A negotiation covers more than the price. The deposit, the dates, the equipment included in the sale and the conditions after the survey belong to the same conversation. When it is reasoned, written down and consistent, both sides can see where it is heading.
What an offer rests on
A sound offer rests on comparison. We look at how boats of similar age, similar equipment and similar maintenance history stand on the market. Asking prices don't show exactly what boats really sell for, and we read the comparison with that in mind. Then we add the boat's own situation: its engine hours and any major service coming up, equipment that has dated, how long the listing has been up, where the boat lies and whether it will need to be moved.
We present the offer in writing, together with these reasons. Alongside the price, it states the deposit, the survey condition and the proposed handover date. An offer with its reasons in writing is one the seller's side takes seriously and weighs. An unrealistic opening figure may mean the conversation never starts.
What is discussed apart from price
If the seller will not move on price, the conversation shifts to the other terms. Chief among them are the amount of the deposit, the time allowed for the survey, the handover date, the tender and other equipment, and certain maintenance to be done before handover. The place of handover is discussed too. If the boat is handed over close to you, you save a journey and time. These terms are often worth more to you than a small difference in price. The same is true for the seller, who also benefits from a firm timetable and a clearly written agreement. We put the equipment included in the sale into a detailed written list, so that nobody remembers it differently later.
The counter-offer
If the seller doesn't accept the offer, a counter-offer usually follows. The exchange may go on for several rounds. In each round we confirm the figure and the terms in writing, so that both sides understand the same thing. Offers are made with a short period of validity, and an offer that has expired no longer stands unless it is confirmed again. You don't have to answer a counter-offer at once. We think it over together and go back over your reasoning.
During the talks you may hear that another buyer is interested. That may be true, and it may speed up the timetable. Even so, you decide according to the value of the boat and your own limit. If you set the most you are prepared to pay at the start, it is easier to stop there when the talks speed up.
Talking again after the survey
The agreed price rests on the condition of the boat as it was known up to that day. If the survey shows a significant difference, we discuss the price again. We rely on the findings in the report and on the written repair quotations obtained for them. The seller may offer to have the repair done instead of adjusting the price. In that case we write into the agreement that the work is to be finished before handover and that you are to be given the invoice.
This conversation has its limits too. Shortcomings that were already known when the offer was made are not reopened after the survey. Asking for a reduction for cosmetic findings and routine maintenance items usually gets nowhere either. In this second round, as with the first offer, we give reasons for what we ask. Every agreement reached is put in writing in an addendum.
A negotiation that has been put in writing still says the same thing to both sides after they have signed.
