Buying Boat in France..... discouraging experience. We doing something wrong?

[dpb]

The plan was to spend 4 weeks in France to buy a boat to keep here.
Been here since Saturday.
Short listed about 30 boats (some duplications in there for sure) from Annonce bateau and Youboat. and contacted the advertisers by phone and email or through websites.
Have managed to secure viewings for only 3 boats with most contacts being unanswered.
Going to do follow up phone calls tomorrow but is this normal?
Or we doing things the wrong way?

 

[Portofino]

Where are you ?
Was going to say breeze into a brokers for face to face , get the low down .
La Napoule has 10-15 offices in a row all with windows full and person sat inside on desk , most stock a stones throw or 10 min car journey .

 

[dpb]

We are near Bandol / Sanary

 

[Sandy]

What language are you speaking in?

 

[prinex]

Maybe in France is like in Italy at the moment with stock at all-time low and only the expensive or unwanted boats on the market. I tried to upgrade to a larger boat (actual size 41") and gave up after 3 months, it would have been possible but for the price of the upgrade I could have bought not one but two apartments here in Liguria... Due to scarcity people with older boats in good shape keep them (as the upgrade will be too expensive), you do find recent boats on the market - but 620K Euro for a 2009 Squadron 55 ? not sure.

Depending on size you are looking for, usually a "wave" of decent used boats comes around nov/dec, those are from people buying / ordering new at Cannes and Genova show. They are IMO the best deal, people that can afford 1.3 Mio Euro on a new Ferretti 50 probably had the measly 40/60K a year to keep their previous boat in good shape, and also are not interested in keeping the boat for sale for 2 years to get the most money. Problem is those deals does not really hit the websites listing as the brokers have a list of customers which are looking for a particular model, and they call them first. And there are plenty of buyers which sold this year for incredible high prices sitting on cash, hungry and ready to snipe.

Bandol/Sanary is btw more the "french hardcore" area, which plays a big role in everything in France, you could have more luck moving towards Cannes where most of the non-french boaters are based.

 

[dpb]

All communication in French and it does seem to make a difference when they realise you can speak it.
Some more responses have trickled through so maybe we just have to be patient.

 

[Bouba]

Try Leboncoin.fr

 

[Portofino]

Loose the Australian accent . .


I will get my coat .