PENDING SALE!!!

‘Real Quiet’

NWMLS #1852217  ~ $425,000

About ‘Real Quiet’ a Haggard built Houseboat

Welcome aboard ‘Real Quiet’ another Haggard Houseboats a custom-built Seattle Houseboat.  Featured in the 2021 Spring Design Issue of Seattle Times Pacific NW Magazine. Many features~varnished Western Red Cedar interior, Douglas Fir finishes throughout includes~nail down hardwood floors, ceiling beams, car decking ceiling, dinette & tabletop. Kitchen features stainless steel pounded countertops, Beko SS refrigerator, subway tile backsplash w/teak wrapped trim. Enjoy soaking in the 4′ Japanese soaking tub, bedroom has space for the queen size bed. Huge cargo storage space on this gem with a rooftop deck to enjoy sunsets. 

Fully Staged by: Hunter Wilmovsky (contact me for her contact info)

Year Built – 2021 

Launched early October 2021 and is the 9th Seattle houseboat built by Haggard Houseboats since 2006. Real Quiet was featured in the Spring Design issue of Seattle Times Pacific NW Magazine 2021.

Square Feet – As I have always said, with a houseboat “It’s All About The Square Inches”

FOWR (Floating On-Water Residence) Number – #883

The city of Seattle prohibits bringing new houseboats into the city and our houseboats are capped at approximately 230. The only way to have a houseboat in Seattle is, you would have had to be on the water as a liveaboard prior to July 1, 2014. We are however permitted to replace with new construction by obtaining permit approval by DCI (Department of Construction & Inspection). This houseboat is one of the new permitted structures approved by DCI.

Hull Type/Dimensions – Steel – 40’ X 12’

This hull type is among the preferred styles for minimal maintenance and brand new construction of quarter-inch steel built-in 2020 by Marlin Barges from Madison, Indiana. Marlin Barges are USCG certified deck barge builders.

A barge style hull has excellent stability for comfort. Additionally, the cargo holds a great place for additional storage.

Mechanical & Finishes – 

• Bilge Pumps:  There are two 220 HP Johnson SPXFlow pumps installed in September 2021
•  Black Water Tank is 65 gallons, Ronco custom tank located in the cargo hold at the center of hull platforms for easy access
• Electrical service is 30 amp with Dyno 12v battery and a Noco genius Gen 1 Battery Charger
• Electric Three King Electric Wall Heaters
• Washer/Dryer hookups available in cargo space and laundry facilities at Marina
• Range/Oven is a Suburban Propane Stove/Oven with 3 burners
• Refrigerator/Freezer Beko Stainless Steel
• Exterior Siding Material is Cedar lap
• Exterior Roofing Material is Gaco Flex U66 Polyurethane Membrane 

Marina Location: NICKERSON MARINA

• 1080 W Ewing Pl, Seattle, WA
• Tel: (206) 285-0477

Slip fees and amenities: 

• Monthly Rental Slip Rate – $750 /mo – liveaboard fee $250 /mo
• Utilities included – Water 
• Garbage($10), electric metered additional
• Mailbox Onsite – Waiting list 
• VERIFIED LEASE CAN TRANSFER – Yes
• Liveaboard – Monthly Fee $250 
• Storage (onsite) Waiting List
• Marina Amenities: 
• Parking –  Yes/No fee
• Washer/Dryer –  Laundry on-site
• Bathrooms and Showers on-site 
• Package collection recommend amazon lockers  Not secure for packages at Nickerson marina
• No Pets / No Rentals 
• Cable – Comcast
• Internet – Comcast

Lending is available and you will want to be sure your buyer has their pre-approval prior to writing an offer and potentially before showing floating properties, as the lending is very different. Allow at least 45 days, especially if the houseboat must be hauled out of the water for hull inspections.

The lender for a houseboat (FOWR- Floating On-Water Residence): Sound Community Bank

• David A. Raney VP
• 2001 5th Ave. Seattle, WA 98121
• Office Phone: (206) 436-8574
• david.raney@soundcb.com

Closing Agent for ALL Floating Properties is Specialized and closed through:

• Assemble Law Group
• Forrest Carlson
• 2633 Eastlake Ave E, Suite 207
• Seattle, WA 98102
• Office Phone (206) 631-9575
• forrest@assemblelaw.com

Inspection Process:

Houseboats (FOWR’s)  must be inspected by a Marine Surveyor, who will also do the Valuation for the lender and insurance. Both the lender and insurance will receive the entire report, unlike a residential inspection and can opt not to finance or insure based on any critical item in the report.

Contact me for recommendations for Marine Surveyor who specializes in FOWR’s:

NOTES: 

All FOWR’s (Floating On-Water Residences) will close on the King County Personal Property Tax roll as a floating home and taxes will be assessed in the next cycle or as time allows for the KC assessor to view and value the FOWR. In some cases, the property may already have a KC Tax ID, and taxes will already be assed. NOTE: The change went into effect in 2017 per new rules with DOL and floating properties clearly not a vessel and built as an overwater residence. 

There are a very small number of FOWR’s that will maintain vessel status and close as a vessel. 

Sellers will register the FOWR on the King County Personal Tax and obtain a Tax ID # after all contingencies are waived just prior to closing. (Except VDU’s)

Buyers DO NOT pay sales tax. 

All fenders, mooring lines and propane tanks should remain with the houseboat at closing.

All sellers should do the final black water (waste) pump out at closing and buyers must establish a pump-out service plan by closing.

All buyers must arrange a moorage lease with the marina after the inspection has been accepted and waived as a contingency. 

Contact me for necessary houseboat contacts, such are Insurance Brokers, Marina Contacts, ShipYard, Dive services, etc…  Happy to assist!

Linda M Bagley – Linda@Specialagentsrealty.com mobile~(206) 419-0065

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Finding the Right Seattle Houseboat

Special Agents Realty has a large database of Seattle houseboats. Depending on your unique requirements, you can search their database of houseboats in the city of Seattle. Once you find what you’re looking for, you can schedule an appointment to discuss the property further or ask to view the property. The beauty of buying a floating home is that location is not an important factor to consider. After all, you can always float the houseboat to a more suitable location and secure it on that spot. These homes can be used as full-time residential property or as vacation homes for weekend, holiday and seasonal getaways.

Buying a Houseboat

Since you may not know how to legally purchase a houseboat, Special Agents Realty will help you close the deal. Once the transaction goes through, you can enjoy living in your houseboat alone, with your significant other or with your family.

The post How to Find Seattle Houseboats for Sale appeared first on Special Agents Realty.

We are VERY excited and proud to announce that Houseboats will be back on the Northwest Multiple Listing Service (NWMLS) as of July 24th, 2015. It is hard to believe that just over a year ago, we, Kevin & Linda Bagley began this endeavor on June 4th, 2014 by meeting with Jerry McDonald, Administrator of Real Estate Programs for Washington State, and Lewis Denny, Manager of Dealer Services for Washington State. The goal was to get Houseboats back on the Multiple Listing Service.

HISTORY:

For decades, Houseboats were listed and sold on the Multiple Listing Service by licensed Real Estate Brokers. In 2013, it was brought to the attention of the Multiple Listing Service that houseboats, although primarily designed as a residence, are technically vessels and in order to broker a vessel transaction, you must be licensed as a Washington State Vessel dealer.

This meant that representation for houseboats was typically limited to Vessel Dealers (aka Yacht dealers), and marketing confined to the listing broker’s websites, Craigslist ads, and flyers. At Special Agents Houseboats, we worked hard to promote houseboats and protect their values through unique and exceptional marketing efforts. We knew, however, that to assure the best representation and overall marketing, getting houseboats back on the MLS was imperative.

With the help of some great people, we were able to get House Bill 1309 crafted, submitted and passed unanimously through both houses.

We would like to extend our special thanks to:

• Jerry McDonald, Administrator of Real Estate Programs, who helped craft the wording for House Bill 1309 and who helped with guidance and direction throughout the process.
• Lewis Dennie, who assisted from the Vessel Dealer side and provided excellent suggestions for success.
• Bob Mitchell, Director of Executive Projects at Washington REALTORS who shepherded House Bill 1309 through the House and Senate and represented our position with skill and expertise.
• The Real Estate Commission for creating the task force and providing a platform for launching this effort.
• Brandon Vick, Washington State Representative, 18th District who sponsored and championed House Bill 1309
• Bill Clarke, Washington Realtors Policy Director
• Nathan Gorton, Washington Realtors Government Affairs Director
• Sam DeBord, Managing Broker Seattle Homes Group
• Justin Haag, Attorney for NWMLS who correctly integrated the new law into NWMLS policy.

The NWMLS Announcement:

Summary

As specialists in Floating On-Water Residences and Floating Homes, founders of Lake Union Liveaboard Association, and key players in the protection of Houseboats in Washington State, we are a great choice for your next purchase or sale of a houseboat, house barge, or floating home. These properties are much more complex than standard residential properties and having the best agents who have specialized in these unique properties for over 9 years is in your best interest. Go to www.SpecialAgentsHouseboats.com to see more and schedule an appointment.

Looking for land based property?

We do that too! Visit www.SpecialAgentsRealty.com

Here are some examples of the types of exciting properties you can expect to see coming on the NWMLS…

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Ecology Director Maia Bellon signed the final approval for the City of Seattle’s Shoreline Master Program on Monday June 1, 2015. The updated SMP will go into effect on June 15, 2015!

A process that began nearly 8 years ago is finally coming to completion.  In 2007, the Department of Planning and Development began a process to update the Seattle Shoreline Master Program. This process would see Seattle Houseboats placed in a very precarious position.

The Department of Planning and Development was charged with updating the Seattle Shoreline Master Plan, which was previously updated in 2005. Seattle’s SMP controls development and use of the shorelines in Seattle waters including floating homes and other floating residences.

Lake Union Liveaboard Association (LULA) was formed in 2009 as a result of changes proposed for the new SMP, which could have potentially eliminated Houseboats in Seattle. For the following 5 years, LULA fought hard to change the SMP to deal fairly with Houseboats. In January, the Seattle City Council passed the SMP, which placed restrictions on Vessels being used as dwelling units, and interpreted this to mean Houseboats as well. This meant Sea Trials, demonstrating navigation, certification by Naval Architects, and a host of other restrictions.

As the City was passing the SMP and submitting to Ecology for review, LULA went to state regulators and got a bill passed that created a new term “Floating On-Water Residences” and protected those Floating On-Water Residences that had been in existence prior to 7/1/2014 from adverse regulations.

As a result of the new law, the City of Seattle was forced to revise the SMP to accommodate Floating On-Water Residences and to treat them as conforming uses in the city.  This required significant changes to the SMP. The city was required to remove many requirements, including Sea Trials, Freeboard, Naval Architect certifications, Navigational equipment, Boarding locations, cleat locations, Hull shape, Propulsion systems, Steering systems, and more.

In addition, the City was required to allow Floating On-Water Residences to be maintained, repaired, remodeled, and replaced in accordance with the new law.

What does this mean for Houseboats in Seattle?

• A structure will be considered a Floating On-Water Residence if it was moored pursuant to a lease or ownership interest in a Marina within the City, prior to July 1, 2014
• Houseboats are required to be verified as Floating On-Water Residences
  • Applicants will pay a one-time fee to receive a verification number
  • Submit an application for verification with pictures, dimensions, a sketch, and proof of moorage in the City prior to July 1, 2014.
• Verification Numbers will assigned and must be displayed in a prescribed manner on the Floating On-Water Residence.
• Houseboats may be expanded with height restrictions, but may not change in footprint size.
• Expansion is allowed subject to height limitations and is limited to 120 square feet, unless graywater is contained and disposed of properly or the Floating On-Water residence is connected to a City waste-water system.
• Houseboats may be replaced, but are subject to the same footprint, height, and expansion requirements.
• A one-time expansion of footprint is allowed for safety reasons, as certified by a Naval Architect. If footprint is expanded, no other expansion may occur.
• Open Railings may be added to decks and stairs, but if over height restriction, are limited to 36 inches.
• A Floating On Water Residence may be relocated and owners should update verification records within 60 days. Failure to update may result in enforcement action, but does not forfeit right to maintain the Floating On-Water Residence.

Faith Lumsden, Compliance Director at DPD has indicated that the verification process will be available online as of 6/15/2015 and that the forms will be available online.  She also indicates that DPD will try to create some press as an outreach program, to help spread the word.

Floating On-Water Residences May Be Sold By Licensed Real Estate Brokers

Separate from the Shoreline Master Program, a new law goes into effect July 24th, 2015, which permits licensed Real Estate Brokers to list and sell Floating On-Water Residences without having to have a Vessel Dealer License. This law affects Floating On-Water Residences statewide, although the vast majority of Floating On-Water Residences are located within Seattle city limits.

The state definition of a Floating On-Water Residence is:

“floating on-water residence” means any floating structure other than a floating home that: (i) Is designed or used primarily as a residence on the water and has detachable utilities; and (ii) whose owner or primary occupant has held an ownership interest in space in a marina, or has held a lease or sublease to use space in a marina, since a date prior to July 1, 2014.

We can break down the criteria for being a Floating On-Water Residence:

• It a floating structure, other than a floating home
• It is designed as a residence on the water -OR-
• It is used primarily as a residence on the water
• The owner or primary occupant has held an ownership interest in space in a marina prior to 7/1/14, -OR-
• The owner or primary occupant has held a lease or sublease to use space in a marina prior to 7/1/14

From this you can see that most houseboats, house barges, and many vessels will qualify as Floating On-Water Residences.

Please visit www.Seattle-Houseboat.com for more information about Houseboats.

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We are very pleased to announce that with new Houseboat regulations, Sound Community Bank is creating a new Floating On Water Residence lending package that improves both rates and terms offered for houseboats. Details of this program are shown below.

Over the past 5 years, Kevin and Linda Bagley and Lake Union Liveaboard Association have worked hard to create a more positive political environment for the Floating Residences in Seattle and around the state. As a result of these efforts, two key pieces of legislation were passed.

• The first was legislation that protects all Floating On-Water Residences in existence as of 7/1/14, from adverse legislation.
• The second, House Bill 1309, allows licensed Real Estate Brokers to sell Floating On-Water Residences without having to have a vessel dealer license. This will also allow Floating On-Water Residences to be listed on the multiple listing service.

As a result of these regulations, Seattle’s Department of Planning and Development revised the Shoreline Master Plan (Announcement coming soon) to accommodate Floating On-Water Residence (AKA Houseboats & House Barges) and to create acceptable use guidelines. These new regulations provide substantiation for improved lending parameters.

Special Agents Houseboats has been working with Sound Community Bank for several years and our excellent relationship with them made it possible to communicate the new legislations which allowed them to create an improved lending environment for our floating community. The new program offered by Sound Community Bank will closely resemble the Floating Home programs that they have been offering for a number of years.

Details of the program:

3 lending programs will include:

• 25 year amortization with a 5 year cash out balloon payment. Current rate is 5.25%
• 30 year amortization with a 10 year cash out balloon payment. Current rate is 5.75%
• 15 year fixed rate loan. Current rate is 5.5%

All programs require 20% down payment and approval is dependent on credit evaluation.

For information about Houseboats for sale in Seattle, contact Special Agents Houseboats.

For further information on these programs or to apply for a loan, please contact:

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The HGTV Houseboat Hunter episode featuring Special Agents Realty is now available on line.  Kevin Bagley helps Scott Dossett find his dream houseboat on Lake Union in Seattle. If you have not had a chance to see this episode, you can now view it online. Scott looks at houseboats and house barges on Lake Union with his sister Amy and chooses the houseboat/barge that best suits his needs. Seattle shines in this episode with beautiful shots of Lake Union, Seattle Skyline, the Space Needle, and the  floating home made famous by Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan in Sleepless In Seattle.

See if you can guess which houseboat Scott will choose!

 CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE EPISODE

If you have thought about living on a houseboat, feel free to give us a call. We sell more houseboats than anyone else in Seattle and are very knowledgeable about this unusual lifestyle.

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Ben Brashen with KKNW 1150 interviewed Linda and Kevin Bagley on 6-19-2013, owners of Special Agents Realty and Special Agents Houseboats on his show Brashenomics. The interview provides an excellent overview of the differences between Houseboats and Floating Homes, the houseboat buying process, and a great introduction to houseboat life.

The interview is helpful to those wanting to learn about Seattle Houseboats and Seattle Floating Homes, what is involved in buying a houseboat, and a bit about financing houseboats. We would love to hear your feedback!

The post Linda & Kevin Bagley Radio Interview About Houseboats & Floating Homes appeared first on Special Agents Realty.

Check out this fabulous, fun, funky, Seattle houseboat!

Imagine waterfront you can put your toes in!  Picture owning this one of a kind flagship!  The spirit of Seattle shines through in this fanciful, charming houseboat loaded with character and flavor. Nicely equipped with a 3/4 bath, charming kitchen with nautical cabinetry, and wood ceilings accented with nautical style beams.  Complete with elevated pilot station and wooden ship’s wheel, this vessel has all the right stuff.  Located at Seattle Marina in an over-sized slip, there is room for your run-about behind the houseboat-vessel, or we can move it to a smaller slip.

Special Agents, Inc has submitted application for our vessel brokers license and will be your houseboat vessel go to broker. Coming soon Seattle-Houseboat.com.

Check out the VIDEO here!

Check out the VIRTUAL TOUR here!

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Have you heard the latest news on Seattle Houseboats (or, perhaps the most accurate news, that is)???

For a summary of the definitions of Houseboats, House Barges, and Floating Homes PLEASE CLICK HERE.

Did you notice Houseboats are no longer listed on the NWMLS (Northwest Multiple Listing Service), or did you think there are no houseboats for sale?

On the contrary, there are Seattle Houseboats for sale but they are no longer on the NWMLS nor are they to be sold by Real Estate Brokers! For decades Houseboats were listed on the NWMLS and Real Estate Brokers sold them. Recently, the NWMLS concluded that a Houseboat is a licensed vessel, a boat, and is not property that Real Estate Brokers (agents) are licensed to sell. The new Rules were posted November 1st 2012 but remained on the NWMLS until this month (March 2013). Seattle Houseboat vessels (boats) are typically closed through Maritime Title Services, registered as a vessel with the Department of Licensing and the buyer pays Sales Tax. In 2006, we discovered our houseboat, a dual stern paddle wheeler on the NWMLS, and we purchased it and have lived there since 2007. It fascinated me that we could actually list and sell houseboats on the MLS because they are boats and we became the specialists in buying and selling houseboats and barges.

Part of the reason for this error is the nomenclature used by the NWMLS has been incorrect, leading to the wrong type of “On Water Residences” being listing on the NWMLS. Through our conversations with the NWMLS, we pointed out that they were incorrectly referring to Floating Homes as Houseboats. As a result of these conversations, the style code is being changed and the previous style code of Houseboats will now be Floating Homes. I am very excited about this, as it will help eliminate the problem of listing houseboats, when only Floating Homes are allowed.

The Jury is out whether Seattle House Barges can be listed on the NWMLS and if real estate brokers can list and sell them. Seattle House Barges are vessels that do not require a means of propulsion and are found both in rented slips and in owned slips.  There are 34 Seattle barge vessels approved by the City of Seattle.

1. designed and used for navigation but lacks a

means of self-propulsion and steering equipment

or capability (for example, it is designed and used

for navigation by towing); and

2. designed or used as a place of residence.

Of importance for Houseboat buyer’s, it is imperative that you are knowledgeable about the Seattle City Houseboat and Barge Regulations. We (Kevin and Linda Bagley) are the founders of LULA (Lake Union Liveaboard Association) and are very active with the issues and politics surrounding Houseboats and Barges.  Kevin is a Seattle Council appointed Stake Holder negotiating for the rights of existing Seattle Houseboats on Lake Union and keenly aware of the current issues surrounding Houseboats in the Seattle Shoreline Master Plan. If you have any questions or concerns and want ACCURATE information about Seattle Houseboats or Barges you need to contact Kevin Bagley or Linda Bagley.

There are excellent books on Amazon.com “Seattle’s Unsinkable Houseboats” and “Seattle’s Floating Homes”, which give some of the Seattle history.

While the NWMLS and Real Estate Brokers sort out what can and cannot be sold, we at Special Agents, Inc. have taken the necessary steps (legally licensed) to sell Floating Homes, Houseboats or housebarges. We soon will have a new website afloat for ALL listings. Stay tuned!!

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Seattle Department of Planning and Development proposed the new Shoreline Master Plan to the Seattle City Council in January 2013. This proposal was accepted and approved by the full council to be submitted to Department of Ecology.

The Review process for Department of Ecology can take 6 months to a year to review the hundreds of pages of proposed changes to Seattle Shoreline management areas.

As a part of this proposal:

NO NEW HOUSEBOAT STYLE VESSELS are permitted in the Seattle Shoreline Management areas as a liveaboard vessels.

New houseboats (includes rectangular shaped houseboat style vessels) of any kind or manufacture are banned as liveaboard houseboats in the SMP areas.  If you have a houseboat under construction, if you are looking at the cheaper houseboats in the Olympia, Portland or Vancouver areas – we strongly recommend that you do not bring them into Lake Union, the Ship Canal, or the Duamish river marina, Shilshoe or  Elliot Bay. You may receive a Notice of Violation and will be required to remove it from the SMP areas.  We urge Brokers to advise buyers they cannot use NEW Houseboats as liveaboards, that they may not be legal for living aboard and encouraging this could be a disservice to your buyers. Buyer’s should check with DPD before making the investment as a liveaboard in the Seattle waters.

Existing Houseboat Vessels in the SMP areas continue to be the subject of controversy with DPD.  DOE (Department of Ecology) has stated that they did not task the city of Seattle to remove houseboats. DOE tasked DPD with addressing “Overwater Use”, rather than a particular style of vessel.

With the thousands of trawlers, yacht style and sailboat liveaboards the miniscule number of existing houseboats likely make up less than 1% of the greywater that goes into the water. It is important to note that houseboats are not designed to be able to pump Sewage into the waters, while pointy bow yachts, trawlers and sailboats are frequently designed to allow this. We do not believe a responsible person would pump sewage in our waters.

There have been comments made that make it seem like Grey water is the issue (water from showers, sinks, and washers).  However, greywater is NOT addressed in the SMP other than through Best Management Practices (BMP’s). These BMP’s apply to ALL vessels regardless of shape. With houseboat style vessels comprising a very small percentage of liveaboards, the contribution of grey water from houseboats is miniscule when compared to all liveaboard vessels.

We applaud Department of Ecology for contributing $20,000 to Seattle to hold Stakeholder Group meetings with a Facilitator beginning March 2013 that have been tasked with the following goal:

Develop and consider alternatives for an orderly process to establish the status of residences on the water that are not identified as legal floating homes or legal house barges and are not clearly identified as vessels. For the purposes of this memo, these structures will be referred to as “on water residences”.

The Stakeholder group is comprised of the following people;

• Kevin Bagley, Lake Union Liveaboard Association
• Joseph Bogaard, Save Our Wild Salmon
• John Chaney, Lake Union Liveaboard Association
• Patrick Dunham, Lake Union Liveaboard Association
• Barb Engram, Lake Union Liveaboard Association
• Margie Freeman, Marina owner
• Al Hughes, Washington Liveaboard Association
• Gail Luhn, Shilshole Liveaboard Association
• John Waterhouse, Naval architect
• Chris Wilkie, Puget Soundkeeper Allianc

Based on comments made by City Council members, we caution against bringing a new houseboat (or an existing houseboat that is currently located outside Seattle waters) on to Seattle Waters.

No new Floating home sites will be permitted in the SMP (primarily Lake Union and Portage Bay).  There is a new floating home site with a few unsold slips and a few floating homes under construction at Wards Cove and these are permitted. Replacement of a floating home is permitted, but no new home sites where none existed.

House Barges approved (registered) in 1990 – 1995 (and one in 2000) totaling 34 are approved and will remain on the lake without issues. DPD stated throughout the process that only a couple barges had complied with the 1990 rule imposed “All overboard discharges of grey water must be contained and pumped out (exceptions allowed based on hardship)”, however in the discovery process we found that the city had documentation that all barges except two were in fact in compliance or had been granted exceptions.

The definition of floating homes, house barges, and vessels can be found at:

http://www.seattle.gov/dpd/publications/cam/cam229.pdf

In 1990 the city of Seattle also created rule for barges that many barge owners today are not aware of. Recently, very happy buyer’s of a house barge updated their new home by changing a ladder that accessed the upper deck and converting it to a safer staircase and made their upper deck space safer by adding rails and a platform to protect the rooftop deck.  They were told that they needed the original DCLU seal replaced which was misplaced during the remodel. They then contacted DPD to get it replaced, and were told “we don’t issue the decals any longer, but could you send us a photo so we can update our files?”  After sending the photo, the city said “…it appears you have added an expansion” which is not allowed for house barges as they are non-conforming uses and may not expand their exterior dimensions.”  The owners of the barge received the following along with a NOV (Notice of Violation) from DPD.

I regret to inform you that the 3rd story deck on your house barge is in violation of the Shoreline Code and must be removed. If you do not bring the house barge into compliance, you could be fined.

When we last spoke, you requested information on the specific Shoreline laws that would apply to registered house barges. The link provided below is a link to the Seattle Municipal Code:

http://clerk.ci.seattle.wa.us/~public/code1.htm, Enter 23.60.090 where it says “Code Section Number” and hit “Submit Query.” Please go to subsection G, #5, which says: “House barges permitted under this section shall be regulated as a nonconforming use and shall be subject to the standards of Section 23.60.122.” Following the link to 23.60.122, subsection B.  The deck on your house barge would be considered an expansion not subject to the exception.

If you are considering remodeling your house barge, you read the regulations regarding “non-conforming uses” shown above.

Kevin and Linda Bagley are the founders, former president & secretary of LULA (Lake Union Liveaboard Association) and have been very involved in protecting the rights of houseboat / barge owners in the SMP. We will continue to be involved in LULA and encourage anyone that wants to protect the houseboats, barges and liveaboards to join LULA at www.lakeunionliveaboard.com.

If you own a House Barge or Houseboat vessel and are considering selling or buying, you need a specialist in the process. We would love to help in any way we can, so give Linda a call at (206) 419-0065.

If you have ANY questions about Floating Homes, House Barges, and Houseboat vessels, please give us a call. We have lots of resources and information we can provide.

And if you are considering a Land Lubber purchase, give us a call for that too!  We sell residential real estate throughout the Puget Sound region.

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