Houseboat living brings into focus a side of Portland easily overlooked when only crisscrossing the river on the bridges—that of life on the water. Take this cute and cozy two-bedroom located just south of downtown on the West side of the Willamette. Instead of people-watching with sidewalk passersby, you’ll peep kayakers paddling in the waves, ducks waddling across the deck, or a Great Blue Heron chilling on the nearby riverbank.

Built in 1981 and remodeled since, the houseboat is two stories, with the primary suite and a bedroom and bathroom at the entry level, and the combined living spaces upstairs. There, generous-sized windows are on all sides—lining the granite kitchen counter at the sink, surrounding the dining nook, flanking the living room’s gas fireplace, and filling the stairwell with sunlight. Warm accents cozify, from the wide-plank Doug fir floors underfoot to the wood-clad ceilings twelve-feet overhead, and the driftwood boards covering the fireplace hearth. 

Located in the Macadam Bay Moorage, the home feels pretty removed from the nearby hustle of S. Macadam, thanks to a buffer provided by the paved bike trail of the Willamette Greenway, a secure parking lot, and more parkland running along the water’s edge. Enjoy that scenery from any one of the houseboat’s three decks, all totaling 1400 square feet. It’s hard to judge which is better: the large expanse off the main bedroom accessed by sliding glass doors, where you can all but roll out of bed and into the water, or the 360-degree views and private perch from the rooftop deck.

Up there, the choices are many: soak in the hot tub, sit by the fire table, sip coffee and watch the sun rise beside the Sellwood Bridge. Come holiday time, bundle up and take in the twinkling lights of the Christmas Ship Parade, or in the summer, catch Fourth of July fireworks. The life aquatic has a lot going for it no matter the season, and this little piece of the river can truly be yours, since the listing includes ownership, rather than rental, of the slip. 

Listing Fast Facts:

Address: 7720 SW Macadam #18

Size: 1,841 square feet, 2 bed/2 bath, slip-owned

List Date: 3/18/2021

Price: $850,000, with $446/month HOA fees

Listing Agent: Sarah Spoon, Victory Point Property Group

Melissa Dalton is a freelance writer who has focused on Pacific Northwest design and lifestyle since 2008. She is based in Portland, Oregon. Contact Dalton here. Have a property you’d like to suggest for this feature? Get in touch at [email protected]