Article published January 16, 2007
MANUFACTURED HOMES STARTING AT $100,000
Floating community planned on Lake Erie near Port Clinton
Units similar to those planned for Lake Erie are at Wilmington, Ill., about 20 miles southwest of Chicago.
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By GARY T. PAKULSKI
BLADE BUSINESS WRITER
PORT CLINTON - They were a pair of retired snowbirds searching for a low-maintenance nest for the summer.
After looking over marina owner Bob Faflik's plans for a small community of floating homes in Lake Erie, the couple, who divide their time between Florida and Ohio, signed on.
"They were our first sale," said Mr. Faflik, who is converting a portion of underused Lakefront Marina near here into a development that offers buyers the next best thing to lakefront living: living in the water.
It is one of two similar Port Clinton developments unveiled last weekend at the Cleveland Boat and Waterfront Lifestyle Expo.
"We're knocked out over the response," said Mr. Faflik, whose model attracted 11,000 people over the weekend.
Although prices vary, his development and another at nearby Coastal Marine II will both be in-water manufactured home communities.At Coastal Marine, owner Bill VanDerGiessen plans an initial 40 homes that will start at $135,000 and 630 square feet of living space, plus a porch and sleeping loft.
Mr. Faflik's project will begin with 13 homes, starting at $100,000 and 460 square feet of living space.
All of the homes there will be grouped in a circle and be joined by a floating gazebo and barbecue area.
In each development, homes will rest on docking systems. An aeration system will prevent surrounding water from freezing in winter.
There is no danger of homes floating away because dockage will be tightly secured to the lake bed, sponsors said.
Buyers will be able to dock boats next to their homes. They will pay a lease and service fee of $350 a month at Coastal Marine and $400 at Lakefront Marina.
At the same time, however, the homes are classified as personal property that is not subject to real estate taxes, project sponsors said.
Similar developments have been created at a number of other marinas around the country.
Both men said they were motivated by a desire to increase revenues at a time when marinas in northwest
Ohio have suffered because of high gasoline prices and the area's rocky auto-industry-dependent economy.
Additionally, they noted, the homes will open lakefront living to people who wouldn't otherwise be able to afford it.
"For $150,000 in round numbers, you're not adjacent to the lake, you're in the lake," said Mr. VanDerGiessen. "This is a way for individuals to own vacation homes or year-round property."
Mr. Faflik knew the properties would appeal to retirees who reside in Florida in winter but return to Ohio in the summer. His marina plays host to two such couples who live on their boats in the summer (in one instance, on an inoperable boat that is towed to its berth each year).
The floating-home concept was tried unsuccessfully in Ottawa County 25 years ago, Mr. Faflik conceded. But in that instance, homes were stick-built and sold for a then costly $150,000, he said.
Contact Gary T. Pakulski at:
gpakulski@theblade.com
or 419-724-6082.
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