I've had my boat listed for sale on this website for 30 days and advertised in the newspaper (refering to this site). I've averaged about 6 "looks" a day, but not a single inquiry! Is there something odd about my ad or have others experienced the same? Results indicate to me that we have a lot of lookers and dreamers but no real buyers-of course it could be that time of the year/month/century. Are buyers hung up waiting to see who wins the election? PS-name and address withheld so I wouldn't be accused of advertising without a license! What is everyone else seeing in ad responses???????????/_|)
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Typical ad patterns
Because you're advertising primarily on a site for Hunter owners (and Hunter shoppers), your prospects often know what they want. This will cut down on the number of unqualified leads you get. For example, an ad on Boat Trader might get some inquiries wondering if your brand/model has an enclosed head or a fixed keel. Shoppers on this site often know that stuff already, so you will not get that inquiry. Also keep in mind the following: larger boats (over 26') get fewer inquiries and typically take longer to sell; model popularity and location have a huge impact on success; price is the #1 factor. About two weeks ago I saw a seller put a nice trailerable (with photo) on the site for $500 -- he simply wanted a quick, clean sale. He got multiple inquiries every day... but they were driven by the bargain price. Days on the market and price work hand in hand: if you want a quick sale you probably need to price the boat under market value. if you have the time, hold out for more. These are just my observations, of course, and they don't necessarily explain what's happening with your sale. You can contact me through customer service if you want to... and thanks for respecting the forum policies! ph.
Because you're advertising primarily on a site for Hunter owners (and Hunter shoppers), your prospects often know what they want. This will cut down on the number of unqualified leads you get. For example, an ad on Boat Trader might get some inquiries wondering if your brand/model has an enclosed head or a fixed keel. Shoppers on this site often know that stuff already, so you will not get that inquiry. Also keep in mind the following: larger boats (over 26') get fewer inquiries and typically take longer to sell; model popularity and location have a huge impact on success; price is the #1 factor. About two weeks ago I saw a seller put a nice trailerable (with photo) on the site for $500 -- he simply wanted a quick, clean sale. He got multiple inquiries every day... but they were driven by the bargain price. Days on the market and price work hand in hand: if you want a quick sale you probably need to price the boat under market value. if you have the time, hold out for more. These are just my observations, of course, and they don't necessarily explain what's happening with your sale. You can contact me through customer service if you want to... and thanks for respecting the forum policies! ph.
be patient...
It's my experience that it can take a year or more to sell a boat. You don't note your location, but up here on the Great Lakes people are pulling boats out and putting them in storage for the coming winter. Winter isn't the best time to shop for boats, but having said that, I've sold 2 of them in the dead of winter so go figure. Just remember that it only takes one person to be the right buyer.
It's my experience that it can take a year or more to sell a boat. You don't note your location, but up here on the Great Lakes people are pulling boats out and putting them in storage for the coming winter. Winter isn't the best time to shop for boats, but having said that, I've sold 2 of them in the dead of winter so go figure. Just remember that it only takes one person to be the right buyer.
Two things
1. Fall is the toughest time to sell, spring is better. 2. Find the biggest daily newspaper near you that carries a section of classified for boats. That's the place to advertise, and only 3 lines. I'm a newspaper exec, believe me it works.
1. Fall is the toughest time to sell, spring is better. 2. Find the biggest daily newspaper near you that carries a section of classified for boats. That's the place to advertise, and only 3 lines. I'm a newspaper exec, believe me it works.
Selling or holding
I sold an H26 on HOW about 6 years ago. I had an offer sight unseen withing a couple of days. I had used a broker (worthless) for about a year who didn't tell me that I was asking too much for the boat. When you look at the asking prices of the same model boat, you will see they are all about the same price. There is nothing to distinguish one from the other for the casual shopper. For this reason, many stay on the market for years (I've been tracking a couple of models and its true). Bargain basement pricing wont work because buyers wonder why it so cheap. So you want to be a couple of thousand below the avg price. Also, clean up the boat and take nice pictures. So many of them have laundry, dirty dishes, and general junk laying around in them. Good luck on your sale. Mark
I sold an H26 on HOW about 6 years ago. I had an offer sight unseen withing a couple of days. I had used a broker (worthless) for about a year who didn't tell me that I was asking too much for the boat. When you look at the asking prices of the same model boat, you will see they are all about the same price. There is nothing to distinguish one from the other for the casual shopper. For this reason, many stay on the market for years (I've been tracking a couple of models and its true). Bargain basement pricing wont work because buyers wonder why it so cheap. So you want to be a couple of thousand below the avg price. Also, clean up the boat and take nice pictures. So many of them have laundry, dirty dishes, and general junk laying around in them. Good luck on your sale. Mark
Advertise at a Realistic Price
Market value is not the price that you normally see in the ads. I think that most sellers overprice the boat by about 20% and then finally drop to sell at a later time. Spring is a good time to sell in the northern climates. Fall is best in Florida. I sold a H37 here on HOW very quickly 1 1/2 years ago. The price was right. Bill
Market value is not the price that you normally see in the ads. I think that most sellers overprice the boat by about 20% and then finally drop to sell at a later time. Spring is a good time to sell in the northern climates. Fall is best in Florida. I sold a H37 here on HOW very quickly 1 1/2 years ago. The price was right. Bill
Been there, selling and buying!
Best time to start selling is Feb./March. I found that offers and real interest came in bunches. Yes, lots of dreamers out there, but you need to respond to all of them. One of my 1st real lookers bought my last boat (out of local paper) and it took 6 weeks and 2 trial sails. I was on an inland lake at the time and it didn't seem to help much to be on HOW. No one wanted to move the boat which was one of the reasons I wanted to sell. Don't get me wrong, HOW did generate some interest, but in my case mostly lookers. Price is VERY, VERY important. My boat was listed for $2000 below market because I didn't want to pay to move it over land. Turned out that was a reasonable price. 30 days is nothing this time of year. If you're buying, the only good advice is to spend YEARS trying to figure out what you want, start looking way ahead of time, look at as many boats of that type as you can, and don't be afraid to spend money on surveys that may not pan out. I think August or Sept. are better months to start making offers if you're buying. Know one thing, NOTHING looks as good in person as on a web picture! Best of luck in your venture.
Best time to start selling is Feb./March. I found that offers and real interest came in bunches. Yes, lots of dreamers out there, but you need to respond to all of them. One of my 1st real lookers bought my last boat (out of local paper) and it took 6 weeks and 2 trial sails. I was on an inland lake at the time and it didn't seem to help much to be on HOW. No one wanted to move the boat which was one of the reasons I wanted to sell. Don't get me wrong, HOW did generate some interest, but in my case mostly lookers. Price is VERY, VERY important. My boat was listed for $2000 below market because I didn't want to pay to move it over land. Turned out that was a reasonable price. 30 days is nothing this time of year. If you're buying, the only good advice is to spend YEARS trying to figure out what you want, start looking way ahead of time, look at as many boats of that type as you can, and don't be afraid to spend money on surveys that may not pan out. I think August or Sept. are better months to start making offers if you're buying. Know one thing, NOTHING looks as good in person as on a web picture! Best of luck in your venture.
Bought mine in September ...
... of last year. I'm sure the seller was quite pleased to get his asking price and I know I was quite pleased to pay it. He lives in Arkansas and ran a classified ad in the Okla. City paper. I saw the ad and called him; seemed like a nice boat and his asking price was in line with other asking prices. Then the next night I was looking at boats on HOW and found his boat, an h23, with a picture. It was love at first sight. I called him the next day to check a few things out, then told him my wife and I would be at Beaver Lake on Saturday morning with a cashier's check. We took a sail and did the deal, and have had a wonderful first year of sailing. The point is, be sure to include a "good" picture of your boat wherever possible. By good, I don't mean a picture of it on boat stands or a trailer and showing little more than the hull. Below is the picture that sold me. Mac Bentley SV Boodle (nee Molly B) p.s., I just checked the HOW boats for sale site and there are 11 h23s for sale. Only four have pictures -- it's free, isn't it? -- and one of those shows mostly hull while in dry storage right next to a much bigger, more impressive boat! Definitely should have cropped that one.
... of last year. I'm sure the seller was quite pleased to get his asking price and I know I was quite pleased to pay it. He lives in Arkansas and ran a classified ad in the Okla. City paper. I saw the ad and called him; seemed like a nice boat and his asking price was in line with other asking prices. Then the next night I was looking at boats on HOW and found his boat, an h23, with a picture. It was love at first sight. I called him the next day to check a few things out, then told him my wife and I would be at Beaver Lake on Saturday morning with a cashier's check. We took a sail and did the deal, and have had a wonderful first year of sailing. The point is, be sure to include a "good" picture of your boat wherever possible. By good, I don't mean a picture of it on boat stands or a trailer and showing little more than the hull. Below is the picture that sold me. Mac Bentley SV Boodle (nee Molly B) p.s., I just checked the HOW boats for sale site and there are 11 h23s for sale. Only four have pictures -- it's free, isn't it? -- and one of those shows mostly hull while in dry storage right next to a much bigger, more impressive boat! Definitely should have cropped that one.
Mac' Pic is great
Its not blocked by another boat in the slip next door. Its a pretty day (blue sky). Its tidy, not a lot of junk on the rails (note that new boat advertising use the same techniques). You can see the whole boat.
Its not blocked by another boat in the slip next door. Its a pretty day (blue sky). Its tidy, not a lot of junk on the rails (note that new boat advertising use the same techniques). You can see the whole boat.
Thanks Mac and Company
Thanks for the tips and encouragement. Mac, you can see my mast in your picture-bring yourself or a friend and buy my boat! Phil-I hope your insight is correct and that would explain why I haven't gotten any calls or emails from hull thumpers they want to know "standard" items. Reply won't get blocked in my spam settings will they? Maybe this is the week! If not, maybe next spring.
Thanks for the tips and encouragement. Mac, you can see my mast in your picture-bring yourself or a friend and buy my boat! Phil-I hope your insight is correct and that would explain why I haven't gotten any calls or emails from hull thumpers they want to know "standard" items. Reply won't get blocked in my spam settings will they? Maybe this is the week! If not, maybe next spring.
Andy - yes, replies CAN get blocked
Spam filters block alot of valid mail. Send yourself an inquiry through your ad and see if it gets to you. If not, you can loosen your spam filter settings... but it could be getting blocked by your ISP. If so, you can also check for leads by going to the editing screen for your ad. That's the wayto get around any reliance on email. We have also posted a note on the inquiry forms that the telephone is a more reliable way to contact someone about their boat. Spammers. Just one more way they add fustration to our lives.
Spam filters block alot of valid mail. Send yourself an inquiry through your ad and see if it gets to you. If not, you can loosen your spam filter settings... but it could be getting blocked by your ISP. If so, you can also check for leads by going to the editing screen for your ad. That's the wayto get around any reliance on email. We have also posted a note on the inquiry forms that the telephone is a more reliable way to contact someone about their boat. Spammers. Just one more way they add fustration to our lives.
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