The Betty White, as she’s named, is a renovated houseboat for sale that currently resides in Bluffer’s Park marina, located east of Toronto.
In the words of the comedic musical trio The Lonely Island, “I’m on a boat.”
And the buyer of this all-season houseboat will be able to live true to the song as well.
It’s priced at $150,000, relatively affordable considering the average price of a detached home in the Greater Toronto Area was $1.49 million in April, according to the latest Toronto Regional Real Estate Board data.
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She’s called The Betty White and was originally built in the 70’s by the same company that makes the aluminum foil found in your kitchen cabinet.
The boat has been completely renovated since the current owner purchased it in 2016. The renovation included adding a second level, teak wood panelling and built-in beds. The renovation nearly doubled the amount of living space to roughly 450 square feet.
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“Every part of the boat has been upgraded, refreshed, redone, and repaired,” said owner Marilee Yorston, in a written response to Yahoo Finance Canada.
The second-level loft serves as the bedroom and has built-in beds and storage. This addition maximizes the living space. From the bedroom, there is a hatch that opens to a rooftop deck—perfect for sunbathing, stargazing, or alfresco dining.
Throughout the boat, you’ll find quality finishes like teak wood floors and custom woodwork. Stylish but efficient LED lighting sets a warm ambiance in the evenings. State-of-the-art insulation means you can live aboard year-round while an electric heating system keeps you cozy.
“It happened a little bit at a time because it was a huge job and there were no blueprints to go from. We made it up as we went along.”
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The $150,000 price tag includes the boat itself. The buyer will have to rent dock space at a marina of their choosing. Greater Toronto marinas include Bluffers Park in Scarborough (east of Toronto), where the boat currently lives, Toronto Island Marina, Harbourfront or Port Credit in Mississauga, Ont. (west of Toronto).
But truly, the boat can be moved anywhere, because, well, it’s a boat!
This unique houseboat provides an opportunity to experience boating in the province, right within the city limits. Imagine waking up each morning with the gentle lapping of water against your hull, knowing countless waterways are just a cruise away. Forget the hassle of trailering and launching; with The Betty White, exploration is as simple as stepping off the deck. Explore hidden coves, discover charming waterfront towns, or cast a line directly from your floating home.
There are dock rental fees, which cover aspects such as hydro, water and marina amenities, and maintenance fees of $600 per month. One thing you don’t have to worry about is property taxes — there are none since you don’t technically own land property.
The listing on realtor.ca has been up for a little over two months as of May 11, but Keller Williams Co-Elevation Realty sales representative Natalie Sydoruk says there’s been lots of interest. She says she is fielding calls every day, and showings have picked up with the warmer weather.
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It’s relatively rare that houseboats come up for sale in southern Ontario because of limited inventories and the seasonal nature of boating in the province.
Yorston says when she purchased it in 2016, there were almost none available. Since then, there have “been a few” that have been listed.
One of the biggest perks of houseboat living is the built-in opportunity for recreation and relaxation. Jumping into the lake for a swim or paddling a kayak is right at your fingertips. The marinas also typically have amenities like pools, gyms, walking trails and social events. It’s an instant community.
While some houseboaters only live aboard seasonally, the owner has set up the Betty White for comfortable year-round living. The owner insulated the boat to handle Canadian winters. However, living aboard during the colder months requires some preparation and adaptation. You must have access to shore power. You need to clean and maintain the pellet stove correctly as well. Carrying provisions across the frozen docks poses some challenges, too, but true houseboat enthusiasts relish the experience!
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The right buyer for not only the boat, but the associated lifestyle, is someone who enjoys nature and adventure, Yorston says.
“Plus, if you work in the city, coming home to the boat feels like you live in the country — without the mega commute! It’s a really incredible way to unwind, sitting on the dock watching the swans and visiting with neighbours. The community is fantastic!” she added.
In the winter, the community dwindles as only a small number of people live on their houseboats year-round.
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She acknowledges this lifestyle is not for everyone, though.
One of the biggest challenges was learning the differences between living on a boat and living in a house on land.
The boat uses a pellet stove for heating, which requires carrying a 40-pound bag of pellets from the storage area down the dock to the boat every day, and waste (human or otherwise) needs to be manually removed.
“Learning how to do those things will change your appreciation for modern conveniences like toilet plumbing,” Yorston said.
However, that pales in comparison to the positives the lifestyle offers, she says.
“There is something very special about this secret life we have.”
TORONTO – One expert predicts Ottawa‘s changes to mortgage rules will help spur demand among potential homebuyers but says policies aimed at driving new supply are needed to address the “core issues” facing the market.
The federal government’s changes, set to come into force mid-December, include a higher price cap for insured mortgages to allow more people to qualify for a mortgage with less than a 20 per cent down payment.
The government will also expand its 30-year mortgage amortization to include first-time homebuyers buying any type of home, as well as anybody buying a newly built home.
CIBC Capital Markets deputy chief economist Benjamin Tal calls it a “significant” move likely to accelerate the recovery of the housing market, a process already underway as interest rates have begun to fall.
However, he says in a note that policymakers should aim to “prevent that from becoming too much of a good thing” through policies geared toward the supply side.
Tal says the main issue is the lack of supply available to respond to Canada’s rapidly increasing population, particularly in major cities.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 17,2024.
OTTAWA – The Canadian Real Estate Association says the number of homes sold in August fell compared with a year ago as the market remained largely stuck in a holding pattern despite borrowing costs beginning to come down.
The association says the number of homes sold in August fell 2.1 per cent compared with the same month last year.
On a seasonally adjusted month-over-month basis, national home sales edged up 1.3 per cent from July.
CREA senior economist Shaun Cathcart says that with forecasts of lower interest rates throughout the rest of this year and into 2025, “it makes sense that prospective buyers might continue to hold off for improved affordability, especially since prices are still well behaved in most of the country.”
The national average sale price for August amounted to $649,100, a 0.1 per cent increase compared with a year earlier.
The number of newly listed properties was up 1.1 per cent month-over-month.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 16, 2024.
MONTREAL – Two Quebec real estate brokers are facing fines and years-long suspensions for submitting bogus offers on homes to drive up prices during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Christine Girouard has been suspended for 14 years and her business partner, Jonathan Dauphinais-Fortin, has been suspended for nine years after Quebec’s authority of real estate brokerage found they used fake bids to get buyers to raise their offers.
Girouard is a well-known broker who previously starred on a Quebec reality show that follows top real estate agents in the province.
She is facing a fine of $50,000, while Dauphinais-Fortin has been fined $10,000.
The two brokers were suspended in May 2023 after La Presse published an article about their practices.
One buyer ended up paying $40,000 more than his initial offer in 2022 after Girouard and Dauphinais-Fortin concocted a second bid on the house he wanted to buy.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 11, 2024.
