Possibly the most unusual Ballard property on the market went to auction Saturday, March 7, at 3453 Seaview Avenue NW.

The former boathouse rests completely on wooden pilings in the tidelands and is located just a stone’s throw west of the Great Northern Railroad bridge. About 5,000 square feet of land butts up against the structure, zoned both commercial and residential, depending on how it will be set up.

All bidders required to come with a $5,000 cashiers check. Had they bid successfully, the check would be cashed, and they’d have 30 days to finance. If they could not, they forfeit the check and the next highest bidder would be in line.

But today, the highest bid, $405,000, was not enough to make a sale. The offer was subject to owners approval, and the owners on record, Janet Kongslie and Patricia Bayer, hold a $350,000 mortgage and were hoping for a higher bid. That, according to their realtor David V. Sheean of GVA Kidder Mathews in Tacoma. He was on hand with his partner on this listing, professional auctioneer JR Wikane, also of Tacoma. The owners were not present.

The property was listed with Windermere for as much as $1,495,000 four years ago. Two years ago Sheean took over, listing it for $875,000.

Nearly 35 potential bidders, tire-kickers, and curious neighbors showed. Many seemed fascinated with the novelty aspect of the structure’s back deck over-hanging its tidelands with its worn wooden, makeshift dock ready to accept a fishing boat, and the splendid view, an unobstructed straight shot out toward the Sound.

“I’ve made a couple offers on the property over the last two years,” said an area resident wanting to remain anonymous. He loves the small cluster of half dozen or so cottage residences surrounding the property he jogs by regularly,” he said. “From what I understand, it’s commercially zoned, but doesn’t have a commercial use permit. But if the price is right you can work with the city and solve these zoning problems. It can be very expensive and time consuming and may involve a lot of variances. There are unique properties down here. This is the Ballard flavor, and you’ve got to hope that it will stay that way.”

“Because the property is on a federal waterway, the Army Corp of Engineers and Indians will be involved with any commercial improvements,” said another at the auction. Some neighbors insisted that the home is zoned residential, and that one can move right in, while operating a business there would require red tape.

“The piling report says the piles are in good shape, and we have the new survey and dock report,” said the less skeptical Sheean. “This is unique. The ideal guy would be someone with a boat who doesn’t want to go through the locks.”

Said Wikane of the property, “The dad passed away and left it to his son. He passed away, left it to his sister, and she doesn’t want anything to do with it.”

The auction began at noon. Wilkene faced the small crowd from the center of the rear deck, and called, “We start at 200,000 (dollars.) OK, we got 2. Now 250. OK. Now 300,000. Now 350. 400,000."

Then there was a pause.

“Ladies and gentlemen, this is an opportunity, a great deal. It was assessed at $900,000. Do I have 450,000?”

A realtor then bid $405,000 on behalf of her client, and the activity stopped. Had she gotten the property, she would have been obligated to an additional 10-percent toward auction fees.

“Now it’s back on the market again, unfortunately,” said Wikane, who notices more property up for auction with the troubled market. “But auctions attract attention. Something might come up down the pipe as a result of today’s interest in the property. Monday people could start calling and offer more.”

According to Sheean, the listing price has now been lowered to $595,000.

“We live next door part time,” said architect, Eric Lagerberg, who attended the auction with his wife and two young daughters. They use their charming, well-kept home with a studio behind it for recreation, mostly in the summer.

“The auction was bitter sweet,” he said. “I like the fact that the property’s owners place a high value on their place since it is next to mine. But I was excited this morning, hoping for a new neighbor. I was hoping it would sell just to change the situation.”