# Trade a House for a Catamaran



## Soontobecruiser (Mar 15, 2008)

My husband and I are considering trading our house for a catamaran in order to cruise. Does anyone have experience in doing this? The house is worth about $425,000 and is located near the Chesapeake Bay in Virginia. 

If you have done this how long did it take and where did you find the person to trade? Also where did you advertise that you wanted to trade?

SOONTOBECRUISER


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## byrondv (Jan 6, 2007)

I would have to think you would have better luck selling the house, and buying a catamaran. The number of catamaran owners willing to trade for a house in a specific location has got to be pretty low - if even existent. Doesn't give you much choice in the type of catamaran you could get.

Of course if you want to trade for a Hobie 16, I think I might be willing to let it go


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## Faster (Sep 13, 2005)

byrondv said:


> .....if you want to trade for a Hobie 16, I think I might be willing to let it go


Soontobe:

I am prepared to offer a Corsair 25C, upping the Hobie 16 ante! I know where I can get my hands on a good one!

Seriously, though, I'm with byron.. sell then buy.


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

I'd second what Byron has said. Doesn't really make sense to trade one for the other. The number of catamaran owners with a cat in that price range is rather limited, and the chances that one is going to be willing to trade their cat for your house is infinitely smaller. 

Sell all of the stuff you're not putting on the boat... sell the house... move into an apartment... search for the boat...buy the boat.... move onto the boat.... commission the boat.... go cruising. 

What exactly are your cruising plans. Chances are pretty good that you won't want or need a $400,000 catamaran to do them, and the less you spend on the boat, the bigger a cruising kitty you'll have.


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

Faster-

Corsair 25C is a trimaran, so your offer is rejected out of hand. I'd up the offer to a Catalac 8m or Gemini.


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## Plumper (Nov 21, 2007)

Are you talking about a swap for a limited time or a permanent trade?


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## Soontobecruiser (Mar 15, 2008)

sailingdog said:


> What exactly are your cruising plans. Chances are pretty good that you won't want or need a $400,000 catamaran to do them, and the less you spend on the boat, the bigger a cruising kitty you'll have.


Sailingdog:
We agree that the boat does not need to cost 400,000 although that would not be out of the question. THe reason we want to buy a cat is that we expect to maintain a sailing lifestyle for a long time, and we anticipate having to drop the hook near houston and feed the kitty some times. The desire for space and comfort is for these less exciting times.
soontobecruiser


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## Soontobecruiser (Mar 15, 2008)

Plumper said:


> Are you talking about a swap for a limited time or a permanent trade?


That is a permanent trade Plumper. thank you.
soontobecruiser


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## Plumper (Nov 21, 2007)

Soontobecruiser said:


> That is a permanent trade Plumper. thank you.
> soontobecruiser


So why don't you just sell your house and buy a boat?  The trade thing sounds a bit odd......


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## Soontobecruiser (Mar 15, 2008)

Plumper said:


> So why don't you just sell your house and buy a boat? The trade thing sounds a bit odd......


That is a resonable question Plumper, we have not had good luck finding a reasonable realtor, besides my dog likes fleas better than my husband likes most realtors. Besides, 16% total commission involved in doing it through sales people is substantial.


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## byrondv (Jan 6, 2007)

Soontobecruiser said:


> 16% total commission


 16%??? What kind of realtors are you talking to???

You could always try to sell it yourself. Of course then you are stuck dealing with the buyers realtor anyway. Actually - even if you went the trade route chances are the cat owner will want someone to broker the deal. Who do you dislike more? Lawyers or Realtors?


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## Soontobecruiser (Mar 15, 2008)

ByrondV you loose 6% on a house, and the person selling the boat looses 10% on a boat. as far as who he likes better, in the last few years he has met 4 lawyers he likes and no realtors.


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## byrondv (Jan 6, 2007)

That is an interesting way to look at it, but really it assumes a broker is necessary for the boat - and that would be more up to the cat owner.

I _personally_ wouldn't be nearly so concerned about the costs to the other party in a sale, unless I thought I could get a significantly better deal by lowering their costs. Which is doubtfully, if they take the risk of going without a broker they will probably do it to save the cash for themselves.

It seems more like you are opposed to the costs involved - perhaps rather than a trade it would make more sense to buy / sell without brokers / realtors. Honestly it would probably be less work than negotiating a trade with certainly unequally valued items (especially after the boat value is modified due to anything in the survey). Certainly you are going to be picky about differing values if you are concerned about a personal 6% cost plus 2-3% extra you might get off the value of the boat for skipping the broker.

Though if you really want to trade - perhaps posting some flyers at liveaboard marinas might target the right audience.

Good Luck


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## artbyjody (Jan 4, 2008)

You may also want to consider renting out the house and hiring a management company to oversee it as a rental. More tax breaks, monthly income, and considering the housing market - it is more of a renters market right now. That'll allow you the ability to finance a new boat and if it doesn't work out the way you intended, less overall loss in the long run....just another way to look at the problem - but I would highly doubt someone would jump at that kind of trade, as it would be perceived as risky to begin with.


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## Faster (Sep 13, 2005)

sailingdog said:


> Faster-
> 
> Corsair 25C is a trimaran, so your offer is rejected out of hand. I'd up the offer to a Catalac 8m or Gemini.


C'mon SD - it was still upping the ante... 3 hulls must be better than 2 (since apparently 2 are better than one)


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

I can't argue with the logic there... 



Faster said:


> C'mon SD - it was still upping the ante...* 3 hulls must be better than 2 (since apparently 2 are better than one)*


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## ImASonOfaSailor (Jun 26, 2007)

I like that 3 are better then 2 and 2 is better then 1! I don't think the trade thing would work who in the heck would do that??


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

There are plenty of Cats on yachtworld for that price and all you have to do is email the brokers of the ones your interested in and get them to put in the offer.
I am sure one of you would have to throw him a couple grand.
A lot of people cruise a long time then want a house just as the opposite is true.
Anything is possible, but yachtworld would be the place I would start looking.


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## buckeyesailor (Mar 9, 2008)

I hear ya' Soontobe.....
Personally I have 2.5 acres of virgin wooded hillside in southern Ohio that I'd love to trade for a boat.....(30-35' ready to go) and have investigated such.
The major problem is ......not many people with those boats want a great building lot in Southern Ohio. 
I'm still open to offers however......Willy


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## chucklesR (Sep 17, 2007)

When you get up to ten posts and can send private messages, send me one. I'll trade my 175k (total invested) Gemini for a 425k house .

Sell the house, buy a Catamaran after you sell the house, and after you know what you want in a catamaran. If time is too short for that, you don't have time.


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## zz4gta (Aug 15, 2007)

lol, sell the house. Any home owner in No VA knows that the market ain't moving. Period. Houses have been trashed, now being auctioned off at lowball prices with plenty of back taxes and HOA dues to be paid from the previous owner. 

Good luck in selling, but I'd concentrate on saving right now, and it 2 years, then sell, and buy the boat. I don't know anyone who is selling something outright right now. Most have been foreclosed. Hard to compete with that. My old mail man said there's 65 foreclosures just on his route!


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

*go swap dot org*

Have a look at the website goswap dot org
This type of trade is quite common. I have a 37 catamaran listed there.


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## Sailmachine (Jul 29, 2009)

Looks like everyone is assuming that the house is paid for which would allow the full $400k or so, that the house is worth for the boat. However I doubt this is the case. Depending on the amount of equity is in the house the trade for the Hobie 16 may be a fair deal.


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## GboyCruz (Mar 28, 2012)

Overall this is not such a crazy idea for a temporary trade. Many people want to cruzing and many are wanting to return to land for a while. Location as always the biggest issue..while I want to go cruz the Caribbean, how many just happen to need a home in Atlanta for 2-3 years ..not too many, but many maybe willing to comprimise.

Naturally a trust and legal arrangement must be set-up..but I would very much like to see such an idea work ??

Gboy


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## zeta (Dec 29, 2010)

Houses are at a ten year low, I know, just sold one appraised at 465K for 325K.....but if you price it lower than comps it will sell. Boats are much worse than houses, so you should be able to get a great boat for say 300-350K, but upkeep costs on such a boat is something not to be overlooked. Like others have mentioned, a 150K boat will probably fit your needs and 200-250K will give you quite a few years of cruising. Not sure what your house would rent for but that or owner financing will give you a nice cruising kitty, but then there's the cost of the boat. 
Good luck and remember it's only money....if you lose a little on your house, you will recoup it on your boat, and if you worry about your house losing too much money, wait till you try and sell that 350K boat


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## getwet (Apr 12, 2012)

I have to agree with everyone here. Sell and buy rather than trade. It just seems to be the smarter way to go. But I admire your ambition to take on a Cat. They are they way to go. I also have a Hobie 16 in case you're interested!


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## aztucwatson (Mar 14, 2012)

You may want to explore all options. With a "soft" market, we have decided to buy a smaller boat and offer our house as a vacation rental. All the pieces of the puzzle aren't together yet, but we are enjoying the boat!


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## SuburMerce (Aug 21, 2012)

SWAP: We also want to exchange one apartment for a catamaran. Can anyone tell us if we can find some website to give us information.
Thank you.


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## unchartedadam (Nov 5, 2012)

Hi, ever make a deal? Have a 2008 Manta sail cat I'm ready to get out of.


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## nmejicano (Sep 26, 2012)

You need to explore other options. I retired 2 1/2 years ago and my wife is retiring at the end of this year. We got a home equity loan on the house and bought a used Gemini. We plan to live aboard and cruise the islands and we will be renting the house to pay for the loan. Just one more way to think about it. By the way, I am a licensed captain and have a small charter business that also help in paying some of the expenses.


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## TropicCat (Oct 14, 2008)

I think they did explore other options. The post you responded to is almost 5 years old.


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## nmejicano (Sep 26, 2012)

Oh well. I hope you did buy your boat.


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## Jean Brii (May 19, 2017)

Does anyone know if they sold or traded? I am looking to do a similar trade...... Trying this out, private owner...... For those of you land lubbers, or for those of you who wanna make a buck in this greatly expanding world, Or for those of you looking to escape to YOUR OWN PARADISE with no tourists or hustle and bustle. Don't miss out on this Off grid or on grid living op. 5 acre lot I have in Lewis county Washington on the Cowlitz River near white pass ski resort, 3 miles from the salmon hatchery. Deed in hand includes easement on road lot has power and phone lines. Elk herds everyday and salmon right on the sandy banked river. 2.1 acres on one side of the river and 2.9 on the other, 120.00 yearly land tax. 217,800 sqft of riverfront beauty. Zoned build-able residential county jurisdiction spectacular views. Own 2.1 acres of timber land thousands of dollars in Cedar oak walnut and maple and 2.9 acres of your own island. Currently we have a wood shed and chicken coop on the property. (Elk tent is not included). We would be interested in trading for a live aboard Catamaran or Trimaran motor sail in ocean ready condition. please let us know if your interested we can send pics and more info Gis map. etc... Possible straight across trade depending on condition of boat and equipment on board. Please let us know if your interested.


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