With the costs of rent skyrocketing in recent years, some people decided to explore alternative housing options. Among those people are Sarah and Brandon Jones, who live in a floating cabin on Lake Fontana in North California.
Sarah and Brandon were tired of spending almost all of their earnings on rent, so back in 2021, the couple decided to buy a floating cabin and turn it into their new home. They did a full renovation that included bringing in the water supply, taking care of the plumbing, and installing solar panels for electricity. The result was a fully-functional house with just one simple difference compared to other homes—it was on the water.
According to Sarah and Brandon, they only pay $2,500 per year for a permit to have a floating cabin on Lake Fontana. This allowed them to save $27,000 annually that they would otherwise pay for rent.
The couple is now sharing their life on a floating cabin with social media, hoping to inspire people to take a similar approach to housing. They are also building a second, smaller floating cabin, which they intend to rent to others who want to get a taste of “on lake” life.
“You do have to make sacrifices convenience-wise. You can’t get food delivered, the grocery store is 40 minutes away. You have to be more intentional about planning the things you need, but I wouldn’t change it for the world,” shared Sarah in a recent interview.
