Seattle Afloat: Seattle Houseboats - Floating Homes On Lake Union: February 2010

Seattle Houseboats:  Children on Floating Homes:  How do you raise children on a floating home?  I have asked this question quite a bit and it is always interesting to get the various answers, but I would love to hear your top ten tips for living on a houseboat with a child. 

Children and boating:  My in laws have a sailboat they sail around the Sound and all the docks at the marinas we stop in and see them at require children to wear a life jacket just to walk on the dock.  I agree with this policy. 

Children on floating home docks around Lake Union and Portage Bay:  I know some of the policies around the docks for kids and pets, but always wonder how some of the various Seattle houseboats co-ops cover themselves for just this thing.  I asked that question yesterday while previewing a brand new Eastlake floating home on the market (which is very cool by the way).  My question to one of the houseboat neighbors was what is your child policy?  He looked at me funny because of course that was a wacko way to word the question, but he smiled and said: "Parents."  Perfect answer.

Floating home child safety for houseboats:  What do some of the parents do to keep their children safe around the docks when you live in a floating home lifestyle?  I know of one family who keeps life jackets on hooks at every door.  It is just a way of life.  Other answers I have gotten over the years:  Of course they get swim lessons early as well.  Special railings on decks to keep toys, etc. from rolling off. What great solution have you come up with to keep your child safe while living life afloat in one of the very best Seattle waterfront lifestyles? Let us know!  SeattleAfloat@gmail.com

Co-ops:  What's The Deal?  The other day I held a Broker's Open at Cooper Jacobs Real Estate's new houseboat listing on Lake Union.  A man and his family stopped by.  He has a job that requires him to travel from Bellingham to Seattle and needed a place to live while he's in town.  I told him the background on 2764 Westlake Ave N Unit #D:  a rare 1910, 479 square feet of lake living, views of Gas Works Park, Fremont bridge, Queen Anne, and um, the water of course.  Lots of water.  Anyway, one bed, one bath, and opportunities to build up and it's mortgage is a co-op.  He raised his eyebrows.  "What's THAT?" 

I told him you own a share in a big corporation.  You don't hold the Title but you hold a share in the overall portfolio in the co-op on that dock.  So, I explained, you are almost like leasing it BUT you have a shared legal entity.  Your voice is heard.  Just like a condominium building, a co-op has a board of directors responsible for business decisions.

The monthly co-op dues are usually lower than condomium (home owner association or HOA) dues.  Why?  Because a co-op is non-profit.  But check with your real estate agent on this, because much like the neighborhoods in Seattle, every one is different.

A most brilliant website (thank you again Wikipedia!) has an indepth explaination of co-ops in all different countries.  So don't be afraid of the word "co-op".  Oh...and don't be afraid to check out more beautiful houseboats in Seattle - one of the largest communities of houseboats of all kinds!  Yes indeed - and in Seattle, we have an entire association JUST for houseboats.  

  Call for more information regarding lake-living!Portage Bay, Eastlake, Westlake, Center For Wooden Boats - and more!  

SeattleAfloat: Floating homes, Houseboats, More:  You can all the latest Seattle houseboats for sale on the corporate real estate site.  Here is a great peek at the North Part of Westlake on the base of Queen Anne (Northlake).  This is West across form Eastlake and South of Wallingford right by the Aurora Bridge and near Fremont.

Westlake floating homes:  Westlake has some wonderful shops along the Lake Union (Cheshihud) Loop.  You can also catch a glimpse into some of the cute treatments certain floating homes get from their owners.

This floating back deck for instance is in the moorage where you might usually find a boat, but the savvy owners have decided that adding outdoor space might better serve their life afloat. 

(I love little Seattle houseboat details like this)

  What kind of details do you have that are unique for your life afloat in Seattle?

 Seattle Afloat:   It is great seeing all the differences in each floating home: Little peep holes to see if the store is open or liquor hatches in the floats left over from prohibition.  Tiny cubbies fitted with hinges in the stair case to make use of any dead spaces for storage.

Eastlake Floating Homes: A Few Reasons Why I Love Eastlake

Eastlake is a small sliver of heaven in Seattle!  Even though it hugs I-5 there are great big sound barrier walls that make it a tiny little village right in the city.  A quick ride into South Lake Union or Downtown Seattle make it easy to see why this is such a great place to live.  It is a small laid back neighborhood which happens to be right in the middle of it all! 

Eastlake offers some amazing single family, condo, and townhouse type homes, but the shoreline is all about life afloat in Seattle floating homes.  These historical homes line the shore and their docks and offer a great peaceful setting while still being close to the action.

Want to see Eastlake homes for sale?

Eastlake Townhomes

Eastlake real estate

Seattle houseboats

Eastlake Seattle condos including Harbor Pointe

Come enjoy great places like Louisa's, Pete's, and trails like the Lake Union Loop (Cheshiahud), and more - Eastlake is a wonderful sliver in Seattle!

Seattle Houseboats:  Floating Homes Are Few And Far Between!  The inventory right now in Seattle floating homes is pretty much non-existent.  Seattle houseboat market update:

Seattle Floating Homes for sale:  Right now there are only a couple Seattle floating homes for sale - one of them is on Portage Bay and offers some additional moorage for income potential and the other is a lovely little historical gem that we listed last week.  List range is from $365,500 to $2,200,000.  There was another in Roanoke Reef but it is pending inspection at the moment and falls withing that same range of list price.  

The real problem right now for potential houseboat buyers is that there is no inventory.  We have the high and the low end represented in this batch, but there are a real lack of Seattle floating homes in the $550,000 to $950,000 range which is where I see a lot of the demand. Obviously getting your foot into the door on a Seattle houseboat priced at $365,500 is also pretty desire able which is why we have had a lot of attention and activity at the home we have listed at 2764 Westlake Ave N!

Other Seattle Houseboats for sale (vessels, barges):

Vessels and barges are lower priced and boats rather than real estate so they fall into a completely different category of Seattle houseboat than the floating homes do.  Current listings for these other types of Seattle houseboats or liveaboards range from $110,000 all the way up to $385,000 and $395,000 with 7 or 8 available to choose from at the moment.  

Recent Seattle houseboats that have sold or are pending:

Roanoke Reef has one pending sale and there is also a smaller floating home pending on Portage Bay.  In the last 6 months there have been 11 closed Seattle floating homes sales and 3 closed vessel sales.  Stat Averages for these are as follows:  $765,929 listing price, 1645  square feet, 140 days on market, $709,552 average selling price.

Seattle houseboat Real Estate Market 2010 Summary:

Seattle houseboats are in demand!  If you have been thinking about selling your Seattle floating home, then right would be PERFECT.  There is little or no competition and the floating home market has for the most part not been seriously impacted by the rest of the Seattle real estate market.

Let us know if you want a market analysis and competitve bid for the listing.  We always clean, stage, and market our listings to the fullest and would love to see your Seattle houseboat!

2764 Westlake Ave N # D, Seattle Floating Home Just Listed! 

$365,500 with co-op owned moorage

Really adorable Historic Seattle Houseboat D:  Want a Seattle floating home?  Enjoy life on Lake Union in this great floating home circa 1910 but with great updates through the years.  This is one of the originals!  Log foundation with newer roof and deck on co-op owned moorage dock!

Sleeping loft, large kitchen, plus additional den/office to the back, this floating home has vaulted ceilings, skylights, and more!  Great condo alternative for in city living with flair.  Cats ok and dogs ok with co-op approval.  Low dues cover almost everything you need!

Just steps from Fremont at the base of Queen Anne along Westlake Ave N, this is the perfect location for easy access to Downtown Seattle, Queen Anne, Fremont, and more and right on the Cheshiahud Loop (Lake Union Loop) with quick access to all the other walking and cycling trails and paths that intersect right in that area!

Throw your kayak in at the end of the dock and enjoy life afloat in Lake Union!

 Want more info?

2764 Westlake Ave N  Floating home for sale