Seattle Houseboats

Seattle Houseboats

I toured two Seattle houseboats on Lake Union for the first time with a new client.  She was shopping under $300,000, which limited her choices to 8 possibilities at this time of writing.  Of these she picked out two: one along Westlake Avenue facing east onto the lake and another adjacent to Gas Works Park at the north end of the lake.  In this price range the houseboats are about the size of an apartment: 450 to 700 square feet.

View from a Seattle Houseboat

The costs of owning a houseboat will include a moorage fee – perhaps $300 to $700, which depends on the length of the boat and its position on the dock.  Liveaboard fees range from $60 to $150.  Utilities (electricity, water, sewage, propane, garbage) will range from $100 to $150, depending on usage.  Hull maintenance should be done every 5 years.

Our clear favorite was the houseboat along Westlake Avenue.  It was positioned at the end up the dock overlooking just one sailboat, leaving a near unobstructed view of Lake Union, Gas Works Park on the north shore, and the mountains, if this had been a clear day.  There’s always interesting activity to watch on the lake.  An Argosy tour boat and a University of Washington rowing shell went by during our visit.  This houseboat had a nice covered deck on its upper level to relax and enjoy the view.

More Photos Below

See Current Seattle Houseboat Listings

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Lake Union View

UW Rowing Crew

Westlake Avenue Houseboat Neighborhood

Northlake Way Houseboats