Selling an expensive boat

[jssailem]

Welcome @Amanda Haley. As a first time visitor and a Hunter owner I hope you can from time to time share insight and experiences among this boating group.

As @Meriachee counsels the forum is a place of idea sharing and not a site that wants to become a sales/marketing site.

But you will find that the old guys here like a pretty face and your avatar will turn an eye...

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

Let's be honest here. The world is full of brokers who will spend a couple of hours making a "stellar" yachtworld ad and then sit around waiting for the phone to ring.

There are only a handful of brokerage offices known for high end yacht sales on the east coast. And still fewer brokers who have an interest beyond their own financial gratification.

The decision turns not on $$$$ as other have noted. You offer the boat at a higher cost regardless of market value simply to subsume the broker's commission or sell it yourself for the same bottom line. Either way, no difference to your wallet. The decision is one of efficacy.

 

[Amanda Haley]

I certainly won't be using this site to drum up business - but more so to learn from other sailboat owners - I just couldn't help speak up when others had opinions regarding my profession. I guess it all comes down to one's own decisions.

 

[jssailem]

I guess it all comes down to one's own decisions.

Written by a wise woman. Looking forward to hearing more of your insight. And who knows, maybe one of us will win the lottery and beat a path, or take a tack to your doorstep for one of your gems. Perhaps even Dennison might find it of value to list a boat or two for sail and make a contribution to our humble site.

 

[Will Gilmore]

I am preparing to sell 54' center cockpit sailing yacht. It is a beautiful boat and it is loaded with extras. I am getting a little too old to truly use her for offshore adventures. I am curious to know whether it is absolutely necessary to use a boat broker to sell a million dollar plus sailing vessel.

Mitffonsik, I finally talked to my father. He sold his last boat, a custom ocean racing J44 named Zafu without a broker. It was really just happenstance that he was talking to a guy who was interested in buying it. It never got posted for sale. So, it is not necessary to have a broker, but you may be sitting on your boat longer if fate doesn't turn a helpful eye your way.

-Will (Dragonfly)

 

[MitchM]

having sold my boats myself, i can tell you that dealing with the many tire kickers is a complete waste of your time. there will be a lot of tire kickers interested in viewing a boat like yours. that's what you'll get with ads in cruising world and soundings. my decision to sell my boats myself was based on dismal experiences with 2 'yacht brokers' whose services would have merely included putting all the pictures I took up on yacht world, in return for a 10 % commission if i sold the boat myself to anyone for the next year . no thanks... if you're not desperate to sell, get a website set up with 40 good pictures of the yacht and her technical specs. and see what happens... if you're desperate, hire a broker.