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Catching up with five of our favorite Seattle homes from August

Looking back on last moth's listings, some stand out - and they're not always mansions

By Tom Trimbath

Tiny houses, houseboats, electronic marvels, cabins - and even a castle.

When you start house shopping by looking at castles, you'll at least have fun and something to talk about. Head down to Graham to check out a 1,631 square foot work of art, heavy art. Prepare to get medieval. The walls are 18 inches thick. Turrets, spiral staircases, dungeons, and a mead cellar are traditional, classic, and proof that they didn't just put a facade on a suburban tract house. They were, and are, asking $725,000 for the 2 bedroom, 2.5 bathroom fantasy. It sits behind a steel gate on 20 acres; so, you get to be lord, lady, royalty, or despot of your own estate. Check to see if they're leaving the armor. Re-equipping would be so difficult otherwise.

Status: Active

If you really love the water but want to live on land, you might as well have it splashing against the bulkhead beneath your deck. This 2 bedroom, 1.5 bathroom, 1,035 square foot cabin sits so close to the water that you might be able to fish from your BBQ. They're asking $475,000 for the privilege of views that can't be obstructed. There's still the issue of getting down to the house. It sits at the bottom of staircases on a 0.77 acre lot that is steeply sloped. Of course, after you're there you might not want to leave.

Status: Active

Much closer to the heart of Seattle is a house for people who want the water beside and below them, and also above on rainy days. It's a floating house by Gas Works that has 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, and 583 square feet. It sits on an aluminum hull and was built in 2015, a much more modern combination than the wooden cabins sitting on old long logs. The asking price is $485,000, which also provides room for a small boat. Skip Seattle's traffic, row to work.

Status: Active

It was inevitable. Modern is soon to be defined by the electronics rather than just materials and clean lines. This 6,600 square foot house has room for 4 bedrooms and more than 4 bathrooms; but it also includes space for systems that run the house. In addition to titles, deeds, and permits; now you get to keep track of version control, customization menus, and compatibility of the electronic rather than familial kind. The future is here, at least for people with $2,998,000 to spend - and of course the correct smartphone.Status: Active

What's not to like about "free"? A historic Burlington Northern rail car was renovated to preserve a style that's iconic. For years it served on the rails, then as an office. Now, the current owners offered it up to a someone who can provide it a good home by the end of September. It may be stylish, but it is largely a hollow shell. Tiny house advocates, however, can appreciate a space that already has roof, walls, floors, doors, and a framework on wheels. They're just used to rubber tires instead of steel on steel. Don't be surprised to see it rolling by on some flat bed.

Status: TBD

· Have fun storming Denning Castle in Graham for $725K [CS]

· Dash Point beach house offers prime view for $475K [CS]

· Seattle floating home 'Piccolo Paradiso' awaits for $485K [CS]

· $3M Bellevue smart home runs on Amazon and Samsung technology [CS]

· Turn this free historic dining railcar into the coolest tiny house on wheels [CS]