This isn’t a sales gimmick.
It is super-important to use an experienced floating home broker whom you trust and who knows what they are doing because…
This really is an area of real estate where you could throw away some serious cash by hiring your dog groomer’s sister (no offense to the sisters of dog groomers everywhere).
Hiring a floating home broker who deals in floating houses regularly, has a substantial amount of experience doing so and whom you can rely on to tell you, based on their years of expertise and honesty, when things don’t seem right can save you tens of thousands of dollars.
We have years of experience helping clients buy and sell floating homes and homes on land and we have learned that purchasing a floating home is a complex and unique transaction that is extremely different than purchasing residential real estate. Our principal broker, John McPherson lives in a floating home and has first-hand knowledge of all things floating-home-related. It takes a long time to learn the variety of skills necessary to be able to tackle anything that may come up during he purchase process of a floating home. We have what it takes to get the deal closed.
There are 2 reasons we are The Top Floating Home Brokers.
We have helped clients buy or sell floating homes at nearly every one of the 60 moorage in the Porland Metro Area.
You can’t get much more expert than that.
John McPherson has taken a global ethics authority to place his clients’ interests above his own and remain honest with clients at all times.
John is the ONLY residential real estate broker in Oregon who has taken this oath to always be honest with clients as a part of his Chartered Financial Analyst® designation and is committed to risking a paycheck in order to serve the needs of his clients. Keeping in mind that brokers do not get paid unless a home purchase is completed, John will advise you NOT to purchase a home if the risk is too high or it isn’t in your best interests to do so.
We offer buyers honesty and transparency every step of the way.
This is why working with an expert broker team is important to you:
Only when you fully understand floating homes, the lifestyle, the rules that govern them and the process of purchasing floating homes will you be prepared to make the best decisions about what you want from a floating home and which moorage to is the best fit for you. We know how to educate and inform you every step of the way. We have created in-depth Buyer Guides which answer every question we’ve had from buyer like you over the decades.
There are three different types of floating structures that are given floating structure plates by the Oregon State Marine Board. Knowing the difference is important regarding your rights and eviction procedures when your floating structure is in a rented slip. We can explain the risks and benefits of owning each of these different types of structures.
There are many codes and ordinances which regulate floating homes. Locating the right ones which have jurisdiction over a floating home you are interested in buying isn’t always easy and reading them enough to understand them is large and quite boring task. There are key differences to what kind of construction you can perform on a home on land versus a floating home. Having first-hand experience with these during our own floating home renovation, we are very familiar with these regulations and can help you determine which jobs you can DIY and which ones you should leave to professionals.
Understanding the differences between owning and renting a slip for your floating home as well as how each affects the value of your home and what you can do with it is critical. We can help you determine which choice is right for you based on your needs, financial position and also data from our exclusive market reports.
Floating home maintenance is different from maintenance for houses on land and it’s important to know, when you are interested in a a particular floating home, which poorly-maintained elements are easy to fix and which are costly deal-breakers. We have been able to save clients from the purchase of a floating home which would have cost the home buyers $100,000, if they had not used brokers who were keyed into looking for critical repairs.
Floating home sales use forms which are used in the purchase and sale of houses on land but with some important changes. Brokers with only a familiarity of floating homes can often overlook key pieces in Purchase Agreements and paperwork which could result in a buyer losing tens of thousands of dollars or, worse, not understanding what they have purchased.
There are different types of floats (a float takes the place of what a foundation is under a house on land). The type of float that is under the house will have a big impact on how long the float will last and whether financing is obtainable. We can talk with you about traditional floats and also unconventional floats and how they affect resale, value, and maintenance.
There are only a few insurance companies that write coverage for floating homes and only one that includes perils of the sea. Having been through the process of insuring our own floating home, we can explain to you the different coverages and why you might want one over the other.
There are only a couple of lenders who will lend for a floating home purchase or for new construction. We know all of floating home loan programs well and can save you hours of time and research by advising you about which one would be best for your unique scenario, the home and achieving your goals.
Floating homes have a unique inspection process with requirements unlike those in a real estate sale on land. Having successfully guided buyers through hundreds of floating home inspections, we know how to get you through the process with confidence, knowing that the floating home you are purchasing is truly worth what you are offering.
Floating homes have a couple of differences regarding utility connections that only experienced brokers would know about, and some floating homes don’t come with certain utilities like fuel or water. We can help explain what will be required of a floating home owner who owns a home without a fuel connection, etc.
Because we deal in floating homes all the time and have been through the process ourselves, we have built trusted relationships all of the players who will assist you in the purchase and ownership of a floating home (and they return our calls!), including:
- Inspectors
- Divers
- Towing services
- Floating Home Closing Specialists
- Floating Home Lenders
- Floating Home Attorneys
- Floating Home Construction Specialists
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