Are old boat prices dropping again?

[hurley]

I agree that at the lower end sellers are starting to reduce prices and they seem to be coming back to the sorts of prices they were pre-covid. The older, smaller Moodys, Sadlers, Westerlys, e.g. and the same is happening with older narrowboats. Lots of ads with reduced prices. Maybe we'll start looking after our older boats a bit better now buying second hand in the EU is a no go...

Yes, this is my experience but the nice ones do seem to go quite quickly especially if they are priced appropriately.

 

[mrming]

As an avid watcher of the boat classifieds (for no good reason), my take on the market this week:

1) Still very little availability of secondhand, not too ancient AWBs in the 34-40’ range. Prices are holding up accordingly.

2) Whereas before, older family size boats in medium condition and above were being snapped up at and above their asking price, they’re now starting to hang around. A marked increase in the level of aspirational waffle written by brokers in the ads signals that the boom in people buying any old carp is over for now.

 

[Resolution]

Met with a high-end broker yesterday who said there are definite signs of a downturn. Potential buyers who had been looking at 55 to 60 footers now looking at 45 to 50 footers.

 

[hurley]

That's very interesting, definitely does seem to be more boats on the market and starting to see some reductions in the 10 to 25k market.

 

[SoulFireMage]

We still seeing a 20%+ BrexitCovid tax on 40-46' 25-30 yr old mobos. Even funnier when you find older adverts for the same boat a few years ago, at much less money.

 

[dgadee]

Met with a high-end broker yesterday who said there are definite signs of a downturn. Potential buyers who had been looking at 55 to 60 footers now looking at 45 to 50 footers.

Good. They will take up less room at anchor.

 

[fifer]

Met with a high-end broker yesterday who said there are definite signs of a downturn. Potential buyers who had been looking at 55 to 60 footers now looking at 45 to 50 footers.

Could also be indicative of an injection of common sense i.e. a couple realising that 45-50ft is going to be easier to manage at sea and berth than something bigger.

 

[jac]

Could also be indicative of an injection of common sense i.e. a couple realising that 45-50ft is going to be easier to manage at sea and berth than something bigger.

I suspect financial common sense will also bite. Even if one earns good money, the predictions of a recession and of high inflation are impossible to miss and I expect many people many wonder what that will do to incomes, even for a retired person where dividends may fall hugely or where they may feel the need to help out working children who are struggling as the economy slows.

On thats basis, people may want to leave a little more breathing space

 

[fifer]

I suspect financial common sense will also bite. Even if one earns good money, the predictions of a recession and of high inflation are impossible to miss and I expect many people many wonder what that will do to incomes, even for a retired person where dividends may fall hugely or where they may feel the need to help out working children who are struggling as the economy slows.

On thats basis, people may want to leave a little more breathing space

Thats a fair comment. Depends which market the purchasers are in. I suspect people buying new 55-60fters in the more exclusive marques are somewhat insulated from the worlds financial woes. On the other hand, those exploring the range of 30-50 yr old larger customs, self builds and one off yachts may well have shallower pockets and will be rethinking their plans.

 

[SoulFireMage]

Thats a fair comment. Depends which market the purchasers are in. I suspect people buying new 55-60fters in the more exclusive marques are somewhat insulated from the worlds financial woes. On the other hand, those exploring the range of 30-50 yr old larger customs, self builds and one off yachts may well have shallower pockets and will be rethinking their plans.

There is an odd contradiction for us in this.

On the one hand, biased as potential buyers as we are, we hope for a collapse of what seem like really sky high prices for 25-40 Yr old boats.

On the other, the causes of such a collapse make us question the notion of buying at all even if the silly tax is stripped off.

 

[Laser310]

X-Yachts maintains a page on their website that tries to list all the brokerage X-Yachts available. This is not just yachts listed by their in-house brokerage.., but all boats listed by all brokerages.

Of course.., it is never 100% accurate or up to date.., but they do seem to make a good effort to remove sold listings and add new listings in a timely manner.

I have been looking at this page regularly for several years - definitely since well before covid.

the list now stands at 61 boats for sale.

This is as high a number as I can recall.

Brokerage |

 

[Tranona]

On the other hand Clipper Marine have only 3 Bavarias listed in the UK - suspect very few of the X Boats are in the UK.