Life on the water isn't for everyone, but for many it adds up; here's a look at some of the best houseboats for sale right now.
London — £375,000
Located on the River Thames practically next door to Kew Gardens, this four-bedroom houseboat has a wonderful location that has easy links in to (and out of) London.
The boat itself (also pictured at the top of the page) is lovely inside, as the pictures show, and there is mains water, electricity and even a vacuum sewage system removing the need to get a septic tank pumped out. The bad news? It’s cash buyers only, and mooring costs a further £1,350 a month, but at least it’s in Band A for Council Tax purposes.
For sale with River Homes. See more pictures and details for this property.
Devon — £250,000
This three-bedroom houseboat moored in Bideford, not far from the beach at Westward Ho!, is exactly the sort of thing your friends will have in their minds when you tell them you’ve moved to a houseboat. It’s quirky, charming and fun.
Even the big compromise of this lifestyle isn’t a problem, since there is a garden and parking space leased from the local council that goes with the boat, the cost of which is just a few hundred pounds a year. There are even solar panels and rainwater collection for those who dream of off-grid living. The only catch? The agents note that ‘funding could not be secured against this proposition’; in other words, it’ll need a cash buyer.
For sale with Morris and Bott. See more pictures and details for this property.
London — £2,500,000
So huge and extraordinary is this houseboat that we can’t help feeling that you’d quickly forget that you were on the water — though maybe for some buyers, that won’t be a good thing.
There’s over 5,000sq ft of space, including five bedrooms and three bathrooms, in a 1930s barge that’s moored at St Katharine Docks, Wapping. The purchase price is only part of the equation though: there is a £32,000 annual mooring and maintenance charge.
For sale with River Homes. See more pictures and details for this property.
Surrey — £246,000
A houseboat with history? Absolutely: this barge is nearly two centuries old, and was once owned by Balliol College, Oxford, which purchased it in 1837 from the City of London Livery Skinners’ Company to use as changing rooms, common room and viewing stand for rowing.
It’s not big at 824sq ft and has just one deck of living space, but there is also the roof terrace and the benefit of a very liveable location. But those looking for a bargain in an area where two-bed houses nearby often fetch £600k should note that there is an annual mooring fee of just over £15,000 to factor in.
For sale with Absolute Homes. See more pictures and details for this property.
Inverness — £110,000
A narrowboat called ‘Keep it Simple’ — and it does just that, with a wheelhouse, open-plan living area and a couple of bedrooms plus bathroom.
The boat has been moored at Seaport Marina, walking distance to the city centre, and the idea is that new owners would apply to do the same, but it currently has a berth at nearby Caley Marina where annual berths are £250 per metre per year.
For sale with Macleod & Maccallum. See more pictures and details for this property.
West Sussex — £316,000
A brand new 500sq ft houseboat with open plan living, two double bedrooms and a fine deck, and beautifully finished within.
The houseboat will be moored at Chichester Marina as of April 2023, not far from the city itself, the beach at West Wittering and the local golf club. There’s electricity, security and even wi-fi — though the mooring will run to several thousand pounds a year.
For sale with H20 Homes. See more pictures and details for this property.
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