So Many Docks, So Few Boats

[Ms J-37]

Originally Posted by Ms J-37

Owning boats and waterfront properties I can suggest a couple of possibilities:
They use their waterfront spaces when others don't see then, ie early morning, late at night, middle of the night;
The property is rented out and the high rent makes the boat ownership prohibitive;
The boat is out, away from the house maybe on a trip, being lent or rented out to a friend, in the shop, stored in a boatyard, barn or garage;
The owners can't or don't make the time to go out, sit, play, entertain or eat out on their waterfront or boat.
Or maybe it's a second home where the owners don't want to risk damage by tenants.
Compare to my neighborhood: I'm out driving or walking, I might rarely see anyone going into or out of the houses. Nice cars just sitting in driveways, no toys, chairs, picnic tables in the yard. No lights on at night.
I know, it may seem like I'm exaggerating, but...
Maybe the writer's question was rhetorical and was more of a statement of wonder. I agree! Sometimes at midnight we go down to our dock to gaze at the sky and watch the water (where a friend has moored his sailboat for the past decade), we sit with something to drink, look around us and say to each other, "how can this be. I think we're the ONLY people out here tonight." It's perfection.
Meanwhile our boat is in the marina waiting for us, people who walked by earlier in the day saying, "why isn't anyone using this nice boat!" (Or the one next to it, etc...)
It's complicated.

Oh, and we are NOT rich! (It's relative) We turn 70 this year, we've saved, invested well in some cheap, rundown waterfront properties; lived in them, fixed them up, then rented them out, sold them, moved on to another one. And here we are!

[a64pilot]

I believe it to be as simple as the people that own those houses are not boat people.
Now if and when "Yacht" ownership becomes fashionable again, then those slips will be filled with whatever Yacht your supposed to have, but most will not move, they are Possessions, like the house.
Yes I think it is exactly like living on the Golf course and not golfing, if that is "the" prestigious neighborhood.

I have never understood and never will how 1/4 acre lot can be worth more than $100,000 in the "right" neighborhood, but a mile down the road you can buy 25 acres for $100,000.
But most want that address, they include it in their email address etc so everybody knows they live there.

Social status is THE driving force in most Americans lives, they work hard to achieve enough to borrow to posses the popular things, although I believe many owe as much or more than they are worth.

[Ms J-37]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

I believe it to be as simple as the people that own those houses are not boat people.
Now if and when "Yacht" ownership becomes fashionable again, then those slips will be filled with whatever Yacht your supposed to have, but most will not move, they are Possessions, like the house.
Yes I think it is exactly like living on the Golf course and not golfing, if that is "the" prestigious neighborhood.

I have never understood and never will how 1/4 acre lot can be worth more than $100,000 in the "right" neighborhood, but a mile down the road you can buy 25 acres for $100,000.
But most want that address, they include it in their email address etc so everybody knows they live there.

Social status is THE driving force in most Americans lives, they work hard to achieve enough to borrow to posses the popular things, although I believe many owe as much or more than they are worth.

I agree with some of your opinions, but the two lots you mention are different. Show them to me and I'll find someone who knows that area to outline the differences. As a licensed NYS Real Estate Associate Broker I see this multiple times a day. It's a "what came first, the chicken or the egg" question. Sure some of it is probably status, but not most. And some of it is lifestyle and some of it has to do with physical aspects of the property. There are hundreds of reasons for one property to be more valuable to one buyer than to another.
Think about where you live and why you chose that location and that particular home. There's MUCH more to it than status and there's lots of data to back up my claim.

[Ms J-37]

Originally Posted by Ms J-37

I agree with some of your opinions, but the two lots you mention are different. Show them to me and I'll find someone who knows that area to outline the differences. As a licensed NYS Real Estate Associate Broker I see this multiple times a day. It's a "what came first, the chicken or the egg" question. Sure some of it is probably status, but not most. And some of it is lifestyle and some of it has to do with physical aspects of the property. There are hundreds of reasons for one property to be more valuable to one buyer than to another.
Think about where you live and why you chose that location and that particular home. There's MUCH more to it than status and there's lots of data to back up my claim.

And LOTS of waterfront people are NOT boat people.

[rwidman]

[QUOTE=boatman61;2298066][QUOTE=rwidman;2298062]But many of them have home made "No Wake" signs.

Saves the garden eroding away.. be a bummer buying a 1 acre property and only having 1/2 acre when you go to sell 20yrs later..

It doesn't matter why they put the signs up. They are not enforceable any more than if I put up a 15 MPH speed sign in front of my house.

These home made signs make it difficult for us to abide by the real no wake zones because it's hard to tell the real from the fake.

If you buy waterfront property on a navigable waterway, you should expect boats and wakes. If you're worried about erosion, get it stabilized with rocks, a seawall, etc.

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by Ms J-37

Oh, and we are NOT rich! (It's relative) We turn 70 this year, we've saved, invested well in some cheap, rundown waterfront properties; lived in them, fixed them up, then rented them out, sold them, moved on to another one. And here we are!

We are not rich either, comfortable at 74. We have had waterfront to dock at, beats marina fees. Also a good investment. Never lost a dime on hwy. or waterfront. For the younger readers, sometimes driving a Chevy not a BMW pays off.

[sailjumanji]

If you are going to live in a house, would you prefer the view from the backyard be open water, or the back of another house? DUH!