Advice please; on how best to sell.....

Becky

Becky

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Joined
10 Nov 2003
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Cornish Maid.

Would we be better off keeping her in the water in Haslar for either a six-month contract, or even a monthly contract, or lifting her out of the water in a boat yard somewhere. I had Dell Quay Marine over by Chichester Marina in mind.

Thing is, I don't see the boat selling to a casual 'mast-kicker' who wanders round marinas/brokers. I would expect to sell to someone who is fed up with the rat race and is looking for a fully de-bugged blue water cruiser.

Or is there a better way of doing things?

All suggestions welcome
 
Have you got lots of pictures that you can put on a website? Can you arrange links so anyone googling Bluewater cruiser will come across it. A good question for the forum, would you prefer a first viewing of a prospective boat purchase in the water or on the hard?
For me it would be the hard.
 
My experience is that storing ashore is better..... Cost is lower if it take a while... wont have to be lifted for a survey... easy for buyer to check all her bits.... if she is gonna go to someone who knows what they are looking for then a test sail wont be needed.....

Buyer can do survey, and if it comes back ok pay to lift back in for sail... far less likely to fail at the sail stage than at the survey.... cut your costs, lift her out.

im sorry to here you are selling her. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
 
Becky,

I'd get a website up, with loads and loads of pics, and lots of details.... Cornish Maid has so much that you need to tell people about.... and then an advert in YM to direct people to the website....

I'll add my voice to the list of people saying get her ashore..... besides being the 'normal' viewing environment for a boat purchase, you also avoid the timewasters just after a free sail....
 
Well that is very constructive advice.

I ma not sure how to set up a web site, but I know somebody who could help. I have loads of pics of her, and can soon take more, of the insides.

Any more suggestions??
 
If you are not an HTML or Publisher tyro then I would use www.1and1.co.uk They are cheap and have a very nice website builder that takes the pain out of building your own site. Uploading photos is easy

As I used mine to make a site to advertise my yacht for charter, I will not give the address here. Happy to PM you the address so you can see what a novice can achieve in an evening

TudorDoc
 
If you're going to use a broker make sure you negotiate the % beforehand. Some such as Berthon offer free storage ashore for possibly 4 months, so maybe worth making enquiries there.

I'd also put an ad on boatsandoutboards, costs very little and is viewed by a very wide audience.

Good luck.
 
[ QUOTE ]
I
As I used mine to make a site to advertise my yacht for charter, I will not give the address here.

[/ QUOTE ]

Nice boat! /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif Not too keen on the music though!
 
Becky, think hard about what adds value to the boat and what does not.
Leaving on an inflatable and outboard may add attractiveness, but may not. It certainly wont add to the selling price.
I would sift most carefully through the inventory, and either do the Beaulieu Jumble, or eke it out on ebay or here. You probably have thousands invested in stuff that adds little value.
You idea of the perfect inventory is probably not what the next owner thinks.
You could even have a menu price list (at reasonable discounted costs) for all the 'extras' not included.

Having made that decision, take off everything that is not listed, particularly any personal effects, perhaps leaving a few cleaning materials to show its cared for.

I agree with the others, leave it on the hard, but ensure you have a fresh coat of antifouling rather than leaving it slightly slimy or brown looking.
 
Get a link to your boat from your name on here.
You could use a broker like Boatshed, then the adds would be international, but I believe % is roughly 8% and then VAT too, I stand to be corected on that price but perhaps someone who knows for sure will come on.
Pick a boat yard with good parking facilities, and nearby refreshments, so couples find it easier and more relaxing to view, plus somewhere to sit and mull it over, with the opportunity to pop back for another view.

Make the boat look more homely, cusions, nice towel and soap in the bathroom. Pretty teatowel, nice shiny kettle on the hob. Bottle of wine in view with a couple of glasses, maybe some fruit in a bowl, remember that like when selling houses, you are selling the promiss of a certain type of lifestyle.
The boaty part of the couple will be looking at warps sheets and sails, the other partner will be trying to imagine sitting relaxing and enjoying each others company,
A bright coloured attractive tablecloth can distract the eye from curtains that might be slightly fading, and nice bright cushions can make the underneath upholstery look better too.
All the best with your sale,
 
I've had good success selling through boatsandoutboards.co.uk. Our last house went via that free source a couple of years ago, and two boats before that.

I hear it may not be as efffective as it was, but can only tell my own experience.

I would think anyone seriously seeking a Moody would be keeping an eye on the MOA site. I'd definitely get something on there.

On balance, I tend to agree with the ashore, rather than afloat, strategy.

Personally, I'd much prefer to do without a Broker. If you do want to use a broker, get recommendations from people you trust, or go visit a few as a buyer and see how you're treated.
 
Almost every boat Ive ever been to view has been stripped of all personal effects, but then there is very little to catch the eye, or for the eye to dwell on, often the boat can look 'cold' and 'empty' thats fine for the partner who is imagining himself at the helm, heeling nicely, but think about the person who simply wants the most comfortable and relaxing time posible.
At the boat shows, the boats that have the little decorative touches, all looked like a better class of boat, and more cared for, the better presented the better, remember it takes two to choose a boat.
 
definitely put her ashore (after a huge spring-clean) but choose your location carefully - peeps won't crawl down the A32 to Gosport, for example.
Direct sell via Boats & Outboards is cheap and effective, duplicated with broker(s) but don't be ensnared by a contract which precludes selling privately.
A little-used strategy is to commission a broker to for all the paperwork at a fixed free after you've had an offer, thus downloading all the hassle of deposit, contract, survey, etc.
Don't lament lack of personal website - anyone looking for a Moody 37 will know what they want.
Good luck.
 
When looking for our blue water boat we looked at many many boats, but only a small percentage (maybe 10%) were in the water - it is easier for people to have a good poke around and get a survey done on the hard.

Also agree re blue water kit. Some items will be worth more second hand than they will add to the value of the boat - SSB, self steering, extra ground tackle etc.

Just thoughts from my experience of hunting for many months!

Jonny
 
A lot of sound advice given so far, what you do of course will depend on a range of factors such as how much time you have to devote to the sale and your timescale.

PM sent
 
I am speaking as someone who will be looking to buy a boat for blue water sailing in aboout two years time and who spends some considerable time on the internet looking at boats that may be suitable. In other words the customer.

I certainly agree about photos. The more the better, both inside and out and good quality. As someone who will probably only be buying a boat once and also starting from scratch the more extras the better. I suspect the second hand value of most of this stuff is relatively small. There are a lot of boats for sail and the first thing to achieve is interest. It does not matter at that stage if the boat is in the water or not; it does not really matter about the condition of the boat; it does matter that the advert attracts attention and hopefully inspires interest.
Prices can be very similar so I do look at whether I will need to buy more anchors, a dinghy and outboard, new electronics, liferaft, watermaker, generator etc. Even things like charts.
I can be an untidy person, but a picture of an untidy saloon or cabin will usually make me go straight on to the next boat. Once the advert has my attention I will look more closely at the mechanics, rigging, layout etc.
I think it is going to be a buyers market with fears of recession and the more your advert appears to offer the more chance you have of hooking the prospective buyer. I am sorry that I am not ready to buy just yet.
Daipal
 
The asking price band for a 37 is relatively narrow because there is a steady turnover in boats which sets a market price. Therefore the exact specification and amount of kit has very little impact on price. As other posters have noted it will be presentation and ambience that will make the difference. One of the advantages of using a broker is that they are detached and more objective, whereas you may be tempted to try and sell your dream, which may not be the potential buyers dream.

A couple of years ago I looked at two 376s on the same day with similar specs in terms of amount of kit but different in emphasis, but with asking prices virtually the same. Both were out of the water. One had been prepared for the ARC about 5 years previously and then largely neglected despite the substantial expenditure. The owner had not seen the boat for over a year and obviously imagined it to be in the 5 year ago condition, ignorant of the fact that it had become shabby with lack of use - damp, mould, varnish peeling etc. The other had similar levels of kit and expenditure, but was clearly used frequently, and was ready to go cruising after a trip to the supermarket to pick up the beer. It sold the day after it went on the market for the (top dollar) asking price.

My advice would be to use a broker, of which there are a number who have experience with Moodys, take their advice on what to include to get the best price, pay a professional to clean and prepare the boat, then walk away and wait for the offers. Brokers earn their living by getting sales at a price that justifies their commission and they enjoy their job whereas most dedicated boat owners hate selling their pride and joy! Don't be tempted into thinking you can get the "right owner" who will appreciate your loved boat and might persuade you to sell at a lower price. It is a commercial transaction and once they have it , it is theirs to do what they want.

I hope I can heed my own advice if and when (heaven forbid!) I need to sell my Morgan!

Good luck
 
Becky - get an advert on the MOA website For Sale board ASAP. Apart from being totally free, it is where a lot of people end up if they are specifically looking for a Moody. We had the best quality sales leads that way, followed by Boats and Outboards.
 
From my experience of buying and selling boats in the Uk there is two key times when boats sell. September round about Southampton boat show time and Feb March April time ready for the new season. As said before I would take most of your blue water kit off, you will have a bigger captive market that way, the price of the boat will then reflect an average price of a 376-37. sell the rest of the stuff on ebay..

Your boat needs to be out on the hard and polished and painted ASAP especially before Easter weekend. Maybe get it out at Moody's Swanwick with other 376 so yours stands out. Also adverts in B&O, the MOA website (do they have a magazine as well ?)

It's normally the lady in a partnership that gives the last nod to buy so you need to make access to the boat easy. getting up and down ladders or a proper walk way to the stern does help. If the boats on the shore and is difficult to board you won't get people to view inside.

best of luck for a quick sell
 
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