Selling my boat - potential buyers remarks are usually negative!

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Adetheheat

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I'm selling my Beneteau Antares - its a 2010 model for 31.5k. Ive cleaned it, jet washed it.
The mnor issues are: There's a few scuffs on the bow from mooring, the propeller does have a few dings on it, the dining table has a scratch on it, there is a small crack on the side window.
But it's otherwise in great order mechanically and electrically.
The common feedback is that it's a bit tatty for the price (words to that effect).
It's by far one of the cheapest on the market from looking online.
Are buyers expecting perfection for a 15 year old 2nd hand boat? I mean for it's price and age I would say it's a good price. Are people expecting a 15 year old boat to be immaculate?
your thoughts?
 
Adetheheat said:
But it's otherwise in great order mechanically and electrically
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But perhaps not cosmetically? And it's amazing how often that trumps mechanical and electrical order.

Is it this one? Beneteau Antares 7.50 HB For Sale, 7.23m, 2010

If so, I'd get the pressure washer onto the GRP of the cockpit sole and on the transom (they look grubby). Give it a thorough clean up (anchor locker etc)... every nook and cranny, make it spotless if you can. Take off any and all of your own stuff unless you are still using the boat.

A clean and empty boat creates the right impression.
 
Moonbeam said:
But perhaps not cosmetically? And it's amazing how often that trumps mechanical and electrical order.

Is it this one? Beneteau Antares 7.50 HB For Sale, 7.23m, 2010

If so, I'd get the pressure washer onto the GRP of the cockpit sole and on the transom (they look grubby). Give it a thorough clean up (anchor locker etc)... every nook and cranny, make it spotless if you can. Take off any and all of your own stuff unless you are still using the boat.

A clean and empty boat creates the right impression.
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That's the boat.
The cockpit sole is the floor in the outside bit yes?
 
If it’s the one above listed with Boatshed, I believe their policy is that photos should be “warts and all” to deter time wasters. By all means do some extra polishing and tidying, but it doesn’t look terrible to me. I would stick it out unless you need to sell urgently. How long has it been advertised?
 
Adetheheat said:
Ive cleaned it, jet washed it.
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Perhaps pay someone to really valet it then - there’s lots of little areas that make it look slightly scruffy.
Adetheheat said:
The mnor issues are: There's a few scuffs on the bow from mooring,
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Can they be polished out?
Adetheheat said:
the propeller does have a few dings on it,
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Replace the prop
Adetheheat said:
the dining table has a scratch on it,
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Can that be fixed?
Adetheheat said:
there is a small crack on the side window.
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Would you sell a house or car with a cracked window? Someone is wanting to buy their pride and joy not a project.
Adetheheat said:
But it's otherwise in great order mechanically and electrically.
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From the pics there’s curtains not sitting right and some fabric cover next to the toilet which is hanging off. If those made it through broker photos they presumably weren’t trivial to tidy. Fix them.
Adetheheat said:
It's by far one of the cheapest on the market from looking online.
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If you’ve got 30k for a 15yr old Antares you’ve probably got 35k so price isn’t how you pick between them.
Adetheheat said:
Are people expecting a 15 year old boat to be immaculate?
your thoughts?
Click to expand...
What would it cost you to get it to immaculate? What is it worth at that point / how much quicker will it sell?
 
mrming said:
If it’s the one above listed with Boatshed, I believe their policy is that photos should be “warts and all” to deter time wasters. By all means do some extra polishing and tidying, but it doesn’t look terrible to me. I would stick it out unless you need to sell urgently. How long has it been advertised?
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About 6 months
 
ylop said:
Perhaps pay someone to really valet it then - there’s lots of little areas that make it look slightly scruffy.

Can they be polished out?

Replace the prop

Can that be fixed?

Would you sell a house or car with a cracked window? Someone is wanting to buy their pride and joy not a project.

From the pics there’s curtains not sitting right and some fabric cover next to the toilet which is hanging off. If those made it through broker photos they presumably weren’t trivial to tidy. Fix them.

If you’ve got 30k for a 15yr old Antares you’ve probably got 35k so price isn’t how you pick between them.

What would it cost you to get it to immaculate? What is it worth at that point / how much quicker will it sell?
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Good points
 
Adetheheat said:
The cockpit sole is the floor in the outside bit yes?
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Yes.

As others have said, it does not look too bad from the photos, but... if it's been on the market for 6 months and those photos are six months old... Then winter will have taken it's toll... have you given it a good once over recently, might be time to get the jet washer out again? 'ylop' has given you a good list to work at.
 
The thing is, you have to put yourself in the buyers shoes, it's a substantial amount of money and there are a few things you need to fix first
As to cleaning the boat there are outfits around that will clean and polish the boat up to look almost like new for a few hundred quid. Why not be serious about selling.
 
As a buyer would you be bothered by a new cabin dining table that was of different wood or material than the previous which I think is teak?
 
This one

Adetheheat said:
I've had a potential buyer point this out - he said it means some of the Hull has been cut out or repaired - or something like that - see photo where apparently it should all be white. The image is facing the rear.
Is this damage? Is this a serious issue? I mean if it's a result of damage then surely as the boats been running for years without an issue then this must be ok.
It was like this when I got it a few years back. I just assumed this was how it was meant to be!
View attachment 189734
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Adetheheat said:
As a buyer would you be bothered by a new cabin dining table that was of different wood or material than the previous which I think is teak?
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The scratch does't look that bad it the photos - a light sand and revarnish? I'd be more worried about the cracked window. However if it really does need a new table top then its not 100% essential to replace with the same, but it should look right and be suitable for the environment.
 
People buy with their eyes and first looks count. If they walk along the pontoon and think "wow" this looks great, you're off to a good start, they'll look past an odd bit of wear and tear after that. If, at first glance, they are disappointed, every speck of dirt becomes an issue.
 
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