WITH house prices in London as they are, it’s understandable that you may give up hope of ever owning a home in the city. But with a bit of work and/or ingenuity, you can find yourself a beautiful home that’s more in the budget of a normal person.

The Kathleen Alexander is one such home, and is currently on the market for £149,950 (US$188,217). The houseboat was recently built and renovated, and comes with two bedrooms and a large kitchen/living room area, as well as a bathroom that looks just like what you’d find in a regular house.

The Kathleen Alexander is thought to be the only houseboat that’s coated in Corten Weathering steel, which purposely rusts to create a protective coating that never needs to be repainted.

A lot of the hassles of boating life are also ironed out with a low-maintenance modern compost toilet, solar lights, a water tank that should give you eight weeks of water, and an instant hot water heater. The catch is only that the boat is on a continuous cruiser license. This is a massive saving on mooring fees at just £1,000 a year, but does mean that you have to move 20-30 miles (32-48 kilometers), doing so at least every two weeks.

It’s ideal for people who want to see more of London via the waterways, but could be a problem for folks who’d rather have a stable base.

Other than that, though, you’ll have all the mod cons you’re used to. The boat comes with a Smeg fridge, gas range, gas central heating, and is all decorated to a high standard.

For eco-conscious cruisers, this is a very environmentally friendly option. The current owner Owain Harris said of the structure: “We don’t take up any land, we are a much smaller space, and use much less energy to heat up and keep warm.” (SD-Agencies)