Use broker or not?

32carv

32carv

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I am in the process of getting my 1993 Carver 350 Aft Cabin for sale. The boat is very clean and has always been in fresh water. I have advertised locally with not much action.

I am looking to hear from other experienced boaters on the pros ands cons of using a broker. The broker that I talked to said that his fee is 10%. what does a broker do for that money? Are people more likely to buy from a broker than a private party?

Thanks,
Jim
 
Basically he puts it on Yachtworld and other web tools that everyone uses to search for boats. Brokers have the only access to such listings; similar to MLS in RE.

He should, take PIX, design and set up the web site. Then he waits for some one to call and shows the boat to them. If they are interested he brings you an offer contract.
 
I have sold 7 boats in the past. Five on my own and two with brokers. As Bruce said, boat brokers are like real estate brokers. You can get a great one and there is a lot of slime out there as well. Some will tell you to list at a high price just to get your listing knowing they will never sell it and then slowly lower the price to be more realistic over time. My advise is not to tell them what you want, start by asking what they think they can sell it for. A good broker will be honest with you and tell you what it will REALLY sell for, not what they think you want to hear. Do your homework on the broker. For the most part, you can advertise on almost all of the websites except a few and one being Yachtworld. Unfortunately that is the one that experienced boaters look at the most. Net/Net if you have spent the time and advertised on all available sites with tons of pictures and have had no bites, you may not be priced right or you need to widen your audience. Since you said you have only tried "locally" you need to branch out. If you think you are competitive and have done all of the above with no results, a broker may be your best option. Btw, the only people looking for boats this time of year are the ones looking for a steal so don't get discouraged. Good luck!!!
 
We know a couple that sold a 49 foot Navigator using Craig's list.

I fail to see the justification of paying 10% to a lazy a$$ broker.
 
Hey Jim,
I saw your craigslist ad, your boat looks nice. As someone who is constantly looking at changing boats, I am always looking on both craigslist and yachtworld. In that price range I always feel sellers should use craigslist, and have sold several there myself.
The lack of an aft hardtop for me makes the boat less desirable than others like it that have a covered aft deck. So it is possible the market is more limited for it due to that. In which case maybe you will need to get it on yachtworld.
You should put it on multiple cities on craigs first, hudson valley, NY city, here in VT, NH, etc... Maybe that would get more exposure.
Good luck with the sale.
 
I know that most people prefer the aft hardtop with the encloser. I looked for a long time to find one without. I also don't use the side panels on the bridge durring the summer. I like being out in the sun and the breeze. Just a personal preference I guess.
Jim
 
+1 for Boat Trader. We sold our 2003 Carver 35 aft on there. We actually were lucky enough to have 4 seriously interested buyers off that ad, and sold to the highest offer.
 
A good broker is worth the commission he/she earns. Emphasis on "GOOD"; as has been said, there are quite a few lousy ones. A good broker will advise you truthfully on the market conditions, the marketability of your boat, the proper asking and expected sell price, take lots of photos, advertise locally, nationally and internationally (as appropriate for your boat), and work the phones. A good broker knows people who are shopping and what they are looking for so he'll call those people. A good broker will weed out the tire kickers, qualify potential shoppers and will not sea trial your boat for a potential client without a serious offer and good faith deposit in hand. Finally, a good broker will put all funds into an escrow account until the deal is closed and process all the necessary paperwork to transfer the vessel to the new owner. That's a lot of work that you won't have to toil through.

So, if you are considering a broker, sit down and have a discussion with them about their strategy for you boat and get references!!

Just my two cents.
 
Looks clean. My only suggestion is a profile picture always works best as the lead picture if you can take one.

Good luck.
 
Jim, that broker has a good reputation here on Lake Champlain. A few of my friends have used him and were very satisfied. Good luck with your sale.
 
Pictures are nice, but you should put some half naked ladies in them. :)
 
Send some over and we will try it out!
Jim
 
quote:
Originally posted by Golfman25

Pictures are nice, but you should put some half naked ladies in them. :)

Click to expand...


It's hard to argue with that!
 
Agreed, a very clean boat!
And also agreed...I know that broker, and he's well regarded.
 
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