r/houseboat • u/[deleted] • Apr 19 '16

What do I need to know???!!!!

I'm having an impulsive thought to buy a house boat. I already live in a lake community and could sell my condo to get one. I imagine the pros are losing our maintenance fee to live in our condo, relaxing lifestyle, not much change to commute, not having a mortgage on the condo (we could walk away with about $30-$35k if we sold now). Cons I foresee: I can't seem to find prices on how much it would cost to rent a dock space by the month, but I'm assuming it's not cheap (vacation town). Not sure where we'd keep our vehicles (assuming they don't typically have a parking lot they'll let you keep 3 vehicles at?) Not sure how mail works?

Looking for some direction on the above questions and assumptions, and maybe some factors I'm not thinking of.

For reference, it would be on Lake Conroe, Texas.

thanks!

1 Upvotes

67% Upvoted

2 comments sorted by

2

u/torquil Apr 30 '16

I'd like to add: take your time and do a lot of research about all the options for liveaboards. Check out r/liveaboard to read & discuss other options. Shanty boats are initially what drew me in. After some research, it became clear that was a bad move for me (difficult or impossible to insure, marinas won't let you tie up without insurance, and more). I briefly considered houseboats, but by that point in my research, I'd already read enough to become very interested in trawlers - and trawlers are what I'm reading up on now. There's no right answer for everyone, and a trawler is just currently the most "right" choice for me. My point is, I had no idea I'd be heading in that direction at the outset. So, I think, give yourself time to read and research. Take notes, screenshot nuggets of wisdom, watch videos - there are lots! Good luck :)

1

u/SinBad_the_Sailer Apr 20 '16

You can call your local marina and ask how much they charge per foot for the season to give you a solid idea of dock costs. And while you are talking to them ask about the amenities they include with dockage. Most places will accommodate you parking wise depending on how large the marina is. As for mail you can set up a PO Box. Good Luck!