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What We Know About Realtor.com's 5 Off-Grid Earthship Homes
Realtor.com has published a feature on five off-grid properties built in the Earthship style, homes designed with rammed earth, recycled materials and passive solar systems so they sit into high-desert terrain rather than rise above it, according to the outlet's piece, "Journey to the Center of the Earthship: 5 Off-Grid High-Desert Havens That Disappear Into the Land".
"Journey to the Center of the Earthship: 5 Off-Grid High-Desert Havens That Disappear Into the Land" — Realtor.com
What makes a home an Earthship?
The term refers to a building style built around thermal mass: walls packed with earth, and often recycled tires, that store heat and release it slowly, paired with south-facing windows for passive solar gain. The design is meant to let a structure regulate its own temperature in extreme desert swings without a conventional furnace or air conditioner, and earth berming along exterior walls lets the home sit low against a hillside rather than stand apart from it.
Where did the Earthship design originate?
Architect Michael Reynolds began building homes under the Earthship name in Taos, New Mexico, in the 1970s, developing what he called "biotecture," a combination of recycled construction materials with passive heating and cooling systems. Taos remains closely associated with the style, and high-desert terrain across the Southwest has become the setting most often cited for Earthship-style builds, including the five properties in Realtor.com's roundup.
What does off-grid mean for buyers of these homes?
An off-grid property generates its own electricity, typically through rooftop or ground-mounted solar panels, and manages its own water supply through catchment, storage tanks or hauling rather than connecting to municipal utilities. That independence is part of the appeal Realtor.com's feature points to in describing homes that "disappear into the land," but it also means buyers take on systems maintenance that a conventional homeowner would not.
How does this compare with other off-grid builds covered by HTT News?
The Earthship model is one version of a broader off-grid building movement. HTT News has reported separately on a couple who built an off-grid dome home after experiencing homelessness, an example of off-grid construction pursued for financial necessity rather than design philosophy. Both approaches share the same core trade-off: independence from utility grids in exchange for self-managed power, water and waste systems.
What should someone research before buying an off-grid Earthship-style home?
Potential buyers typically need to confirm local permitting rules for alternative construction, verify water rights or storage capacity for the property, and budget for solar system upkeep, since off-grid homes do not have a utility provider to call for repairs. Readers building the practical skills for off-grid or self-sufficient living can also consult HTT's guide on joining a community tool library, a resource for borrowing equipment rather than buying it outright.
By the numbers
- 5: off-grid, high-desert properties featured in Realtor.com's roundup
- 1970s: decade architect Michael Reynolds began building Earthship homes in Taos, New Mexico
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Questions
What is an Earthship home?
An Earthship is a style of home built with rammed earth and often recycled materials like tires, using passive solar design and thermal mass so the structure regulates temperature without relying on a conventional furnace or air conditioner.
Where did the Earthship design come from?
Architect Michael Reynolds began building Earthship homes in Taos, New Mexico, in the 1970s, calling the approach biotecture.
What does off-grid mean for an Earthship property?
Off-grid Earthship homes generate their own electricity, usually through solar panels, and manage their own water through catchment or storage rather than connecting to municipal utilities.