Galveston Bay waterfront
Open-bay frontage, canal homes, and Clear Lake access — three different ways to live on the water, all within a few streets of each other. The view is the floor plan's best room.
Kemah · Texas · Est. on the Bay
Kemah Real Estate
Waterfront homes, bay living, and local know-how for Kemah, Texas.
A spoken welcome from Kemah Real Estate — press play.
Deep-water canals. Boat lifts behind the house. The Boardwalk lights across the water at dusk. This is Houston's weekend water — and for the people who live here, it's home. We know this water, and we'll connect you with a licensed local REALTOR® who knows it street by street, dock by dock.
Why Kemah
Life is simply better
with water behind the house
Kemah sits where Clear Lake meets Galveston Bay — a working waterfront town that never lost its soul to the suburbs. People don't just buy a house here. They buy the morning coffee on the dock, the run out to the bay, and the lights coming on across the marina at night.
Boating & fishing, daily
Keep the boat on a lift behind the house and you're fishing the bay in minutes — trout and redfish water, bait camps, and marinas that have launched mornings here for generations.
The Kemah Boardwalk
Waterfront dining, rides, and live music on the bay — the scene that put Kemah on the map. Owners love having it in the neighborhood; smart buyers know which streets stay quiet when it hums.
Clear Lake next door
One of the largest boating communities in the country is minutes away — yacht clubs, regattas, sunset cruises, and a whole social life organized around the water.
Small town, close to the city
Golf carts, local seafood joints, neighbors who know your boat by name — roughly 30 minutes from Houston, and it feels a world further. That's the whole draw.
What buyers ask us first
How deep is the water at the lift? What's the bulkhead made of, and when was it done? Which flood zone, really? Can I rent it on weekends? Those are the right questions — and the ones your REALTOR® should answer before the showing, not after.
Things to Do in Kemah
The weekend starts
at the end of your street
This is the part of Kemah living no floor plan shows: rides and seafood on the Boardwalk, sails up on the bay by morning, and the marina going gold at dusk. When you live here, this is just Tuesday-through-Sunday.
The Areas
Six towns, one stretch of water
Kemah is the name on the search, but locals shop the whole shoreline. Each town below trades water access, lot style, and pace differently.
The Heart of It
Kemah
Kemah is the original — a historic bay town turned waterfront destination, home to the Boardwalk, the marina district, and streets of canal homes where the boat sleeps out back. You'll find everything from classic cottages and raised coastal homes to deep-water canal properties with private lifts. It's a genuine second-home and weekend-house market: many owners drive down Friday, fish Saturday, and watch the sun drop behind the bridge Sunday before heading back — while full-timers get that rhythm every day.
Canal-Front Island Living
Clear Lake Shores
An island community of canals right beside Kemah, famous for golf carts, waterfront decks, and a proudly laid-back streak. Nearly every street ends at the water, homes sit on canals with lifts and bulkheads, and the sunset pours straight down the main canal. It's Kemah's quieter sibling — same water, more front-porch energy.
Marinas & Trails
Seabrook
Seabrook stretches along the bay and Clear Lake with big marinas, waterfront parks, and miles of hike-and-bike trails through the marsh. Neighborhoods range from established waterfront enclaves to leafy residential streets, and the seafood markets along the channel are a local institution. Boaters who want calm water and room to breathe start here.
The Suburban Anchor
League City
The area's largest city — master-planned neighborhoods, top-rated schools, and South Shore Harbour on Clear Lake for marina living at scale. Most homes aren't on the water, but the water is minutes away, which makes League City the practical base for families who want the boating life with suburban room to spread out.
Old-School Bay Town
Bacliff
Just down Highway 146, Bacliff keeps the unpolished, working-water character the bay had before the resorts — waterfront lots, stilt homes, local bars and bait shops, and bay views without Boardwalk prices of admission. Buyers who want the water first and the polish later keep Bacliff on the list.
The Island, Down the Road
Galveston
About a half hour south, Galveston Island is Kemah's big day out: Gulf beaches along the Seawall, the historic Strand district, Moody Gardens' glass pyramids, the Pleasure Pier, and streets of grand Victorian homes. Plenty of Kemah owners keep Galveston in the regular rotation — beach days, festivals, and seafood on the harbor — then come home to the quiet side of the bay. See the Galveston gallery below.
Reading the Water
Not all waterfront is equal — locals know the difference
A canal lot on a deep-water cut is a different purchase from open-bay frontage, and both differ from a home near the water with a marina slip. Before you buy anywhere on this shoreline, get clear answers on:
- Water depth & access — depth at the dock at low tide, and the run out to the bay or Clear Lake
- Bulkhead & boat lift — material, age, and condition; these are real money on the water
- Flood zone & elevation — the map zone, the elevation certificate, and what insurance will actually require
- Rental rules — city permitting plus any HOA or deed restrictions, checked before you count rental income
Just Down the Road
Galveston — the island
is part of the lifestyle
Buy in Kemah and Galveston comes with it — roughly 30 minutes down the road, close enough for a beach morning, a Strand dinner, or a festival weekend, then home to your own dock by dark.
Buying & Selling
Simple process, local hands
No pressure and no runaround. You tell us where you stand — we'll connect you with a licensed Texas REALTOR® who works this shoreline.
Buying in Kemah
From first call to dock keys.
- Tell us what your water life looks likeFull-time home, weekend house, canal, open bay, boat size — two minutes on the phone shapes the whole search.
- Get matched with a licensed local REALTOR®We connect you with a Texas-licensed agent who knows Kemah's canals, bulkheads, and flood maps — not a call center.
- Tour homes the local waySee the dock at low tide, check the lift, drive the street on a Boardwalk Saturday. Your agent shows you what listings don't.
- Offer, inspect, closeWaterfront inspections, insurance, and paperwork handled by your REALTOR® — you just plan the first sunset cruise.
Selling in Kemah
Your buyer is looking for a life, not just a house.
- Tell us about the propertyWater frontage, dock and lift, canal or bay — the details that actually drive waterfront value.
- Get matched with a licensed local REALTOR®An agent who can price the water, not just the square footage, and who markets to Houston's weekend-house crowd.
- Present the waterfront rightDusk photos at the dock, the view front and center, the boating life sold honestly alongside the house.
- Negotiate and close with a proYour REALTOR® handles offers, inspections, and closing — you stay informed at every step.
Featured Partners
Featured Realtor Partners
Three featured spots on KemahRealEstate.com, reserved for licensed local brokerages. They are open right now — when a partner claims one, their name goes here.
Partner Spot · 01
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Your brokerage here — featured placement in front of buyers and sellers searching Kemah waterfront homes.
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Your brokerage here — featured placement in front of buyers and sellers searching Kemah waterfront homes.
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Partner spot open
Your brokerage here — featured placement in front of buyers and sellers searching Kemah waterfront homes.
Claim This SpotFor Realtors
Realtors: never miss a buyer call again
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Straight Answers
Kemah waterfront questions, answered honestly
What should I know before buying a waterfront home in Kemah?
Waterfront in Kemah is not one thing — open-bay frontage, deep-water canals, and Clear Lake access all live differently. Ask about water depth at the dock, the condition of the bulkhead and boat lift, and how the home handles bay weather. A licensed local REALTOR® who works the water can walk you through what to inspect before you fall for the sunset view.
Do I need flood insurance in Kemah, and how do flood zones work?
Much of Kemah sits near the water, so flood zones matter. Your lender may require flood insurance depending on the property's zone, and premiums vary by elevation and location. Ask for the property's elevation certificate and flood map details early, and have your REALTOR® and insurance agent review them together before you commit.
Can I run a short-term rental in Kemah?
It depends on the property. City rules, permitting, and any HOA or deed restrictions can all affect whether short-term rentals are allowed. Check the current City of Kemah requirements and the property's restrictions with your REALTOR® before buying with rental income in mind — do not assume a listing being near the Boardwalk means rentals are permitted.
What are the best nearby areas if I'm looking around Kemah?
Clear Lake Shores is the golf-cart, canal-front island community right next door. Seabrook brings marinas, trails, and a quieter residential feel. League City is the larger suburban option with master-planned neighborhoods minutes from the water. Bacliff, just down the road, keeps an unpolished, local bay-town character. And about a half hour south, Galveston adds Gulf beaches, the historic Strand, Moody Gardens, and the Pleasure Pier to the lifestyle. Each area trades water access, lot style, and commute differently — tell us your priorities and we'll connect you with a licensed REALTOR® who knows them street by street. See the areas guide above and the Galveston gallery.
Is Kemah a good place for a second home or weekend house?
Kemah has long been Houston's weekend water — close enough for a Friday drive down, far enough to feel like you left. Many owners keep a boat behind the house, fish the bay in the morning, and take sunset cruises past the Boardwalk lights. If you're buying from out of town, ask about upkeep, storm prep, and who watches the house between visits; a local REALTOR® can point you to the ownership details that matter.
How does this site connect me with a REALTOR®?
Call or text 281-335-6279, or email us, and tell us you're buying or selling. KemahRealEstate.com is a local information and connection site operated by Bautista Enterprise — we are not a licensed real estate brokerage and we do not sell property or earn commissions. We connect you with a licensed Texas REALTOR® who handles your transaction.
Talk to a Local Pro
Buying or selling on the water?
Start with one call.
281-335-6279
Call or text anytime. Tell us a little about what you're looking for — canal or open bay, full-time or weekends — and we'll get you pointed the right way.
Tell us you're buying or selling and we'll connect you with a licensed local REALTOR®.