Where Are The Seattle Floating Homes Located?

It seems pretty obvious to most of us where they are, but we are local and people outside of Seattle really don't know. Many out of state visitors come here only with the Sleepless In Seattle frame of reference for where Seattle houseboats actually are in Seattle. Any Seattle local who has seen this 1993 Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan movie (which I affectionately call the STALKER movie) knows that when Tom sets out in his little row boat from his Lake Union houseboat, he won't end up in the Puget Sound at Alki any time soon.

This is why people want to know: Where are Seattle floating homes located in Seattle?

It is important to first know that Seattle houseboats used to be a lot more prevalent in the city even being in Lake Washington along the shores of Madison Parkjust to name one spot, but also along the Duwamish River down in the South Park area.  Over the last 100 years they have dwindled for various reasons which is probably a good idea for me to write a series of at least 10 posts.  The city has gone from thousands of floating homes and shacks to a little over 500 in present day. These 500 or so surviving Seattle floating homes (and some new construction) are located on Lake Union and Portage bay in various locations.

Here is a handy map of the Seattle Floating Homes -

View Where To Find Seattle Floating Homes in a larger map

Let me know if you are interested in checking out Seattle's floating homes neighborhoods and learning more about the different types of dock ownerships, etc.

Courtney Cooper

Houseboat Realtor

Courtney@CooperJacobs.com 206-850-8841

Seattle Houseboats for sale in 2012 - Happy New Year! Inventory on Seattle floating homes is low so if you are a seller pay attention to the listings below...

Seattle WA - Find Seattle Houseboats For Sale

Seattle Houseboats for sale right now - Tie a bow around one of these?

Seattle WA - Find Seattle Houseboats For Sale

  Seattle Floating Homes Sales By Year:

If you are interested in further data or more detail info, please contact: courtney@seattleafloat.com

2011 seattle floating homes sold (so far as of 12/12/2011)

2010 seattle floating homes sales

2009 seattle floating homes sold

2008 seattle floating homes

Are you interested in Seattle floating homes for sale?

Seattle houseboats Realtor:

 Courtney Cooper 206.850.8841

courtney@seattleafloat.com

Seattle Floating Homes For Sale Inventory is Low -

Seattle Floating Homes For Sale:

• For $350,000, you can buy a 2 bedroom/1 bath Seattle houseboat in Westlake.
• For $399,000, you can buy a 1 bedroom/1 bath houseboat in Portage Bay.
• For $715,000, you can buy a houseboat in Portage Bay at the end of the dock on its own dock with no dues, a waterfront bonus cabin, and a yard, and 2 parking spaces.
• For $1,395,000 you can buy a 2 bedroom 2.5 bath Roanoke Reef floating home.

What's Selling in Seattle Floating Homes?

Are you interested in selling your Seattle floating home?  

• Courtney Cooper:  206.850.8841 courtney@cooperjacobs.com

 

Courtney Cooper

Seattle Realtor, Owner/Designated Broker/EcoBroker

Cooper Jacobs Real Estate

courtney@cooperjacobs.com

206-850-8841 

(Seattle real estate - search all MLS listings from all companies for FREE), SeattleAfloat.com (Seattle Houseboats), GreenLakeLoop.com (Green Lake Blog), QueenAnneBoulevard.com (Queen Anne Blog), MagnoliaView.com (Magnolia Neighborhood Blog)

About Me: 

Seattle real estate has been a big part of my life for well over a decade since I began my career in real estate,but also before that time when I was in the process of purchasing my own first home.  Buying your first home can be quite overwhelming,but I have managed to help many first time home buyers along the way.

Move up Seattle buyers and other types of specialized purchasing is a great passion of mine!  I love Seattle houseboats and you can find me down on the docks of Lake Union and Portage Bay several times a week.   Other aspects of Seattle real estate that I adore include Queen Anne Real Estate,Wallingford Real Estate, Ballard Real Estate, Green Lake Real Estate, Laurelhurst Real Estate, Magnolia Real Estate,andSeattle Waterfront Real Estate.

In addition to being a Seattle residential broker and founder of Cooper Jacobs & Seattle Afloat, I am also a member of CBA (Commercial Brokers Association) and head of the Cooper Jacobs Commercial Division in an effort to provide excellent commercial real estate services to the Seattle commercial real estate industry.  With a background in accounting and management, it is my great pleasure to coordinate our Seattle commercial brokers. 

About Cooper Jacobs Real Estate's Seattle Branch:

 My office at Cooper Jacobs Real Estate LLC is located centrally near all my favorite Puget Sound neighborhoods just a few blocks up from Lake Union in Seattle’s Wallingford.  Cooper Jacobs Real Estate is a wonderful place filled with talented Seattle real estate brokers and I count myself extremely lucky that I get to spend so much time with these wonderful people.  We specialize in different Seattle neighborhoods and suburbs in both residential and commercial real estate and are all very passionate and excited about each of our favorite Seattle neighborhoods and industries!

©Courtney Cooper ©Cooper Jacobs Real Estate LLC

Brand New Construction Seattle Floating Home Going In On Fairview Landings Dock

When I saw this large concrete Seattle floating home float being towed across Lake Union, I assumed it was on its way to Ward's Cove when all the new construction in Seattle floating homes is happening.  While walking my weekly Lake Union loop, I was excited and surprised to see it on the Fairview Landings dock!

New construction and Seattle floating homes are two terms that usually do not go together.  There are times when an older floating home can be taken down to the float and rebuilt, but a brand new Seattle houseboat is rare on Lake Union!  There are only so many moorage slips and restrictions are such that it is nearly impossible to add more docks unless exactly the right criteria is present.  This is what makes Ward's Cove so coveted and also Fairview Landings.

If you are interested in Seattle floating homes for sale or information about building a new Seattle floating home, let us know and we can show you our favorite houseboats and houseboat slips!

• 2764 Westlake Ave N #C Listed and Sold by Cooper Jacobs Real Estate listed for $399,000/ sold for $355,000 (SP/LP:  88.97% - exceeds average)
• 2019 Fairview Ave E #R  Listed for 625,000/sold for $575,000 with 13 days on market (seems like a motivated seller)(SP/LP:  92% - exceeds average)
• 2031 Fairview Ave E #B  Listed for $789,000/sold for $690,000 (SP/LP:  87.45% - below average)
• 2369 Fairview Ave E #6 Listed for $3,800,ooo originally, dropped to $3,450,000, sold for $2,885,000 (LOWEST SP/LP:  83.62% - below average)

Roanoke Reef Luxury Houseboats -

Want to have it all?  Many times when buyers are looking at Seattle houseboats, they are compromising.  It might be parking, ownership structure, storage, moorage, etc.  Roanoke Reef is not such a case.  

Roanoke Reef floating homes have pretty much all of the above...

They are, however, few and far between as far as availability.  Let me know if you are interested in buying a Seattle houseboat on the Roanoke Reef dock.  Latest prices of Roanoke Reef homes have been between $1.2 million and $2 million dollars. 

How Is The Current Seattle Floating Homes Market Compared To 2005?  

This was a question I got this week via email so I will share the info with you, too.

Actually, the answer is interesting and since I keep hearing brokers around Seattle talking about 2005 prices and comparing them to where we are now, I think it is a good note to pass on on the differences between traditional Seattle real estate and Seattle floating homes.  

Keep in mind before I give you these numbers that this market is SMALL.  In fact, I have had people not to me that they hoped I had other sources of real estate income besides floating homes because they are a "difficult market".  Exact words...from a competitor.  The fact of the matter is, though, that there are around 500 Seattle floating homes on Lake Union and Portage Bay.  This does not include Seattle houseboats which are vessels (boats) or barges.  It is a small market and turnover is LOW.  People who live on floating homes tend to stay.

2005 Numbers - 

12 Seattle floating homes sold

Avg $/sq foot $570.94

High Sales Price:  $1,303,000

Low Sales Price:  $312,500

Median Sales Price:  $562,000

2010 Numbers - 

13 Seattle floating homes sold

Avg $/sq foot $707.44

High Sales Price:  $2,080,000  (Molly & I sold it:))

Low Sales Price:  $350,000

Median Sales Price:  $740,000

The numbers between these years went up and down again, but overall, we are still higher than we were n 2005 today for Seattle floating homes sales.  There were a total of 71 Seattle floating homes sold via the MLS in years 2005 thru 2010.  

Let us know if you want to see any Seattle Houseboats!

You all know I am a sucker for Lake Union - I love it in all seasons.  Here is a collection of some of my winter pictures I took in Eastlake a few years ago.  The landscape has changed since I took these, but the area is so beautiful! 

Let me know if you are interested in seeing Seattle Houseboats - I will show you some of my faves right now (even though there are only a few listed, I know of a few others that would like to sell)....