There are a lot of reasons that living on a houseboat is worth considering, especially if you love the water or want to live near an area where you wouldn’t be able to afford typical housing (around New York, for example). A houseboat and a floating home are different, in that a houseboat you can motor around the water. A floating home is precisely that: a home that floats but cannot propel along the coast like a houseboat.
If you do your research and are a smart buyer, living on a houseboat can save you money. In sunny climates, if you have a boat with solar power, this can also save on utilities and make you more capable of living “off the grid.”
Why Live on a Houseboat?
With a houseboat, you can afford to live right at the water’s edge with a beautiful view often for much cheaper than buying a coastal house. Living on a boat still has several costs to consider, but when you compare it to a beach house, you will typically end up saving money.
Additionally, people often find that they love the boating community and the fellow house-boaters they meet when docked in a marina. Houseboat life offers the ability of mobility along coastal regions or lakes, easy access to water activities such as fishing or kayaking, and the ability to Zen-out while staring at the water and spotting marine life. There are struggles living on a boat, though. So, how do you go about living on a houseboat?
Try a Rental Period
If you’ve never been on a houseboat before and you’re considering buying one instead of a house or in place of renewing an apartment lease, rent one before buying. Many people who love the water find all of the trade-offs of houseboat living well worth it. However, houseboat life is not without its struggles.
It is worth the time and money to rent a houseboat first to see how well-suited for it you are, and whether or not the cramped quarters, subtle but constant boat movement, and maintenance issues are something you’d be willing to undertake.
A houseboat is a house, after all. It’s not an apartment. Living on a houseboat requires regular emptying of the sewage tank (you can often pay to have this done) along with other maintenance.
You might also be surprised by the sensation of living on a houseboat. While it’s not the same as balancing your legs over large swells on a sailboat, you can still feel the motion on a houseboat, including waves from boaters who ignore a “no wake zone” rule, and some people realize after a short period that they are not a fan. Conversely, you might love it and feel like it rocks you to sleep.
Moving into a houseboat is not quite like getting the keys to a new house or apartment unless you spent time on one growing up, or vacationing on houseboats. Make sure you give it a trial run before investing a lot of money on a houseboat you realize too late is far too small for your taste.
Tally Houseboat Costs Along with Maintenance, Marina, and Storage Fees
Docking a marine vessel costs, on average, in the United States, around $50 per foot (of your boat) in a year. The price will fluctuate with your location, the marina, and the type of boat you own. In fact, these fees can range anywhere from roughly $12 per foot up to $250 per foot.
If you have no idea what size of boat you can afford, take a look at sites like Boat Trader, and you can narrow down your specs to get a better idea of what size houseboat is within your budget. Most people need to get a mortgage or loan on a houseboat just as they would a land-locked home or a vehicle.
Marina and Facilities
Have the size of the boat you are planning to buy in mind and research the exact marinas you would like to dock to get a precise number. The mortgage of your houseboat is only part of the expenses. Don’t forget the bills for the marina and any land transportation you will use.
You could end up paying roughly $2,000 to $4,500 per year just for your marina slip. Add into that the difference between storing a boat and living on one in a slip.
Many marinas charge “live-aboard” fees that allow you to park a car on-site, and get some use out of water, electricity, laundry, a place to receive mail or packages (you’ll likely still want to buy something online once in a while) and other facilities. Some marinas also offer services, such as a pump-out of your sewage tank when needed, for a small fee.
Maintenance
For many people, this is part of the cost of living, just as paying for lawn care or services is on a large property. You can still make the price of a houseboat work for you, but you need to prepare yourself for all of the fees you might not think of when dreaming of life on the water. Check out different marinas through a directory to find one in the area you plan to live to get a more accurate number.
Just as you need to maintain a house when you’re a homeowner, a houseboat also requires regular work. Don’t be fooled into thinking living on a houseboat will erase all the headaches of owning a home for the entirely carefree water life. Living on a houseboat has its rewards, but it still requires upkeep. Boats need regular cleaning to remove algae buildup and things like barnacles.
In many places, you can hire a diver to clean the bottom of your boat, and on a more frequent basis, you can wash and wax the upper portion or pay someone to do so. When tallying your costs, add in a buffer for random maintenance issues that arise. Much like a road vehicle, you will probably go a while without needing any repairs, and then suddenly, you’ll have a few at one time.
Storage
When you feel like ditching land life and cleaning out your closet, it might sound fantastic to own as few items as possible. In reality, this can be much more difficult than it is to dream about when you first think of living on a houseboat.
If you have a bin of seriously sentimental items or have furniture that is too painful to part with permanently (just in case you get sick of living on a boat in a few years), you might have to pay for a land storage unit, also.
Storage units will vary in price, as always, depending on where you live and the size you rent. Most people can find a storage unit for around $50 to $100 a month, give or take a bit. So, if you end up having items that you can’t fit on your boat, and you don’t have generous family members willing to store stuff in their basement, you might need to add this into your costs, as well.
Insurance
Getting decent houseboat insurance is not something you want to neglect. Regardless of where you dock your boat, there are intrinsic risks, such as fires or floods—even the potential to sink. If you live in an area prone to hurricanes or other tropical storms, you want to make sure you have insurance that will cover your houseboat if it gets damaged in a storm and you can’t evacuate in time.
Southern states tend to have higher boat insurance costs, but this makes sense when you consider the types of offshore storms these places can get—not to mention that most people can keep boats in the water year-round, as opposed to locations like the Great Lakes, which sometimes freeze near the shoreline in winter.
Prepare for Some Lack of Privacy
If you have a massive boat or dock in a marina with high security that is off-limits to non-residents, you won’t struggle with this as much. However, in many marinas and for those living on average or smaller houseboats, there is less privacy than with many standard houses on the land.
The docks often get built so close together that your neighbors will be right outside your door. With some marinas, tourists may wander in and take pictures of your houseboat without permission, or even knock on your door to see your place. This problem is not the case in every location, but it’s an issue to consider and one to ask about when looking for a boat slip.
Get Serious About a Minimalist Lifestyle
If you live in a tiny apartment and are moving into the houseboat life, you will probably have an easier time with this one than someone who has spent decades in a house. The minimalist lifestyle can sound incredible until it’s time to part with sentimental items or things you’re sure you might use down the road.
When it comes to saving on space, this is when off-site storage units can be a lifesaver. You don’t necessarily have to throw away or donate 95 percent of your belongings to live on a houseboat, but you will have to find a place to store them if you own a lot.
Houseboats can seem like a dream lifestyle if you have an adventurous spirit or want to get away from typical neighborhoods or apartment buildings. However, the downside is that your space becomes minimal to the extreme unless you can afford a massive vessel.
If you plan to get a storage unit, you won’t have to worry as much about this. Even so, you will need to par down the everyday items that you keep on your houseboat. Start learning to live with as little as possible, whether it’s less makeup and skincare products, fewer decorations, fewer sports paraphernalia items sitting around, or getting into e-books instead of hardcovers.
You may even want to reduce your wardrobe to the basics to save on closet space because storage space on a houseboat is minimal. Before you buy a houseboat, start tracking the items you use daily or weekly, and consider what you can get rid of outside of that.
Learn About How to Care for a Houseboat
As we mentioned, houseboats require maintenance just as ordinary homes do. You will need to get your houseboat cleaned every so often, as saltwater, algae, and other aquatic elements can damage your boat over time if you do not keep on top of them. Some people are skilled in diving and cleaning boats themselves. Be aware of your surroundings, though. If you dock your boat in an area prone to alligators, for example, you may want to hire an expert.
You will also need to keep typical home items in check, such as keeping a fire extinguisher onboard and a smoke detector. Standard safety measures still apply to houseboats, just as they do with a typical house or apartment.
Spiders and insects can be an issue for all types of boats. If this is a problem for you, keep spiders spray or something like diatomaceous earth for other bugs onboard for maintenance. Water bugs and mosquitos can also be a significant problem that houseboat dwellers have to deal with, and you’ll likely need to keep some bug spray or natural repellant around. Even if you use essential oils to repel bugs and their bites, you may deal with this more so on a houseboat than in a home or apartment.
Research the boats you are looking at and see if they use a black water holding tank. With this type of sewage tank, you will want to get deodorizing products to drop and flush in the toilet. If you neglect this step, you may have an extremely unpleasant bathroom smell in a short amount of time.
Sewage tanks need emptying, and this can be as often as twice a week if there’s more than one person on board, or biweekly if you work outside of your houseboats and live alone. Do your research on where you will get your sewage tank emptied and if the marina you’d like to dock your boat in offers a pumping service.
Ensure You Have Proper Safety Gear and Skills
Just as you would make sure a house has deadbolts, a fire extinguisher, and other safety essentials, you need to do the same with a houseboat.
Weather and Storms
There are several safety issues you need to be aware of when moving onto a houseboat. With any place you live, keeping an eye on the weather is a smart idea. When you live on a houseboat, this might be even more imperative. Because violent storms can cause intense conditions in large waves, you want to know how well your marina is protected against open sea waves, and you’ll want to keep a general eye on the weather.
Water Pump
Keep a pump on board in case of leaks, whether you realize too late your vessel has a hole, or if a pipe springs a leak. This step is crucial, just as having a sub-pump can save your house from flooding. Keep your pump above the water level. If your boat does begin to flood, you don’t want the pump underwater where you can’t get to it!
Fire Extinguisher and Smoke Detector
Fires are another issue against which you want to take precautions. A fire might not seem as much of a concern on a houseboat to some people, considering you’re sitting on in the water, but a kitchen fire on a marine vessel can burn the place down in a short amount of time. Make sure you have a fire extinguisher within easy reach and a smoke detector on board.
Carbon Monoxide Detector
Much like keeping smoke detectors working is crucial, a carbon monoxide detector can save your life on a houseboat, too. Ventilating your boat as often as possible is a smart idea, but there will be times you need to close the windows in inclement weather. Whether you use gas or diesel, you need a carbon monoxide detector on board.
Water Safety and Life Jackets
Know the basics of marine safety, including how to swim and the proper life vests to have onboard. Even if you don’t plan to get in the water, you never know what life will throw at you. In the case of an emergency, if you need to jump ship, people on board need to know how to swim or to have proper life vests.
It’s also important to know which mechanical features to stay away from while swimming. Never swim or allow guests to swim just off your boat while the engine is running. On some houseboats, propellers can be a danger, while on nearly all vessels, exhaust from the engine poses a threat to swimmers.
Refrigeration
Food safety is another issue on houseboats. Your generator will only be able to run for a few hours before being recharged on many houseboats. So, unless your boat is plugged in or running on solar power, the items that need to stay the coldest, such as raw meat, should ideally be put in the icebox/freezer overnight instead of sitting in the refrigerator.
Safety from Break-Ins
In some ways, you can be more exposed while on a houseboat, especially in a marina without much security. Consider installing deadbolts on doors if your boat does not have them and have an easy way to call for help if needed (reliable cell service). It might be worth considering installing a security camera on your houseboat, if possible. Make sure to ask any marina at which you plan to dock your houseboat about their security, such as if they have cameras or a way to keep non-residents off the property at night.
Boating Laws
Don’t forget, operating a boat if you take it out of the marina also requires you to follow laws, such as abstaining from alcohol while driving your boat. Make sure you’re familiar with all boating rules and regulations before taking your boat out into the open water.
Consider Your Climate
In some areas, such as San Diego, you may be able to dock your houseboat year-round. However, if you are in colder climates, or live in an area highly prone to hurricanes, you might want to look into the costs of traveling to another region for a season.
If you don’t work from home, you’ll need to consider how this will impact your daily life, and what the costs are for storing your houseboat and renting an apartment for the winter or during hurricane season.
Some people choose to rent an apartment for colder seasons, but this can significantly add to your yearly cost of living. If you can’t afford to move your houseboat or store it and rent an apartment for a few months a year, moving onto a houseboat might be something you need to save up for, or might require looking for work out-of-state.
Prepare for Damp Conditions
It’s pretty impossible to avoid damp conditions while living on a houseboat entirely—you are sitting on the water, after all. Especially for those with allergies to mold or other health conditions, you’ll want to have supplies on-hand to deal with the damp.
You can get products like Damp Rid for your closet, in a dampness-absorbing fan, and in an activated-charcoal-form to absorb moisture from confined spaces. Some houseboats will not have the extra room for something like a dehumidifier, so you’ll have to get creative with smaller products or ways to prevent mold growth.
Figure out Your Land Transportation and Docking
Unless you work from home on your houseboat, you will need to figure out your transportation situation to and from work every day, as well as how you will go about getting groceries and running other errands.
A lot of marinas will allow you a parking space for an additional fee, or in their “live onboard” pricing for houseboats. If you have more than one vehicle, with a spouse who has a car, for example, the cost may be extra.
If you like the idea of living a more off-the-grid life on your houseboat, you can certainly get by without a car in some areas—typically those closest to a city or metropolitan area. Thankfully, the growth of companies like Uber and Lyft make getting around much easier for those without a car, even in areas where taxis are not prevalent.
You’ll still need to consider what you’ll do in times when Uber, Lyft, or a Taxi are not available if you plan to dock your boat in a location that is not in close walking distance to a subway or bus route.
As we mentioned, you also need to think about whether you plan to live on your houseboat all 12 months of the year, or if you will store it over winter months. If you plan to get out of the water in unseasonable weather or during hurricane season, you’ll have to figure out who you’ll hire to pull your houseboat out of the water and where you will store it.
Remember, a houseboat has more going on inside than, say, a speedboat. If you need to get your boat up onto land, it will require a bit of work to go through and check that all your belongings are secured, or you remove your daily necessity items. The space you have on a houseboat may be small, but it’s still a temporary move out of a home.
Get Financing
If you’ve already spent time on a rental houseboat and you know you’re ready to make your move, check with your financial institution about getting a loan for your houseboat. Many institutions that provide mortgages and vehicle loans will also offer loans for houseboats.
A houseboat is not the same as a floating home. Your houseboat can move out in the water, so the financing for these vessels is typically more like a vehicle loan, but for more than you might spend on a car.
Floating homes will have a mortgage, like a regular home on land. Regardless, check with your bank or credit union to see what rates they will offer and what you can afford with your income history and credit score. Once you get approved, you can start looking into your aquatic dream home.
Start Enjoying the Benefits of Houseboat Life!
There are so many benefits to living the houseboat life. You get to wake up to the serene views and sounds of the water and coastal towns. You can enjoy the improved mental health of being on the coast or having the ability to move along to new places all the time if your work permits. The smaller space of many houseboats makes for faster cleaning of your home, and you might be able to afford a place right on the water in a region where you may not have the means to finance a beachfront house.
Living on a houseboat can be fun. What other option do you have for residence in which you can take your whole house out into the open water and enjoy the view of both the sea and the coastline? As long as you do your research, stick within your budget, and move into your home well-prepared, houseboat life can offer the rewarding sense of freedom, serenity, and adventure, all wrapped into one place.