good time to sell or is the market still in the doldrums

Looking through the adverts, I'd say asking prices on "named brand" popular boats are going back up, but older, smaller, less well known boats seem to be still at a low point. If your boat is in tip-top condition with up-to-date instruments, engine and good sails it should be viable, but otherwise there's a lot of competition from low priced boats whose owners can't afford their upkeep. It's also indicative that there are nowhere near as many adverts as there were five or six years ago.

Rob.
 
A well known brokerage has rented quite a lot of pontoon space in our marina to display their wares and things don't seem to be moving particularly quickly at the moment - including some rather nice looking boats at what seem to be reasonable prices.
 
It also depends what you are doing. If trading up it's a good time as the price differential between you boat and the next will be lower.

If you are cashing-in it may be a bad time.
 
I've been watching a particular part of the market for sometime. The only boats moving there are those at reasonably low prices. Those hanging on at higher prices are not selling, some not even getting offers.
 
rob2 said:
Looking through the adverts, I'd say asking prices on "named brand" popular boats are going back up, but older, smaller, less well known boats seem to be still at a low point. If your boat is in tip-top condition with up-to-date instruments, engine and good sails it should be viable, but otherwise there's a lot of competition from low priced boats whose owners can't afford their upkeep. It's also indicative that there are nowhere near as many adverts as there were five or six years ago.

Rob.
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I agree with Rob if the boat is in good condition and presented well they are selling, it's all very well having nice pictures on the web site but does the boat match the pictures and condition advertised in reality because if they do not then you are wasting your money and other peoples time and money to visit.

I do Pre Buying Inspection Visits only on Colvic Watsons and have been involved in selling over 11 this year of various sizes for new owners.

However it never ceases to amaze me how some people just think their boats will sell when they are not even clean outside or inside, this is not counting the things I find not working and some I would not go across the local park lake in.

Quality always sells and some nice CW at reasonable prices can be found, but, it's the old story 'you gets what you pay for !

Mike
 
It's a pretty rotten time of year to buy, because anyone buying now has a winter's worth of storage and fettling to do before getting some sailing in. On the other hand, it's a good time to sell for precisely the same reasons.
 
JumbleDuck said:
It's a pretty rotten time of year to buy, because anyone buying now has a winter's worth of storage and fettling to do before getting some sailing in. On the other hand, it's a good time to sell for precisely the same reasons.
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Not such a bad time to buy: you can have a few day sails before laying up, which will show you what needs to be done over the winter. When people look at boats they are thinking of buying they often say ".. I'll have to change xxxx and yyyy". I always suggest they sail the boat a few times first before changing anything - there is often a good reason the previous owner rigged or fitted something in a particular way.

I sent the OP a PM with similar views to Jonic - small boat sales slow-moving, mid-bigger sizes doing quite well. Our problem - http://www.yachtsnet.co.uk/ - is not enough people putting these sort of boats up for sale.
 
jwilson said:
I sent the OP a PM with similar views to Jonic - small boat sales slow-moving, mid-bigger sizes doing quite well. Our problem - http://www.yachtsnet.co.uk/ - is not enough people putting these sort of boats up for sale.
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Those two are connected - that's how markets work. Lack of supply means product sells easily or prices move up, or both. But should also encourage more sellers into the market. Had exactly the same response when discussing trading in my Morgan with a dealer - his biggest problem was finding enough cars to sell, so very keen to do a deal, even against another Morgan.
 
jwilson said:
Not such a bad time to buy: you can have a few day sails before laying up, which will show you what needs to be done over the winter. When people look at boats they are thinking of buying they often say ".. I'll have to change xxxx and yyyy". I always suggest they sail the boat a few times first before changing anything - there is often a good reason the previous owner rigged or fitted something in a particular way.

I sent the OP a PM with similar views to Jonic - small boat sales slow-moving, mid-bigger sizes doing quite well. Our problem - http://www.yachtsnet.co.uk/ - is not enough people putting these sort of boats up for sale.
Click to expand...

That's interesting that you are seeing the same pattern, having said that our Biscay 36 just had an offer accepted.

I sold a Bavaria 47 this week WITHOUT EVEN ADVERTISING IT! (We have a very good database :cool:)

and viewings booked all next week on 40ft plus boats.
 
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Bottom end of market seems to be very flat.

Having said that we bought, admittedly in February, a few months ago, a 33' boat at a very big discount (we felt) as we had cash, ready to go.

We still have the 27' boat (a Sabre) in good condition with good kit etc. (not just our opinion), for sale and very little in the way of interest.
 
Sadly the market is influenced by the politics driving the economy. Anyone remember the "Trickle Down Effect"? Plain truth is that the economy has only happened for those that have so much disposable income they can buy a 40ft "starter" boat - whether they can sail or not, just look at some of the posts here on the forum.

I won't bang on about it for too long, but I felt underpaid along with everyone else in engineering but now, rapidly approaching retirement, I am lugging pallets around a warehouse at unsociable hours for national minimum wage. My previous employer's owner took a holiday employing a dozen sherpas to walk to the Everest base camp. I can assure you it's not money that trickles down. I bet my current employer was on holiday too.

I believe it'll be at least a couple more years before the market settles again at a sensible level. Those of us who require a sensible sized boat cannot at present afford the running costs, so their price is depressed.

Rob.
 
Well, I have just had a look at my boat, Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 35

It is advertised for as little as EUR44000 in Greece (ex charter no vat) to £69000 in UK.
Now those boats were only made for 4 years, so that is a huge spread.
I know there are big differences in spec and updating, but wow!

Mine is a lift keel which puts it apart a bit, a minority but seemingly sought after niche. Who knows? (Rhetorical question, Jonic probably knows exactly)

I think I will hold onto my 'investment' a bit longer.:)
 
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