Test your broker.

[ontheplane]

Just a thought for those selling their boats.

I have phoned 5 brokers this week with a view to looking at a couple of boats this weekend.

Not ONE - that's right, not ONE has phoned me back to confirm / make a booking.

So can I suggest if you are selling a boat and it's listed with a broker, get a mate to phone them out of hours, leave a message and see if your broker can be a**sed to pick up the phone and make a call to actually EARN their commission.

If you aren't getting lots of enquiries it just might be that they can't be bothered to do any work. I am going to go a view something tomorrow where the OWNER was on the ball, they called me back, knew about their boat and I might buy it.

Does anyone do this? Actually check their broker is on the ball?

 

[ontheplane]

Quick update - one broker just phoned me today - to say they don't actually do viewings on a Sunday.... If I wanted to view the boat I'd have to get down to them by 1pm (this was at 10:30am and they are 3 hrs away....).

Given I would expect most people who aren't retired want to do viewings on a weekend, being closed 75% of the weekend would appear bad for business to me....

Why does anyone bother listing a boat with a broker like this?

 

[superheat6k]

Look it is a privilege to use their services - so pay your 8% + VAT and be very grateful that they will condescend to deal with you.

However, I would say my experience of Whyboats was very positive both as seller and potential buyer, and have also found Thames Yacht Brokers at Penton Hook very good. The firms I dealt with in the Channel Islands were also very good and most helpful with viewings and arrangements to get there.

 

[ontheplane]

Oh I won't choose the broker I'll choose the boat I want to buy. It was more a post to get people to check out whether their broker is actually doing what they are supposed to.

 

[petem]

Oh I won't choose the broker I'll choose the boat I want to buy. It was more a post to get people to check out whether their broker is actually doing what they are supposed to.

I think your signature says it all!

 

[volvopaul]

Quick update - one broker just phoned me today - to say they don't actually do viewings on a Sunday.... If I wanted to view the boat I'd have to get down to them by 1pm (this was at 10:30am and they are 3 hrs away....).

Given I would expect most people who aren't retired want to do viewings on a weekend, being closed 75% of the weekend would appear bad for business to me....

Why does anyone bother listing a boat with a broker like this?

No viewings one Sunday!!! For gods sake this is the leisure market not the banking Industry, I'd sack that broker straight away.

 

[prv]

So can I suggest if you are selling a boat and it's listed with a broker, get a mate to phone them out of hours, leave a message and see if your broker can be a**sed to pick up the phone and make a call to actually EARN their commission.

I had a mate offer to do exactly this. Can't remember whether I took him up on the idea.

The broker was certainly doing something, though - I looked at the online ad several times to check it was ok, and after the third or fourth visit I got a personalised email asking if I'd like to arrange a viewing

Pete

 

[freddy the frog]

brokers..... car dealers in bow ties. used one a few years back the well known one that was in mercury.

Mate of mine watched him do a viewing on my boat, unlocked the boat and stood back on the pontoon and had a fag
no attempt to show, explain, or try and sell the boat to the couple.

 

[steve930]

I've been viewing boats dotted all along the south coast this last few weekends.

A quick phone call to the broker early in the week, explaining I'm too busy at work for a weekday viewing and so far all of them have been happy for me to view the boats on a Saturday or Sunday.

I have sent a follow up email to one of the brokers and so far he hasn't responded!

 

[Spi D]

I had a very good experience when buying our current boat, if that counts as 'real life Test of Broker'.

Good and relevant communication, was met on agreed junction and guided to the boat, spent 4 (!) hours showing and demonstrating the boat in all detail and taking it to sea for a trial.

As we travelled (like in fly in from abroad, hire a car, drive down from Gatwick and stay overnight in Southamton), he knew we were serious and didn't ask for deposit or anything.

Very sensible guy.
Solent based, http://www.jamesdickensmarine.com/

Even helpful through the following deal with lifting, survey, prep for transport at no extra cost. Plus of course all paperwork, timely and tidy.
When dealing from abroad you really depend on pro brokers/sellers.

Not connected etc. ...

 

[Blue Sunray]

I had a very good experience when buying our current boat, if that counts as 'real life Test of Broker'.

Good and relevant communication, was met on agreed junction and guided to the boat, spent 4 (!) hours showing and demonstrating the boat in all detail and taking it to sea for a trial.

As we travelled (like in fly in from abroad, hire a car, drive down from Gatwick and stay overnight in Southamton), he knew we were serious and didn't ask for deposit or anything.

Very sensible guy.
Solent based, http://www.jamesdickensmarine.com/

Even helpful through the following deal with lifting, survey, prep for transport at no extra cost. Plus of course all paperwork, timely and tidy.
When dealing from abroad you really depend on pro brokers/sellers.

Not connected etc. ...

Interesting, I recently bought through him and if/when I sold I would have no hesitation in using him as I thought he was very good.

 

[ari]

brokers..... car dealers in bow ties.

Now that's something I've never seen - a broker in a bow tie!

Which ones have you met that wear these?

 

[Spi D]

Interesting, I recently bought through him and if/when I sold I would have no hesitation in using him as I thought he was very good.

On a note to this you may notice the effort James put into videowalks of boats. Really informative and likely to make punters ask for more, hence working in the interest of sellers.

 

[freddy the frog]

Now that's something I've never seen - a broker in a bow tie!

Which ones have you met that wear these?

they are just posh car salesman in a phrase

 

[Doods]

Hi
I recently expressed an interest in a boat by e-mail to the broker. The response I received was "All of the information was on the website" and the opening times !!!!!! Another boat thats not going to be sold

 

[benjenbav]

I used Berthon to sell my last boat (brokerage) and was very pleased with the service I received. There were plenty of things they did which I couldn't have done myself or wouldn't have had the patience to do: from listings to finding contacts to viewings and to dealing with time-wasters.

 

[Blue Sunray]

On a note to this you may notice the effort James put into videowalks of boats. Really informative and likely to make punters ask for more, hence working in the interest of sellers.

That's how I found mine - went to the website searching from something rather different - the video of another boat caught my eye and a few weeks later ended up with a new (to me) boat. I do like his slightly idiosyncratic commentaries.

 

[tetleys]

I recently sold through Hugh at Berthon, having previously used him three years ago and have always found his service and communications first class, which clearly comes across to prospective purchasers, which gives you every confidence when selling.
On my recent purchase i bought through JD Yachts in Weymouth and can thoroughly recommend them as good guys to deal with, from my first enquiry , through survey/sea trial and completing the deal Toby & Justin where a pleasure to deal with, with nothing being too much trouble. Would definitely use them to sell for me in the future

Not all my dealings with brokers has been as smooth, and many of them frustrate the hell out of me with their lack of interest and lack of efficiency.

Cheers

Tetleys

 

[volvopaul]

I recently sold through Hugh at Berthon, having previously used him three years ago and have always found his service and communications first class, which clearly comes across to prospective purchasers, which gives you every confidence when selling.
On my recent purchase i bought through JD Yachts in Weymouth and can thoroughly recommend them as good guys to deal with, from my first enquiry , through survey/sea trial and completing the deal Toby & Justin where a pleasure to deal with, with nothing being too much trouble. Would definitely use them to sell for me in the future

Not all my dealings with brokers has been as smooth, and many of them frustrate the hell out of me with their lack of interest and lack of efficiency.

Cheers

Tetleys

I'd totally agree your last paragraph, excellent dealings with JD for sure.

 

[oldgit]

Phoned a broker twice and emailed once expressing an interest in a boat in York Marina ,left my number twice
Still awaiting the return call ?