The part of a boat sale that everyone sees is the listing. How long the sale takes, and the price it closes at, are decided by the preparation behind it: the condition of the boat, the order of its papers and a realistic price.
Preparing the boat
A buyer first sees the boat in photographs. Before it goes on the market the boat is cleaned, small jobs that have been put off are done, and fresh photographs and videos are taken. The boat in the pictures and the boat on the berth must be the same, because a buyer's trust is formed on the first visit.
We gather the documents at the start as well: the registration certificate, the maintenance and service invoices, the engine hours record and the inventory. Serious buyers ask for these before they make an offer. A complete file shortens the sale and strengthens your hand in negotiation. If you know of a fault, fixing it before the sale or telling the buyer at the outset shortens the conversation after the survey.
The price
We discuss the price by looking at how similar boats stand on the market. Age, production generation, engine hours, equipment, maintenance history, the market where the boat lies and its tax status are weighed together. The asking price is a starting point. The sale price becomes clear in talks with the buyer, and often after the survey. Knowing from the start what price you could accept makes offers easier to judge.
A price well above the market reduces interest, and a boat that stays listed for a long time carries a question mark in buyers' eyes. A realistic opening price brings the serious buyer sooner.
The listing agreement
Before we start, we sign a listing agreement with you. It sets out how long our authority lasts, whether it is given to one broker or to several agents, where the listing will be published, whether we will work with other brokers and how commission is paid. Written authority stops the boat turning up in many places at different prices. It also puts on record which buyer came through whom. When the authority is given to one broker, that broker runs the listing and the marketing, and if another broker brings the buyer, the commission is shared between the two.
Listing and viewings
We prepare the listing with the correct dimensions, year, engine hours and equipment, and the same information appears on every channel. We share the boat's details with other brokers too. We answer enquiries and pick out the serious buyers.
Viewings are set for times that suit you or your captain. For buyers who are far away we do a live video tour. Making clear at the viewing which equipment is included in the sale heads off an argument later.
While the boat is for sale
You can go on using the boat while it is listed. What matters is that it is always ready to show: clean, maintained and with its papers in place. Engine hours rise as the boat is used, and we keep the figure in the listing up to date. We keep you regularly informed of the interest and the questions that come in. If interest is lower than expected, we go over the price, the photographs and the listing text with you.
From offer to handover
When an offer arrives, we look at the deposit, the survey and completion dates and the conditions alongside the price. Once terms are agreed, the sale agreement is signed and the buyer pays the deposit. What is asked of you at this stage is to have the boat ready for the survey and the sea trial. When the buyer accepts the boat and pays the balance, you sign the bill of sale, the boat is deleted from the register and it is handed over. Before handover the marina and fuel bills must be settled, and everything on the inventory must be on board.
A well-prepared boat finds its buyer sooner.
