To most, waterfront homes in Seattle are equivalent to Fergie's humps: you can look but you can't touch it. After all, not everyone has the means to drop a couple of millions to fall asleep to the sound of water lapping against the dock. But there is a loophole yet that allows the "common folk" to enjoy the waterfront life; a solution that doesn't involve purchasing a cd from the "meditation" section that features a few tracks of lapping waves. Meet floating homes: the smaller but certainly more affordable alternative to acquiring a residence on the water.
Option One
With only a handful of them currently on the market, floating homes have proven to be a hot commodity, especially when they look like this 2,514 square footer in Portage Bay. This is the kind of home that makes residents forget that they are living on the water, moored to a dock. As a three-story, 2-bed, 2.75-bath home, the place has room enough for a second kitchen, a deck, skylights, floor-to-ceiling windows, a fireplace, and a mysterious "attached garage" that we can't seem to wrap our minds around where it could possibly go. Is it for a boat? A car? A duck boat?!
In addition to the $325 HOA dues, buyers will have to dish out $915,000 for this floater. Sounds like a pretty hefty chunk of change, but compared to the average price for waterfront living, this is chump change.
· Listing: 3254 Portage Bay Pl. E [Estately]
Option Two
If you've adopted the latter half of the philosophy "go big or go home," then you'll be happy to row on back to this houseboat on the Wallingford side of Lake Union. With only 1-bed and 0.75-bath, this one-story house is considerably smaller than its competitor and is for those who want to experiment with the simpler, tiny house lifestyle. And while it seems like there may be no competition, hearing that this recently remodeled houseboat will run buyers a mere $55,000 and $282 in HOA dues might make the decision a little more challenging -- a more budget-friendly price to pay for I-live-on-the-water bragging rights.
· Listing: 2143 N Northlakd Wy #3 [Trulia]
· A Lesson on Waterfront Living [Curbed Seattle]
· (Tiny) House Party! [Curbed Seattle]