Seattle Houseboat Buying Guide (Updated for fall 2024)
Welcome to our 2024 Seattle houseboat buying guide! Written by Matt Goyer a houseboat agent and the owner and managing broker of the real estate brokerage Urban Living, this guide is based on his 10 years living on a floating home and his years helping many first-time houseboat buyers. We wrote it to give you an overview of what it takes to buy a houseboat on Lake Union. It will also give you a good sense of what it is like to work with us. Do you still have questions? Reach us at hello@lake-life-seattle.com.
What is a houseboat? What is a floating on water residence (FOWR)?
A houseboat is a floating structure used as a dwelling unit and moored in a rented or owned slip at a marina in the City of Seattle. Their technical term is a floating on water residence (FOWR, pronounced flower). There are 215 FOWRs on Lake Union. Houseboats differ from floating homes in that houseboats are relatively easy to move between marinas and are not permanently connected to their docks with easily disconnected utilities. We also consider house barges to be houseboats.
What is a house barge?
A house barge is designed and used for navigation but lacks a means of self-propulsion and steering equipment or capability. There are 27 house barges on Lake Union.
Houseboat vs Floating home
What’s the difference between a houseboat and a floating home? See our helpful guide to the two types of on-water residences on Lake Union.
How big is a houseboat?
Most houseboats range in size from 150 to 1,000 square feet. However, there is an exception, the Aurora which is 4,800 square feet!
How much does a houseboat cost?
Houseboats can be as cheap as a $100k for a small fixer upper to $1m to a brand new 1,000 square foot one. However, there is an exception, the Aurora, which sold for $3.6m in 2022 but keep in mind, it is 4,800 square feet.
| Total # of sales | Off-market | Price range | $/Sq. ft. range | Days on market | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 7 | 2 | $58k to $1.15m | $162 to $1,411 | 6 to 210 |
| 2022 | 27 | 3 | $130k to $3.6m | $366 to $1,500 | 2 to 302 |
Can I get a mortgage for a houseboat purchase?
Yes! Though there’s really only one option for financing a houseboat purchase, Sound Community Bank. See our list of houseboat lenders.
Can I Airbnb or VRBO my houseboat?
No. Short term rentals (fewer than 30 consecutive nights) are not allowed for on-water residences of any type.
Can I move my houseboat?
Yes. Though finding a spot to move it to will not be easy and it may take years to find a suitable spot. So best to assume that the houseboat your considering is likely going to stay in the slip it is in for many years.
If you are able to find a new slip, here are a few things to keep in mind:
- make sure the new location is compliant with the City of Seattle’s regulations for marinas with floating residences
- notify SDCI
- update your insurance and your lender
Does the equity ordinance apply to houseboats?
No, Seattle’s floating home equity ordinace does not apply to houseboats.
Questions to ask
Think you found “the one”? Here are some good questions to make sure you understand what you’re getting into.
- Marina/dock questions:
- What utilities does the lease fee include/not include?
- Is there an additional liveaboard fee? If so, how much?
- Are pets allowed?
- Are rentals allowed?
- What is the parking situation?
- Can I tie a small boat to my houseboat? What about kayaks or paddleboards?
- Can I swim in the marina?
- How do I receive mail and/or packages?
- What Internet is available?
- Does the marina have laundry facilities?
- Does the marina have bathroom or shower facilities?
- Houseboat questions:
- What is the flotation type?
- When was it last hauled out?
Where can I a houseboat real estate agent?
We’d be happy to help! Feel free to reach out about any questions you have.
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