Looking for suggestions on where to live aboard in Florida or surrounding states?

[Bob Quinn]

I've been trying to research where we could get an affordable slip to either buy or lease in the south.

We have of course been looking at the Florida Keys, but slips start at about $250k
We were looking there and up along the gulf side and the lack of slips has prices through the roof as I'm sure most of you already know.

I don't know anything about other alternative areas like Georgia, Alabama, or North and South Carolina.

Also are there any inexpensive places to live aboard in the islands?

Just looking for feedback on alternative lower cost coastal areas that would be nice live aboard areas.
Please tell us your thoughts!

 

[madhatter1]

Bob, look into St Augustine. I don’t remember the name of the marina but there is private ownership that last I knew was less than where our slip is.

 

[Pascal]

A slip being a hole in the water, I m not sure buying is such a great investment. Lot of regulatory risks as well and possible long delays for marinas to rebuild after a storm.

Also, if you own the slip you are tied to it. Hard to move to a different location for whatever reason may arise

Many great spots to consider away from sofl crazyness. ft Pierce and Port St. Lucie for example. Further north St Augustine, Amelia (beautiful and right across from Cumberland)

Avoid using the works “live aboard” when talking to Marina, instead ask if there are any restrictions on staying aboard between trips

 

[Briankinley2004]

A guy in my neighborhood bought a vacant lot to keep his boat on. We are in Hernando Beach, FL. The lots were in the 80K range then but now they are asking double that.Don't see many selling though. At least with a lot you don't have to deal with a marina and have land to store your stuff on. I started to go that route but wound up buying a 2 BR house and the boat is only "lived on" when more people come to visit than I want in the house

 

[Phasma2128]

This past fall we flew to Charleston SC and looked at several marinas. Most were ridiculously expensive. We found we would be paying for a long list of amenities we would never use. One in particular stood out. St Johns Yacht Harbor on St Johns Island. It’s relatively close to Charleston, private, quiet and currently under new ownership. They are dumping a lot of cash into the place. The price was very reasonable.

 

[rsmith]

A guy in my neighborhood bought a vacant lot to keep his boat on. We are in Hernando Beach, FL. The lots were in the 80K range then but now they are asking double that.Don't see many selling though. At least with a lot you don't have to deal with a marina and have land to store your stuff on. I started to go that route but wound up buying a 2 BR house and the boat is only "lived on" when more people come to visit than I want in the house

That’s really cheap. Most places have zoning restrictions that won’t let you dock a boat at an empty lot. I’m in Vero Beach and it’s nuts here. The house next door to me which is an old wood tear down just sold for 2.25 million. 6 million dollar houses on the beach are being torn down for 30 million dollar mansions. I’ve been here since 85 and seen several boom and busts but this is unreal.

 

[Briankinley2004]

That’s really cheap. Most places have zoning restrictions that won’t let you dock a boat at an empty lot. I’m in Vero Beach and it’s nuts here. The house next door to me which is an old wood tear down just sold for 2.25 million. 6 million dollar houses on the beach are being torn down for 30 million dollar mansions. I’ve been here since 85 and seen several boom and busts but this is unreal.

We are just now seeing stilt houses top the million dollar mark. Prior to 2020 a 2Br 2 bath ground level could be had for 250-350K and stilt houses were 350-800K. Now ground levels are 400-500 but the market is turning. A stilt house on my street listed at 550K and they are now down to under 500K but hasn't sold. It is not above whatever level they build to now but still sits close to 8 feet off the ground. We don't have to worry about beach houses here. Hernando Beach is only visible on a negative tide. As for docking a boat on an empty lot there are no homeowner associations here and the County has no restrictions or doesn't enforce them if they do.

 

[Bob Quinn]

Thanks everyone, lot's to research and think about.

I would like to say I'll just "float around" but that too has it's difficulties LOL.

 

[Bob Quinn]

A guy in my neighborhood bought a vacant lot to keep his boat on. We are in Hernando Beach, FL. The lots were in the 80K range then but now they are asking double that.Don't see many selling though. At least with a lot you don't have to deal with a marina and have land to store your stuff on. I started to go that route but wound up buying a 2 BR house and the boat is only "lived on" when more people come to visit than I want in the house

A lot on the water would make a lot (haha) more sense than just a dock. Future value would probably be better. I've been searching everything. The problem with most of these real estate sights is the inability to sort out the ones with docks, and waterfront apparently means a lot of different things to realtors.

 

[Bob Quinn]

A guy in my neighborhood bought a vacant lot to keep his boat on. We are in Hernando Beach, FL. The lots were in the 80K range then but now they are asking double that.Don't see many selling though. At least with a lot you don't have to deal with a marina and have land to store your stuff on. I started to go that route but wound up buying a 2 BR house and the boat is only "lived on" when more people come to visit than I want in the house

It looks like there are still some in Hernando Beach in the 68-80k range. Apparently they are on fresh spring water fed canals, I would think that would be a real bonus.
Of course the listings don't tell you depth of the canals or much info about getting out to open water.
Might mean talking to a realtor.

Thanks for the lead!

 

[Briankinley2004]

The ones on the fresh water do not have direct gulf access and you have to use a community boat lift that is always broken. It wouldn't handle much over a large pontoon or small center console. There are some on or adjacent to the main canal in the 200's. (Minnow Creek Dr canal). It is 6 feet at low tide for the most part. These lots were in the 80's five years ago.

 

[Bob Quinn]

Upon further research, the lower cost ones are behind low bridges. Sigh..... As Brian already stated.