NotBirdseye
Well-Known Member
Entirely my point, I don't like buying private, which completely scuppers the second hand boat market for myself. (I'm not looking, just hypothetical situations).
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how best to sell a boat these days?
- Thread starter Birdseye
- Start date
D
Deleted member 36384
Guest
I like pictures, lots of, all aspects. They also need to be recent pictures. When I was looking there were 3 things that stopped me moving forward: a web advert with only a few pictures, a web site that forced me to sign up to see more pictures and pictures that were obviously not recent ones.
I scanned the brokers and various websites with a mind on what I wanted and price range. At the time there was a lot of boats for sale so if it wasn’t easy for me to see what was being offered I moved on.
Basically, make it easy for potential buyers to gauge your boat remotely, so they can have confidence when they come to see the boat that it is as offered.
If there is information on maintenance, care and repairs, upgrades and replacements, have that ready in a digital pack. I was emailed a survey, a technical note on a fault and how it had been repaired and receipts for engine service.
In a nut shell, I am looking for my questions to be answered before I ask them.
I scanned the brokers and various websites with a mind on what I wanted and price range. At the time there was a lot of boats for sale so if it wasn’t easy for me to see what was being offered I moved on.
Basically, make it easy for potential buyers to gauge your boat remotely, so they can have confidence when they come to see the boat that it is as offered.
If there is information on maintenance, care and repairs, upgrades and replacements, have that ready in a digital pack. I was emailed a survey, a technical note on a fault and how it had been repaired and receipts for engine service.
In a nut shell, I am looking for my questions to be answered before I ask them.
Tiderace
Active Member
I think selling yachts all depends what and where you are selling. If you are selling a 70foot it makes sense to use a broker for the world wide coverage; If you are selling a 21 footer; fleabay/appolloduck/local facebook sailing group etc!
We have our yacht listed at the moment. We are currently listed with two brokers for a variety of reasons. And yes broker fees will make your eyes water. But like anything they are negotiable. One broker I'm not impressed with from a sellers point of view, as they move the person on point for your yacht depending on where you keep it. I like personal relationships...!
As to buying from a private/broker/dealers etc. Dealer will only be as good as his insurance policy and if they don't go into administration/fold if you try and make a claim. Broker/private, only difference is you negotiate directly going private and should save 5-10% from broker commission!
Regardless private/broker/dealer you should get a survey, in that way you have recourse against the surveyor and if they are gone, there professional body. Also worth sticking with your original insurance company for a few years to ensure no latent defects appear; as there is another line of recourse as they will have "accepted" the survey report initially anyway! (I had a very large hole in my bank account from a lesson here; hard learnt!)
We have our yacht listed at the moment. We are currently listed with two brokers for a variety of reasons. And yes broker fees will make your eyes water. But like anything they are negotiable. One broker I'm not impressed with from a sellers point of view, as they move the person on point for your yacht depending on where you keep it. I like personal relationships...!
As to buying from a private/broker/dealers etc. Dealer will only be as good as his insurance policy and if they don't go into administration/fold if you try and make a claim. Broker/private, only difference is you negotiate directly going private and should save 5-10% from broker commission!
Regardless private/broker/dealer you should get a survey, in that way you have recourse against the surveyor and if they are gone, there professional body. Also worth sticking with your original insurance company for a few years to ensure no latent defects appear; as there is another line of recourse as they will have "accepted" the survey report initially anyway! (I had a very large hole in my bank account from a lesson here; hard learnt!)
Solent Sailor
Well-Known Member
Bought and sold quite a few things over the years - never used a broker to sell. It ultimately depends how much effort you want to put in - can you accomodate viewings with short notice over a BH weekend? Do you want someone else to do the leg work for you, and can you find someone locally who you can trust to do it?
I actually really enjoy buying and selling boats - especially when I've improved/renovated them and sold them for a profit (as I have done virtually every time). I also like personal sales much better as both a buyer and a seller. Personal sellers are more flexible, less bound by protocol and will normally accommodate a test sail prior to contract if you seem a likely candidate. I've done the same myself as a seller (including letting a prospective buyer stay on board over night and examine every inch of the boat in minute detail - he bought it happily at the asking price). You've got to be resolute as a seller though - do you know what your boat is worth? Are you prepared to stand your ground and defend your price, or move to lower it, if the market dictates? Can you have an honest conversation with yourself about whether its better to accept a lower offer and move forwards than sit it out for a few more months and lose an onward purchase?
eBay is good for under £50k possibly more, as is ApolloDuck. Others, such as YachtMarket and BoatsandOutboards are ok, but I'd go down the eBay and AD route personally. Last comment above is spot on - lots of photos - make it easy for people to assess what they might be buying before they travel. Don't necessarily show the oxidised fitting on the bow which you've been meaning to replace if it is a small thing in isolation, but if the whole boat looks like a iron mermaid with running mascara, then be fair to them and post some proper pics - it's only going to be a waste of your time as well as theirs if they come to visit and are disappointed.
In answer to the other point raised - no recourse to a broker save for negligence, misrep or fraud - your contract is with the owner, not the broker (who acts for them, not you). Some are great and won't sell a boat they don't believe in. Most just want the thing gone and the commission. We've had brokers not turn up to meet us, sell the boat knowing that we were travelling 1000 miles to see it and tell us something was meant (not) to work like "that" when many years of boating told us the opposite. I take anything they say with an extremely large pinch of salt, although I will temper that by saying that I have dealt with a couple of good ones.
I actually really enjoy buying and selling boats - especially when I've improved/renovated them and sold them for a profit (as I have done virtually every time). I also like personal sales much better as both a buyer and a seller. Personal sellers are more flexible, less bound by protocol and will normally accommodate a test sail prior to contract if you seem a likely candidate. I've done the same myself as a seller (including letting a prospective buyer stay on board over night and examine every inch of the boat in minute detail - he bought it happily at the asking price). You've got to be resolute as a seller though - do you know what your boat is worth? Are you prepared to stand your ground and defend your price, or move to lower it, if the market dictates? Can you have an honest conversation with yourself about whether its better to accept a lower offer and move forwards than sit it out for a few more months and lose an onward purchase?
eBay is good for under £50k possibly more, as is ApolloDuck. Others, such as YachtMarket and BoatsandOutboards are ok, but I'd go down the eBay and AD route personally. Last comment above is spot on - lots of photos - make it easy for people to assess what they might be buying before they travel. Don't necessarily show the oxidised fitting on the bow which you've been meaning to replace if it is a small thing in isolation, but if the whole boat looks like a iron mermaid with running mascara, then be fair to them and post some proper pics - it's only going to be a waste of your time as well as theirs if they come to visit and are disappointed.
In answer to the other point raised - no recourse to a broker save for negligence, misrep or fraud - your contract is with the owner, not the broker (who acts for them, not you). Some are great and won't sell a boat they don't believe in. Most just want the thing gone and the commission. We've had brokers not turn up to meet us, sell the boat knowing that we were travelling 1000 miles to see it and tell us something was meant (not) to work like "that" when many years of boating told us the opposite. I take anything they say with an extremely large pinch of salt, although I will temper that by saying that I have dealt with a couple of good ones.
Resolution
Well-Known Member
Bought and sold quite a few things over the years - never used a broker to sell. It ultimately depends how much effort you want to put in - can you accomodate viewings with short notice over a BH weekend? Do you want someone else to do the leg work for you, and can you find someone locally who you can trust to do it?
I actually really enjoy buying and selling boats - especially when I've improved/renovated them and sold them for a profit (as I have done virtually every time). I also like personal sales much better as both a buyer and a seller. Personal sellers are more flexible, less bound by protocol and will normally accommodate a test sail prior to contract if you seem a likely candidate. I've done the same myself as a seller (including letting a prospective buyer stay on board over night and examine every inch of the boat in minute detail - he bought it happily at the asking price). You've got to be resolute as a seller though - do you know what your boat is worth? Are you prepared to stand your ground and defend your price, or move to lower it, if the market dictates? Can you have an honest conversation with yourself about whether its better to accept a lower offer and move forwards than sit it out for a few more months and lose an onward purchase?
eBay is good for under £50k possibly more, as is ApolloDuck. Others, such as YachtMarket and BoatsandOutboards are ok, but I'd go down the eBay and AD route personally. Last comment above is spot on - lots of photos - make it easy for people to assess what they might be buying before they travel. Don't necessarily show the oxidised fitting on the bow which you've been meaning to replace if it is a small thing in isolation, but if the whole boat looks like a iron mermaid with running mascara, then be fair to them and post some proper pics - it's only going to be a waste of your time as well as theirs if they come to visit and are disappointed.
In answer to the other point raised - no recourse to a broker save for negligence, misrep or fraud - your contract is with the owner, not the broker (who acts for them, not you). Some are great and won't sell a boat they don't believe in. Most just want the thing gone and the commission. We've had brokers not turn up to meet us, sell the boat knowing that we were travelling 1000 miles to see it and tell us something was meant (not) to work like "that" when many years of boating told us the opposite. I take anything they say with an extremely large pinch of salt, although I will temper that by saying that I have dealt with a couple of good ones.
That's a pretty fair summing up of the position. I particularly like your comments on which methods to use depending on the value of the boat. We all know there are good brokers ........ and others, be they yacht brokers , estate agents or even stockbrokers. You have obviously bought/sold a number of boats and have learnt the ins and outs. As with house transactions, boat deals can be significant in personal value, and not everyone knows and understands the legal procedures. As a result we see here lots of unhappy buyers or sellers. One advantage of using a "good" broker is that he/she will ensure the right procedures are followed and paperwork is completed properly. Horses for courses.
Peter