Seattle Afloat: Seattle Houseboats - Floating Homes On Lake Union: July 2009

Floating homes on Lake Union - one of my favorite Seattle real estate options!  What better way to live in a Seattle waterfront home  - truly waterfront here on all sides, but also be close to everything going on in the city?  Lake Union, to me, is one of the most central areas right in Seattle and a great place to be for proximity to pretty much all that Puget Sound has to offer.  Of course there is Downtown Seattle, too, but living on Lake Union in one of the gorgeous floating homes is so much more appealing to many.  Residents on the lake enjoy Downtown at their doorstep via the streetcar, Seattle Center, the newly developed Lake Union Park, quick access to I-5 and 520 or I-90 for commuting in all directions, easy ferry access, Seattle Center, and more!

The Lake Union floating homes in Seattle are a different kind of real estate simply because they float and it is important to talk to a Realtor who knows the difference between a houseboat, vessel, and floating home.  While the terms houseboat and floating home are used interchangeably, they are two very different things, and a Seattle floating home is the best and closest form of living on the water to traditional Seattle real estate.  A true Seattle floating home will be in the higher price range of the houseboats offered for sale, but offers the most secure investment real estate wise in most cases. 

There are many Lake Union floating homes that are offered for sale through the year, but less choices overall than traditional Seattle real estate.  This is because there are only around 500 floating homes in Seattle and people who choose this lifestyle tend to stick to their docks.  The lifestyle isn't for everyone.  There are pluses and minuses and the biggest concern for most prospective houseboat buyers is the lack of space to stretch out or store your stuff.  These homes usually are pretty tight quarters, although I have seen some amazingly spacious ones recently!  Floating homes owners tend to be very creative people both with space and decorating or gardening.  I was recently in a floating home in Eastlake that had hinges on each stair going upstairs so that the steps could open up for storage.  The dock gardening that goes on here is jaw dropping!  This is container gardening to a new level and I love peeking at all the decor!

If you are looking for a different kind of Seattle real estate, then Lake Union floating homes might be a good choice for you!  There are also some great floating homes on Portage Bay, but for Lake Union floating homes look to Seattle neighborhoods like Eastlake & Westlake first and then also over to Queen Anne and Wallingford for vessels.  Make sure and check out Portage Bay homes, and Boat Street over in the U-District has a few great docks!  Either way, what a great way to live the Seattle dream!

Are you interested in Seattle Floating Homes?

Cooper Jacobs Real Estate Services 206-251-5948

Seattle WA floating homes are a great waterfront real estate option in Seattle!  Lake Union has its own special attractions and people who live on the lake love it!  Living on a Seattle houseboat might be one of the most thought about options for people when they are pondering waterfront homes in Seattle! 

These homes offer a wide variety of living plans and the quarters are almost tight, but wouldn't it be great to truly be on the Seattle waterfront? One of the most asked questions I get is, "Do they move with the water?"  The answer is yes and how much depends on how far down the dock you are.  Houseboats on the end of the dock cost more and offer more open views typically, but they do rock back and forth quite a bit more and definitely when a boat passes by.  There is less rock closer in to land. 

Seattle offers lots of waterfront living, but I love this option the best! 

People always love looking at houseboats and I have had fun showing them.  They are the ideal Seattle, Washington lifestyle for many people and one of the first things tourists think about for our city!

A couple funny things that happened to me at an open house for a floating home in Eastlake:  One lady got a little sea sick even though the home was fairly close in on the dock.  Another visitor asked about the plumbing.  Yes, there is a sewer line that goes down the dock!  These are floating homes, not vessels.

While showing a Seattle houseboat once, I dropped the key into Lake Union.  The listing agent wasn't thrilled with me, and I was embarrassed, but he could have put a float on it was my thought.

Living in a very close knit waterfront neighborhood...

Everyone pretty much knows everyone on a dock and neighbors watch out for others.  If you want privacy, this might not be the best option.  This might not be the most ideal solution for Seattle waterfront homes if you like to be alone, but watching the world go by and being in the middle of it all would be the great appeal for most people!

Cooper Jacobs Real Estate Services, Seattle Waterfront homes, Eastlake real estate, Seattle floating homes - call us if you need help or have questions.

We like to go out and get lots of pictures of Seattle whenever we are showing homes - here is a great shot from a recent Seattle floating homes tour we did for a wonderful couple.  It is a picture of Westlake towards the houseboat community there (Westlake is the floating home community that the Sleepless in Seattle houseboat is in) with Queen Anne in the background.  The picture was taken from Eastlake on the banks of Lake Union looking through some houseboats on the East side of the lake. 

Interested in Seattle real estate?  Westlake Real Estate? Queen Anne Real Estate?  Eastlake Real Estate?