Book Inspired By Off-Grid Rental Scam

A new book from New Mexico makes fun of off-grid rental scams on Craigslist.

“Utilities Nearby: Musings on the Off-Grid Real Estate Scene of Santa Fe, Taos, and Northern New Mexico – Buy it on Amazon” is inspired by a rental scam that sent the author into an online rant. The rapturous response to her musings encouraged her to expand.

The housing list is one of the most popular destinations for users of Craigslist. It’s mostly used by real estate agents, renters, homeowners, roommates, and more. It is a premier destination for finding local housing or even off-grid rentals.

What started as an excellent way for individual users to connect with private parties leasing their home or business, has now morphed into a hotbed for scams, more so for off-grid home rentals. They are all too common, but for once they have had a good effect – a new book out inspired by one of those scams.

According to her biography, author Joe Marquez is a lifelong resident of the Land of Enchantment. A graduate of the University of New Mexico, she writes that she is definitely a dog person. In her spare time, Marquez makes custom cowboy boots from scratch.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Marquez’ book began as a Craigslist comment about a rental home. “A bummed-out exposé on an off-the-grid rental house near Santa Fe, New Mexico,” she wrote. “It was simply a cathartic rant on Santa Fe area real estate. People from all over replied to my post.

Having grown up mostly in New Mexico, I realized it was time to tell the whole story on mesa serenity living. At a minimum, regale the love of adobe homes, share useful off-grid information, and make people laugh.”

The book “Utilities Nearby: Musings on the Off-Grid Real Estate Scene of Santa Fe, Taos and Northern New Mexico” is available on Amazon.

“Over a winter, we learned the pitfalls of what not to do when building off-grid,” she said. We hope to show a video of Marquez’s life in the near future.