pheran
Well-Known Member
For the most part of the past decade, we have done our boating in mainland Europe, keeping our boat in Holland and living on-board for up to six months each year. And a wonderful time it has been too, with the freedom of literally '000s of kilometers of rivers and canals to explore and hundreds of cities, town and villages to visit. So our decision that it was time to come home last year was made with some considerable regret. Nevertheless, we had to get down to the practicalities of selling the boat - this one
Now the market for boats in Holland has suffered in much the same way as that in the UK, with the effects of the recession et al but perhaps even more so given the sheer number of boats there and the loss of UK buyers which some brokers say accounted for around 25% of their sales. However, a buyer for ours came along relatively quickly and was prepared to pay our asking price (which was what we had paid for the boat two years previously). Too good to let him go, I hear you say - I thought so too. Problem was, he only had two thirds of the price in cash, still had his own boat to sell, and was worried about taking out an interim loan to cover the difference. So, having done the sums, and recognising that could present an opportunity to turn a further (modest) profit, I decided to take his boat in part-exchange. Too risky, some might say but I tried to manage that out with a quick and cheap survey, which came out very well and by making him an offer ie px allowance that I thought insulting but to my great surprise, he accepted straight off!
The good news is that the px boat, a nice, bright 35 footer - this one
has now been sold (I was right about the profit!) without me ever seeing it.
The reason for my posting this tale? To give a little encouragement to anyone trying to sell a boat and, if its taking longer than they had hoped, to show that a variation of the conventional procedure can sometimes produce a result.
Now the market for boats in Holland has suffered in much the same way as that in the UK, with the effects of the recession et al but perhaps even more so given the sheer number of boats there and the loss of UK buyers which some brokers say accounted for around 25% of their sales. However, a buyer for ours came along relatively quickly and was prepared to pay our asking price (which was what we had paid for the boat two years previously). Too good to let him go, I hear you say - I thought so too. Problem was, he only had two thirds of the price in cash, still had his own boat to sell, and was worried about taking out an interim loan to cover the difference. So, having done the sums, and recognising that could present an opportunity to turn a further (modest) profit, I decided to take his boat in part-exchange. Too risky, some might say but I tried to manage that out with a quick and cheap survey, which came out very well and by making him an offer ie px allowance that I thought insulting but to my great surprise, he accepted straight off!
The good news is that the px boat, a nice, bright 35 footer - this one
has now been sold (I was right about the profit!) without me ever seeing it.
The reason for my posting this tale? To give a little encouragement to anyone trying to sell a boat and, if its taking longer than they had hoped, to show that a variation of the conventional procedure can sometimes produce a result.
