Boat brokerage and buying a boat

[gordmac]

It seems so and visa versa, but I think that has yet to be proof tested. But NI still adheres to EU VAT rules on goods so the theory is sound.

I suppose 20% isn't enough margin to make it worthwhile but I did wonder if there was a business for someone in NI to buy in the EU and sell to Britain or vice versa.

 

[Fire99]

I suppose 20% isn't enough margin to make it worthwhile but I did wonder if there was a business for someone in NI to buy in the EU and sell to Britain or vice versa.

Quite possibly. I guess if the unit price is high enough to make the bureaucracy worthwhile.. Never really thought about it to be honest.

 

[volvopaul]

Interesting reading , I was talking to a broker this week who says viewings are down , more boats going up for sale than there are buyers .
You only have to look on Facebook to see how many adverts are placed on certain pages , what with 10% on moorings from the big 2 operators , more in electricity and fuel , mortgages coming to an end on fixed rates , people are feeling the pinch plus the good old British weather isn’t that appealing now we’re opened up on foreign travel again .

 

[Fire99]

Interesting reading , I was talking to a broker this week who says viewings are down , more boats going up for sale than there are buyers .
You only have to look on Facebook to see how many adverts are placed on certain pages , what with 10% on moorings from the big 2 operators , more in electricity and fuel , mortgages coming to an end on fixed rates , people are feeling the pinch plus the good old British weather isn’t that appealing now we’re opened up on foreign travel again .

That's interesting.. That would have been my expectations but here in NI the broker still seems to be mad busy, but then I don't know to what degree that equals sales etc.

 

[Seastoke]

The Broker in Bangor , is a joke.

 

[superheat6k]

Had a call from the broker to say she had viewing today they made an offer of asking price and the boat is sold .

when I asked why did she not come back to me so we could finish our negations, she said what can i do when I have someone in front me offering full asking, I said you shouldn't be taking offers from other parties if you've already started negations with someone else, I would have been happy to go to full asking if needed, personally I don't believe she ever put any of my offers to the owner, if she had and got back to me straight away to sell could have been conclude three days ago. bad practice IMO but the problem is boat brokerage is totally unregulated so they can do what they want.

Oh well the moral is if you see a boat you really want just pay the asking price.

I would suggest you make a positive note of your original offer, so if this sale falls through and the broker calls you, quoting your close to AP offer, remind her of your original offer, as that is effectively at that point back on the table, or indeed possibly a lower offer. After all you will want to know why the sale fell through - is she aware of previously undisclosed defects the current purchaser had discovered. If she is she is obliged to tell you of these.

I would also suggest you get a little more difficult, as by then the vendor may well be a bit more pliable.

I had this happen to me last year with a near mint CHB, that I was denied even a viewing as the boat had (apparently) sold within a few hours of being listed. Well subsequently the sale elsewhere fell through, and when they returned to me I had already found my current boat. I think the word is schadenfreude.

 

[jfm]

I would suggest you make a positive note of your original offer, so if this sale falls through and the broker calls you, quoting your close to AP offer, remind her of your original offer, as that is effectively at that point back on the table, or indeed possibly a lower offer. After all you will want to know why the sale fell through - is she aware of previously undisclosed defects the current purchaser had discovered. If she is she is obliged to tell you of these.

I would also suggest you get a little more difficult, as by then the vendor may well be a bit more pliable.

I had this happen to me last year with a near mint CHB, that I was denied even a viewing as the boat had (apparently) sold within a few hours of being listed. Well subsequently the sale elsewhere fell through, and when they returned to me I had already found my current boat. I think the word is schadenfreude.

All very sensible but I don't think she is obliged to tell you of defects (in UK).

 

[Tranona]

Had a call from the broker to say she had viewing today they made an offer of asking price and the boat is sold .

when I asked why did she not come back to me so we could finish our negations, she said what can i do when I have someone in front me offering full asking, I said you shouldn't be taking offers from other parties if you've already started negations with someone else, I would have been happy to go to full asking if needed, personally I don't believe she ever put any of my offers to the owner, if she had and got back to me straight away to sell could have been conclude three days ago. bad practice IMO but the problem is boat brokerage is totally unregulated so they can do what they want.

Oh well the moral is if you see a boat you really want just pay the asking price.

i think you may be jumping to conclusions here. She on the face of it is right. If somebody else offered asking price and you had not, but had offered less she (and the owner) are perfectly within their rights to accept the offer and cease negotiations with you. You have made no commitment by way of a contract or deposit and the seller has just decided that he prefers dealing with somebody else. If you want to buy a boat offer the price yopu think the seller will accept and is acceptable to you. In your own words you did not - you offered less while being prepared to pay more. Lesson learned as you say in your last sentence.

Absolutely nothing to do with lack of "regulation" - just straightforward business relations.

 

[Sticky Fingers]

Yes, totally agree with Tranona here, as a seller I'd certainly take that view. As a buyer, I'd make my best and final offer very clear in writing (email) with any terms that I might want to apply. Win or lose, that's my offer.

 

[stelican]

Had a call from the broker to say she had viewing today they made an offer of asking price and the boat is sold .

when I asked why did she not come back to me so we could finish our negations, she said what can i do when I have someone in front me offering full asking, I said you shouldn't be taking offers from other parties if you've already started negations with someone else, I would have been happy to go to full asking if needed, personally I don't believe she ever put any of my offers to the owner, if she had and got back to me straight away to sell could have been conclude three days ago. bad practice IMO but the problem is boat brokerage is totally unregulated so they can do what they want.

Oh well the moral is if you see a boat you really want just pay the asking price.

Who was the brokerage?

 

[ChromeDome]

.. I'm not sure I want to get into a bidding war ..

Had a call from the broker to say she had viewing today they made an offer of asking price and the boat is sold .

Which apparently you didn't.
Sad that your stragegy failed but that's life. Next time you'll be wiser

 

[henryf]

I always love a good buying and selling thread

In terms of the market, treat what everyone tells you with a pinch of salt. There are perennial doom mongers who constantly tell you the market’s either on its arse or just about to be and this is often backed up by vague examples. The problem is each sale is unique. If the boat you’re buying is a sought after model then it may well buck any trends which blight less desirable craft.

In terms of rising costs, whilst that may affect chance buyers at the lower end of the market purchases at the upper end are unlikely to be affected by a 10% rise in mooring fees. Annual berthing fees in the UK are a rounding error when buying a decent sized new or nearly new boat. Anyone looking for a sound investment would avoid boating like the plague. As I always say, the insanity which keeps me sane…..

As for this broker. From what I can see they acted very wisely and calmed things down a bit to get all bids on the table. You we hoping to win a race but it was a marathon not a sprint. A few days making sure all parties had time to view, collate offers and so on seems sensible.

If the sale falls out of bed by all means let them know you are still there but I’m not sure you need to kick them in the nuts. You and the other buyer aren’t the only two people buying boats. Someone else will come along and snatch it from you again. Some people take a rather strange view that all vendors are desperate. Whilst that can sometimes be the case more often they are well grounded and living within their means. It's usually only the dross which gets nicked for a ”bargain”.

We sell Porsches for a living and it constantly amazes me the number of people who were literally just going to buy the car once its sold. With what we sell when its gone its gone, we don’t have a warehouse full of similar cars sadly. I’m not sure its ever a buyer’s or a seller’s market. Like life I think there needs to be a bit of meat on the bone for everyone so both parties can walk away intact.

Anyway, good luck with the hunt and I genuinely hope you end up with something which does you proud.

 

[bluetooth]

Had a call from the broker to say she had viewing today they made an offer of asking price and the boat is sold .

when I asked why did she not come back to me so we could finish our negations, she said what can i do when I have someone in front me offering full asking, I said you shouldn't be taking offers from other parties if you've already started negations with someone else, I would have been happy to go to full asking if needed, personally I don't believe she ever put any of my offers to the owner, if she had and got back to me straight away to sell could have been conclude three days ago. bad practice IMO but the problem is boat brokerage is totally unregulated so they can do what they want.

Oh well the moral is if you see a boat you really want just pay the asking price.

Understand your pain but sounds like other party did as per #15.
Doesn't sound like you were in true negotiations just offers and that's difficult to decide who's right and wrong. Dont fall out with them and say your around if there's an issue. State how fast you could complete the purchase. I got my previous boat that way as other buyer bottled the survey and jobs needed on a 15yr old boat scared them.
Hope you soon purchase what you need.