Dockominiums in SE Florida

T

timhenn1

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I attended the 2009 Miami show last year for the first time. Before I came to the show I looked for dockominium information/opportunities in the SE Florida area and was suprised to find very little.

What is the deal down here? Do most simply rent a slip? Anyone know where I might find information about wet slips for sale in a marina/resort setting?

The longer term plan is to winter in Florida on the boat. Boating activities would be day or overnight trips to swim, eat and do some casual inshort fishing.

Slip sizes I'm interested in would be 55'-60'. Ideal location (though I've no real knowledge of the areas) is Stuart. Definately east side as I would have to move the boat twice annually. Would love to know cost and time to move the boat back to New England....I know Pascal does this for a living, maybe he will weigh in.

Maybe there will be more at the show this year, maybe there are none available as some of the articles imply but most web sites stopped updating information around 2006 with most news printed in the 2003-2004 timeframe.
 
In much of the state dockominiums were sold at exorbitant prices because during the real-estate bubble everybody thought they were going to get rich on reselling docks. The monthly fees on many equal rental rates.
There seems little interest over on the west coast in buying them as all the resales are at asking absurd prices. Today you can buy a three bed room house with a dock for 60' for less that 2X what docks alone sold for a few years ago, or a condo with a slip for the 2004 dock price. Here at least renting is the way to go especially if you arent sure of your location choice.
 
Yes you can buy a house on the water for a lot less. No marina fees or rules to put up with. Use your boat anytime you want and not have to worry about them being closed at 4 am if you want to go fishing. Getting fuel delivered to your dock and knowing where your boat will be during hurricane are good perks too. Paying extra property taxes on a slip doesn’t make much sense when you can buy your own 60 plus foot marina with a house to go with it.
 
The prices have to come down sooner or later, I think.

Buying a house with a dock has it's upside and downside. On the downside
- I don't want to deal with having a house in a hurricane zone
- I don't want to do improvements on the house or dock
- I do want the social aspects of living in a marina (i like the dock neighbors I have now)
- I do want the marine services (fuel, haul out, marine store, etc.) nearby

In thinking about this a Condo with a nice marina/dock might be a good compromise given that resort marina prices are still so high. Or, maybe just rent 2-3 months out of the year at a nice facility.

What's a good online resource to learn about this kind of specific opportunity in the SE Florida area?
 
Got my old login working again, timhenn1 and timhenn is me
 
Tim: You will get all of that if you rent at the right place and can use the leftover money to buy a very nice boat.
 
Prices should come down "sooner or later" but I'm not sure I'll live that long. Some marinas around here (Tampa Bay) were taxed/priced out of existence and replaced by condos (many still unsold); so rental slips are probably at a premium. Waterfront homes with a dock may be your best choice; there's a 3/2/2 near me that could be had for under $200k, and it'll probably handle a 50 footer.

IF you can find a place to rent, remember you're NOT locked down. Should you decide to sell the boat or move you can pretty much walk away, while BUYING anything has it's risks.
 
quote:
Waterfront homes with a dock may be your best choice; there's a 3/2/2 near me that could be had for under $200k, and it'll probably handle a 50 footer.
Click to expand...


What the heck is a 3/2/2?
Al
 
I guess you can tell I haven't looked at real estate since 1973.
Al
 
For those that went down this path, is it possible to rent the slip to one party and the house to another? I have to do some real estate research and see what's available north of Miami and no futher than say Stuart.
 
Renting depends on local ordinances but it is a likely way to have fights over power and water bills parking etc.
 
Met a guy a few years back that bought a house for a place to keep his boat and rented the house. Most of the houses in my neighborhood that people rent don’t have boats docked behind them. A lot of the old timers own a house on the next couple of blocks and rent them. A lot of 2/1 with carports on the canal was built and most have had additions but the one across the street one house over is still a 2/1.
 
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