Las Vegas, NM 87745(San Miguel County)

The owners compound is striking. The architecture and site layout reflect exceptional craftmanship and meticulous attention to detail. Composed of a primary residence, walled garden, three casitas, outdoor entertainment facilities, artists studio, greenhouse, support structures and xeriscape landscape, all are custom built using adobe, log and stone construction and are of resort quality.

Nearby, the original headquarters compound provides well-kept facilities for ranch staff, livestock and maintenance. Infrastructure on this ranch is either new or is in excellent condition with fences, watering systems, and pasture care evident throughout the property. In addition to the beautiful setting and exceptional improvements, its location near so many amenities, yet enjoying privacy and solitude, make this a truly unique property. Only minutes from downtown Las Vegas and only a little over an hour away from Santa Fe and Taos, access is easy by car, public airports in Albuquerque and Santa Fe or by private aircraft at the Las Vegas Municipal Airport with its 8,200 ft. paved runway.

Location and Climate:

The ranch is located just north of Las Vegas, New Mexico and just over an hour from Santa Fe. With 1.2 miles of frontage on NM 518 (the Mora Highway), the ranch is easily accessed year around. Entry is through a solar powered electric gate framed with a handsome stone wall and metal archway.

With nearly 300 days of sunshine, low humidity and a true four-season climate, the weather is hard to beat. Average annual precipitation exceeds 18-inches with an average snowfall of 2 to 2 feet.

Nearby Las Vegas offers two institutions of higher education: New Mexico Highlands University and Luna Community College, plus it is home to the Armand Hammer United World College, a prestigious, international preparatory school. An historical old west town, the old-town district provides shops, antiques, book stores, hotels, restaurants, coffee shops and more. Storrie Lake is a recreational destination with modern camping facilities and utility hookups for Glamping or roughing it. The lake is at 6600 feet elevation and has a surface area of approximately 1,100 acres. Storrie Lake offers not only great fishing, but is ideal for sailing, windsurfing and water skiing, capped every January 1st with the annual Polar Bear Plunge. There are five ski resorts within a two-hour drive of the ranch, with the closest only 40 miles away.

Santa Fe, a short drive down I-25, is a world-renowned destination offering unique historical perspectives and a diverse cultural heritage. As New Mexicos capital, the City Different offers many attractions including its unique architecture, the downtown Plaza, fine dining, museums, art galleries, cultural events, shopping, historical preservations and the world-class Santa Fe Opera.

Owners Compound (Construction period 2007 to 2011):

Owners Home:

This beautiful home was constructed in 2007. The home features the New Mexico Territorial style with 15-inch thick, stuccoed adobe, exterior walls and is approximately 2,300 square feet+/- (including 575 square feet upstairs). It is an excellent quality, 1 bedroom, 1 3/4-bath home with rock fireplace, and thermostat controlled electric heaters embedded in the adobe walls. The sitting room and large bathroom have hot water radiant floor heat provided by a boiler that also supplies hot water to the hot tub. The kitchen and the 3/4 bath have hot water provided by a tankless (propane) water heater. The upstairs loft is currently used as office and library space and sitting/entertainment area. The windows (all double-hung) and doors are solid wood, metal clad, with energy efficient thermal glass. The main living area floors are stained concrete with tile in the full bath and sitting room. The ceilings are of wood construction with gorgeous fir vigas. The interior walls are a mixture of plaster and exposed adobe or aspen planks. The kitchen has high-end appliances, striking custom cedar cabinets and tile countertops. Native stone or textured concrete walkways connect the house with the studio and gardens and with the rest of the compound. A large, walk around deck with custom stone hot tub is constructed of long lasting wood composite and stone and overlooks several hundred acres frequently visited by the native wildlife. With the deck and over 850 square feet of portals on the east, south and north sides of the compound, outdoor living is a year around pleasure. The house and its garden include a stone koi pool and are surrounded by an adobe wall. Oversized windows and doors bring the outdoors inside. This home and property epitomize the very best of Northern New Mexico style, dcor and quality of life. The house has secure high-speed wireless internet throughout, with an additional internet hotspot for guests covering the entire compound.

Art Studio/Greenhouse/Garages:

Located just below the decks of the main house is a 450 square foot studio with an attached 275 square foot custom greenhouse. Both studio and greenhouse have radiant floor heat (greenhouse also has additional heat) for comfort and great greenhouse production. Located along the stone path that connects the main house and the studio are four large raised stone beds for raspberries, blackberries and seasonal crops. Adjacent to the home is a 900 square foot adobe/log 2-car garage with workshop. There is a second adobe/log single-car garage with generator room and water softener.

Guest Houses:

Each of the three guest homes are Northern New Mexico Territorial style and have similar floorplans. The guest homes are architecturally like the main house and are of the same excellent quality construction. Each guest home is 1,075 square feet (including 320 square feet loft) plus two portals (total of 380 square feet). Each has a stone fireplace and thermostat controlled electric heating. With full kitchen, dining area, sitting room, bedroom, upstairs loft (with two queen beds in each loft) and full bath, guests enjoy resort life. Exterior walls are 15-inch thick, stuccoed adobe and the windows (all double-hung) and doors are all solid wood, metal clad, with energy efficient thermal glass. The floors are stained concrete. The ceilings are of wood construction with fir vigas. The interior walls are a mixture of plaster and exposed adobe or aspen planks. The kitchen has beautiful custom aspen cabinets and tile countertops. All are wireless hotspots and well suited for family, friends or corporate retreats.

The Pit:

The Pit or entertaining area is 450 square feet of outdoor covered space and connects to all parts of the compound by paths of textured concrete or native stone. This is a great place for solitude and reading or entertaining guests while enjoying the outdoors. The Pit has a stone fireplace, lighting and rock benches in numerous areas. The construction is adobe finished with stucco. The interior of the Pit is exposed adobe and stucco with vigas and a wood ceiling. This area of the compound is a focal point year around and a main gathering area for all.

The entire owners compound has underground utilities with automatic generator backup and is a wireless hotspot. The compounds landscape is a combination xeriscape and native flora. All stone structures have been constructed from stone gathered on the ranch. Ranch sourced and local materials have been used throughout the compound, including Gamble oak, ponderosa pine, aspen, fir and western cedar (juniper). Finally, much of the shale base used for road construction and maintenance was sourced within the ranch.

Old Ranch Headquarters:

Dwellings: Two residential dwellings predate current ownership. The dwellings are 950 square feet and 1,500 square feet. Both homes are frame construction with stucco exterior finish. The inside is textured and painted sheet rock. The smaller contains 3 bedrooms and 1 3/4 bathrooms. The larger is 3 bedrooms and 1 bathroom. Both homes have been well maintained and currently are occupied by employees.

The Shack:

The shack was built as a temporary and mobile residence while construction of the owners compound was underway. This building is frame construction, with one large room that includes kitchen, sitting area and bedroom plus separate bathroom. It was built in 2006 by the current owner and can easily relocated to another location.

Shop/barn/equipment shed: The 1,250 square foot equipment and maintenance shop is constructed with wood framing, metal siding and roof. The nearby barn is a traditional old barn of typical style for the area. It is in good condition and regular use. It is 4,320 square feet and features two tack rooms, bunk room with bath, 8 stalls and a chicken coop. The equipment shed is a newly constructed, post and metal building with multiple bays for storing equipment plus a large enclosed room sized for storing a road grader.

Corrals and Squeeze Chute: Surrounding the barn on all sides is a large set of pipe and rod corrals. Just west of the shop is a steel sided alley with new squeeze chute and loading ramp. Current ownership operates the property as a working ranch raising quarter horses and Corriente cattle.

Infrastructure Improvements:

On site improvements include the main internal access road from State Highway 518, four domestic/livestock wells plus ownership in a neighboring well (Howard/Hooper/Montoya shared well) located just south of the ranch property line. Two of the wells are set up to provide redundant service to the headquarters and owners compound. Either can be used to fill two 3,500-gallon storage tanks. Water quality is excellent and the source is more than ample to serve all facilities. There are numerous earthen ponds throughout the ranch. The pond referred to as the Horseshoe Pond has been sealed with bentonite, has not gone dry while under the current ownership and could be easily stocked. One well referred to as the Canyon Well needs a pump and power source, but has been tested and is a strong viable well. Perimeter is fenced and crossed fenced with steel t-posts and cedar staves, with 5 strand barb wire throughout. The ranch elevation at the lower open country is roughly 6,760 feet and the ranch elevates to over 7,200 feet.

Zoning and Future Development Potential:

There are no known deed restrictions on the property. The subject property is zoned A-1, Agricultural Zone. As such, there are several means to view the development potential of the La Bonita Ranch. For the more conservation minded, the location and nature of the La Bonita could be attractive to conservation easement organizations.

Wildlife, Past and Present:

Numerous species of wildlife frequent La Bonita Ranch. Mule deer and elk are common and are often viewed. A meandering bear, an occasional mountain lion, bobcat or fox are a bit more elusive, but no doubt have a regular presence. Many smaller species of wildlife call the La Bonita home. Waterfowl will land on the ponds regularly. Turkey, Bald Eagle and several species of hawk are common, as are bluebirds, doves and many other species of birds. Seabed fossils and petrified wood are abundant in the mountainous areas.

Mountain Flora and Grama Grass Plains:

The mountain portion of the ranch contains many species of plant life and trees in its different elevations. Ponderosa pine, pion pine, fir and juniper, along with oak brush and mountain mahogany make up much of the tree cover on the western mountain side slopes portion of the ranch. Cottonwood trees and willow are found along the draws and stream beds leading from the mountains to the open grasslands. Blue and black grama make up the primary grasses in the plains. Upper elevation mountain meadow grasses consist of several species including Arizona fescue and mountain muhly. A stunning display of wild flowers appears each spring and summer across the ranch.

Utilities:

La Bonita Ranch is serviced the San Miguel Electrical Coop, CenturyLink, propane gas, and has individual septic and leach fields. Utilities are underground from the old headquarters to the owners compound.

Taxes:

The taxes on the subject are approximately $8,000 annually.

Summary:

The La Bonita Ranch is a unique estate type property and working ranch with the extraordinary benefits of location, location, and location along with its stunning beauty, diverse eco-system, and intimate privacy.

Very seldom does one find a property with so many attributes: both mountain and prairie eco-systems, well improved and maintained assets supporting all types of ranch life-styles, easy year around access, proximity to Las Vegas, Santa Fe and Taos (only 65 miles) the list is endless. This one-of-a-kind property, surrounded by the natural beauty of some of New Mexicos most scenic high country, must be seen to be fully appreciated.

If you are looking for a well improved, well located, mountain ranch, the La Bonita Ranch may be the ideal property for you and your family to enjoy.