A beautiful Santa Barbara houseboat that is impeccably decorated but has only one bedroom is on the market for $4.9 million.
The houseboat, which is about 50 years old and known as the Thomas Jefferson, is located in Santa Barbara Harbor.
The floating house has approximately 1,300 square meters of living space and comes complete with all modern amenities, including electricity, plumbing and a laundry room.
For those fortunate enough to be welcomed aboard, a spacious dining room comfortably seats ten people, although there is only one bedroom.
The home also comes complete with a private slip in Santa Barbara Harbor.
This floating home in Santa Barbara Harbor is a one-of-a-kind masterpiece
The current owner, Jeff Wapner, grew up in Santa Barbara but then left to travel the world. Upon his return, he was determined not to live in a traditional house and began looking for several boats for sale.
Wapner went for a minimalist look with handleless cabinets for the kitchen.
A staircase leads to the upper floors, including a bedroom and a roof terrace with plenty of natural light.
The floor is all clean and refreshing white oak, while a workshop can easily be converted into a second bedroom.
The house features professional handmade carpentry with beautiful wooden cabinets, floors and drawers
The windows offer beautiful views of the surrounding harbor
For those lucky enough to be welcomed on board, there is plenty of room to seat 10 people around a dining table
A wooden deck terrace offers views of the harbor and the water lapping at your feet
Guests stepping aboard will discover a lavish dining room that can comfortably seat ten people
There is also plenty of space to work with a desk, table and chair
The house was designed and renovated in four years by father (engineer) and son (carpenter).
Wapner originally purchased the boat for $650,000 and is one of only four houseboats in the harbor. He spent about $2 million repairing it.
Although there is no engine, the boat can be towed elsewhere to another location if necessary.
After living aboard for a year, Wapner discovered that the boat was slowly decaying around him, as termites ate away at the structure and the wooden frame rotted.
‘It wasn’t my intention to renovate the entire house. But I’m not the type of person who could live on what I knew was a rotting and essentially sinking ship,” Wapner shared. WSJ.com. ‘
Wapner started by demolishing the existing home. The floating structure underwent extensive reconstruction, with Wapner finally moving back onto the houseboat two years ago.
The lower level of the boat houses the workshop and laundry room, while the bathroom, bedroom, kitchen and dining room are located on the second level.
A staircase leads to the upper floors, including a bedroom and a roof terrace with plenty of natural light.
After climbing the stairs, a ladder is needed to climb to the roof
An inviting staircase gives access to the upper floors, where a bedroom and a roof terrace with plenty of natural light await
The bedroom also has plenty of natural light, wooden furniture and clean lines
Double sinks in the houseboat bathroom, complete with gold-rimmed mirrors and taps
To the untrained eye, there is no obvious indication that the house is a boat on water
There’s even enough storage space for a collection of surfboards
The roof terrace has access to miles of views with palm trees lining the horizon
The house is about 50 years old, with a history of about 50 years, moored in the picturesque harbor of Santa Barbara
The bathroom features two sinks and a shower with skylight overhead – ideal for looking at the sky above and doing a bit of stargazing.
“If you can see the stars and the moon shining at night, it’s a great place to shower,” Wapner said.
Although there is some slight fluctuation on the waves, Wapner emphasizes that this is not noticeable.
He says the reason for the sale is his desire to travel again.
The workshop and laundry room are located on the lower level of the houseboat
A lot of natural light can flow through the house
The owner’s decision to sell the houseboat stems from his desire to reignite his passion for travel
The house rises and falls with the tide and occasionally moves back and forth
The houseboat, docked in Santa Barbara, California, has an asking price of $4.9 million
The current owner is an avid surfer, a popular pastime in Santa Barbara
Nearby mountains can be seen from the roof of the house, along with a 360° view of the marina
The historic working harbor is an excellent launching pad for a variety of adventures including sailing, sea kayaking and stand-up paddle boarding
The open skylight on the roof of the house can be seen from above
While the $4.9 million price tag may seem high, Sotheby’s International Realty agents believe the cost per square foot of adjacent waterfront properties currently on the market puts them in line with other properties.
The houseboat is so distinctive that the advertisement is already generating a lot of interest.
“This house is so specific that when I told a few people I was listing it, they said, ‘Oh, it’s that big, beautiful brown one?’ We wanted to participate in it,” says Patricia Ruben of Sotheby’s.