The Texas Manor
1986 DeFever 53 POC — $145,000
When people think of unaffordable coastal real estate, they usually picture Miami or Southern California. But over the last five years, the coastal markets surrounding Houston—specifically the Kemah, Clear Lake, and Galveston Bay areas—have exploded. If you want a 3-bedroom waterfront home with a private dock anywhere near the Kemah Boardwalk, you are easily looking at a $800,000+ mortgage.
Or, you can completely sidestep the Texas property tax machine and buy a 53-foot floating manor outright.
Currently sitting in Kemah, Texas, there is a legendary 53-foot offshore cruiser listed for $145,000. Built by Arthur DeFever, one of the most respected naval architects in American history, the 53 “POC” (Performance Offshore Cruiser) was designed to be the ultimate floating home for serious mariners. Because it utilizes a “flush deck” design, the interior volume is staggering.
You aren’t crawling into tiny, V-shaped beds. This boat features an expansive main salon lined with rich, traditional teak wood, a full-sized galley, and a sprawling, fully covered back deck that serves as your waterfront patio. Below deck, it boasts an incredible 3-stateroom, 3-bathroom layout, meaning you have plenty of room for a master suite, a guest room, and a dedicated office.
The Smart Money “Clear Lake” Hack Buying a 3-bedroom floating home for $145,000 is the easy part. But if you want to pull this off in Texas, you need to understand the geography of Clear Lake. Clear Lake is essentially a massive, protected saltwater lake that connects directly to Galveston Bay. It is the third-largest concentration of recreational boats in the United States.
Because the boating infrastructure here is so massive, finding a marina that allows liveaboards is actually much easier than in Florida or California. Marinas like Waterford Harbor or the Kemah Boardwalk Marina offer resort-style amenities—including massive resort pools, tennis courts, and high-end fitness centers—all included in your monthly slip fee. You aren’t just buying a boat; you are buying access to a luxury country club on the water.
But before you hand over $145,000 and move to Texas, you need to know the reality of what it takes to own a boat from 1986. You need to understand the brutal reality of vintage “Teak Decks,” the specific mechanical checks you must run on a heavy-displacement trawler, and exactly what your monthly slip fees will look like.
