Imagine not having to pay any utility bills. That’s the case for most people who live in the sustainable homes known as earthships.
No, they’re not from outer space—although some of them might look like it. Instead, they’re an otherworldly variety of off-grid house, built from recycled, reclaimed, and natural materials.
Architect Michael Reynolds created the concept for this type of self-sustaining home that uses the shelter of the earth and solar energy to help the dwellings maintain a constant temperature, no matter the weather.
Earthships’ primary building material is typically tires packed with earth—and sometimes covered, to create an appealing aesthetic.
Water is often supplied through a collection system rather than a utility.
“I bought my earthship, because I wanted to live without polluting anymore,” explains Alicia Bomhoff, a listing agent with Taos Sage Realty. “I never saw any point in drilling into the earth for water, when it falls from the sky for free.”
Bomhoff ‘s earthship is in New Mexico, where Reynolds first built his unique type of sustainable home. She’s also the listing agent on one of the many earthship homes for sale right now.
“It feels so good” to live sustainably, she says. “When a client buys an earthship, they say, ‘Why doesn’t everybody live like this?’ And that’s my question, too.”
Here are seven eco-friendly earthships on the market right now.
1. 27 Earthship Way, Tres Piedras, NM
Price: $825,000
Featured on Netflix: This two-bedroom, two-bath dwelling sits on more than 2 acres in the Greater World Earthship Community, the largest off-grid subdivision around.
The 2,700-square-foot home has been dubbed Vallecitos. If that rings a bell, it could be because it was featured on the Netflix show, “Buy My House.” In addition to being off grid, the home has a 1,000-square-foot, food-producing garden; koi pond; and an open floor plan.
Forbes and Airbnb magazines have also showcased the self-sustaining home.
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2. 230 Sunrose Ln, Montrose, CO
Price: $825,000
Unfinished earthship: You can really put your stamp on this place. Partially built in 2010, the 2,893-square-foot earthship is incomplete and sits on nearly 40 acres with views of the Rocky Mountains.
It’s about 60% done and has five-foot-thick exterior walls. It could either be off the grid completely or tied into some local utilities.
The listing promises “an adventure waiting to unfold” for the buyer.
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3. 2400 Fourmile Creek Rd, Hartsel, CO
Price: $550,000
Awaiting finishing touches: The sun’s heat comes through south-facing windows, and the walls and floors absorb it, warming the rest of the 2,630-square-foot house.
This two-bedroom, one-bath dwelling was completed in 2020 and sits on more than 36 acres.
A large indoor planter allows for year-round gardening.
The home’s solar arrays and a wind turbine collaborate to provide power to the unique abode. The listing notes that the place has “so much potential” but needs some paint and TLC to complete the project.
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4. 2 N Lemuria St, Tres Piedras, NM
Price: $495,000a
Model home: This autonomous home is also located in the Greater World Earthship Community and is considered the “global model,” according to the listing. The spiffy space features upscale furnishings, tile floors, and high-end appliances.
The 1,300-square-foot, one-bedroom, one-bath house has a solar-panel system that was updated in 2020.
The listing notes that the property would also make a great investment—in 2022, it brought in $45,775 in vacation-rental income.
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5. 1135 Lower Ranchitos, Taos, NM
Price: $440,000
Requires a renovation: According to the listing, this domicile “needs to be remodeled and will require work, but has amazing potential to be restored into a spacious and unique estate.”
It’s an early earthship and sits on 8 acres with farmland and a stream running through it.
The 2,462-square-foot home has three bedrooms, one bath, and seven rooms total.
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6. 30 Mountmorvic Ranch Rd, East Wenatchee, WA
Price: $399,000
Affordable abode: An offer is pending on this petite property. Built in 2019, the home has great views and sits on 20 acres, some of them fenced for livestock.
There are several outbuildings, including a greenhouse and a shop.
Currently, the726-square-foot house has one bedroom and one bathroom, but expansion is an option. The septic system is permitted for two bedrooms.
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7. 19 S Lemuria St, Tres Piedras, NM
Price: $265,000
Tiny and terrific in Taos: This 500-square-foot earthship in the Greater World Earthship Community has what the listing calls a “rustic but modern feeling.”
The one-bathroom studio space sits on 1.5 acres, just 20 minutes from downtown Taos.
Despite its tiny size, the home makes great use of space and has income potential as a short-term rental, the listing notes.
