Ok that is the comercial, looks like it's kinda in the "highlands/mountains" area?

Opinions on the commercial? Is it overrated?

[SFM in KY]

I'm on dialup and absolutely can not download any video so can't be of any help there. If you can give me a "X" miles from Laramie and "X" miles off highway "whatever" I can maybe give you some further thoughts.

[wy_white_wolf]

For what the land is in Wyoming that's expensive. Typical internet/developer property aimed out at-of-state people.

I lived in Laramie while in school for a year. It's a college town. Population 25,000 in the summer. 40,000+ during the school year. The area is high plains with the Snowy Mountain Range in the background.

Some things to consider:
Water problems in that area. Many places have to have wells in the 600+ range for water.

This is a large subdivision. All the interior roads are private. Actually they aren't roads, just plated right-of-ways (easement) that will be up to you to fight with your nieghbors about maintaining them (and paying the expense). Which means home owners associations (or at least a road district) and all there rules and BS. At first the HOA or RD will be controlled by the developer since he owns most of the lots.

The area is about 7000' in elevation. This means very short growing season. Possible frosts all summer long. Extremely cold winters with lots of blowing snow. Did anyone mention the wind in Wyoming. It's claimed to be the reason for the high suicide rate here. That area also has a couple of big wind generator projects planned. Don't know if any of them are within the view of this subdivision.

Check into the mineral rights. Most properties here don't have them and Coal bed methane is running rampent now.

The website I found stated this is "Phase 1". I'd diffinately want to know what else in the plans.

Wyoming is an open range/fence out state. The sellers are retaining grazing rights until you fence the lot (at your expense). They pulled the same same thing with the BB Brooks ranch here at Casper. People built some nice houses with manicured lawns to wake up one morning and see 40 head of range cattle eating and fertilizing it. Nothing they could do until they pay to fence it.

If you want Wyoming land come visit a local realitor. Better deals can be found than ones developers that buy big ranches for about $100 and acre and chop them up to sell to unknowing buyers. The wild horse ranch was about 20,000+ acre working cattle ranch when they bought it. Just more land being chopped up and taken out of the agriculture sector.

WWW

BTW - don't plan on farming it. About the most you could do is dry-land hay but with 40 acre lots mostly owned by peolpe from the city expect proplems.

[ksfarmer]

The commercial shows the scenic side of Wyoming, of which there is plenty. I would want to see the specific site of this developement before I gave them a dime. There is a lot of Wyoming that isn't shown in the commercial and isn't nearly as scenic, unless you like wind, sagebrush, rocks, and high desert.
edit: Just saw WWW's post,, he knows what he is talking about....

[L.A.]

I have a cabin on Lake Hattie and lived there for several years. There are no pictures in that video of the land they are selling that I can see.
The majority of the film is located in other parts of the state. The property is located about 22 miles off hiway 230. Its around 7000 ft above sea level.
Everybody hauls water. Those who have tried wells have failed and those that do hit water its very little and stinks (aklai). Ground is clay, sagebrush, weeds and very little grass. 40 acres will not support 1 cow. Forget a garden.
Lake Hattie is rated #3 for wind surfers, so constant wind. There is a view of sheep mountain and Jelm mountain and you will see antelope, but not on that property (No WATER).
You can find good areas for less than that. Hope I didn’t make is sound to good to be true.

[big rockpile]

Plus I have a feeling there is alot of restrictions.

big rockpile

[L.A.]

I'll be up there tomorrow, just got word the car I leave there has windows broken out. I'll take pictures of that area if you like.