Finding Used Houseboats For Sale - tips where to find pre-owned boats

Looking at used houseboats for sale and wondering what's the next step?
You can find used houseboats for sale at many boat dealers and brokers, as well as in the classified ads, boat auctions, local marinas, and if you search hard enough with private sellers. Here are some basic sources to start with.

Houseboats For Sale - browse the Houseboat Classifieds Ads
Looking for Auctions? Here's the current houseboat auctions

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PAGE TOPICS: How & What to Look For? Do you Buy Older or Newer Buy "basic" or Fully Loaded Screen the Classified Ads Wood-Steel-Alum-Fiberg? Loans-Insurance-Movers Find House Boats For Sale

The "How & What" to Look For?

When visiting potential houseboats to buy, most educated buyers will be prepared to look in everywhere to really see the workings and condition of the boat. Better to do it before placing an offer to purchase, than after the sale has taken place. Look and try everything to see if it all works.

Try and visit the houseboat during the day light hours to really see it.

Get a free Pre-Plan Checklist to track the condition, equipment, options.

Make an offer conditional on a Survey, and you pick a Marine Surveyor.

Offer is conditional on a Sea-Trial to see how it handles and operates.

Bring an experienced boater to evaluate the condition & repairs costs.

There's plenty of used houseboats for sale, so don't get stuck on one.

Be sure to consider the transport costs when looking at distant boats.

Be sure to have a dock slip available before purchasing a houseboat.

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Do you Buy an Older or Newer boat?

You might be asking yourself whether you should buy a "newer model" or maybe an "older model"? When looking at Used Houseboats For Sale, try and remember some of the points below to help in your decision process.

Tips for "Newer" Houseboats For Sale (1 to 15 years) Newer Houseboats generally have more finance options available. They generally require less maintenance than older houseboats. In the first 10 years, they lose the majority of their depreciation. Generally require a higher down payment and monthly payment.

Tips for "Older" Houseboats For Sale (15 to 30+ years) Older Houseboats generally have "less" finance options available. They cost less, so lower down payment and monthly payments. Have to under go a Marine Survey, and meet the requirements. Older houseboats generally require more maintenance and repairs.

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Buy a "basic model" or a "fully loaded" one?

This is a question that gets asked often. To make the decision you should first try and look at the equipment / options that you "need", then look at the items on the "want" list. This "visit checklist" can help in your search.

It's generally cheaper and less costly to purchase a used boat with all the extras/options that you want, instead of buying a boat then installing all of those extras/options afterwards. The depreciation reduces the value.

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How to Screen the Houseboat Classifieds Ads

Used Houseboats For Sale ads, How to Read between the Lines!In order to help in your search one of the most frequently used pages is the How to Screen the Houseboat Classifieds to save yourself time & $$$.
Since your time is valuable and your time is money, this has helped many.

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Buy an Aluminum, Fiberglass, Steel, or Wood?

With so many houseboat manufacturers around, it's hard to know where to start. Do you purchase an aluminum, fiberglass, steel or wood houseboat?

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Find Marinas, Movers, Insurance, and Loans

Here are some links to common services like Marinas, Transport, Storage, Surveyor's, Loans, Insurance and so on.

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Where to find Used Houseboats For Sale?

As you can see, there's various places to find Houseboats For Sale. Whether you're looking for aluminum, fiberglas, steel or wood. Whether you're looking for pontoon, full hull, planing or trailerable houseboats, there's a boat for everyone's budget. There's new houseboats, used, pre owned, or rental boats.

Houseboat Classifieds - from All about Houseboats

Current Auctions - Used Houseboats For Sale

You're looking for a deal? You may be interested in looking at houseboats that are For Sale in current auctions. You may very well find a great deal on the houseboat of your dreams. A new window will open when clicked.

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Read about the DO's & DONT's of a Houseboat For Sale
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