Houseboats have been in use all around the world as permanent living, vacation retreats and temporary rentals.

Here in the U.S., the houseboat is often used for vacationing or recreational purposes and is said to have started to become popular all the way back in the late 1940s. The Lake Cumberland area of Kentucky is considered the birthplace of house boating in the U.S. because this is where people first started exploring the option to spend longer periods of time living out on the water. Nowadays, a houseboat can be found as suitable for a luxurious vacation get-away; completed with all the extra necessities of a well-appointed home.

So, if you're planning a houseboat retreat for your honeymoon, summer vacation or even just a no-special-reason get-away. You may want to keep the following items in mind when setting your budget.

Houseboats can range in prices from used, old and small houseboats for only a few thousand dollars to a state-of-the-art, large and luxurious house boats for a few hundred thousand dollars. Houseboat Rentals or Renting a Houseboat could be much cheaper then buying a brand new houseboat which, in the long-run, can require a lot of extra money for maintenance and storage. Overall costs really all depend on what you're looking for and what you can afford. More specified Houseboat Resources may help you to get a better idea of where too look and what to look for. For starters, here are a few things to take into account:

Marine Survey - Marine Survey prices vary according to location, but generally range from $10 to $20 per foot (boat length x fee). A Marine Surveyor is a person who would be able to inspect, surveys and examination your houseboat to assess its condition value.

Insurance - Obviously, the cost to insure a $10,000 boat is much less, than insuring a $200,000 boat. It really is hard to give an estimate without the details, so you may want to consider BoatHouseMagazine.com. It's a good place to start for exploring houseboat insurance policies.

Fuel Costs - Diesel boats tend to be much less expensive to operate. However, most houseboats are gasoline powered and weekly fuel costs can average from $300.00 to $400.00 or higher.

Storage fees - Boatyards will generally charge fees depending on boat length, and also charge extra for winterizing, shrink wrapping, and haul outs. Prices vary depending on the various marina and boatyard rates.

The Depreciation Factor - In this regard, renting a houseboat would indeed be the cheaper way to go. Houseboats are more like cars because unlike houses, this property does not increase or even maintain its value. Keep this in mind before you decide to purchase your houseboat.

For more information about renting a houseboat, Houseboat Rental FAQs and Houseboat Rental Tips offers some useful information to consider thought your houseboat search. Remember, buying or renting a houseboat is not like buying or renting any other property. Since it is still a relatively unique to the U.S., do some extra research and it will only help you to find a better results.