As the soaring price of land makes it harder and more expensive to buy and maintain a home, many would-be homeowners are turning to the water. But not all houseboats are created equal. Some are built to be towed, like the floating Portland home below, while others stay docked and are only able to cruise to different locations.

One company, Somnio Global, wants to bring superyacht co-ownership to houseboats, allowing people who don’t have the cash to afford a million-dollar luxury yacht to purchase a share of a larger vessel. With plans for a fleet of floating estates that will range in size from 40 to 80 rooms, the Somnio fleet will have everything that a person needs to live on the water, including a 10,000-bottle wine cellar and tasting room, a choice of restaurants, an onboard beach club and water-sports facilities. For more https://www.kentuckysellnow.com/we-buy-houses-harrodsburg/

Floating homes are not new, but their popularity is on the rise. The first houseboats were conceived following the 1906 San Francisco earthquake to provide families with safe living spaces. During the ’60s, they became a popular option for free spirits and artists seeking refuge from the city and were the inspiration for Otis Redding’s classic song “Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay.” Today, they’re still a lifestyle choice for some of the world’s wealthiest, who use them as private hideaways and symbols of their status.

According to Emma Spence, a British researcher who is completing her PhD on the superyacht scene, yachts remain a prized status symbol because of their ability to “perform” a sense of wealth. Spence has crewed on several yachts and shadowed a broker in Monaco to observe the way they’re used to establish a pecking order among the rich. Spence says that while yachts may have a utilitarian purpose, they also have an emotional value, and owners are often drawn to them because of their romanticised notions of escape.

This Miami floating estate, built by Nicolas Derouin and Arnaud Luguet, is a sleek, modern, off-the-grid oasis that offers a rare combination of sustainable and luxurious yacht design. It has four hydraulic steel pillars that serve as anchors to lift the house up to 15 feet above the water, a design that allows it to navigate Miami’s canals and withstand Category 4 hurricane conditions. The home has floor-to-ceiling windows that flood each apartment with natural light and give residents a breathtaking view of the marina, the water, and the city skyline.

The Arkup was designed to be self-sustainable, relying on solar panels and the water’s energy to operate. But its most impressive feature might be the fact that it has an elevator for a tender boat or jet ski, which is a feature not even the largest luxury yachts can offer.

The Arkup’s owners—Miami-based French engineers who work in renewable energy and water conservation—plan to use it as a private getaway for family trips, or as a second home for Miami’s high-end clientele. The waterfront location will allow them to watch summer concerts on the Liberty Dock or paddleboard to nearby high-end restaurants and bars.