Welcome to the newly redone Shelby Dock! Upscale dock rebuild and incredible channel views make this the ideal spot to call home! Just listed by Courtney Cooper for $765,000
Seattle floating homes in Portage Bay have been well sought after in recent years. Here is one that hasn’t changed hands for forty years! Its adorable, too! Ready for its legacy to be passed on to its next occupant, this sweet floating home is the princess of houseboats! From the moment you step down Shelby Street in Portage Bay, you may have the same feeling that most residents here have – one of your shoulders relaxing and the entire day melting away. Many times, I have heard of this account and experience it myself on a regular basis. This truly is peaceful Portage Bay, but that doesn’t mean that nothing is happening here! This home has an incredible channel view to the full boat parade! If that’s not enough jump into your kayak or paddle out on your SUP.
One bedroom with large walk in closet and super cool historical Jalousie windows, stacking washer and dryer and all fir floors throughout. This is a gem and has a large covered wrap around deck complete with haint paint in the eves. Enjoy your fun neighbors and the private coveted lush garden on the shores of this cooperatively owned moorage’s property. In addiiton, it comes with on shore storage at no additional charge. The monthly dues cover all your utilities except for electricity and cable.internet, and the home is equipped with a super efficiient newer pellet stove.
Enjoy living on the banks of Portage Bay in this incredible part of town. So close to Little Lago, that the lovely smalls of their wood fired pizza and hand made espresso drinks billow through the air when the gentle breezes go by. Located on the Portage Bay Loop, this is a great spot to jump on the 3.2 mile loop around the bay which is the eastern arm of Lake Union. Paddle to Ivar’s for some fish and chips or go through the Montlake Cut and check out the waterways of the Arboretum and Foster Island. There is no shortage of adventure and peace here! $765,000
Some of the details of this Portage Bay floating home:
735 square feet
1 bedroom
1 bath (includes a tub!)
sunny eat in kitchen
owned moorage for home
room to tie up your kayaks
on shore storage
private community garden
Regarding any statistical info from the NWMLS: Information and statistics derived from Northwest Multiple Listing Service.
When people are looking at Seattle floating homes, they almost always want to know about the end of the dock moorages. The Dox dock has two docks so there are four end of dock locations and lots of floating homes toward the end. If you can find a floating home on this dock community, it offers stunning panoramic views of Lake Union, from the Seattle skyline to Gasworks Park – if it has good dock position.
Located in a charming floating home neighborhood, this floating home dock features a clean, well-planned open design and remarkable views. This dock is a Coop moorage & there is room for boats on some slip.
Lake Union is your own private “swimming pool”
off street parking
Want to see any floating homes? Courtney Cooper 206-850-8841 houseboats@cooperjacobs.com We specialize in Seattle houseboats for sale. Our Seattle Realtors are waterfront experts and have been in the floating homes community for well over a decade. We are huge advocates for the community and promise to honor your special home and our neighborhood.
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.
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.
Seattle Afloat®– The Seattle Houseboats Market Is Floating Despite Reports On Low Lake Union Levels…
Here we are in the final days of August 2015 already and the Seattle houseboats market has been incredibly surprising and action packed so far this year! Multiple reports on the risk associated with historically low Lake Union levels and still we are Afloat in Seattle™! As of this AM, in the last 30 days there have been 5 SOLD Seattle floating homes that have closed in escrow through the NWMLS. These are not the “For Sale By Owner” Seattle houseboats and these are just the Seattle floating homes – not the other types of Seattle houseboats like floating on water residences, etc. Just floating homes. Cooper Jacobs Real Estate has Seattle Realtors that specialize in Seattle houseboats and Seattle waterfront homes. (Seattle houseboats experts we were involved in two of the last five sales below.)
2818 Boyer Ave E #2 in Portage Bay is a 1 bedroom, .75 bath 600 square foot Seattle floating home. It was built in 1930. It was listed for $395,000 and after 5 days on the market sold on 7/21/15 for $410,000 (103.80% of sales price to list price). $683.33/sq ft
2031 Fairview Ave E #N in Eastlake is a 885 square foot 1 bedroom and 1 bath home built in 1925. It was orignially listed for $510,000 and dropped its price to $499,000. After 90 days on market, it sold for $465,000 (93.19% sales price to list price). $525.42 square foot
2420 Westlake Ave #7 * in Westlake is a 1065 square foot 2 bedrom and 1.5 bath floating home that we listed. It was built in 1929, but completely redone and sold for $875,000 after 103 days on market (97.44 % sales price to list price) 821.60 a square foot *Cooper Jacobs Real Estate represented the Seller
1214 Hamlin Ave St #9 in Portage Bay – A 3 bedroom 2 bath 1500 square foot floating home built in 1971. It was listed and sold for $1,298,500 after 11 days on market. $865.67 square foot
2466 Westlake Ave N #19* in Westlake – we represented the buyer for this fabulous Seattle floating home. It is a 2 bedroom and 1.75 bath home built in 1940. It was listed and sold for $1,350,000 with 7 days on market. *Cooper Jacobs Real Estate represented the Buyer
So what is for sale in Seattle Houseboats world now on Lake Union?
There are five Seattle floating homes for sale in the MLS right now. These do not include Seattle houseboats for sale by owner. They range in price from $499,000 to $1,495,000 with an average days on market of 38 days. The median list price is $750,000. They are all in Eastlake! In addition there is one floating home that is pending in the MLS priced at $2,895,000 (Wards Cove).
Our favorite by far of course is a great floating home on The Log Foundation dock which happens to be one of the best run and most established coop on Lake Union. If you are looking for Seattle houseboat living, then this is a great choice! It is a 2 bedroom 1 bathroom 1300 square feet floating home built in 1930 with lots of updates.
It is south facing! To be south facing and in Eastlake is highly coveted. This one is all one level and well oriented with the water. It is listed for $697,000. Please let us know if you would like to see it. It won’t last long. Also, if you are looking for Seattle houseboats for rent, there are some available right now (A lot of people ask about Seattle houseboats for vacation rental, but the majority of these homes are rented long term).
Want to learn more about Seattle Houseboats and life on Lake Union Afloat? We would be happy to help!
There are some great Seattle houseboats for sale out there, but this lovely Eastlake floating home is making its debut for the first time in a very long time.
2 Bedrooms
1 Bath
1300 Square Feet
Built in 1930
Remodeled Kitchen
South Facing
Owned Moorage on Well Organized Dock
More info about this great Eastlake Seattle floating home:
2019 Fairview Ave E
Look no further. You’ve just discovered the quintessential Eastlake Floating Home. The massive float size is perfect to entertain on your south facing deck. One bedroom & one smaller. Third room for another bedroom, office or den. Newly remodeled kitchen, with gas range, stainless steel appliances, and granite counter tops. Well established Log Foundation Co-op. Great location to enjoy all the Eastlake activities. Extra Boat Moorage with co-op approval. Welcome Home! $697,000
Lots going on across Lake Union! There are three Seattle floating homes for sale in Eastlake right now – ranging in price form $525,000 to $1,495,000. All are two bedrooms which gives you a good indicator that it isn’t about bedroom count for Seattle houseboats! There is one other of the Seattle Floating On-Water Residences for sale in Gas Works Park Marina at $519,000 as well.
Pending Seattle Floating Homes In The NWMLS
There are four Seattle floating homes pending in the NWMLS right now. These range in price from $395,000 for a Portage Bay floating home to $1,298,000 for another Portage bay houseboat. There is one of each in Westlake and Eastlake pending as well. They range in bedroom count from 1 to 3 bedrooms and have other individual perks as well. For instance, our Westlake Floating home for sale is part of a co-op that purchased a money making marina to pay for costs of the dock. It is currently pending. Each one of these homes is so different and that is why when you are looking at Seattle houseboats it is really important to talk to someone who has the experience needed to help you navigate the waters of lake Union and Seattle Houseboat Living ℠.
Closed Transactions on Lake Union: Seattle Houseboats SOLD – at least EIGHT IN SIXTY DAYS.
There were at least two other Floating On-Water Residences as well, but let’s look at the Seattle floating homes segment of Seattle houseboats for sale. There were six Seattle floating homes that closed in escrow in the NWMLS in the last sixty days. They ranged in list price from $499,000 to $2,595,000 and range in sales price3 from $465,000 to $2,475,000 with an average sales price to list price ratio of 98.03%.
You can see the full NWMLS sheets and comparisons here:
Average days on market was 26 days for these. They were all around Lake Union in Eastlake, Westlake, and Portage Bay. The Lake Union Dock had a couple change hands. Fairview Landing also had one sell. We specialize in floating homes and waterfront homes, so happily we were involved in a third of these home sales. We sold a great one at 2466 Westlake Ave N for $1,350,000 (on the market for just 7 days) and we listed the beautiful white floating home at 2031 Fairview Ave E for $975,000 (it sold in 5 days for $971,000). It is difficult to judge these unique Seattle waterfront homes by dollar per square foot. The range of dollar per square foot pricing is as unique as each of these homes – ranging from $525.42 to $1225.85. The median price was $1,160,000. For Seattle houseboats, it really is about your unique needs. Please let us know what you are looking for in a new Lake Union home.
Here are some of the most common things that we get asked about with Seattle Houseboats:
Views
Boat Moorage
Rooftop deck
Neighborhood
Parking
Dock Position (End of dock moorage is always the most desirable and the most expensive)
Form of Ownership (Co-op, Condo, Fee Simple, Leased)
Westlake Floating Home – $965,000 and just gorgeous Seattle waterfront living.
This is the perfect place to play all summer and cozy up in winter time by the fire to write your novel. Seattle is full of life and with companies like Weyerhaeuser and Expedia moving in to close in Seattle neighborhoods, Westlake is a perfect place to live! Washington is still ranked as number one for bikes across the country and this Westlake floating home is right on the Burke-Gilman Trail! With beautiful pathways and parks, Westlake has a lot to offer those looking at Seattle houseboats.
Please watch the video and then let us know if you would like more information.
seattlehouseboats@cooperjacobs.com
Cooper Jacobs Real Estate proudly presents:
our gorgeous Seattle floating home listing at 2420 Westlake Ave N.
Please let us know if you would like more info on Seattle houseboats, Seattle floating homes, or Seattle waterfront homes. Also, if you are thinking about listing your Seattle home, please know that we are among the few that pay for our client’s staging bills. This will save you thousands of dollars and can end up netting you tens of thousands of dollars over list price.
Please email one of us for details (no catch – promise).
We just listed this gorgeous Seattle floating home on The Lake Union dock! In looking at Seattle houseboats around the lake, this is one of two that are for sale right now that we really like. It is on a very large float and has a lot to offer for the perfect Seattle waterfront lifestyle.
If you would like to see it, please call or email us at seattlehouseboats@cooperjacobs.com
Open Houses:
Thursday 11AM – 1PM
Sunday 1PM – 4PM
2031 Fairview Ave E #G
Marketing Remarks From the Listing in the NWMLS:
Second from the end on one of Eastlake’s most charming docks, this one level floating home offers an amazing lifestyle afloat on Lake Union! Situated on one of the larger floats on the lake, this well built Cape Cod home features newer appliances, newer roof (with stairs for rooftop access and big views), maple hardwoods, french doors, and a real working fireplace. Catch all the action on the lake from your living room or front deck and enjoy the security of ownership a cooperative dock offers.
$975,000
Seattle Floating Home Features
Double Pane Storm Windows, Dining Room, French Doors, High Tech Cabling, Vaulted Ceilings, Walk-in Closet
To the Seattle houseboats community: thank you for your business.We love serving the Seattle floating homes community and look forward to doing it for a long time. Please email us or call us if you need anything at all
– Courtney Cooper 206-850-8841 Courtney@CooperJacobs.com
We are Seattle Houseboats Realtors. Seattle Afloat / Cooper Jacobs Real Estate
You have to go back over a hundred years and look beyond Lake Union to see the roots of Seattle houseboats. Beth Means and Bill Keasler wrote a great piece about Seattle houseboats history on The Seattle Floating Homes Association website. Seattle Floating homes have played a significant part in shaping the city’s history and landscape. We at Seattle Afloat have a whole category on this site dedicated to it: Seattle houseboats history on Seattle Afloat.
There is also a great spot to see amazing pictures and get more information on HistoryLink where the site describes various houseboats around Seattle and their origins:
“Some of these communities — especially those off the Madison Park and Leschi neighborhoods on Lake Washington — were formed by the well-to-do who enjoyed summering aboard their fancy abodes. Others — along the Elliott Bay waterfront, the Duwamish River, Harbor Island, Salmon Bay, Lake Union, Portage Bay, and Union Bay — were mainly inhabited by workers struggling to stay financially afloat.. “
Howard Droker wrote the fascinating book Seattle’s Unsinkable Houseboats in 1977 and there is a great video about Seattle houseboats featuring him on the http://www.lakeunionhistory.org/ website. I have embedded it here because it is worth a watch:
If you are curious about Seattle houseboats and interested in purchasing a Seattle floating home, then please let us know. These are special homes and the ultimate in Seattle waterfront living. You should work with real estate agents who understand the ins and outs of Seattle houseboats. We understand all of the unique intricacies of the Seattle floating home world and we are happy to help you. We can also help you with the various FSBO floating homes available across the lake.
You can reach me at 206-850-8841 or Courtney@cooperjacobs.com
Cooper Jacobs Real Estate for all your realty needs – we have brokers who specialize in all Seattle neighborhoods and suburbs.
A few random Lake Union thoughts – Would love to hear some of your thoughts, too….
Seattle Floating Homes Association Website – One word: Gorgeous. The updated Floating Homes Association website is fresh and beautiful.. I am jealous I didn’t make it myself. Love it. Kudos! You can see it here: www.seattlefloatinghomes.org Jann, I know you had a hand in that and it’s amazing! You can see all the newsletters, updates, tour info, etc. I particularly am fond of the Seattle houseboats history page.
Reality TV and Seattle houseboats. It’s been overdone already. Have you watched those shows on HGTV and other channels? We get phone calls almost every other week from producers hoping to film the next reality TV show featuring Seattle houseboats and us. They ask us to be on these shows, but we say NO. We STRONGLY believe that protecting the Seattle houseboat community’s privacy is far more important than cheap fame for ourselves. We appreciate all that the Seattle floating home community has given to us and we would never ever cross what we feel is a strong trust boundary.
FSBO Seattle floating homes – Word on the docks is lots of private sales going on. Last night it was the talk of the Seattle Floating Homes Association meeting. We verified it with Krista Todd at Sound Community and I verified it with Phil Miller who is a local legend and closes most of the floating homes in escrow. Of course being real estate agents, we are partial to the idea of listing your home in the NWMLS (with Cooper Jacobs Real Estate preferably), but putting that aside, why aren’t you listing your floating home with a Realtor (please also make sure they are actual dues paying Realtors who abide by a code of ethics)? The Realtor’s commissions aren’t that high in comparison with how much more money the open real estate market would bring you in the form of a higher sales price. I know news travels fast on the docks when someone is ready to sell, but even that can’t compare to the global exposure the MLS and the internet offer. I would love to hear some feedback on this. Many FSBO buyers have the false misconception that if they go around the listing agent then they will be able to get the home for a discount to the tune of that full listing broker and selling broker commission. That simply isn’t true. While the seller may be willing to give you somewhat of a discount, in most cases they will more likely want to pocket the savings of not listing it themselves. Any discount you could have gotten would easily be beaten by a skilled real estate agent in a negotiation.
That’s it for now – as always, thank you for your business. We love serving this community and look forward to doing it for a long time. please email us or call us if you need anything at all Courtney Cooper 206-850-8841 Courtney@CooperJacobs.com We are Seattle Houseboats Realtors.
Floating Homes are HOT and this one is no exception!
Seattle houseboats come in all shapes and sizes and whether you have been looking for a house barge, floating home, or vessel type of houseboat, you will appreciate what this one has to offer!
Just listed at $985,000 by Courtney Cooper of Cooper Jacobs Real Estate:
2420 Westlake Ave N #7
Here are some of the features in this floating home as well as the remarks from the MLS listing:
2 – bedrooms
2 – 3/4 bathrooms (1 on main and 1 upper)
1065 Square feet
42 x 24 float
$500/mo HOA
$1831/year taxes
Pet friendly
Ownership in a Co-op owned dock
Additional ownership in a Marina
“Whether you are looking for the serenity and inspiration of a lake home or you want to invite all your friends over for a party on your roof top deck, this is the one you have been waiting for. This gorgeous Westlake floating home is dialed in and located on a pet friendly and very sought after dock in Lake Union! Completely remodeled in 2008 with all new surfaces and appliances plus immaculate upstairs master suite and another bedroom/office on the main level. Lots of storage and extras!”
Ownership in a Marina – Another interesting asset of this Westlake floating home:
This is a unique dock on the lake in that it has its own marina! In all of houseboat living, this is not common. There are 9 slips in this Westlake marina location. Each of the 12 floating home owners on the dock have a 1/12 interest in this marina which is separately financed and being paid for in part by coop fees. It is on schedule to be paid off in 2019. The idea is that once the Marina is paid off in full, it will generate enough income to perhaps eliminate the coop dues altogether and could even provide additional income.
Would you like more information on these sales or Seattle floating homes both off and on the market?
Courtney Cooper 206.850.8841 courtney@cooperjacobs.com
Cooper Jacobs Real Estate:
Seattle waterfront homes and Seattle Houseboats Realtors
New Seattle houseboats for sale coming in the market this week. There are some great Seattle houseboat opportunities according to what we have heard so reserve your appointment to see them asap.
The real estate inventory for Seattle floating homes has been so low for all of 2015 thus far so it’s exciting to know that we have so many great new options coming on the lake. Price ranges start in the high $300k range and go up into the multi millions so there is something for everyone in this batch of Seattle houseboats for sale – including houseboats in Westlake, Eastlake, and Portage Bay. There are new construction Seattle floating homes, and historicSeattle houseboats as well as everything in between.
In addition, we have been working on some other cool off market Seattle houseboats sales. Please let us know if you want to see a summary of all Seattle floating homes sold in the last year – both on and off the market for comp purposes. We are happy to look at your Seattle floating home if you would like a current market value.
Courtney Cooper 206-850-8841 Courtney@CooperJacobs.com
Cooper Jacobs Real Estate
We have Two of the top Seattle floating homes Realtors in our office and look forward to helping YOU.
Dead of Seattle winter during the holiday break… what could possibly be shaking down on Seattle Houseboats real estate?
Not a ton, although, if you are a buyer, this is a great time to get out there because you have no competition on the lake or otherwise.
Right now there are only a couple choices in Seattle floating homes for sale and they are both priced between $1.1M and $1.6M – one in Eastlake and one in Portage Bay.
As far as recent sold Seattle houseboats, We listed the little guy in Portage bay at 3012 Fuhrman Ave N, Slip #D for $229,000 and it closed just before Christmas on 12/19 with a final sales price of $235,000. We also listed and sold the Seattle floating home on 2331 Fairview Ave E, Slip #A which closed on 10/31/2014 and had a final selling price of $345,000.
Other recent Seattle floating homes for sale that have closed in escrow are as follows:
2207 Fairview Ave E #1 Listed for $800,000 and sold for $730,000 2 bedrooms, 1.5 baths 986 sq feet closed 12/9/2014
2351 Fairview Ave E #K Listed for $1,150,000 and sold for $1,100,000 2 bedrooms, 1.75 baths 1300 square feet closed on 11/14/2014
There are quite a few off market Lake Union and Portage Bay Seattle houseboats opportunities at the moment as well. Spring will being more of these listings to light, so let us know what you are looking for and we will keep you in mind as they come up. Courtney 206-850-8841 houseboats@cooperjacobs.com
If you want to go back and review my Seattle Floating Homes Market Report from September, then please do so. In the course of three days in the first week or so in October, four Seattle floating homes went pending and one closed in escrow! There are only five Seattle floating homes for sale currently and only 2 of those are under $600k.
Seattle Houseboats: What A Difference A Few Weeks Makes In The Floating Home World!
Seattle houseboats for sale: Of the five floating homes available for sale, here is the info: These range in price from $550,000 to $1,890,000 with a median list price of $1,100,000. Of these, my favorite is 2017 Fairview Ave E , Slip #O. It has owned moorage – the only one under $600 that owns its own slip. It is well done, charming, updated, and on a great dock. They are also offering $6000 to go towards your closing costs. It’s a steal…
Pending in the MLS: There are 5 pending Seattle floating homes per the NWMLS. These Seattle houseboats range in price from $345,000 to $1,300,000.
Seattle houseboats SOLD: 2369 Fairview Ave E #2 has closed in escrow! This is a luxury floating home on the high end Fairview Landing dock. It was listed for $2,950,000 and had a final sales price of $2,850,000 (96.61% sales price to list price). The home is a 3 bedroom 1.75 bath 2150 square foot “houseboat” built in 2009. It sold for $1,325.58 per square foot.
Would you like more information on these sales or Seattle floating homes both off and on the market?
Courtney Cooper 206.850.8841 courtney@cooperjacobs.com
Cooper Jacobs Real Estate: Seattle Houseboats Realtors
Summary: Great Choices Available unless you want The Sleepless In Seattle Houseboat.
All year long, the story has been low inventory, low inventory, low inventory. Now we have inventory. Typically August is pretty quiet for Seattle houseboats sales, so it was no surprise to see that August was slow again. The real surprise, though, was the whole new crop of Seattle floating homes listings that have come on the market. We have some really cool choices right now which span into every price range.
The 2014 Seattle floating home tour was a success this year and definitely increased interest in this great community. Add to the the Boats Afloat show this weekend and I would say life on Lake Union is about as exciting as it can be aside from The Fourth Of July! If you are entering the Seattle houseboats world or already a houseboat buyer candidate, then this is truly your time to buy. Seattle houseboats sellers are motivated because the inventory increase has added competition for the sale of their home. Buyers are able to pick up some great floating homes right now.
So here are the Seattle houseboats that have sold in the floating home world (both on market and off market that I know about):
1. Sleepless in Seattle: All the buzz is about Sleepless. The house where Tom Hanks resided in while Meg Ryan chased after him in the original stalker movie – before stalking was actually even a thing besides in National Geographic and horror flicks… The Sleepless in Seattle houseboat has an amazing main level and a very dated upper level which I am sure the new owner will remedy. It has one of the largest floats on the lake and also one of the largest moorage spaces on Lake Union if you have a boat you want to tie up to your house. It is definitely worth the over two million paid for it. We almost sold it a couple times in the last year or so for over two million so we weren’t surprised. I knew it had been sold a couple months ago and put it here in my blog, but was politely asked to not report it yet. The secret is out. It is sold. Over two million dollars and a great deal in my opinion for one of the Duck Tour’s favorite shout outs on Lake Union.
2. Two floating homes on the 2025 Fairview Ave E Log Foundation dock also closed in the last 30 days. Slip M was a 625 square foot 1 bedroom and 1 bath houseboat built in 1930. It was listed for $495,000 and after 428 days on market sold for 93.54% of its list price at $420,000. Also on that dock was slip H – South facing 900 square foot floating home built in 1917, but updated. We listed this one for $725,000 and it sold for full price 34 days later.
Seattle Houseboats Pending in Escrow – The Big news on the Lake and I mean big as in expensive and beautiful and amazing is that the Fairview Landing (2369 Fairview Ave E) Seattle luxury floating home listed for $2,950,000 is pending in escrow. This is a lovely modern concrete dock with beautiful Seattle luxury floating homes and although this particular floating home is on the North side, the neighbors are amazing and so is the house. It’s a big sale on the lake and happy for the new buyers to have gotten on to this phenomenal gated dock.
What’s for sale now in the Seattle floating home world?
Seattle houseboats for sale are in all price ranges right now – ranging from an unheard of low in Eastlake houseboats for $365,000 (1 bedroom on Tenas Chuck dock) to Roanoke Reef at $1,890,000. We love the Tenas Chuck floating home for someone wanting to get on to the lake.
We also love 2017 Fairview Ave , Slip O – 2 bedroom home on a great dock for $617,000! This one is so cute and appeals to many. Good choice on one of the most well run coops on the lake. As far as the nicer homes go, we really love the house in Westlake listed for $1,299,000 at 2466 Westlake Ave N, Slip 7. You can have a FORTY FOOT BOAT tied up to your house there and it has been absolutely loved by its current owners.
Additional reading about these Seattle houseboats:
Please call or email me if you want to see anything listed on the lake – or unlisted 🙂 We can show you any home listed by any broker and look forward to showing you some of our favorite spots on the lake. Courtney Cooper 206.850.8841
The Seattle Houseboats market has shifted somewhat to including more choices for buyers.
SIX Seattle floating homes have closed in escrow in the last 60 days according to the NWMLS stats. Cooper Jacobs Real Estate Seattle Floating Homes Brokers We were responsible for one side of FOUR of these SIX Seattle houseboat sales!
Here are the Seattle floating homes that have sold in the last 60 days:
2025 Fairview Ave E #H (Eastlake on Log Foundation Dock) (We represented the seller)
2818 1/2 Boyer Ave E #4 (Portage Bay)
2025 Fairview Ave E #M (Eastlake on Log Foundation Dock)
2025 Fairview Ave E #R (Eastlake on Log Foundation Dock) (We represented the seller)
2770 Westlake Ave N #6 (Westlake)(We represented the buyer in this one)
2019 Fairview Ave E #G (Eastlake) (We represented the buyer in this one)
Currently, there are eleven Seattle floating homes for sale in the MLS.. There are also known opportunities of at least three off market if you are a Seattle houseboats buyer… Actives range in price for these Seattle houseboats for sale is from $524,950 to $2,950,000.
Featured Seattle houseboats for sale right now on Lake Union :
Here are two shining examples of what is available on both sides of Lake Union. One of these floating homes is on the most southern dock in Eastlake and the other Seattle houseboat for sale is on one of the most sought after docks and areas in Westlake.
2017 Fairview Ave E #O: Most Southern dock in Eastlake and super clean floating home in one of the best run cooperative owned moorage dock! This one is not to be missed and room for your play toys on the lake! $655,000 for a TWO Bedroom home – nice!
2466 Westlake Ave N #7: You will never again find this home or anything like it. It is not to be missed. Featured and loved on the 2010 Floating Homes Association Tour, this has as many special places in it as you could possibly imagine and more plus room for your VERY LARGE boat attached alongside!!! $1,299,000
If you are interested in Buying or selling Seattle Houseboats, then we would invite you to call or email or text us. As your Brokers, we are happy to answer all your questions and show you some of our favorites on the market. We also have an inside scoop on upcoming Seattle houseboat listings! We are Seattle floating homes brokers and here to help guide you.
Courtney 206.850.8841 Courtney@CooperJacobs.com
Cooper Jacobs Real Estate has Seattle brokers who specialize in all Seattle neighborhoods, Seattle niches, and Seattle Suburbs. We are full service and can help you buy or sell your home.
Have you been looking at the Seattle Houseboats market? Wow! A lot going on here so let me catch you up…
In the last 30 days, SEVEN Seattle floating homes have closed in escrow through the MLS. We were extremely busy during Memorial Day weekend (my birthday weekend) contributing to this number and were responsible for one side of FOUR of these SEVEN houseboat sales! Inventory got very tight and then all of the sudden we have had some extremely interesting and unique Seattle houseboats listings come on the market.
Here are the Seattle floating homes that have sold in the last 30 days:
2025 Fairview Ave E #H (Eastlake on Log Foundation Dock) (We represented the seller)
2818 1/2 Boyer Ave E #4 (Portage Bay)
2025 Fairview Ave E #M (Eastlake on Log Foundation Dock)
2025 Fairview Ave E #R (Eastlake on Log Foundation Dock) (We represented the seller)
2025 Fairview Ave E #H (Eastlake on Log Foundation Dock) (We represented the seller)
2770 Westlake Ave N #6 (Westlake)(We represented the buyer in this one)
2019 Fairview Ave E #G (Eastlake) (We represented the buyer in this one)
3146 Portage Bay Place (Portage Bay)
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There are TEN Seattle floating homes for sale in the MLS right now. We also know of at least three off market opportunities if you are a Seattle houseboats buyer… Actives range in price from $525,000 to $2,950,000.
Our favorite Seattle houseboats for sale right now:
2017 Fairview Ave E #O: Most Southern dock in Eastlake and super clean floating home in one of the best run cooperative owned moorage dock! This one is not to be missed and room for your play toys on the lake! $655,000 for a TWO Bedroom home – nice!
2466 Westlake Ave N #7: You will never again find this home or anything like it. It is not to be missed. Featured and loved on the 2010 Floating Homes Association Tour, this has as many special places in it as you could possibly imagine and more plus room for your VERY LARGE boat attached alongside!!! $1,299,000
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If you would like to see these incredible Seattle floating homes in what is Seattle’s ultimate waterfront lifestyle, please let us know – we are happy to show you these or any Seattle houseboats for sale.
Please call Courtney for more info :
Courtney Cooper 206.850.8841
courtney@cooperjacobs.com
These Seattle floating home has been listed by Realtors at Cooper Jacobs Real Estate
We just listed this really unique and spectacular Seattle floating home in Westlake. If you have been looking at Seattle houseboats, then you might want to jump on this one right away. It is filled with exciting and interesting spaces at every corner and promises to make you fall in love.
Here are the MLS listing remarks for this Westlake houseboat:
Featured on the Seattle Floating Homes Tour, this home has been obviously adored by the current owners! Thoughtful care in every detail as it has evolved over their 30+ years of prideful ownership: Stainless & granite in kitchen, outdoor spaces, an abundance of storage everywhere, one of a kind stained glass, portholes, work shop, green house, & an actual hot tub in the bathroom make you feel like you have stepped into another world! One of the largest floats on lake + moorage for a 40 ft boat!
There is no sign and there will be no open houses so this is an exclusive peek – please let us know if you would like to get in and see this floating home – it has one of the largest floats of all Seattle floating homes on the lake and has some extremely interesting and exciting spaces. $1,299,000
You can find more info on this one here: 2466 Westlake Ave N or get in touch with Us:
Courtney Cooper 206-850-8841 (call/text) Courtney@CooperJacobs.com
This Seattle floating home has been remodeled from the studs out with thoughtful finishes throughout. Soaring ceilings and lots of windows invite the summer days in and keep it light and bright during the dull grey season.
Enjoy the security of living in one of the floating homes with coveted owned moorage plus space to tie your own boat up to. It’s a well run dock on Lake Union in the heart of Seattle.
You can find out more about this Seattle floating home and this houseboat dock here:
If you are interested in all Seattle floating homes for sale, you can see them from all realtors and all real estate companies on our corporate floating homes page where we showcase all Seattle floating homes listings:
You can also contact me if you have questions about the lifestyle in general or need more information about this very specialized corner of real estate. Courtney@CooperJacobs.com
Seattle Houseboats For Sale Right Now – All Offices & All Houseboat Realtors
Go ahead and browse all Seattle houseboats for sale: Vessels, barges, and Seattle floating homes for sale right now- You can find all houseboat listings from all Seattle real estate companies right now. Seattle houseboats sellers: If you have a floating home you want to sell, please let us know. We have a line of potential buyers and inventory is very low.
Seattle WA – Find Seattle Houseboats For Sale
Want to see these Seattle houseboats or need help with the process of buying a floating home (it’s a bit different)?
courtney@courtneycooper.com
206-850-8841
SeattleAfloat.com
Cooper Jacobs Real Estate LLC
Featured Seattle houseboats for sale right now on Lake Union :
Seattle Houseboats: Catching Up With The Seattle Floating Homes Market Sept 2014
Summary: Great Choices Available unless you want The Sleepless In Seattle Houseboat.
All year long, the story has been low inventory, low inventory, low inventory. Now we have inventory. Typically August is pretty quiet for Seattle houseboats sales, so it was no surprise to see that August was slow again. The real surprise, though, was the whole new crop of Seattle floating homes listings that have come on the market. We have some really cool choices right now which span into every price range.
The 2014 Seattle floating home tour was a success this year and definitely increased interest in this great community. Add to the the Boats Afloat show this weekend and I would say life on Lake Union is about as exciting as it can be aside from The Fourth Of July! If you are entering the Seattle houseboats world or already a houseboat buyer candidate, then this is truly your time to buy. Seattle houseboats sellers are motivated because the inventory increase has added competition for the sale of their home. Buyers are able to pick up some great floating homes right now.
So here are the Seattle houseboats that have sold in the floating home world (both on market and off market that I know about):
1. Sleepless in Seattle: All the buzz is about Sleepless. The house where Tom Hanks resided in while Meg Ryan chased after him in the original stalker movie – before stalking was actually even a thing besides in National Geographic and horror flicks… The Sleepless in Seattle houseboat has an amazing main level and a very dated upper level which I am sure the new owner will remedy. It has one of the largest floats on the lake and also one of the largest moorage spaces on Lake Union if you have a boat you want to tie up to your house. It is definitely worth the over two million paid for it. We almost sold it a couple times in the last year or so for over two million so we weren’t surprised. I knew it had been sold a couple months ago and put it here in my blog, but was politely asked to not report it yet. The secret is out. It is sold. Over two million dollars and a great deal in my opinion for one of the Duck Tour’s favorite shout outs on Lake Union.
2. Two floating homes on the 2025 Fairview Ave E Log Foundation dock also closed in the last 30 days. Slip M was a 625 square foot 1 bedroom and 1 bath houseboat built in 1930. It was listed for $495,000 and after 428 days on market sold for 93.54% of its list price at $420,000. Also on that dock was slip H – South facing 900 square foot floating home built in 1917, but updated. We listed this one for $725,000 and it sold for full price 34 days later.
Seattle Houseboats Pending in Escrow – The Big news on the Lake and I mean big as in expensive and beautiful and amazing is that the Fairview Landing (2369 Fairview Ave E) Seattle luxury floating home listed for $2,950,000 is pending in escrow. This is a lovely modern concrete dock with beautiful Seattle luxury floating homes and although this particular floating home is on the North side, the neighbors are amazing and so is the house. It’s a big sale on the lake and happy for the new buyers to have gotten on to this phenomenal gated dock.
What’s for sale now in the Seattle floating home world?
Seattle houseboats for sale are in all price ranges right now – ranging from an unheard of low in Eastlake houseboats for $365,000 (1 bedroom on Tenas Chuck dock) to Roanoke Reef at $1,890,000. We love the Tenas Chuck floating home for someone wanting to get on to the lake.
We also love 2017 Fairview Ave , Slip O – 2 bedroom home on a great dock for $617,000! This one is so cute and appeals to many. Good choice on one of the most well run coops on the lake. As far as the nicer homes go, we really love the house in Westlake listed for $1,299,000 at 2466 Westlake Ave N, Slip 7. You can have a FORTY FOOT BOAT tied up to your house there and it has been absolutely loved by its current owners.
Summary Of Seattle Houseboats
Seattle Houseboats Market Update Details
Please call or email me if you want to see anything listed on the lake – or unlisted 🙂 We can show you any home listed by any broker and look forward to showing you some of our favorite spots on the lake. Courtney Cooper 206.850.8841