It’s a home. It’s a smokehouse. It’s a campground. It’s sustainable living at its finest!

A popular 20-acre retreat known as the Eco-Ranch Sustainable Living Educational Center recently hit the market in Alpine, TX, for an affordable $254,450—down from the original listing price of $269,450 in October.

The self-sustaining compound was built from the ground up by its owners, who clearly had a unique vision for the property.

“The owners moved here 15 years ago when they bought just a piece of land,” says listing agent Clay Braden, of Mtn. View Properties. “They lived in an RV there for five years and then started construction of the house.”

The 2,700-square-foot, two-bedroom, two-bath home is made of masonry and glass bottles. Yes, you read that correctly. Glass bottles.

“The gentleman did all of the masonry work himself,” Braden notes. “As campers came through the property, they would help build part of the house. Each wall has a unique item in it. It’s very unique and cool.”

‘Untouched beauty’

To get to the property, take a 15-minute drive on a remote 4-mile road surrounded by mountain views and wildlife. The owners recently dammed their 12-acre arroyo to create a reservoir that functions as their water supply.

In addition to the main home, there are 33 campsites and two nightly rental rooms where visitors can book a stay. The highly rated campground earns about $50,000 annually during the tourist season, the listing notes.

“People love the serenity of the area,” Braden says. “Hipcamp has listed it as one of the top campgrounds. Campers come for anywhere from a night to a week at a time and can learn about their sustainability projects.”

Braden adds, “The property is about 25 miles north of Big Bend National Park. People come out here to escape the real world and enjoy some real pristine, untouched beauty. Ever since the pandemic, more and more people are getting out of the city. The location has become a real hot spot since COVID.”

Off-grid getaway

Offering the unique opportunity to live off-grid, the house is powered by a solar-panel system and three backup generators. The property also includes a poultry farm, goat yard, and smokehouse, plus an aquaponics system and a greenhouse that uses a rainwater catchment.

“Everything they grow on the property, they eat,” Braden says. “It’s a self-sustainable property. I think the next buyer will be someone who wants to enjoy very off-grid living in a very minimalistic setting while inheriting a business. They have to enjoy nature and having other people around, but you don’t have to continue the business. You could also live here by yourself as well.”

The affordably priced place does need some work, but IT offers potential for expansion and continued profit.

“There is some masonry work on the exterior that needs to be finished,” Braden says. “You could also add another bedroom if you wanted to as well.”

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