Is Living On A Houseboat Right For You? Pros, Cons

Day by day living on a houseboat is getting popular. Both the increasing difficulty of finding a house and the desire of people to spend more time in nature cause people to want to live on a houseboat instead of traditional houses.

Houseboats offer people peace, happiness, and unique views that they cannot find in a regular house, all at an affordable price.

So what’s life really like in these floating houses?

In this article, we will explore the pros and cons of living on a houseboat and try to help you understand whether this lifestyle is right for you or not before making a life changing, big decision.

If you are getting serious about the idea of living on a houseboat, definitely you should read this!
And then maybe you can think of renting a houseboat first to see whether it is exactly what you were dreaming of or it is not for you.
Don’t forget to check our what to take on a houseboat vacation guide.

Pros and Cons of Living on a Houseboat

Let’s start with the good parts: Pros of living on a houseboat

Undoubtedly, the most characteristic feature of floating houses is that they are indispensable for water lovers. If you are one of these nature lovers and want to get rid of the city life, you will be amazed by your new houseboat with a stunning view.

Affordability is another major plus of floating homes. This situation is not only because the purchase price of the houseboat is lower than traditional houses but also, houseboats often tend to have lower property taxes and utility bills.

Houseboat communities are usually made up of closely-knit residents. A similar situation is seen in caravan communities. You can’t imagine how colorful the place you live can be when you have neighbors with the similar world-view and possibly similar interests. We have no doubt that you will make very valuable friendships!

Speaking of caravans, another benefit of the houseboat is that it provides you freedom since they can be relocated, although not often preferred. From now on, when you want to discover new places, accommodation will not be a problem for you. What a relief!

Finally, minimalist lifestyle. This can be considered by some of you as a cons but we think this will be a great opportunity for you to liberate yourself. The limited space on the floating houses will force you to question the real necessity of the items and will set you free from your material possessions.

Or maybe houseboats not for you? Cons of living on a houseboat

Let’s continue where we left off. Aren’t you a minimalist? Then the limited living space of houseboats may not suit you.

However, the most challenging problem can be living in nature in extreme weather and water conditions. Heavy rains, high winds or even maybe rough waves experienced in the winter months can cause a difficult life to get used to. If you live somewhere where the winters are not too harsh, this may not be a big deal for you. Otherwise, making a decision with the awareness of all these possible annoying winter conditions may prevent you from regretting it later.

As another downside, we can count the rocking of the houseboats. When many people first hear the idea of ​​living on a houseboat, they think they may be bothered by the constant shaking due to the water’s motion. Although generally, houseboats – it varies according to the location and the water conditions obviously – are very stable in the stagnant water, it may still take time to get used to the motion of the water.

Lastly, some (maybe tedious) topics such as maintenance, safety or Legal restrictions/ regulations may challenge you in the first place as they will be out of the ordinary. However, we think you can easily overcome these problems with a little research, anyway!

Let’s Put It All Together

Thanks to this post, now you know living on a houseboat how exciting it can be or, you just realized that you have dreamed of something that is not really for you.

Either way, we’re glad you understand what you really want. If you think this post isn’t enough to clarify some things, we still strongly recommend that you try living on a houseboat for a short time by simply renting it out. It may be a good candidate for your next vacation!

Although there are some challenges and drawbacks to consider, living on a houseboat can bring some benefits such as freedom, affordability, and more adventure.