Selling Houses Australia renovate their first houseboat

Who doesn’t enjoy watching a good reno’ on the telly? Maybe you’re a fan of competitive reality TV shows where renovating contenders battle for a big prize. Or you relish in stale home makeovers where an experienced team produce dramatic facelifts.

Either way, renovation programs are addictive. And they’re great for providing ideas for our own homes, whether you’ve just moved in or eager to modernise your furnishings.

If you own a houseboat, or have dreamt about it, you’d be interested in the recent episode of Selling Houses Australia. Andrew Winter, Shaynna Blaze, and Charlie Albone went beyond their usual house makeover - tackling a 24-year-old houseboat on the Gold Coast.

The tired houseboat desperately needed renovating

Single mother, Indiana, had bought the 13 metre, two bedroom houseboat two years ago following her divorce. She said it “seemed glamorous and affordable.”

After moving in with her two kids, Tobias, now 11, and 8-year-old Telulah, she soon realised they needed to upsize. However, after nine months on the market for $80,000, she’d received no offers.

Potential buyers commented they wouldn’t spend more than $45,000 for the boat, since it was poorly furnished and old-fashioned in design. But Indiana needed a minimum of $80,000 to move onto the next chapter of her family’s life.

So the Selling Homes Australia team was called in to assist!

The houseboat makeover

Real estate property expert, Andrew Winter, commented “It really is a unique market. When you’re selling a waterfront property the rules are pretty simple. It’s all about the views and the condition of the building. But when you’re selling a boat, it’s a whole new world. It’s all about the condition of the vehicle, the mechanics, the electrics.”

So what did the team do?

Interior designer, Shaynna Blaze, tore out the entire kitchen and started from scratch. She threw out the tired furniture and introduced some more modern pieces. “We don’t want to go nautical,” said Blaze. “We want to treat it like an apartment.”

The team’s resident landscaper, Charlie Albone, transformed the top deck into an entertaining area by adding fake grass, comfy chairs, and a barbecue.

The result?

Before the renovation, boat broker, Mark Lane, valued the boat as $55,000 to $60,000. But after the celebrity houseboat makeover, the floating home was valued at a solid $90,000 - $95,000.

Potential buyer feedback was very positive, with one person saying the newly revamped houseboat made them feel “like you’re on holiday all the time”.

After a few months, the boat finally managed to sell for an undisclosed price. Hooray!

We're here to help

Have you done your own home renovation and are ready to sell? We're always happy to help with all the dramas and stressors of house buying.

And if you're particularly tired of house-hunting, we've even partnered with buyer advocates who can check out homes for you and organise sales assessments and negotiations.

Our off-market and pre-market marketplace gives you VIP access to properties so you can get in first.

Just sign up at Listing Loop or download our app.

Sources:

• News.com.au, Gold Coast home with 360-degree ocean views listed for $80,000
• News.com.au, TV celebrity Shaynna Blaze’s quirkiest makeover a hit