They are some of Seattle’s most unique and recognizable homes, and there’s only 500 of them. This June, the SeattlebyDesign team—consummate experts in all things floating homes—led a tour of Lake Union and the homes that top its waters. Skippered by Realogics Sotheby’s International Realty (RSIR) CEO Dean Jones, the crew was joined by nearly 40 RSIR brokers and a few guest brokers from our affiliates in New York and California.
Enrico provided the history via megaphone—floating homes have been part of Seattle since the 1890s when you could find them on the Duwamish River, Lake Washington, and Lake Union. At the peak, there were 2,000 floating residences. Now, they only exist on Lake Union and Portage Bay, and there are just 500.
Highlights of the tour included a stop at the cinematic must-see “Sleepless In Seattle” home, and the tour of a breathtaking floating home represented by SeattlebyDesign. Features include a stunning living and dining room and a gourmet kitchen with a 270-degree view over Lake Union—the perfect setting for contemplating, entertaining, and celebrating.
There are traditions to living on the water, too. For those who have a sense of adventure, watch out for the Duck Dodge, a sailing race each Tuesday from May to September, where captains and their crew dress to theme and compete in one for four classes, from fast to “dinghy.”
Of course, there are lots of highlights to be expected to living on the water. Living in Lake Union means your close to Seattle’s tech hub. Amazon, Google, and Facebook are nearby, Apple recently announced an office opening in the neighborhood, and Expedia is slated to join the neighborhood by the end of the year.
And after a long day at the office, there’s nothing better than floating on into your dream home.
For the very best in Northwest living, just add water!
Beyond floating homes, there are many waterfront opportunities in the Northwest. The newly released RSIRWaterfront.com takes an in-depth look 15 months’ worth of sales on the shorelines of 14 counties around Western Washington with monthly sales activity charts, average and median sales price trends, and topographic maps of 27 areas. To this data-centered analysis, we’ve added insightful remarks by our brokers, who afford an unrivaled understanding of life at the water’s edge.
For sellers, we address seasonality, market positioning, and other special considerations for waterfront properties. For buyers, we set forth key questions that will narrow selection criteria.
For both, we underscore the value of working with an expert broker. Our aim is to provide guidance to help buyers and sellers make sense of this diverse and ever-changing real estate market segment.