Have you ever been hesitant to buy a house because you aren’t sure if the neighborhood will suit you? Is settling down in a place too much of a commitment for you? Do you detest the process of moving your belongings from one home to the next? Well, what if you could take some inspiration from nature and move your home with you? Imagine giving up your apartment to live a life of continuous cruising.
What Exactly is a Houseboat?
A houseboat is a broad term, and people have their own meaning for it. Broadly speaking, a houseboat is a residential space that floats on water. For some folks, it is not less than a piece of heaven. Such a space can be bought permanently or be rented for small periods from corporations that offer it.
These can range from the very simple to the very lavish. Whether it is a small, one room hut on top of a raft or a multi-million dollar establishment adorned with everything that you could need or wish for – both come under the category of a houseboat. When we look at houseboats from afar, they can be categorized into two types.
- Moored: For an establishment to be called a houseboat, it is not necessary that it is capable of cruising – just the ability to float on water suffices. These houseboats are generally moored or anchored in a dock and are not equipped to make trips on the water.
- Motorized: This type is for the more adventurous enthusiasts. It is better equipped to go on excursions and sports a decent fuel tank. These are modified to be mobile homes that float on water.
The Cost of Living on a Houseboat
When people think of living on a boat, their mind is immediately taken over by all the expected maintenance costs. Since your home is located over a water body, it is understandable that it will be subject to more wear and tear, and the maintenance costs will run high.
Surprisingly, this highly desirable lifestyle will not cost you an arm and a leg. In fact, if you are not exceptionally extravagant, it can even be a lot cheaper than a traditional housing option.
Inexpensive & Sensible Housing!
The exact cost of living in a boat may vary with different factors such as the size of the ship and how often you go on trips. However, we can safely say that adopting this lifestyle has the potential to save you hundreds of dollars every year. After you have paid for the boat itself, there is little left to be priced high.
The first thing to consider here is that living on a houseboat may forfeit you from paying any property tax. This, alone will save you a considerable amount! And if this wasn’t enough, many places implement no sales tax on houseboats as well.
Owning a houseboat means living in a smaller space, which means lower utility bills. If you go green altogether, you stand to save even more by installing solar panels. However, if you consider that to be troublesome, electricity, water, and heating can be provided by the dock, at a minimal cost.
As mentioned above, the topmost expense in a houseboat is its maintenance and restoration. Experienced boaters recommend an amount of around $1,000 per year – depending on boat size – to be set aside for the purpose. This is much less than the $14,448 a year that an average traditional house costs in maintenance.
Considering all the necessities required for living comfortably in a houseboat, the price only hikes up to a measly $6,000 a year.
Reasons Millennial are Opting for Houseboats
In this economy, it is getting more challenging to afford a decent traditional house. Real estate prices are soaring to an all-time high! It has never been this expensive to own a decent home to suit your needs.
Mrs. Joe Wilson from Crowd Writer wrote in her research thesis related to the habit of Millennial:
“Living closer to nature boosts the ability of thinking and enhances the prediction power. I think that’s why Millennials enjoy spending life over houseboats that cause them to think out of the box.”
Considering the increased living expenses, millennials have worked out a brilliant solution to their housing problems. Owning and living on a houseboat is all the rage these days!
Benefits You Enjoy When Living on a Houseboat!
Apart from the reduced costs, there are several factors that you should consider before becoming a constant cruiser yourself. As cliché as it may sound, houseboating brings you closer to nature. When you are living on a body of water, a significant part of your life is governed by it. This draws you out of your plastic lives to appreciate the forces of nature and accept its power. Doing so can have the same effects meditation does. When you are living on a houseboat, you are almost guaranteed a life with less depression and anxiety.
The house boating community is the friendliest lot that you will ever come across. Whenever you are in trouble, all you need to do is wave your hands and attract the attention of the nearest boaters. Without expecting anything in return, these people will go out of their way to help you out. From sharing spare fuel to fixing any damages, there is nothing that they won’t do for you!
A lifestyle of continuous cruising affords you the freedom to go anywhere whenever you want. For some, this added degree of control over their lives is what keeps them grounded. In a world where we don’t have much under our influence, the feeling that you are the FreeEssayWriters of your sea (pun intended) is extra nice.
Let's Houseboat!
So, what are you waiting for? Life is undoubtedly better on a houseboat than on land. Gear up and rent a houseboat for a bonding vacation that brings your family closer than ever.
The only constant in your life is the change, and what is a better way to change your life than being your own captain and be constantly on the move?
Author Bio:
Stella Lincoln is a freelance writer at Academist Help. She uses to spend her time on creative writing over her houseboat, where she enjoys full swings of her life. Stella was working at Harper Collins Publishers, also before here. She loves swimming and jet skiing.