Sellin a boat: timewasters

Koeketiene

Koeketiene

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Le Roussillon (South of France)
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When we decided to sell Yanita, I wanted to sell her privately. I found very little justification for the brokerage fee.
Some on-line adverts, one in a sailing mag... Initial response has been very good. Four viewings over the last three weeks, so peeps certainly know she's for sale. Each and every one expressed a "sincere (?)" interest in buying her, only to disappear into the sunset. The first one even put a verbal offer in - never to be heard from again.

So for those of you who have conducted private sales before: how can you tell timewasters? How can you discourage them? When accepting an offer, do you ask for a deposit like brokers do? Is that deposit refundable? etc...

All advice welcome.

Will

PS: I'm minded to put up a sign I saw at SIBS - No children unless accompanied by an adult. No adults unless accompanied by a chequebook.
 
Simple answer is you just cant tell all the time.
My father had a garage and could spot most of the tyre kickers, but until the end he was constantly (or even occasionally) surprised at human nature.
I think the simple answer has been to show them round, showing good and bad points, give them the evidence file with all the reciepts, brochures, manuals, take them out for a sail, leave them on the boat for an hour, and tell them you will see them in the local pub-bar when they have done. Affect simple nonchalance at all times, without being so laid back that they dont think you are a serious seller. It soothes if you have a convincing reason to sell, and a convincing reason why zou bought it in the first place. Shouldnt be difficult on your ETAP!
Offer to deliver if required for a nominal sum, and just be helpful.
Saturdays are better viewing days than Sundays for some reason.
I have sold 3 boats this way, usually taking a deposit on the second pint.


Best of luck


Jim
 
People buying are told to look at a few yachts to get the idea of the questions they should ask when they're serious. It looks like a few have picked you for this exercise.
 
Buying a boat is not the act of a sane man,and even with large amounts of cash involved there is a certain walter mittyniss and romanceabout a boat,unless you have one and want to sell it.Organise group veiwings to save breath and time and I would think a very small deposit so that if they didnt buy they would be too embaressed to reclaim it !!
 
There is no such thing as a time waster!
If you plan on selling a boat in 2 or 3 viewings, the sooner you get the earlier ones out of the way the sooner you will sell your boat.
The key is to have her well documented with lots of photos, leaving as few as possible questions unanswered, have a recent survey available and present her well.
That means getting rid of all of the clutter and personal stuff that will not be going with the boat, make sure that the bilges, engine, galley and heads are clean and smell sweet, have up to date flares and extinguishers, make sure that the varnish glows and that all of the electrics / electronics works.
Replace anything green or black with mildew and above all ask a sensible price.
 
how to tel a timewaster in advance

a boat broker told me that the golden question is "where would you keep it?" - if they're serious they will have though about ownership and will see this as a one of the major issues, quite valid to raise and discuss. Not so serious buyers will try and fluster through with "Well, we haven't got the boat yet!".
 
Re: how to tel a timewaster in advance

Agree with everything said, having sold four privately. A few other points:

Assume that the boat will take an infinite time to sell. If you adopt that mindset you, genuinely, will not appear to be in a hurry! One of my previous buyers sensed that I was in a hurry (I had already bought the next one!) and consequently reduced his offer.

Women make the decisions. One sniff of a smelly head, bilge or locker and her mind will be made up.

Make an excuse to leave them alone on board for at least 30 minutes. Give them a chance to poke about and imagine themselves as the proud owners.

If the guy starts to talk about anything other than the boat, forget it, he is just trying to kill time. Ask him if he has any further questions. If not, get rid.

Watch them as they walk away. If they look back you may have a chance; if not - forget it.
 
Re:

Having just bought my first boat, it's interesting to read the above as I may have fallen into the 'time waster' slot. As a buyer, I think there are two problems, the most basic is that looking at a first boat is a bewildering experience as you simply don't know all of what you need to ask. It's a bit like buying your first house described as 'in need of attention' - you soon lean the hard way! Other point is that I can't believe that people present their boats so badly; how many times did we open a hatch to a smelly, dirty and cluttered interior. You wouldn't sell a dirty car but some people seem to thick that a boat should sell itself!
 
Re:

Yanita has been completely rebuilt over the last four years. In many ways she is better than she was new. Apart from hull and mast she is a new boat.
All four "timewasters" have complemented us on how well cared for she is (most comments came from the women).

But why some-one would put in an offer, which we have accepted, only to disappear of the face of the earth is beyond me. I have all the time in the world for a genuine potential buyer, I would show them everything, go over the paperwork with them, etc... But to tell the apart from people who are just sightseeing?
 
Recently sold our Bavaria 36. One thing that you can do is stick it on the hard, That way, they cannot simply turn up and ask for a test sail, and at the end of a couple of hours on the water say thanks, but no thanks. There are some 'pros' out there that get quite a bit of sailing in that way. Also, make sure they understand that if they are determined to have a sail before their final decision, They pay for the lift. Of course if they are serious, the boat being out of the water will reduce the costs of the survey, so they don't really lose. One or two "tyre kickers" were quickly weeded out this way.

Secondly, it is reasonable to assume someone is serious if they are coming from some distance to view the boat. We had five "serious" viewings to our boat based in the Solent. They came from Norwich (the eventual buyer), Tunbridge wells (offered 12 hours too late), Liverpool, Lichfield (Staffs) and another from the Midlands, but can't remember where. I don't think many non serious buyers would travel such a distance to see a boat on the hard.

Other than that it's a bit difficult to weed out the time wasters. With regards to deposit, I think you have to make up your mind on the spot as to your "feeling" for the situation. I did not ask for a deposit, but gave the guy 7 days to complete. This was eased by the fact that we had another buyer desperate for it, and waiting on the wings if it fell through.

As it happened, the transaction sailed through (pun not really intended) in 14 days, 7 of which was taken up by the banks slowness in clearing cheques.

I'm delighted to say the new owner is over the moon with the boat - he took it to Lowestoft, some 250 miles away, leaving Hythe 10am Weds, and arriving in Lowestoft 08.00 Saturday, and next year sails it to it's new "home" in the Aegean. He's a yachtmaster who deliver Sunsail boats (Jeanneau/Beneteaus) to the Med and Caribbean, so knows which boats not to buy (oops, sorry.....last dig as an ex Bav owner!!))


Good luck with your sale - by the way we found the YM Classifieds delivered quality prospective buyers for £135.00 incl picture (see Oct issue), and we sold very quickly with no brokers fees - great!!
 
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One thing that you can do is stick it on the hard

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Don't really want to do that - we quite enjoy winter sailing.
I'm resigned that it may take some time to sell her; but in the mean time I intend to enjoy sailing her every free minute I have.

A couple of weeks ago we took a look at a possible successor - she was on the hard and gave a shabby impression, like her owners had given up on her.
 
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Any idea what you may replace it with??

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We haven't decided on THE one yet - I don't want to proceed towards a new boat before Yanita's sold. To avoid being in the position of HAVING to sell.

Few criteria:
1. Slightly larger
2. A lot heavier - balast ratio 45% plus
3. Possible to sail single/short handed

So probably British built, late 70's - early 80's.
Got my eye on one in particular.
 
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