Residents of some of the most expensive cities in the US have turned to living in houseboats as a way to get around the steep cost of housing.
Whether it’s San Francisco, New York, Chicago, Seattle or Los Angeles – the price of housing is astronomical – and workers are having a hard time paying the costs of living there.
It’s a dichotomy many American face: If you go where some of the best jobs in the country are – which are America’s big cities – you’ll make more money and advance in your career, but you also face housing costs that can be unaffordable.
Most often, workers get around this problem by making long commutes from distant areas where housing is more affordable. The downside, of course, is that you sacrifice personal time spent commuting. As a result, your quality of life diminishes because you have you less time with family and friends, or time for whatever you need to do away from work.
Many people have taken to living in motorhomes, vans or their cars – sometimes even in the parking lots of the companies they work for.
What some workers are finding to be a practical and affordable solution is living on a houseboat.
Houseboats can be relatively inexpensive to buy, and docking fees are low compared to housing costs.
The cost of buying a houseboat can vary wildly, depending on the size of the boat. It can be as low as $1500 or go into the millions.
As with anything in housing, the cost of docking fees is all about location. Slips can be $1,500 a month or lower, and that usually includes water and electricity, and sometimes even the Internet.
Such stock fees are a bargain when you compare them to the average rental costs for a two-bedroom apartment. For example, in New York City you’d pay $3,400 a month, and in San Francisco, you’d pay $4,400 a month.
Beyond the cost savings, obviously, living in a houseboat provides a great view. Many owners say life on the docks also provides a vibrant social community. It almost feels like a vacation, and it brings one closer to nature.
The immediate concern with living in a houseboat is that you can be exposed to severe weather. In some cases, when violent storms are approaching, you may need to seek shelter elsewhere for safety.
Limited living space can be a secondary downside. You could be living in cramped quarters. However, in the age of minimalism, a houseboat could be the perfect way to downsize for some people.
A third downside, one that may have an “eww” factor for some people, is having to empty the septic tank. However, there are companies that can be hired to help facilitate this job.
Other downsides include pipes freezing during the winter, slippery conditions on docs, and the need for continual maintenance, as weather and water conditions create continual wear and tear on boats.
Lastly, while living on a houseboat may be much more affordable, it may not completely eliminate a time-intensive or long commute to your workplace.
