San Francisco Houseboat Lists for $1.75M Near OpenAI Headquarters

A rare houseboat in San Francisco's Mission Creek neighborhood has been listed for sale at $1.749 million, located within a ten-minute walk of OpenAI's headquarters. The property, situated at 300 Channel Street #14 in the Mission Rock neighborhood, offers residents proximity to the burgeoning artificial intelligence industry in Silicon Valley.

The 1,780-square-foot floating home is one of only 20 such residences along Mission Creek. The property features three floors, three bedrooms, and three bathrooms with nautical-themed decor. Additionally, the sale includes a pleasure boat and a separate 40-foot berth for its storage.

The high price reflects the limited inventory of these unique homes and San Francisco's zoning restrictions, which prevent the addition of new floating homes in Mission Creek Harbor. These berths have historically been transferred privately, rather than through the traditional real estate market. The community was established around 1959.

The current owner acquired the houseboat in 2002 for $225,000, reportedly through a handshake agreement. The owner, Tyson Graham, is said to have constructed the current home on the site himself. The price has thus increased approximately sevenfold since its acquisition.

Buyers interested in this unique property will also be responsible for monthly fees of $1,183 associated with living on the channel. Ownership rules prohibit short-term rentals and absentee ownership, and residents are required to participate in biannual volunteer work days.

When a similar Mission Creek houseboat was listed for $1.8 million in 2019, it was reported as one of the first of the 20 available on the open market. The area, once an industrial zone with a polluted channel, is now surrounded by corporate offices, UCSF campuses, and major sports venues like Chase Center and Oracle Park.