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Houseboats from Europe offered at Clinton marina. You can’t get more ‘on the water’ than this.
By Susan Braden Updated Aug 18, 2023 11:41 a.m
The houseboats are classified as watercraft, as they are not permanent structures and can move on the water under their own power, Benchimol explained. The sleek boats look like elongated boxes — albeit seaworthy ones — and can travel 6 to 10 mph. They are “powered by a pair of high-thrust, 24 horsepower Yamaha outboards” and built to cruise intracoastal waters, Benchimol said. In fact, he is taking one up to the Newport Boat Show in September, traveling over open ocean on a “flat water day” with seas no more than 3 feet [which the boats are rated for], he said.
Buyers may purchase an entry-level houseboat for $240,000 by the same manufacturer, La Mare, Benchimol said. He is selling the vessels under his company name, Waterlodge.
“So you could get, like a nice little floating condo,” Realtor KD Kling said as a gentle breeze came off the water. Kling, who said she is showing them every day, is allowed to sell them as real estate because “we have them listed as a dockominium,” she explained, noting the docks are the actual deeded real estate and the boats are sold along with them.
Property taxes, however, are levied on the $22,000 dockominium at this marina. Buyers pay a 2.99 percent sales tax on the boats, Benchimol said. State lawmakers lowered the tax on boats in 2018 to spur sales in Connecticut. For boat owners, these could be a less costly option than a similarly sized yacht if they plan to live aboard, he said.
In comparison, a 50-foot-boat could cost as much as $2 million, Benchimol pointed out. For financing, there is no mortgage, but a boat loan, similar to car loan, he said. Inside, floor-to-ceiling tinted window walls all around offer water views from all sides and abundant natural light. The 50-foot, 2-bedroom, 2-bath model is 16.8 feet wide, with 520 feet of heated space. The watercraft is heated and powered by solar, including all appliances and water. There are, however, controls to hook up to electricity as a backup power source.