Detroit's first 3D-printed home is about to hit the market

DETROIT (FOX 2) - A new home is about to hit the Detroit housing market.

The property is special - not because it's historic or famous or comes with a scenic view. Instead, the home, priced at $224,500, was built by a 3D printer. It's the first of its kind in the city.

"The entire perimeter of the house, this is a thousand square-foot home, the entire exterior perimeter is 3D printed wall segments," said Fernando Bales.

Bales runs the lab at Citizen Robotocs, a nonprofit in Detroit that last year set its sights on building a 3D-printed home. That home is now a reality.

The exterior walls are made of 3D printable mortar that was filled with insulation and covered in stucco. The front porch and even some of the interior accent walls were all printed by the nonprofit. 

"This is an airtight energy efficient home. We're a non-profit so for us this is about the adoption of the technology and putting it into the hands of the community so that's been really important to us," said Evelyn Woodman, a co-founder of Citizen Robotics.

Woodman confounded the firm with her father four years ago. They've also done work with students at schools and universities.

It's a big day for the nonprofit as the home represents a new future of home building.

"On the horizon, we'd love to build a few larger developments but I think a really positive lesson learned is just how much people are excited about this," Woodman said.

The house is located in Islandview Neighborhood. It'll hit the market before the end of the year.