Suncatcher Ranch - Whetstone, Arizona

Welcome to our home at Suncatcher Ranch!

For Sale: $265,000

Contact: joxcomm@yahoo.com
or Debbie Cunningham at Tierra Antigua Realty: 520-559-6409

Our property is an 18-acre, off-the-grid, eco-friendly homestead run on solar electric power with a small wind generator. We have a custom-built main house (1250 sqft) and a fully independent, detached guest house (500 sqft) made of post-and-beam straw-bale construction. Both were built in 2005. There is a private well. We also have about 3,000 gallons of rainwater harvesting storage that we use for our garden, fruit trees, and xeriscaped landscaping.

Though we have electric power to our north property line, we chose to stay off grid! If anyone was interested in being grid-tied, it would be an easy transition.

We are surrounded by 360 mountain views with too many mesquite trees to count. Our south property line borders a nature conservation easement, so we will never have neighbors to our south. This means a beautiful unspoiled view all the way to the Huachuca Mountains. We are in what is known as the high desert grasslands, with lots of grazing to be had. This is an excellent horse property and many of the homes around us are horse properties. We've had goats and chickens in the past and currently have a miniature horse and 3 burros, and maintain an organic vegetable garden. The 18 acres is fenced in with field fencing and barbless wire.

Enjoy the cooler climate! Forget what you hear about temps in Phoenix or Tucson. This property is located in northwestern Cochise County, about 15 miles north of Sierra Vista, at an elevation of 4,500 feet. Enjoy a few dustings of snow during the winter where temps may drop to the teens. In the summer, temps rise to about 100 degrees. But watch and enjoy as the summer afternoon monsoon storms blow in and cool things down with the rains during July and August.

Close to historic Fort Huachuca, there are about 15 miles of protected land preserved immediately south of the property line toward the Huachuca Mountains (tallest peak is 9,600 feet). About 30 minutes to Tombstone, 15 minutes to Karchner Caverns, and 45 minutes to Bisbee. Tucson and its international airport is only one hour away. To our west is the wine country of Sonoita, home to more than a dozen wineries.

Access to the property is 1.5 miles from the highway on an HOA-maintained dirt road. HOA fees are only $315 per year and, frankly, we have some awesome neighbors. We are located south of highway 82, west of highway 90 (see map on this site). Properties here cannot be subdivided smaller than 9 acres, and construction must be site-built homes. So there is plenty of elbow room here to enjoy the dark, starry nights.

The main house was designed for a couple. It is a one-bedroom, one bath home. Though, a second bedroom easily can be added within the existing space. We simply preferred the open living space. There is an evaporative cooler. Heating is provided by a wood-burning stove, as well as by a south-facing glass-enclosed sun room that gives the house passive solar heating during the winter months, as well as a place to protect plants from the winter cold. As a back up, there also is a Rinnai 22,000 BTU direct-vent wall heater. It works great!

Being a straw-bale home, temperatures remain quite comfortable year round. Three ceiling fans help keep the air moving when desired and there are plenty of windows to let in the light and fresh air. Appliances include an electric refrigerator, and propane (LPG) gas stove top, oven and hot water heater. The 120-gal propane tank belongs to the property. The homes' exterior is finished in stucco. For the interior walls, we sifted the clay from our soil and have a natural brown clay-plaster finish. The guest house is the same, with a straw-bale courtyard wall enclosing a comfortable outdoor living space.

There is a detached three-car carport with a 10'x20' workshop area with a 10'x30' locked interior storage

The solar system (our own little electric company) and water pressure pump system is in its own stand alone cinder block and SIP forms building. There is a 1,500-gallon fresh water storage tank attached to the well system. The photovoltaics include 12 165-watt solar panels in a 24-volt system. We have 16 L-16 6-V batteries (new in Sept. 2018) for electric storage and Outback brand inverter and charge controller. The wind power comes from an Air Marine 400 watt wind generator. The system was checked out and certified by an electrician.

16  L-16, 6-volt batteries (new as of Sept. 2018). Outback Inverter & Charge Controller.

Sewer: Septic tank.



Owner builders: One is a local high school engineering and science teacher / University of Arizona  professor and the other is a building and custom remodeling handyman.

Current residents include a miniature horse and her three burro amigos

Long story short, this is an amazing property, quiet and serene with spectacular views. For anyone who has dreamed of living off the grid and who have considered building with straw-bale, here, all of the hard work has already been done for you. It's time to come home and relax in an eco-friendly custom home with just about all the modern conveniences.

(and did we mention, there is no shoveling of snow!)

The Great Blizzard of 2014!

Main House Interior Pics

 

Guest House Interiors

 

Suncatcher Ranch is a recognized, Certified Wildlife Habitat by the National Wildlife Federation. The area is a huge attraction for birders along the San Pedro River Riparian Area. We get numerous birds, hummingbirds galore! Migrating bats and even a few visiting deer.

Pizza Anyone?