A woman can’t afford to buy a house, but is afraid marine – He worked with a floating house.
Kate Fincham beat the housing market by buying a 550-square-foot, two-story home that’s built on steel pontoons and can float on water.
“My life is completely different,” Fincham, 34, told Need to Know.online.
“Housing has become so unaffordable in Toronto that I never really had any thoughts or ambitions to buy a condo or a house,” the Canadian shared. “It was a very different lifestyle – I lived in the bustling heart of the city, within walking distance to work and with all the amenities of a metropolitan city at my fingertips.”
The sailing fanatic lives in a water-bound home on Canada’s Scarborough Bluffs with his crew: two cats, Charlie and Finn.
Prior to living in the floating house, Fincham lived with three roommates. She shifted to the open seas in the summer of 2020.
“While I got along very well with my housemates, you’d never feel that since the kitchen and living areas are all shared by us,” the space is truly yours. “I have a lot more freedom in my space now. I own a boat and it was much cheaper to buy than any other condo or property in the city.
Fincham’s decision to live on the water rather than a landed Toronto home – which would go for $551,508 on average in US dollars – saved him more than $300,000.
While living in the floating home is cheap, Fincham has to spend more money on utilities than she does—which means she spends almost as much each month as she did renting in downtown Toronto.
“But the upside is that I have the whole place instead of sharing a house with three other people. I … pay quarterly electricity to the marina – it’s around average [$77 US] per month,” she said. “I have no gas but I do have a water line connected directly to my place which supplies me with city water – this is included in my marina fee. Also includes parking, mail and access to the septic pump out Is.
Fincham admits that the floating lifestyle becomes difficult during the winter.
“I have to make sure the ice doesn’t freeze around the pontoons and crush them, and I’ve had to deal with frozen pipes once or twice a winter. But after two years I’m much better at handling the colder months.” I have been.”
The condition of the toilets is not that glamorous either.
“You have to pump your septic tank out of the toilet—which really isn’t that bad,” she said.
Despite the downsides, Fincham feels she’s had a more peaceful and fulfilling life on the water — and doesn’t see herself going back to the city in the near future.
“Where I live now is in a park, so not only am I surrounded by water, but I also have access to hiking trails and beaches,” she shared.
She splits her time between working in marketing from her home with an amazing view and soaking up the sun doing outdoor activities including kayaking at sunset and relaxing on the beach.
“Every morning or after work, I go for a walk through the waterfront or park or go for a sunrise or sunset kayak. I keep my kayak tied to my back deck, so I jump on the bus and go,” Fincham said. “Living here is so peaceful and quiet … but only 30 from Toronto’s downtown core It’s minutes away.”
Fincham isn’t the only one living life on the water – there’s a whole society of people with floating homes.
“The community is also incredible – we always have dock drinks, ladies nights, dinners, rooftop movie nights and the usual weekly get-togethers with floating home and houseboat owners,” she said. “It’s all ages, from people in their 30s to 70s, and we all help each other out and enjoy each other’s company.
“Every single day I am so grateful to live in such a beautiful home, in an incredible location, and with such an amazing community,” Fincham said.