Bay Areas houseboat communities, from bougie to outlaw, the scene spans socioeconomic classes

We recently highlighted Sausalito, and in that article we touched on the fascinating house boat wars that rocked the waters in that floating community. 

Today we are chatting about other Bay Area floating houses or house boats, why they’re a cool option, and what they do for the Bay Area. 

More than any other metropolitan area, the San Francisco Bay Area was built on the bedrock of wacky boho artist subcultures. To state the obvious, the California, and especially the Bay Area real estate markets have become priced so highly, that faction of folk had largely been unable to pay the price to live here. Ain’t nothin cheap, facts. So here’s where the houseboat option becomes attractive and valuable to maintaining Bay Area artsy subculture. For those willing to live in a somewhat unconventional manner, and taking in the income of a unstructured creative, the City of Berkeley has a viable option. 

The city runs a lottery for boats that pass inspection and are between 24 and 62 feet. The lottery is for a slip to live on your boat in the Berkeley Marina. The monthly cost to dock house boats of this size is between 200-400 dollars. There are 110 slips available for boats who live on the marina as permanent residents. This type of slip is reserved for actual functioning boats who could be safety rode out at sea. This type of houseboat is estimated to cost anywhere between 350,000 and 700,000 to purchase. The slips and boats are referred to as “live aboards”. Live aboards have access to the restrooms and a laundry set up. The price is killer, when you look at the monthly. People who reside permanently on live aboard situations say the hidden cost is upkeep. You have to constantly stay up on repairs, the ocean will always be trying to break down your boat. Safety is a bigger risk, boats can sink. Maintenance can be expensive at times. But like with anything else, the reward for boat residents outweighs the risk for them personally. The kind of folks willing to live on the water, are often willing to do the work to keep the lifestyle. 

People who dock in a marina as their residence might also pay a kind of HOA fee, they likely pay for water and sewage. Utilities are still a thing. 

In places like Marin county’s Sausalito, the cost of living is, shall we say, high. There are 400 floating homes in the Richardson Bay that represent the bohemian roots that began in the area more than a century ago. House boats and floating boats are not the same, they have similar docking fees but houseboats have motors and floating homes do not. Floating homes are built on hulls of fiber glass and concrete, made to bob up and down in the water. They can sit on mud at low tide and float on water at high tide. However, they can’t move about like houseboats do, they are stationary. They re both kind of a variation of a tiny home, but on the water. People have done some amazing work to the floating houses in Richardson marina. Amazing tile work, beautiful vibrant colors. There are a variety of styles, like mid century modern, vintage, and rustic vibes. 

Generally, homes in Sausalito go for an average of 975k, a house built on the water can sell for as low as around 400,000. These can be primary residences, or possibly vacation homes. There are usually restrictions on subletting or using any kind of air bnb services in the marina, although that varies from place to place. 

Loans for floating homes can be hard to get. They’re taxed differently than land houses. It’s easiest to get in as a cash buyer, but going with a lender is possible, just maybe harder. 

One really cool thing, insurance for a house boat runs from 400-1600 a year!! That’s unheard of for a residence in California, like anywhere in the state! That’s no small thing my friends. 

It’s an intriguing option, to live differently, and maybe feel some extra freedom. Imagine coming home from work and hopping on a paddle boat right literally out front of your door to unwind. You can have a view of the Golden Gate Bridge from every angle of your home, for under 500, 000. People are also big fans of being in walking distance of great cafes and spots to grab dinner. Both Berkeley and Richardson Marinas are directly beside nice parks to stroll in. 

The floating homes association in Sausalito offers open house festivals where floating home owners open their doors to potential water dwelling houseboat buyers. Hundreds of people come to check it out and get their questions answered. 

You never know, it could be perfect for you.