Multiple habitats adorn this sensational Seattle waterfront property. Upland home is situated on stately lot with a beach cottage at the water’s edge and a dock out to the end flanked by floating homes and moorage income opportunities. We are Seattle waterfront homes and Seattle floating homes experts. Let us know how we can help you. SeattleAfloat.com. 206-850-8841
Portage Bay waterfront property available! Once in a lifetime opportunity to stake a large claim in this spectacular piece of Portage Bay’s sought after sunny Gold Coast. Extremely rare and special income producing waterfront property is a great investment as is, but also offers flexible future uses. Gorgeous views of Portage Bay, UW, and the Cascades, plus a unique look through the Montlake Cut for an endless boat parade. Drive through driveway, covered carport, and large gardening space lead to the main house which is a duplex and has show stopping views.
Easy to see why this Portage Bay beauty is so sought after in its current listing. Very rare and very beautiful property will likely be snapped up in first week of the current listing. Listed by Courtney Cooper Neese.
Meander down the waterside pathway and make a stop at the waterfront beach house, and then walk the 100 +/- foot dock and marina portion which offers deep water lake moorage and an incredible lifestyle for water enthusiasts. There are three floating home slips and two of the three floating homes are included in the sale. The third slip is the smallest and provides rental income from the tenant floating home. Lastly, there is a fourth slip for additional end of dock moorage opportunities. Offered at $5,890,000
If you have been looking for the perfect Portage Bay waterfront property or even at other Seattle waterfront homes for sale, you should consider touring this one. Feel free to reach out to me and I am happy to provide you with more info. I also have 23 years experience and live on the water so I am happy to walk you through any questions or details. If you are interested in buying or selling a Seattle area waterfront home, please consider calling or texting me. Courtney Cooper Neese 206-850-8841. courtney@cooperjacobs.com
Hello! Seattle Floating Homes and Seattle Houseboats Neighbors! Hoping this finds you well in the new year! My family and I are very grateful to have you as neighbors. I greatly appreciate that you keep choosing me when it comes time to buy or sell your homes. It is truly my honor.
Besides selling a lot of Seattle houseboats and floating homes, there were a few big life changes in 2022!
Married! You may have seen my name change on the signs: Courtney Cooper -> Courtney Cooper Neese. At age 50, my prince charming finally found me. He came in the form of a tall and handsome home inspector named Joe who sponsored a top 20% real estate broker lunch, that I was featured at. And.. the good news: he loves floating homes, too.
Joe came with a spunky and beautiful daughter so London and I gained not just one family member, but two!
Lastly, My daughter got married, too! On the last day of the year, we hiked in the snow and got to experience a beautiful fairytale wedding that only Madison could have come up with. My new son in law is very special.
Gratitude.
This floating community is like no other! While many admire us from the outside, one really does have to live here to truly understand our various intricacies! Each dock is so different and each geographic section of our community is different as well, but we all exhibit the same fortitude no matter which side of the lake we are on. I long admired Seattle’s floating homes community and thought I understood it before I lived here, but it wasn’t until I was highly involved and living in it that a true understanding was born. Very grateful to have had the chance to work with incredible buyer and seller clients through all this. It’s more about you rather than the numbers. Thank you for always wrapping your arms around me.
– Courtney Cooper Neese, Seattle Afloat
Are You Interested In The Lake Union Market?
Westlake Floating Home For Sale – Booking showings now. $1,895,000Lake Union Landing – Over 50% sold, it has been my pleasure to launch this beautiful coop and I am so thankful for the quality builds going in here. Seattle afloat represented the Seller and Buyer for this beauty. Buyers had lost out on at least two other homes and are so happy to have found their perfect spot on the lake. Represented the Seller and the Buyer on this beautiful Portage Bay waterfront home that is part of the Stillwater floating home coop community that Seattle Afloat launched.Cute 2 bedroom Eastlake Seattle Houseboat has great dock position. Rented moorage. $395,000Gorgeous houseboats are being built one at a time by FullerStyle Houseboats at Lake Union Landing. I am so grateful to be their exclusive listing broker!
Seattle houseboats offer great channel views and beautiful light and scenery.
Seattle houseboats come in many different shapes and sizes and you can find them in various spots along the shores of Lake Union and Portage Bay, but we love it when we are able to represent a true legacy floating home on the lake. Located in one of the most established Seattle floating homes coop docks on Lake Union, this vibrant spot will relax and excite you every time you come home.
From the listing of this Seattle Floating Home Just Listed by Seattle Houseboats Specialists Courtney at Seattle Afloat:
Another legacy Seattle floating home is available for the first time in decades. Located on one of the acclaimed Log Foundation docks in the southern most part of Eastlake, this home is a huge opportunity! Awesome light filled vaulted ceilings and spaces offer just the right amount of openness for modern living. Enjoy the charm and intimacy that comes with this amazing lifestyle which is like no other. Live surrounded by lapping water peacefully, yet in the middle of the city, plus how cool is it that you can kayak or SUP right from your home? Take a swim channel side in the warm summer evenings or cozy up for the winter. No matter the season, this house is the place. $799,995
Listed by Seattle Houseboats Specialists at Seattle Afloat
Seattle Houseboats Open Houses:
Open all weekend – today 12-3 and tomorrow 2-4!
Interested in selling your Seattle Houseboat or Floating home?
If you own a Seattle floating home in Eastlake, Westlake, Northlake, or Portage Bay and are interested in seeing what your home might be worth in this market? There is always a great demand for Seattle waterfront homes and Seattle floating homes and each one is so different so we have buyers waiting to see what comes on the market that suit them! Let us know if you have one they can look at!
Please email us directly or call/text us to speak with one of us: houseboats@cooperjacobs.com 206-472-1005 We are Seattle waterfront and floating homes experts and here to help you.
Represented by Seattle Afloat: Lake Union Landing Slip 1 and beautiful Seattle houseboat Pearl closed in escrow for full price yesterday.
Seattle Houseboats for sale in the MLS: Here’s what was said about the beautiful Pearl houseboat in the listing that we put on:
Lake Union Landing and FullerStyle present to you Pearl, a stunning 2021 houseboat and the latest addition to this sought after co-op owned community. Pearl has a gorgeous nautical curved bow with windows placed strategically to incorporate natural light and views. She measures 36×14 and is fully equipped with high end and custom finishes plus city water and sewer. Luxurious design and uncompromised spaces will leave you pinching yourself daily wondering if you really live here. Stroll down the gated and private wide tree and bench lined dock boulevard like no other and enjoy the sights and sounds of lake living. Shared off street parking and steps to Burke Gilman Trail, local eateries, and UW campus. In city paradise!
Lake Union Landing is a beautiful tree lined wide boulevard style dock over Lake Union with full skyline views and a front row seat to all the action and boat parades on the water. It is like nothing you have seen to date in the city and full of surprises at every corner. This dock is incredibly special, but adding to this is the stellar designed and built houseboats by FullerStyle making Lake Union Landing Seattle’s premier new dock for floating residences. We are 50% sold now and slips are released on a limited basis. We have three currently available. Let us know if you would like more info. call/text 206-850-8841 or email houseboats@cooperjacobs.com
Incredible community in Seattle! Small neighborhood feel while living in the middle of the city. Natural setting and the sounds of water offer the perfect city life.
Seattle houseboats living at its best in this cool Eastlake Floating home!
Have you thought about life in Seattle on a houseboat or floating home? Seattle houseboats living afloat is fabulous and here is a great floating home available now! Best panoramic views of Lake Union and beyond from your expansive rooftop deck on this super cool Seattle floating home in sought after Eastlake. Beautiful floating Seattle oasis with owner’s suite includes gorgeous bath and its own private southwest facing deck to admire the lake activity. One more bedroom or office on this level. Travel upstairs and capture incredible natural light and open concept with living room, dining room, eat in kitchen and half bath. Innotech tilt & turn windows are also special finds on floating homes.
Awesome spaces in this cool Eastlake floating home – always has been admired and the envy of many in the neighborhood.
Everyone who dreams of Seattle Houseboats Living, wants a great outdoor space, so we especially love the deck conveniently off this level for grilling up dinner. Then there is the rooftop deck! Seattle floating homes with rooftop decks are always on wish lists, but to find one so large is truly your own private “backyard”.
This is a great dock filled with awesome floating home and land neighbors and in a wonderful location. Living on a Seattle floating home is an absolute great way to enjoy all that the city has to offer while being in your own private water world with nature. It really makes the outside world melt away and is also great for easy access to water sports! $1,600,000
Details of this Seattle Floating Home
2 bedrooms
1.5 baths
1155 Square feet
$550/month dues cover water, sewer, garbage, taxes on submerged parcel
roof top deck
co-op dock so you own a share in the dock to secure your slip ownership.
Homes in Westlake tend to have deep water and are on the best part of the Lake Union Loop.
Contact us. We are your Seattle Houseboats Experts and look forward to helping you and answering all your questions. Courtney Cooper 206-850-8841 houseboats@cooperjacobs.com
This is an interesting topic in the Seattle houseboats world. When you move into a home on land, you schedule the moving truck and they back into your driveway or park on the street in front of your home. What happens when you move in or out of a floating home? The answer is it depends. It depends on a number of factors and features really of your dock.
Seattle views on the water…
Location. You hear about location, location, location in Seattle real estate, but never does that come into play more than when you are moving in or out of a floating home in Seattle. The neighborhood in which your dock is located is a crucial part of the puzzle when it comes to figuring out logistics of a move. Floating homes are at street ends and alleys in many cases in Portage Bay, and tight streets exist in Eastlake, Fremont, Wallingford, and Westlake. Taking the time to find out if the moving truck can even fit close to your dock is important. Make sure to have the movers come out and map out the plan.
Communication. Let your dock know the plan. There may be a loading zone or parking spaces which need to be reserved.
Security. You may need to ask for help from someone who can physically watch your belongings while furniture and boxes are moved up or down the dock so that the truck is not left unattended at any time.
Use of Dolly, Cart, etc. First of all, make sure that the wheels of a third party cart or dolly are not going to be damaging to your dock surface. Seattle floating home docks usually have great carts for moving your belongs up and down the dock, but you might want to ask the dock board if it is okay to use them for a floating home household move. They are in place at the head of the houseboats dock so that all the floating home residents can use them in every day life. Additional wear and tear on them may not be welcome.
Moving from dock to dock or from one floating home on the dock to another on the same dock? Consider filling a boat! This is especially great for planters and outdoor furniture, but can be a great mode of transport for indoor belongs as well.
Leveling it. Last note and important!!! When you move furniture in and out you may need to call a diver to come level your home – especially if you are moving a particularly heavy piece of furniture! The diver may need to come out and move flotation around or add more…
There are some great choices available right now – both on land and in the floating home world. Let us know if you are interested in exploring our amazing Seattle neighborhoods. I live and work in Seattle and am your absolute advocate in the Seattle houseboats world. Current Seattle floating homes listings range in price from $995,000 to $2,950,000 and can be found in Eastlake and Portage Bay.
Contact us. We are your Seattle Houseboats Experts and look forward to helping you and answering all your questions. houseboats@cooperjacobs.com
What a gorgeous day! We always say that this is the kind of weather that was made to show off Seattle houseboats! This luxury new construction floating home build is no exception to that. This is the last floating home available in the Stillwater Landing development. It is that one that was held back because the design was so incredible. It is also the last basement allowed in Seattle floating homes per current city rules. This luxury lake home is incredible!!! Three levels of living space with high ceilings, luxury finish work, and radiant warm floors. It has boat moorage and garage parking – complete with electrical to install a car charger if you want. It really has it all… and you own your own moorage. $2,950,000
This is a once in a lifetime buy as the city has a net zero policy on these and no more new Seattle floating homes will be allowed to add to the number that we have on the lake already. In addition, no additional basements will be permitted according to the code. It’s also rare to get a garage parking space and be in this incredible corner of Portage Bay.
We would be happy to show you this property. We have lender, inspector, appraiser, and insurance referrals for these special waterfront properties and we are happy to walk you through each step. We look forward to showing you this floating home or others and are your absolute advocates for Lake Union homes and waterfront living. We are here to help and your absolute Seattle Houseboats Experts ℠.
Surrounded on three sides with water, this is truly life afloat. Natural light comes in from every angle and reflects off the lake on to the ceilings. High end finishes and appliances make this a dream to cook and entertain in. Incredible from every angle, this kitchen is a cook’s dream and you won’t ever want to eat out again. .
Welcome to the 2420 Cooperative Seattle Floating Homes Dock
2420 Westlake Avenue North #8 Seattle, Washington 98109
The FLOAT
You should always start with the float on a Seattle floating home, but most people start with the house itself to make sure it checks all the Seattle houseboats boxes. Each one of these is so very different, but it is important that once you identify the perfect Lake Union floating home that works for your living style, then you go right to the float. The true value in Seattle floating homes in across Lake Union and Lake Union’s eastern arm Portage Bay is the slip dimensions. The slip sizes for any given slip were largely determined and set in stone across coop docks by looking at any existing structures that occupied the slips at the time that the dock was converted to a coop. These dimensions were then recorded and grandfathered in. Many of them exceed the limit of brand new homes allowed on the lake so slips with footprints larger than 1200 square feet are especially valuable.
Length: 37.4ft Width: 30.8 ft
Water Depth: 45ft with no obstructions.
Stringers: 11 pressure treated stringers running east to west. Decks The front deck is constructed of treated 2×6 surface boards and 4×6 joints.
Log pack. Beneath the stringers are 9 old growth logs that run east to west. They provide both structure and flotation for the home. They are in a stable configuration, anchored securely with stringers pins.
Early 1900’s year built | 2 beds | 1 Bath | Approximately 700 sq ft
Hardwoods | wrap around deck | sunroom | boat moorage
$500 Home Owner Dues include: dock water, sewer, garbage. Dock maintenance, DNR lease, pay off for 8 slip marina, and floating home moorage real estate taxes
Personal property tax (paid biannual or annually) is $1,200
8 slip marina owned by 2420 Cooperative anticipated paid off by December 2018
Laundry and shower facility at the head of the dock is for the slip tenants.
Home Insurance $1900 annually through Lloyds of London underwriters. July 2018 Home and Dive Inspection performed.
New mini split (heating/cooling) and new attic insulation.
New steel moorage arms in 2018.
From Our Lovely Seattle Floating Home Sellers:
Things We Love About Living Here
We love to hop on our bikes and cruise along the newer Westlake bike trail to Fremont. We would sometimes attach our pet bike carrier since our favorite bar in Fremont Norm’s on 36th Ave allows dogs inside!
We walk out our sliding glass door and hop on our Paddleboards and other water toys to unwind after a long working day. However our favorite time is in the early morning hours when the city is still sleeping. SUP yoga anyone?
We love to watch the beautiful yachts cruise into the Westlake marinas and play a game of how this billionaire made their profits! Plus we like the privacy of living next to a quiet marina instead of a house around every corner.
Nature is everywhere we look and our favorite is to see the Blue Heron hunt for its food right outside our door.
We love to hear the sounds of seaplanes in the distance. The next time we want to go to the San Juans, we can kayak to Kenmore Air to catch a ride.
The Floating Home Association (FHA) is an awesome community that is always bringing the floating home community together. Sometimes it’s a dock party (Docktoberfest) or it’s an informative annual meeting (each April) to discuss how we can continue to preserve and improve our lifestyle.
Above all, we love to tell people (when asked) that we live in a houseboat or floating home. It never fails to bring a slew of questions about what it’s like and that they’ve always wanted to do the same thing.
Want to see this one? Call/Text Courtney Cooper 206-850-8841 or email us at houseboats@cooperjacobs.com We are Seattle Floating Homes Experts and happy to help you with this special kind of Seattle home.
Seattle Floating Homes – It Comes Down To The Love Of Water
The last two days have been spent well out of my comfort zone being interviewed and filmed by a crew from CNN. Anyone who knows me knows how very out of character that is for me. I say no to every filming request that we get from shows like Househunters, Tiny Houses, etc. We greatly respect the privacy of the Seattle Houseboats community and want to protect this coveted lifestyle. I was happy to step out of my personal norm and do this because I wanted to show off our floating homes community and our beautiful city on a grander scale. We are fresh off of the 2018 Seattle Floating Homes tour and I have an ever growing love for this historic neighborhood in which I call home.
When I got the call to talk about Seattle floating homes by an extremely respected network, I agreed. We planned a modest boat ride around the lake so that I could show off the various floating home communities that make up our overall houseboats neighborhood. As luck would have it, my Duffy electric boat decided to be moody the day before they were set to visit, so I called upon one of my personal heroes Steve Brown whom I work with at Keller Williams North Seattle. He didn’t hesitate to come to my rescue and his beautiful boat is so much better!!! Steve dropped his entire day and toured the film crew around in style around the lake while I was interviewed on the bow of his boat like I was cruising the riviera.
As I was interviewed about the various aspects of our community and what it was like to live on a floating home, I was reminded of why I live on one. It’s all about the water for me. I love the reflections of it on my ceiling and the sound of it as the waves come in and are dispersed gently over the logs that make up my float pack. I love the rain pouring on the roof and lake around me. It was fun to see how excited the camera crew got about the littlest things around our homes. The gardens on the docks and other creative artwork here and there added such vibrancy to the story they were trying to tell. Such an outstanding community of neighbors that care about each other and all share the common bond of loving the water.
As newer folks move in and others move off the dock, the character and mood changes at times, but overall the spirit stays the same. I was asked a lot about gentrification of the neighborhood and how that had affected the docks, but it all keeps going back to the common bond that we all share – old or young, rich or poor. We all love the water. It was such a pleasure to show off our incredible neighborhood! I got to tour them through our listings, too!
If you are interested in seeing the floating homes that they toured or anything on the market, please let us know. We are happy to show you some great spots. I can’t guarantee that I can get Captain Steve back, but should have the Duffy up and rolling again soon! Please feel free to call/text us at 206-850-8841 Currently there are 12 floating homes on the market which range in list price from $599,000 to $3,700,000. There is literally something for everyone if you want to be one of the lucky roughly 517 who live in a floating home on the lake. You can see all homes on the market here: Seattle Floating Homes For Sale
Regarding any statistical info from the NWMLS: Information and statistics derived from Northwest Multiple Listing Service.
Own the water with this condo moorage. End of the dock on Lake Union in Seattle’s bustling Eastlake neighborhood, welcome aboard the Limbo, your executive floating townhome alternative! Seattle waterfront living to it’s very core, this substantial floating residence is equipped with pretty much all you want!
It even comes furnished should you want all of the bells and whistles – from the rooftop deck complete with rooftop deck and sitting bar, to the included dinghy equipped with fish finder, and the list of perks goes on all the way down to the stocked liquor cabinet.
This is a stunner among Seattle houseboats for sale. Large master suite and two smaller staterooms. Beautifully finished bathrooms, stacking washer/dryer, large cooks kitchen with eating bar and cozy living room with fireplace.
Views in all directions and no one in front of you to block them. Decks on all levels including enclosed (removable) deck to take in the outdoor living even on a chilly evening. All the toys you will need are also included!
Here are the remarks from the MLS listing which went live this AM:
This is more than meets the eye.This is a turn key, fully loaded,fun in the sun, houseboat ready to move in or rent out without a single thing to do. Fantastic lifestyle on this end of dock slip on a condo owned dock in Eastlake. Stunning views of the city’s skyline day or night while soaking in your roof top hot tub.Next day, take the bikes out for a cruise around South Lake Union’s Farmers Market. Newer built and fully custom 55’x15 houseboat, three bedrooms, 2.5 baths, and 72 walkscore!
Why You Should Sell Your Seattle Floating Home Right Now
Pending in Escrow with multiple offers!
When I have conversations with people interested in selling their Seattle homes I always get an interesting array of responses, but in the last week alone three property owners have told me that they want to wait until spring to sell their home. Most years for us the winter is one of my busier times in Seattle real estate overall and sometimes even more busy on the lake! So the idea that someone would think the spring time could be better and want to wait to list their home doesn’t make sense to me. My favorite response when talking to a homeowner about selling their home in the so called “off season” is something along the lines of not understanding why it would be smart to sell their home in “the dead of winter”.
Five reasons why you should sell your floating home now if you are thinking about selling in spring:
You know how much your home is worth now. We I have set record after record this year on various docks around Lake Union. The Seattle Houseboats world is typically a strong market anyway (except ironically slows down in August). The floating homes sales only slightly slowed down during the last real estate down turn, but there are no guarantees in this real estate game except that it is in fact a cyclical business. There are always ups and downs in the market and you won’t always see a shifting market before it happens.
There are fewer competing floating homes for sale. Fortunately for you, the holidays and the overshadowing belief that one should wait until spring will keep your competition at bay. In addition, We have sold most of the inventory so you really only have a couple floating homes that the buyer pool is looking at. Fewer competing homes on the market means more competing buyers and in this case – serious buyers – which brings me to #3.
Real Floating home buyers: The ones who are out there on the lake in the freezing cold and “dead of winter” are the ones that are definitely serious. This is not the warm season of “looky loos” and even the classic “nosy neighbors” tend to not want to venture out into the cold of the Pacific Northwest to check out the digs next door. This is never more truer than with floating homes. No one wants to risk their life walking down the slippery dock with the wind whipping up from below.
Statistics from the National Association Of Realtors measured by keyboxes are showing that the number of those serious buyers is high right now. While this has not historically mattered as much to the typical floating home buyer, interest in our unique properties has increased as people look to us as an alternative housing solution which is ironically more affordable these days.
The political climate is volatile with regards to many facets of life and that affects real estate. Uncertainty can cause the real estate market to slow down and giant looming tax changes could also make buyers reconsider future purchases. Seattle floating homes tend to be more of an emotional buy than land homes are and emotions usually run high over politics.
Are you interested in learning more about what your Seattle floating home might be worth today?
We are happy to provide you with a CMA to show you how much your home is worth now. We can get you pointers on small or large things to do to get your home ready for the market and we can also tell you what it is worth as is. We can tell you roughly what your buyer pool looks like today as well so that you can decide if you want to go ahead and take the “polar plunge” into selling your Lake Union floating home this winter. Call/Text us – 206-850-8841 or email seattleafloat@cooperjacobs.com
On the southern most Seattle floating homes dock in Eastlake, you will find this beauty! It is officially a two bedroom, but we are calling it a one PLUS bedroom because it offers flexibility in living on Lake Union – two bedrooms, one bedroom with office/playroom/den, or combine the two for a large master suite. Your choice, but lots of options on pretty much one of the best run coop dock on the lake, The Log Foundation.
1 + Bedroom
1 Bath
Dues are only $345/month
Owned co-op moorage for your home
I love the story of this particular home. It was hauled in and completely refurbished and is just gorgeous and charming on the inside. It has always been one of my favorites and offers easy living with close location to Amazon and other South Lake Union places, plus Downtown. Eastlake is a great neighborhood and the water lifestyle is like no other. Rarely can you step into the Seattle houseboats lifestyle at this price.
A turn key opportunity to start living on the lake in our beautiful city! This sweet floating home in Eastlake exemplifies tiny living to the maximum. Toasty radiant bamboo flooring leads you to a large living room with french doors out to your wrap around deck. Two bedrooms now or make into one custom larger suite. Newly remodeled bathroom to soak in the tub after a session on the lake with your SUP or perhaps a jog around Lake Union. A lifestyle you won’t want to pass up!
During A Seattle Floating Homes Inspection on a Dox Cooperative dock
Dox Cooperative is a Seattle floating homes Lake Union community in Eastlake close to South Lake Union and Downtown Seattle. It is ideal for living in city and having proximity to all that this offers while still enjoying the peaceful serenity of living Afloat in Lake Union. There are 31 floating homes on in the Dox Coop and they are on two side by side Fairview Ave E docks right by Pete’s at the base of Lynn Street.
The Docks that make up the Dox Cooperative:
2219 Fairview Ave E – This dock (15 floating homes on this one – including the spectacular end of dock Seattle floating home that We sold in 2010) is the southern most dock in the Dox Cooperative Moorage Association.
2235 Fairview Ave E This dock (16 floating homes on this one) is the northern most dock in the Seattle floating homes community of Dox.
We are happy to show you homes on the Dox Cooperative docks and also excited to share why this is such a great Seattle floating homes community to live in. There are so many perks to enjoying the lifestyle of living on water while still being close in to the city – no need to have a car for one. This is also an ideal location for people wanting to relocate to Seattle to work for companies like Amazon. Eastlake has a lot to offer in ways of night life and restaurants, too, but if you want to keep to yourself, then simply take advantage of restaurant delivery services such as the one offered by Amazon for instance.
Seattle Floating Homes Experts – We are Seattle waterfront Realtors – Helping you buy and sell your water lifestyle. Courtney Cooper 206.850.8841 houseboats@cooperjacobs.com
Eastlake Floating Home For Sale – In City Peaceful Setting
2339 Fairview Ave E
Southwest exposure for this SECOND FROM THE END Eastlake floating homes w/ marvelous open floor plan. Swanky clad exterior siding, IPE decking, sliding walls of glass open up to the outside and gorgeous views all around including city and Space Needle. This is the sought after Three bedroom floating home you have been looking for. Two baths, heated floors, vaulted ceilings, custom staircase, roof top deck, & gorgeous upper master suite. Close to Amazon, Downtown, & more. Boat Moorage, too!
$1,995,000
Courtney Cooper
Seattle Houseboats Experts – We are happy to show you this incredible property. Please let us know if you are interested in Seattle floating homes and how we can help you buy or sell one of the best lifestyles in Seattle. We love our job and look forward to helping you! Here are some more pictures of this one – You can see why it is so special… We look forward to hearing from you!
Gorgeous Westlake: Your Haven From Work – and Traffic
Live the Seattle houseboats lifestyle and play in the water! Easy commute – Close enough to Downtown and South Lake Union to bike or walk or use public transit, this Westlake floating home is a perfect place to live if you work at Amazon! Waterfront living at it’s very best and quintessential Seattle living on Lake Union!
2420 Westlake Ave N #13
This is THE Westlake floating home listing you have been waiting for. It’s a large two bed/two bath home with expansive views. Deep water moorage and can tie up about a 32′ boat. You own the slip and your views are outstanding! Let us know if you’d like to see it. Westlake floating homes are few and far between as anyone who has been on the hunt for one knows. They are highly coveted on Lake Union. This one has open spaces and lives large. $1,700,000
Listing Remarks of this floating home…
“Front and center on Lake Union! This stand out home is the epitome of Pacific NW comfort and design. Warm interior wood, open floor plan, custom built ins everywhere, large kitchen island for those social gatherings. Hints of style everywhere you look. Fabulous walk in pantry, and durable paperstone countertops. Storage galore inside and out. Two large custom decks with massive unobstructed views of Gas Works Park, 4th of July fireworks & more! Tie up your boat along side and have some fun!”
Floating home features
Bath Off Master, Ceiling Fan(s), Double Pane Storm Windows, French Doors, Skylights
Call/Text Courtney Cooper 206-850-8841 for your own private showing or email us: houseboats@CooperJacobs.com. We are happy to help you buy or sell your Seattle floating home.
Seattle Houseboats – Seattle Floating Homes With Owned Moorage Only Update
Current Seattle floating homes for sale with owned moorage range in price from $1,800,000 for two floating homes listed – one in Westlake and one in Portage Bay to $2,685,000 just listed in Eastlake. The average days on market for these five Seattle floating homes is 14 days with a range of cumulative days on market of 1 day for Roanoke Reef to just 21 days.
Price range of these Seattle houseboats: $1,800,000 – $2,685,000
Average Days on Market for the 5: 14 days
Lake Union Floating homes neighborhoods available: Eastlake, Westlake, Portage Bay
Average Dollar Per Sq Foot: $1454.04 with a range of $1200/sq ft for our gorgeous Westlake floating home listing to $1757.81 for a floating home in Portage Bay.
Why owned moorage?
Owning your moorage for your houseboat has always been a key component of value and security. Seattle floating homes with owned moorage are more valuable and also a more secure form of ownership so the above numbers are all in reference to floating homes with secure slips – whether on a condo or a co-op organized dock.
Our favorite Seattle floating homes:
We are partial because three of the five of the above Seattle floating homes for sale are represented by us, but they are in fact fabulous so I will talk about them as our favorites anyway. In addition, we have two really great slips in Portage Bay for sale for $950,000 ready for you to build your dream home – dream new construction floating home that is! We have a cool one for sale in each Lake Union neighborhood!
Westlake: 2420 Westlake Ave N #13 – deep water moorage for a 32 foot boat here! This is a 2 bedroom 1.75 bath 1500 square foot floating home with big views and excellent Seattle waterfront living. $1,800,000
Eastlake: 2339 Fairview Ave E #O – tie your boat up here, too! Coveted and hard to find three bedroom floating home on well managed Tenas Chuck dock. Three bedroom, 1.5 baths 1350 square feet, Beautiful views including sought after Space Needle, and more – second from the end of the dock! $2,250,000
Portage Bay: 3146 Portage Bay Pl E #J – New construction and condo ownership with parking! Three bedroom floating home with 2.5 baths. Come experience the peaceful serenity of life on Lake Union’s eastern most boundary, Portage Bay which was featured as the geographic location of choice on the recent 2016 Seattle Floating Homes Association Tour. $1,998,000
Please let us know if you have questions or are curious about how much your Seattle floating home is worth. We are happy to help you buy or sell your home.
Call/Text Courtney Cooper for more info /206-850-8841 houseboats@cooperjacobs.com
Life Afloat In Seattle in the Gorgeous Enclave of Westlake
This is the life! Welcome home to 2420 Westlake Ave N #13!
Looking at Seattle houseboats on Lake Union? Here is our new Westlake floating home listing. It’s a large two bed/two bath home with expansive views. Deep water and can tie up about a 32′ boat.
Let me know if you’d like to see it. We will be there this weekend for open houses both Saturday and Sunday 1-4pm and I will be in Eastlake. Westlake floating homes are few and far between as anyone who has been on the hunt for one knows. There aren’t as many Seattle floating homes in Westlake and they are highly coveted on Lake Union.
Marketing Remarks from the listing of this floating home…
Front and center on Lake Union! This stand out home is the epitome of Pacific NW comfort and design. Warm interior wood, open floor plan, custom built ins everywhere, large kitchen island for those social gatherings. Hints of style everywhere you look. Fabulous walk in pantry, and durable paperstone countertops. Storage galore inside and out. Two large custom decks with massive unobstructed views of Gas Works Park, 4th of July fireworks & more! Tie up your boat along side and have some fun!
Features of this home
Bath Off Master, Ceiling Fan(s), Double Pane Storm Windows, French Doors, Skylights
Additional Information
Property Description Deck, Dock, Moorage
Taxes $2,707
Waterfront Lake, No Bank
View Lake, Territorial
Lot Size 0.00 Acre (1 SqFt)
Exterior Wood
Fireplaces 1 Fireplace
Heating/Cooling Forced Air
Roof Cedar Shake Roof, Composition Roof, Flat Roof
Flooring Hardwood Floor
Call/Text Courtney Cooper 206-850-8841 for your own private showing or email us: houseboats@CooperJacobs.com. We are happy to help you buy or sell your Seattle floating home.
Afloat In Seattle In This Harmonious Eastlake Charmer
Welcome home to 2339 Fairview Ave E #O on the Historical and Sought after Tenas Chuck Dock in Eastlake
Looking at Seattle houseboats on Lake Union? Here is our new Eastlake floating home listing on Tenas Chuck with views of the Space Needle and all around Lake Union. It’s a beautiful and spacious three bedroom and two bath floating home with great decks and a wonderful space that you can tie up your boat!
We will have it open this weekend and you have to see it to believe it!
Marketing Remarks
Dreaming of living on the water just got real. True attention is in the harmonious details and contrast of natural southwest exposure filling a marvelous open floor plan. Three bdrms, two baths w/ heated floors accompanies the vaulted ceilings. Exquisite custom staircase to the roof top deck and en suite. Swanky clad exterior siding showcases a NW Contemporary twist coupled with custom hot dip galvanized steel cables & IPE decking. Water, sun, moorage, views – let the vacation continue!
Features
Bath Off Master, Double Pane Storm Windows, French Doors, Vaulted Ceilings
Call/Text Courtney Cooper 206-850-8841 for your own private showing or email us: houseboats@CooperJacobs.com. We are happy to help you buy or sell your Seattle floating home.
Welcome home to the condominium owned dock at Portage Bay Place – 3146 Portage Bay Pl E #J is a beautiful new construction Seattle floating home on a condo owned dock. Seattle Houseboats Living on Lake Union’s Portage Bay. Portage Bay is Lake Union’s east arm and connects Lake Union to Lake Washington’s Union Bay. It’s an interesting location because it offers both a peaceful setting and also a great spot to watch the boat parade on their way back and forth between the two lakes. Seaplanes take off here, too!
Check the things off your list:
3 bedrooms
2.5 baths
almost 1600 square feet
roof top deck
parking
condo dock
Be the first to own a new construction floating home on a great condo owned dock. This beautiful custom designed home by Prentiss+Balance+Wickline marvels in walnut hardwood floors throughout the 1580 square feet of luxury.
Four decks to entertain or soak up the sun. The reverse floor plan maximizes views and light in a 360 fashion. A chef’s kitchen makes it fun to entertain and cook. Timeless Ceasarstone counter tops & custom cabinetry. Spectacular roof top deck for more outdoor space.
Seattle Houseboats Living For Under $500k! (Equity Potential Alert)
It is difficult to get your feet wet in the Seattle floating homes market for under $500,000. This is an opportunity to take a solid fixer floating home and make it shine. Seattle floating homes typically trade for around $900 a square foot with a variance of course for features such as a roof top deck, moorage, dock position, parking, pet policy, etc., but a good rule of thumb is $900/ sq ft which puts this one close to $550,000 minimum and likely closer to $625k fixed up because it does have great dock position.
“We are constantly asked if there is a ‘Good Deal’ in the Seattle Floating Homes market…” – Courtney
The only “Good Deal” is one you work for and you have to put the work in. We can find them for you. Imagine what you could do with this great room concept! And imagine the Fourth Of July parties you could host in the heart of Lake Union! Buyers love the rustic look of the wood ceilings and it is easy to turn this historic classic into a modern oasis in the city because of the easy interior spaces already in place. Add a slick modern color palette and the combination of historical meets modern is something that no one can resist.
At 611 square feet and an open concept, the price and size combined with lifestyle beats the heck out of living in a Belltown or South Lake Union condo and you are waterfront. This is the most affordable in city living and the most affordable Seattle waterfront living. Come home form work and let your troubles fly away as you walk down the dock. You can have all your water toys right there hanging on your house and you can kayak off your beautiful “back door” in the channel between houseboat rows. Forget trying to drag your canoe down to Lake Union Park and launching it. Have it at your feet anytime.
This particular floating home is on a coop dock. This is similar to a condo in that your slip ownership is more secure. You are not leasing the slip. You are buying a piece of history and have the opportunity to put your stamp on a blank canvas. We are excited to help your Seattle Waterfront Living lifestyle dreams come true!
Call/Text Courtney Cooper at 206-850-8841 for more info or for your own private showing. You can also email us at houseboats@cooperjacobs.com. We are Seattle floating homes specialists and experts on the lake. We would love to talk to you about Seattle Waterfront Living and Life Afloat in Seattle! It’s a special lifestyle and there are lots of interesting differences between living on water and living on land.
Westlake is an extremely special Seattle floating homes community in Lake Union. Every corner of this Westlake floating home is thoughtful and well designed. Westlake floating homes rarely become available for sale and this one is a jewel in Lake Union. Located right on the Cheshiahud Loop with a quick commute to Downtown Seattle or South Lake Union, this is an ideal place to call home and truly live the most amazing Seattle waterfront lifestyle available.
Marketing Remarks From the MLS listing for this Seattle Floating Home:
2420 Westlake Ave N #12 Near the end of this private dock sits an amazing floating home built to perfection. The aged steel and cedar siding accentuates its rugged exterior; while inside the heated radiant concrete floors give way to warm teak casework and dancing walls of natural light. Enjoy cooking in your top of the line kitchen including gas cooktop and sleek eat-in kitchen island. For those entertainers, head on up to the massive rooftop deck and gas fire pit to admire the forever changing views of Lake Union. $2,250,000 houseboats@cooperjacobs.com
Highly sought after Wards Cove is an exclusive gated luxury floating home community in Seattle’s Eastlake neighborhood.
No need to settle or downsize to take advantage of this quintessential Seattle waterfront lifestyle because this home has it all. Miele appliances, Quartz counter tops, Italian Sandstone floors, Italian cabinetry, more. Aside from the thoughtful details and sleek upscale finish work, enjoy the roof top deck, secured parking, and moorage for your companion boat. $3,200,000
Courtney Cooper 206-850-8841 Courtney@CooperJacobs.com
Seattle Houseboats for Sale: 2331 Fairview Ave E, Slip X
Seattle Floating Home Just Listed and available for the first time in 20 years!
Looking at Lake Union and Seattle houseboats? Living on Lake Union is one of the most amazing Seattle lifestyles!
It is interesting because usually when we hear about a Seattle floating home that hasn’t been on the market for two decades, we wince a little and wonder what kind of project we may be walking into. Seattle houseboats can be quite dilapidated at times and there are many older ones which have much deferred maintenance. That is absolutely not the case with this Seattle floating home located at 2331 Fairview Ave E in Slip X. It is simply stunning and makes me want to sit down and have a glass of wine and chat with the neighbors on a warm sunny day with the water lapping at my toes.
The pictures tell a beautiful story of a love affair with a home which is quite obvious at first glance, but look further at the details which have gone into this home over the years and it is difficult to not be impressed. From the exterior being painted in the last five years to the stringers being replaced as needed, inside and out there are upgrades and detailed maintenance tasks like none we have seen before. From the gas lines and new electrical and windows to the raised ceiling, vaulted ceilings, and sunny skylights, this home is comfortable for modern living. The kitchen is upscale with both an eating bar and a dining room with French doors out to the deck. There are the seldom found in a floating home luxuries of gas cooking, a gas fireplace, and on-demand hot water, plus additional practical bigger ticket items like a new roof in 2010. Two bedrooms, a bath, and lots of character await you here with an asking price of only $650,000.
Here are the MLS listing remarks for our brand new Seattle floating homes listing on Lake Union:
Picture yourself living a fabulous Lake Union waterfront lifestyle in this beautiful Seattle floating home. Well maintained and remodeled, this south facing home has a sunny disposition and is the perfect place to let the summer in. Gorgeous kitchen with upscale appliances has eating bar and dining room with warm wood floors and French doors that open up to your own private deck retreat. Listen to the seaplanes while you sip coffee or take your kayak or SUP out for a jaunt on the lake without the heavy lifting.
It’s a great place and you won’t be disappointed. Please let us know if you are interested in Seattle houseboats for sale. We are happy to help!
Seattle Floating Home For Sale – The Cutest Eastlake Houseboat Fr Sale On Lake Union Is Available!
2207 Fairview Ave E: The iconic Lake Union lifestyle you have only dreamed about!
Located in Eastlake’s enclave of Seattle floating homes, this mid-dock light and bright Lake Union beauty is completely remodeled with an open floor plan featuring 2 bedrooms, vaulted ceilings, bamboo floors & new kitchen! Enjoy cozy extras like heated bathroom floor, new electrical, plumbing, windows & insulation.
Enhanced further only by the timeless willow tree that also resides here in harmony, this floating home has a great relationship with Lake Union and is the perfect place to write your novel or relax and get some much needed water therapy. $735,000
2 bedrooms
1 bath (with heated floors!)
832 square feet
All New Remodeled
Boat Moorage with dock permission
Owned slip
Live The Lake Union Dream In Eastlake
This charming Eastlake floating home has upscale character and open living with beautiful vaulted ceilings and lots of room for storage. The surfaces are desirable and you will be delighted at every turn. IN addition,, it has one of the largest back decks that we have seen in a while. It’s a perfect place to launch your SUP or kayak! Imagine not having to lug it down to the lake every time you want to use it! Imagine friends on Fourth Of July! This is the dream. Taxes on the home are only $1042 a year and dues are $371 a month. Enjoy living close to Downtown Seattle, Amazon, and more, but still in the peaceful serenity of nature on Lake Union.
If you want to learn more about living on Seattle houseboats and why you should buy one now, then please check out our list about the 29 reasons you want to live on a Seattle Houseboat now. Number 4 is a big one: “Alternative In City Living/Location: Want to be close to it all, but not live in a condo or a townhome or a stand alone house? A Seattle floating home offers the best of all worlds and also is highly oriented to the water so it is a perfect alternative lifestyle in Seattle – and desirable as well.”
Want to Learn More About This beautiful home and Seattle Floating Homes?
Please let us know if you would like to see this beauty or other Seattle Houseboats (although we think this one is AWESOME). We know Seattle floating homes and it has a ton of attention on it currently. 2207 Fairview Ave E won’t last long! Call/Text/Email Seattle Waterfront Homes Specialists and Seattle Houseboats Experts:
Courtney Cooper 206-850-8841 Courtney@CooperJacobs.com
We are happy to tell you about Seattle floating homes and the Lake Union lifestyle. We are excited to show you this Seattle Waterfront Living experience!
Looking at Seattle floating homes? You can’t get better than this 2007 Eastlake floating home nestled on the south side of the dock. Sweeping 365 degree views from the rooftop, large French doors open up to wide channel with room for a boat. Gorgeous setting and beautiful interiors with perks like a master walk in closet, marble tile, and built in central vacuum. Upscale custom cabinetry and Craftsman fixtures, gas fireplace, new washer/dryer, sub zero fridge, and additional flotation added to this well built floating home.
Some of the highlights….
360 degree views from rooftop
Moorage for your boat with Dock permission
Pet friendly dock
Dues: $420/mo cover general dock fund for maintenance, real estate taxes for co-op, and any matters of vote
Offered for: $945,000
Please call Courtney for more info or to set up a private tour of this exclusive floating residence:
Courtney Cooper 206.850.8841
courtney@cooperjacobs.com
This Seattle floating home listed by Realtors at Cooper Jacobs Real Estate Group
Just Listed In Eastlake: One Of The More Desireable Seattle Floating Homes
We just listed an incredible Seattle Floating Home on the Flo Villa dock! If you have been looking at Seattle houseboats, then you should know that this one has been completely remodeled! $775,000
It’s your time! Live the iconic lifestyle you have only dreamed about! Located in Eastlake’s enclave of floating homes on Lake Union, this mid-dock beauty is completely remodeled with an open one bedroom plus flex space floor plan. Boasting vaulted ceilings and hardwoods, this home is incredibly light and bright and has a new kitchen! Enjoy cozy extras like the heated bathroom floor plus it has new electrical, plumbing, windows & insulation throughout. With an actual growing willow tree and a fabulous relationship to the water, this is home is a great place to live Life Afloat In Seattle.
During the last six month remodel:
new barrels / flotation
Windows
6″ deep insulation in the new windows and walls
10″ deep insulation in ceilings
Stripped down to logs and stringers to replace old joists with 4″ rigid foam on new joists
New subflooring and bamboo click in floors
Bathroom floor electrical heated floors
Additional Information on this Seattle Floating Home For Sale:
We can immediately answer your Seattle waterfront homes or Seattle floating homes questions. If you prefer, you can also email us at houseboats@CooperJacobs.com.
A lot can change in a week. One moved through the Ballard Locks into its new permanent home, One back to Active status in the MLS, one went pending in the MLS and a BIG one just hit the market!
These homes range in price from $750,000 to $3,295,000 for an ultra luxury floating home at Wards Cove. (Remember also that these are theSeattle houseboats that are in the Seattle floating homes category only and do not include other Seattle floating on-water residences.)
Pending Seattle Floating Homes:
These include houseboats that are pending in the MLS under Pending, Pending Inspection, and Pending Feasibility. There are FOUR Seattle floating homes that are currently marked as pending and waiting to close in escrow. These include homes on the Mallard Cove dock, Log Foundation, and The Lake Union and range in price from $499,500 for the pending feasibility listing to $1,395,000 for the beauty at Mallard Cove.
Seattle Floating Homes that have sold in the last 60 days through the MLS –
There have been three Seattle houseboats in this category which have closed in escrow in the last sixty days.
2420 Westlake Ave N #7 we listed this one – pretty great place in Westlake.
2017 Fairview Ave E #K This is on the Log Foundation Dock
You can see full details of these floating homes on the listing sheets here: Seattle houseboats sold 10022015 If you are interested in looking at the various dollar per square foot and market time, then here is an overall market sheet to look at the differences in these numbers: Seattle Floating Homes Market 10022015 Please let us know if you are interested in learning more about Seattle floating homes. We are Seattle houseboats Realtors and love what we do!
OH! I almost forgot the fun part! For years we have been asked about the burned up houseboat in Eastlake and whether or not the owner will sell it. The answer was always no because we knew they were having their dream floating home built in Canada to replace the burned up one in the exact footprint. It happened this last week! Seattle’s newest floating home was floated right through The Ballard Locks and put in place on one of the more perfect days in Seattle. The Locks posted a picture on Facebook.
As of today, 19 Seattle Houseboats (Lake Union floating homes and housebarges only)have closed in escrow through the MLS. There have been many more off market closings on top of that number, but to give you an idea of the increased action on Lake Union, consider this: Last year in all of 2014 in the NWMLS 19 Seattle Floating homes and house barges closed. The entire year. You can see the detail here: Seattle Houseboats sales 2014 When looking at the MLS at this time last year, there were 11 Seattle floating homes and house barges that had closed. Add to that the fact that there are five Seattle floating homes pending in escrow in the MLS right now and 2015 promises to be a record setting year!
So here is what it looks like on the Seattle houseboats market right now:
There are 2 Seattle floating homes for sale that are marked Active in the MLS – priced between $750,000 and $1,495,000 – both of these Seattle houseboats for sale are Eastlake homes as opposed to Westlake or Portage Bay (BTW – there are also Seattle houseboats for rent currently, too, if you want to just try it out). As mentioned above, there are 5 Seattle floating homes that are pending – ranging in price from $179,000 to $1,150,000. Looking at the last 60 days of closed sales for floating homes, there are three:
2420 Westlake Ave N #7 sold for $875,000 on 8/18/2015
2017 Fairview Ave E #K sold for $959,000 on 9/9/2015
A quick note on that last sale above. 2821 Fairview Ave E is Wards Cove and this was our first resale from the Seattle floating homes new construction development in Eastlake. Obviously it was well received on the Seattle real estate market because it sold for 103.63% of its list price! You can see the full listing sheets for these sold Seattle houseboats here: Seattle houseboats SOLD and then details for all of 2015 Sold Seattle floating homes and housebarges here: 2015 Seattle houseboats sales
We look forward to seeing how the year ends in floating homes and housebarge sales in Seattle – please let us know if you need any information at all or are curious about the value of your floating home. houseboats@cooperjacobs.com
SeattleAfloat® Enjoy Life Afloat On Lake Union – Your Authority On Seattle Houseboat Living
Colorful Seattle Houseboats History on The Log Foundation docks of Eastlake in 2014. Image courtesy of Cooper Jacobs Real Estate.
Seattle Houseboats History Has A “Colorful” Background & Entrepreneurial Spirit Transcends Time…
To look at all the colorful and cheery Lake Union floating homes today is to never know how truly Seattle houseboats history is. Seattle floating homes are a living and evolving part of Seattle’s history. From their humble beginnings over a hundred years ago as floating shanties compiled of pillaged lumber, it is amazing to see that some sell for over $3 Million dollars in today’s real estate market.
Seattle houseboats were originally built in two different ways. Either the worker would utilize his commuting work boat and build living quarters above it, or they would gather “loose” logs and raft them together to build a completely free floating structure. It was an inexpensive way of living and was tax free on top of it.
Map of Seattle houseboats along shores of Madison Park. Image Courtesy of Seattle Municipal Archives Item #944
At the peak, the Seattle floating homes community was as large as two thousand houseboats lining the shores of the city in various locations which even included Madison Park in Lake Washington. The residents of the surrounding Seattle neighborhoods reportedly snubbed them and looked down at this way of life. They apparently felt that it was beneath their standards and so began the struggle of Seattle houseboats to Stay Afloat In Seattle™. Today there are around 500 Seattle floating homes and probably another two or three hundred liveaboards that are officially newly categorized as Seattle Floating On-Water Residences (final count once all have registered themselves in the latest legislation). The latest Seattle floating home dock was a new construction floating home development called Ward’s Cove. Very specific requirements need to be in place in order to develop new construction Seattle floating homes, so it is next to impossible to do so.
If The City Historically Wanted Them Gone, Why Did They Allow Docks To Begin With?
Here is a view towards Downtown from the South slope of Denny Hill in 1886 (photo courtesy of Seattle Municipal Archives Item # 2869)
The short answer is The University of Washington. Wait. What? The long answer is that Seattle has a very long history of making some incredibly hairbrained decisions as far as infrastructure goes. A perfect example (and my apologies for going off subject here for a minute, but….) The Denny Regrade: The hill is too big? Scrape it into the Puget Sound.In 1900, the city decided to basically eliminate a whole hill which covered 62 city blocks. Denny Hill was a significantly beautiful hill in Seattle. It had a gorgeous crowned jewel of a hotel atop it that was so grand that even President Theodore Roosevelt stayed there! It had an old cemetery and a beautiful park on it with expansivel views in all directions. In all, they removed a reported six million cubic yards of earth.
Connecting the dots: What does this all have to do with Seattle houseboats and The University of Washington? Let’s go backwards. The modern day campus of The University of Washington was largely laid out and shaped by The Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition of 1909. In 1907 the city of Seattle platted and sold the submerged “parcels” in Lake Union to the adjacent waterfront property land owners. This enabled docks to be built and Seattle houseboats to be moored to them. According to The Lake Union Mail on an article about Submerged Parcels Park on the Cheshiahud Loop, “The “Lake Union Shore Lands” were created in 1907 as a funding mechanism for the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition (S.B. #101). Water extending from shore approximately one block (roughly 400 feet) was platted as buildable land, then sold. These parcels didn’t sink, they started sunk. And they were considered valuable.” Now you know how a World’s Fair, Denny Hill, The University of Washington, and Seattle Houseboats are related.
While replacing the carpet for one of our Seattle historic houseboat listings in 2010, we found an old booze hatch left over from Prohibition days. Image Courtesy of Courtney Cooper.
More Shady Past on The Lake: Life Afloat In Seattle℠: You Want To Stay Dry, Except When It Comes To Your Drink…..
Creativity has always been a strong characteristic of the Seattle floating homes community. This was never so true as during the prohibition era. According to the 1996 article by Sharon Boswell in The Seattle Times, “But for those who couldn’t afford the pleasures of Doc’s or one of the hundreds of other boozy night spots and music clubs along Jackson Street, in Belltown or even on Lake Union houseboats, there was always a bottle of locally produced bootleg available to consume in the privacy of home.” If floating homes seem like an unlikely place to get your alcohol fix then consider thatIn his highly acclaimed book,“Seattle’s Unsinkable Houseboats”, Howard Droker tells the story of a very enterprising entrepreneur who along with the cedar bark he sold off his boat, also sold smuggled Canadian liquor.
It’s absolutely true. If you take a peek under carpets of older floating homes you will see the leftover evidence of the Prohibition era and how crafty houseboaters were able to not stay dry. Many of them have hidden trap doors under the floor that were used for storing alcohol. At one point in time there were regular “rum run” routes such as the one Droker writes about which would make their rounds delivering to Lake Union floating homes. These booze hatches were ingenious and stored between the floating logs with a wire cage so that the waters of the lake itself could keep the liquor cold and well hidden. According to HistoryLink.org, The Seattle Times noted at one point that in regard to those wild times, “Some of the stories behind the houseboat population are as colorful as anything that ever came out of Seattle’s history, but respect for another’s privacy and past is an unspoken code on the lake.”
This historic Seattle houseboat was once used as a floating dance hall. It is for sale today for $697,000. Listed by Cooper Jacobs Real Estate.
Seattle Houseboats Are Still Afloat & Strong Today
Go experience their magic – Take a kayak tour through Lake Union and Portage Bay where you will find what is left of the Seattle floating homes community. Take a walk around Lake Union on the Cheshiahud Loop. Lake Union is the very heart of the city. Try and imagine the colorful past as you look at the beauty and creativeness which is so abundant today. This is a living and breathing Seattle neighborhood, but also a significant part of Northwest history. It is as vibrant as the wonderful people who live in it. I am so thankful to have known so many of them and appreciate how they have enriched my life so far. Please also take a minute and donate to the Seattle Floating Homes Association if you can.
Want more information on Seattle houseboats?
We are happy to help! Please call Courtney. We are Seattle Houseboats Experts ℠, and have been Seattle Realtors specializing in floating homes and waterfront for many years. We look forward to helping you find your piece of Lake Union.
Looking at 
Feasibility. There are FOUR Seattle floating homes that are currently marked as pending and waiting to close in escrow. These include homes on the Mallard Cove dock, Log Foundation, and The Lake Union and range in price from $499,500 for the pending feasibility listing to $1,395,000 for the beauty at Mallard Cove.
