Are You Ready for an Eco-Friendly 3D Printed Home?

Real Estate News: Real Estate Investing Podcast

Technology is taking big steps in the housing industry with 3D printed homes. Developers are pushing them as “cheaper, stronger, and more efficient” than traditional homes, and the idea is gaining ground. With affordable housing in short supply, energy efficiency becoming a mandate, and the threat of more severe weather-events, 3D printed homes could provide a desirable eco-friendly option.

Hi, I'm Kathy Fettke and this is Real Estate News for Investors. If you like our podcast, please subscribe and leave us a review.

A husband and wife team are building a 3D printed home in Tallahassee, Florida, that they expect to put on the market next month. It will be a 3-bedroom, 2-bath 1,440 square foot home with an asking price between $175,000 and $225,000.

One of the big benefits for this kind of home in a state like Florida is the strength of the building material. Promoters say they will withstand hurricanes and flooding much better than traditional homes. And, they say these homes will also be more resistant to mold, which is a problem in areas with high humidity. Plus, they can be energy efficient, and built more quickly at a less expensive price point.

3D Printer Looks Like a Car Wash

The process involves a printer that looks more like a car wash but squirts out a cement-like mixture in a back-and-forth motion that’s dictated by high-tech computer programs. They come in all sizes depending on the size of the building you want to create. According to the South Florida Sun Sentinel, the printers can range in size from about 10 x 10 feet to 100 x 100 feet and cost between a half million and $700,000. (1)

The owners of the company printing the home in Tallahassee, Kyndra and James Light, told the Sun Sentinel: “Make no mistake, these houses are not your average test models.” They claim: “The finished product is far superior in strength, durability, and efficiency.”

A 3D-printed home in Riverhead, New York was the first one on the U.S. market. It was listed during the summer for about $300,000. Four other 3D-printed homes in Austin, Texas, were also reportedly ready for occupants over the summer. And a community of 15 eco-friendly 3D-printed homes was supposed to break ground last month in Rancho Mirage, California, near Palm Springs, but developers are working through some regulatory delays.

World’s First Net Zero 3D Printed Home Community

Development company, Palari, and construction technology company, Mighty Buildings, are working together on the Rancho Mirage project. Palari claims to be “reimagining” real estate with “innovative and sustainable building strategies.” (2) MIghty Buildings says it will revolutionize home construction with 3D-printing technology. (3) They announced their plan for Rancho Mirage last spring, saying they had secured a 5-acre site and would break ground in September on the world’s first 3D printed net zero energy community. (4)

According to the Desert Sun, Mighty Buildings had previously built smaller accessory dwelling units with state approval. Co-Founder, Sam Ruben, told the Sun that homes for the Rancho Mirage plan would be larger, with upgraded material that is not yet approved by state officials. He says: “The units we are going to be delivering for Rancho Mirage are utilizing our next-generation material which incorporates fiber reinforcement that adds strength and performance.” Ruben says he isn’t anticipating a problem with the approval, and the Palari website says that the Rancho Mirage homes will be ready for delivery in spring of next year.

In addition to 1,450 square feet of living space, each home will sit on a 10,000 square foot lot. They will each have a swimming pool, and customizable options such as cabanas, hot tubs, fire pits, and outdoor showers. They will also have solar power for a net-zero carbon footprint, and a mid-century modern design.

Other Communities Planned for California

Palari and Mighty Buildings already have several other projects in the works. The Palari website lists two more for the Palm Springs area including one community in Palm Springs and another in the nearby Desert Hot Springs. Their California project list also includes developments in the San Fernando Valley, the Central Coast, the East Bay, and Napa.

You can find out more about those two companies and their plans by following links in the show notes at newsforinvestors.com. The websites for Palari and Mighty Homes provide information on the printing of single-family homes and ADUs. That includes the sale of homes in their planned communities, along with pricing and options.

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Thanks for listening. I'm Kathy Fettke.

Links:

1 -https://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/fl-bz-3d-printed-homes-florida-outlook-20210917-w2l5ef7xgfhfvjuttqvtbqm46i-story.html

2 -https://www.palari.com/locations

3 -https://mightybuildings.com/projects/rancho-mirage

4 -https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/palari-group-and-mighty-buildings-announce-worlds-first-community-of-3d-printed-zero-net-energy-homes-in-rancho-mirage-california-301244886.html