How to sell

I see the usual cynical and sarcastic old fa*ts are out and about.
With the plethora of ways of selling boats these days I would have thought the OP has asked a perfectly reasonable question. Hopefully there might just be some intelligent input rather than the cack so far.
 
castoffandgone said:
Any suggestions (polite ones only please) where to sell my 2006 Bavaria 30 based in the Clyde area ?
PM me if confidential.
Thanks
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There is no one best way. There are 3 stages. First preparing the boat to make it attractive to potential buyers - which includes having it accessible for them to view. Second, exposing it to potential buyers in a way that makes it easy for them to consider, including pricing it attractively. Finally converting an interested enquirer into a buyer.

You can subcontract all of this (except perhaps the initial presentation) to a broker or choose to do all (or part of it) yourself. The really hard work is what the broker does - that is find potential buyers through advertising and presenting the boat, converting the buyer and getting the money to you. No reason why you can't do this yourself if you have the time and skills to do it. The internet has made this easier as you can set up a website, and advertise in a way that directs potential buyers to your boat. The really time consuming bit is dealing with enquiries, showing people the boat, negotiating the deal and getting your money securely.

Good luck with it.
 
Tranona said:
There is no one best way. There are 3 stages. First preparing the boat to make it attractive to potential buyers - which includes having it accessible for them to view. Second, exposing it to potential buyers in a way that makes it easy for them to consider, including pricing it attractively. Finally converting an interested enquirer into a buyer.

You can subcontract all of this (except perhaps the initial presentation) to a broker or choose to do all (or part of it) yourself. The really hard work is what the broker does - that is find potential buyers through advertising and presenting the boat, converting the buyer and getting the money to you. No reason why you can't do this yourself if you have the time and skills to do it. The internet has made this easier as you can set up a website, and advertise in a way that directs potential buyers to your boat. The really time consuming bit is dealing with enquiries, showing people the boat, negotiating the deal and getting your money securely.

Good luck with it.
Click to expand...

Sound advice indeed. I would just add that the advantage of using a broker is that they are advertising multipl boats and often flip buyers from one type to another. That is the foot visit one boa and then the broker, asked on their feedback says "what about this nice Bavaria".

In my view though, no matter what they do, 5% is absolutely top whack. Inevitably you as their fees to the asking price so anything more is just over inflating th market.
 
Thank you for the sensible replies, much appreciated as it a long time since I sold a boat. Thanks also for the PMs, food for thought. Perhaps I should have more fully explained in my original post that I was simply trying to get a feel for current trends/references etc. given the state of the economy and of course the more recent poor weather.

P.S. I don't worry about the usual twats that always try to be smart asses.
 
Sorry - couldn't resist earlier.

I can't recommend any brokers on the Clyde - I have dealt with some but it has never been a positive experience. However, you need to make your own mind up on the quality of their service.

As said, there are lots of ways to sell. When selling our last boat, which we did ourselves, we had a lot of tyre kickers from boats and outboards, Apolloduck, etc. Every prospect from there seemed to be expecting a mega deal. Eventually we sold to a buyer who found the boat on Yachtworld. There are plenty of clubs so get posters up there if you can. If you are selling yourself, it is really just a case of getting the boat in front of as many people as you can. And when, after your initial flurry of excitement as you put adverts online and posters up, you don't get any calls straight away, don't get despondent. It will take time, unless you are giving it away.

As for advice, get it all ready as said, cleaned inside and out, all gear off that is not going to be sold with the boat (makes it look tidy) and get it somewhere it can be seen. If it is still on the hard, leave it out for a bit. It is much easier for buyers to see when not in the water and you can slap a big for sale sign on. If you are on a mooring, that makes viewings harder so consider getting a pontoon berth or at least taking it in for viewings.

PP
 
I have just started looking for a boat myself and am surprised by the poor quality of the brokers websites (maybe boatshed excluded). As before I trek across the country to look at something I would at least think I would need to see many high res photos (just looked at one boat that looked ok on the blurry photos but had a mould problem!!), a decent inventory and a bit of background about where the boat has been, who has owned it etc.

Anyway there is a guy who posts on these forums who I have no connection with but has done some websites for other people in his marina and seems to have a low cost methodology for privately selling boats http://boatselling.wordpress.com/

He posts as V1701 btw
 
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There are an awful lot of people trying to sell their boats these days so you will need to use the most effective method.
In the past I would have recommended Nick Stratton at Rhu who always seemed to know someone looking for a particular type of boat but I suspect he has retired as his son Miles is now working with Schmidt at Kip. Good brokers are inclined to keep in touch with each other and form a network that transfers enquiries. Jonic of this forum is South Coast based but a very effective and helpful guy who knows the business, when I go to sell I will approach him and if he agrees to take me on I would ask him if he would nominate a Clyde broker that he would be happy to share with, preferably on the basis that the finder of the buyer gets the commission. The last time I bought a second hand boat I was at Southampton second hand boat show, visited a broker in Northney who referred me to another boat of the type I wanted in Scotland and to Nick Stratton for the details and the deal.
Brokerage is a small world.
 
I would highly recommend David cook yachts no sale no fee and he is very experienced he sold my last boat within a couple of weeks And the new owner was happy as well ' I have no connection
 
Like most parts of the country brokers are a bit like the parsons egg, though the Clyde area is not as bad as the Solent. My advice would be to visit all those you may consider placing your boat with posing as a buyer, see how they treat you and then you should be in a better position to make a choice. It is a shame Nick Stratton has retired he was good.
 
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