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A dock where several houseboats are sitting. A rowboat is floating in front of them. In the background is a partly-cloudy sky.
The dock at 2143 N Northlake Way, where the houseboat Starboard Motion is listed for $685,000.

13 houseboats and floating homes for sale in Seattle right now

Live the floating life

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The dock at 2143 N Northlake Way, where the houseboat Starboard Motion is listed for $685,000.

Homes that float take many forms. Some are fully-nautical houseboats with RV-level tiny living inside, while others are elaborate craftsman houses on a buoyant foundation. Some are free to float wherever they like, while others are permanently fixed to their location (and sewer lines).

Regardless, they have this in common: If you enjoy water views, there’s no better way to get them than out of a window of a home that’s literally already on the water. That, and quicker access to your watercraft than your car.

With the calm waters of Lake Union and Portage Bay, Seattle has no shortage of locations houseboat moorage, both walking distance to civilization and a little deeper in the neighborhoods. And while houseboat listings are the most common in the summer, there’s usually some to be found every time of year—so it’s always a good time to be looking toward a life on the lake, bay, or cut.

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Cottage at Land’s Edge floating home

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Located in a tree-lined corner of a Lake Union dock under the Aurora Bridge—right before Westlake becomes Fremont—this floating home, named “Cottage at Land’s Edge,” has an extremely dreamy setting going for it. But it has its own design to match, too, starting with a bright blue exterior offset by white trim, a wraparound deck, and French doors. It’s listed for $799,000.

An outside seating area with couches and a table. The area is in front of a blue house with a flat roof. The house is a floating home on the water. Virtuance/Courtesy of Special Agents Realty

933 N Northlake Way Slip 14

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This modern, lofted houseboat is on the Fremont side of Gas Works Park, and gets loads of light through a massive, tilted window bank. It’s asking $1.45 million.

“Pied-a-Mer” houseboat

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This houseboat takes the classic, curved-roof, hyper-nautical design and adds a cute little loft—and an extremely cute name—for $330,000.

The interior of a houseboat. the walls, floor, and staircase are wooden. There is a dining area with booth seating and a table. There is a light fixture hanging over the table. Courtesy of Special Agents Realty

Sugar Shack houseboat

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In south Westlake—almost to South Lake Union—the Sugar Shack is classic Seattle houseboat quirky, fitting a decent amount of headroom into a tiny package in thanks to a semi-sunken layout and a generous sleeping loft. It’s listed for $149,000.

A small houseboat sits on the water next to a wooden dock. The boat is painted green and has a bright red ladder and life preserver. There are other boats surrounding it. Courtesy of Special Agents Realty

Rutabaga houseboat

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This funky little houseboat spent a lot of time as a vacation rental before being put on the market for $310,000. One of a few root-vegetable-named houseboats on this dock, Rutabaga has a classic, two-story houseboat design—but a 2013 remodel gave it an offbeat, whimsical vibe.

In the foreground is an outdoor seating area on a houseboat. There are doors open behind the seating area. The doors are attached to a bedroom with a large bed and a dresser.

Ginger houseboat

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Ginger has the most space out of the root vegetable houseboats, with two bedrooms inside a 575-square-foot interior, and the biggest roof deck. It’s going for $315,000.

The back of a houseboat which is sitting on the water. The boat has two levels. On the lower level is a deck with an area rug and a ladder leading to the upper level. There are houseplants in planters on the deck. Special Agents Realty

Carrot houseboat

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Adorable little vessel Carrot has a very tugboaty design with extremely nautical details, from the exposed-wood walls to the exposed steering wheel in the living room. An itty-bitty square footage is efficient, with built-ins and plenty of storage, plus a roof deck to stretch out on. It’s listed for $99,000, or it’s $99 a night on Airbnb if you want to try it out.

A built-in wooden bench with gray upholstery and blanket sits under a round mirror and to the right of a wooden console with a nautical steering wheel. Courtesy of Special Agents Realty

Starboard Motion houseboat

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This houseboat by Gas Works Park has a condo-owned slip, which is a big factor in the $615,000 listing price. Inside, find hardwood floors, a bedroom with a built-in bed, and an office.

A beige houseboat along a wooden dock. Stairs lead to a white porch with white-trimmed French doors, and there’s a metal railing along the roof.

2143 N Northlake Way Slip 38

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By Gas Works Park, this houseboat’s living room has both cathedral ceilings and a wood stove for simultaneous airiness and coziness. While it lives more like a house than some boat homes, it retains a lot of fun houseboat features like built-ins, skylights, and, of course, a roof deck. A large master bedroom is supplemented by a sleeping loft for overnight guests. It’s asking $700,000, which includes ownership of the slip.

Wildest Dream houseboat

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This little houseboat, called “Wildest Dream,” packs a lot of artistry into 432 square feet—starting right at the front door with a carved, sunburst relief. But its quirks don’t distract from its function, with clearly laid-out and efficient areas for cooking, eating, lounging, and sleeping alike, making use out of every bit of interior space. It’s on the market for $329,000; monthly moorage fees are $730.

In the foreground is a light blue houseboat next to a dock and other houseboats. The backdoor is orange. Courtesy of Special Agents Realty

2235 Fairview Avenue E Slip 16

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This 1960 home combines a midcentury modern aesthetic, including vaulted, wood ceilings, with statement windows, beachy singled siding, and little nooks. It’s asking $2.9 million.

The interior of a houseboat. There is a sloped wooden ceiling and floor to ceiling windows. There is a red couch, table, and two chairs. On a wall in the foreground is a table with a houseplant in a planter. John Markadakis/Courtesy of Seattle Afloat

3012 Fuhrman Avenue E Slip B

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Vaulted ceilings, exposed grain woodwork, and cleverly designed storage lofts combine for a fun layout in this two-bedroom floating home, and skylights and French doors bring in plenty of light. It’s asking $599,000.

1213 E Shelby Street Unit 17

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This end-of-dock floating home was built in 1970 with kind of a midcentury sensibility—and has a grandfathered-in dock “yard.” It’s listed for $1.45 million.

The interior of a floating home. There is a large bed with blue bed linens. There is a room divider in the center of the room. On the other side of the divider is a living area with a couch and a television. John Markadakis/Courtesy of Seattle Afloat

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Cottage at Land’s Edge floating home

Located in a tree-lined corner of a Lake Union dock under the Aurora Bridge—right before Westlake becomes Fremont—this floating home, named “Cottage at Land’s Edge,” has an extremely dreamy setting going for it. But it has its own design to match, too, starting with a bright blue exterior offset by white trim, a wraparound deck, and French doors. It’s listed for $799,000.

An outside seating area with couches and a table. The area is in front of a blue house with a flat roof. The house is a floating home on the water. Virtuance/Courtesy of Special Agents Realty

933 N Northlake Way Slip 14

This modern, lofted houseboat is on the Fremont side of Gas Works Park, and gets loads of light through a massive, tilted window bank. It’s asking $1.45 million.

“Pied-a-Mer” houseboat

This houseboat takes the classic, curved-roof, hyper-nautical design and adds a cute little loft—and an extremely cute name—for $330,000.

The interior of a houseboat. the walls, floor, and staircase are wooden. There is a dining area with booth seating and a table. There is a light fixture hanging over the table. Courtesy of Special Agents Realty

Sugar Shack houseboat

In south Westlake—almost to South Lake Union—the Sugar Shack is classic Seattle houseboat quirky, fitting a decent amount of headroom into a tiny package in thanks to a semi-sunken layout and a generous sleeping loft. It’s listed for $149,000.

A small houseboat sits on the water next to a wooden dock. The boat is painted green and has a bright red ladder and life preserver. There are other boats surrounding it. Courtesy of Special Agents Realty

Rutabaga houseboat

This funky little houseboat spent a lot of time as a vacation rental before being put on the market for $310,000. One of a few root-vegetable-named houseboats on this dock, Rutabaga has a classic, two-story houseboat design—but a 2013 remodel gave it an offbeat, whimsical vibe.

In the foreground is an outdoor seating area on a houseboat. There are doors open behind the seating area. The doors are attached to a bedroom with a large bed and a dresser.

Ginger houseboat

Ginger has the most space out of the root vegetable houseboats, with two bedrooms inside a 575-square-foot interior, and the biggest roof deck. It’s going for $315,000.

The back of a houseboat which is sitting on the water. The boat has two levels. On the lower level is a deck with an area rug and a ladder leading to the upper level. There are houseplants in planters on the deck. Special Agents Realty

Carrot houseboat

Adorable little vessel Carrot has a very tugboaty design with extremely nautical details, from the exposed-wood walls to the exposed steering wheel in the living room. An itty-bitty square footage is efficient, with built-ins and plenty of storage, plus a roof deck to stretch out on. It’s listed for $99,000, or it’s $99 a night on Airbnb if you want to try it out.

A built-in wooden bench with gray upholstery and blanket sits under a round mirror and to the right of a wooden console with a nautical steering wheel. Courtesy of Special Agents Realty

Starboard Motion houseboat

This houseboat by Gas Works Park has a condo-owned slip, which is a big factor in the $615,000 listing price. Inside, find hardwood floors, a bedroom with a built-in bed, and an office.

A beige houseboat along a wooden dock. Stairs lead to a white porch with white-trimmed French doors, and there’s a metal railing along the roof.

2143 N Northlake Way Slip 38

By Gas Works Park, this houseboat’s living room has both cathedral ceilings and a wood stove for simultaneous airiness and coziness. While it lives more like a house than some boat homes, it retains a lot of fun houseboat features like built-ins, skylights, and, of course, a roof deck. A large master bedroom is supplemented by a sleeping loft for overnight guests. It’s asking $700,000, which includes ownership of the slip.

Wildest Dream houseboat

This little houseboat, called “Wildest Dream,” packs a lot of artistry into 432 square feet—starting right at the front door with a carved, sunburst relief. But its quirks don’t distract from its function, with clearly laid-out and efficient areas for cooking, eating, lounging, and sleeping alike, making use out of every bit of interior space. It’s on the market for $329,000; monthly moorage fees are $730.

In the foreground is a light blue houseboat next to a dock and other houseboats. The backdoor is orange. Courtesy of Special Agents Realty

2235 Fairview Avenue E Slip 16

This 1960 home combines a midcentury modern aesthetic, including vaulted, wood ceilings, with statement windows, beachy singled siding, and little nooks. It’s asking $2.9 million.

The interior of a houseboat. There is a sloped wooden ceiling and floor to ceiling windows. There is a red couch, table, and two chairs. On a wall in the foreground is a table with a houseplant in a planter. John Markadakis/Courtesy of Seattle Afloat

3012 Fuhrman Avenue E Slip B

Vaulted ceilings, exposed grain woodwork, and cleverly designed storage lofts combine for a fun layout in this two-bedroom floating home, and skylights and French doors bring in plenty of light. It’s asking $599,000.

1213 E Shelby Street Unit 17

This end-of-dock floating home was built in 1970 with kind of a midcentury sensibility—and has a grandfathered-in dock “yard.” It’s listed for $1.45 million.

The interior of a floating home. There is a large bed with blue bed linens. There is a room divider in the center of the room. On the other side of the divider is a living area with a couch and a television. John Markadakis/Courtesy of Seattle Afloat