Choosing a place to live is a big deal. Choosing a place to become a home is an even bigger deal. If you find yourself drifting away from the mainstream concrete and anchored houses that line streets in rows, a boat may be an attractive option to you. However, buying a houseboat is rather different to purchasing a home. You’ll likely need an agent, and the following six tips to help you sail through the process.
Utilizing Tax Breaks to the Fullest
Loan repayment can always be made easier with a little logic. If you have multiple residencies and your houseboat will be secondary to your overall loan, filing an income tax return will result in the interest you’re paying being deducted. This will save you money to decorate your new home, time to invest in planning trips, and stress to focus on adjusting to your new surroundings.
Take Your Time
Home-buying is a journey. Try not to treat the process as simply ticking another box off your bucket list. Taking your time will allow you to properly process what you want and manifest the ideal circumstances for yourself. Research thoroughly through the internet and your agent’s knowledge and soon you will find the process a lot easier than at first. Equally, take note of your local authoritative laws and legislations that concern living on water. Some areas will be state or organization owned, which can affect how free you are to live in them.
Landing Yourself a Useful Houseboat Loan
Defining a houseboat as a home that moves will qualify you for a recreational vehicle loan. On the other hand, it would also qualify you for a floating home loan. Marine lenders are willing to help houseboat financing, with loan terms ranging from a 20-year amortization to a 30-year amortization with a 10-year cash out.
“Note that the interest rate is typically higher for houseboats than normal homes. However, ensure you research your loan options thoroughly to secure the best deal,” says Joe Ceja, lifestyle blogger at State Of Writing and Australian help.
Having a Houseboat Inspection
A full marine inspection is an important and final part to purchasing a houseboat. The survey comprises a haul-out inspection to ensure the hull and interior are fit for use. The results of this survey will be considered when determining the present value of the houseboat. However, don’t be surprised when you are required to pay for this – buyers always pay for lifting the boat out of the water as well as the marine inspection. How expensive this will be depends mostly on the size of the boat itself, so ensure you are ready to buy the boat you’re inspecting.
Smart Budgeting
Once you get into it, purchasing your houseboat may strike you with some seemingly hidden costs. Sales tax, insurance and dock rental fees are all mandatory. “Another fee that may apply to you is a homeowner association fee, as well as an annual relicensing fee and regular fees for maintenance and repair,” says Diane Frederick, travel writer at Elite assignment help and Ox Essays. “Always consult with your estate agent to determine which costs are tax-deductible, and to discuss how the size of your house-boat is likely to affect them.”
Knowing About Houseboats!
Getting to grips with the dimensions and workings of the house-boat you are purchasing will help you navigate your way around more than just the water. Living in a house-boat is very different to living in a house on land and you will need to adjust rather quickly. See if you can find others who already have houseboats. What they tell you will be valuable and relevant.
Buying your own houseboat is just like buying a car. You spend a great deal of time in it, slowly learning what all the buttons mean, while wondering why you don’t just read a manual of some sort. All the information on houseboats is online – use it!
Ellie Coverdale is a lead travel writer from both Essay Roo and UK Writings. She creates content that encourages people to start travelling safely and easily. During the rest of her time, she works on her own business projects and also teaches online at Boom Essays service.