For you folks who have listed your boat for sale on this site, how has the response been? The reason I'm asking is that I've had my boat listed on HOW for a number of months and I haven't had one inquiry yet. It's a boat in the mid-30 foot range, is priced in the mid range for similar boats, and is in excellent condition. Is anyone else finding that the used boat market is about as dead as the used home market?
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Location?
Could it be location? Here along the Gulf Coast sailboats are a hard find because of Katrina. We've been searching the websites watching and looking for months now along the coast of Florida. We did look up north and alongside California too but I know location has been a problem for us with having to have to move it, trailering is just too expensive and we would have preferred to put that money into the boat itself. Just a thought.
Could it be location? Here along the Gulf Coast sailboats are a hard find because of Katrina. We've been searching the websites watching and looking for months now along the coast of Florida. We did look up north and alongside California too but I know location has been a problem for us with having to have to move it, trailering is just too expensive and we would have preferred to put that money into the boat itself. Just a thought.
Mine sold easily
Hello, I sold my boat (1986 Newport 28) a few weeks ago. I first listed it at the end of October. No calls, inquiries, nothing. Being the end of the season that didn't really surprise me. When March arrived I had a few people interested. The boat was sold in April. In all I had a few email inquiries, three people looked at the boat, one person made an offer, and he is the one that bought it. The offer was for less than I hoped, but was close enough. I had my boat listed here, on All Boats, and Craigslist (for a short time). The buyer found it here. I don't know what the market is like for older used boats, but I suspect that it is not very large. My opinion is that if you are serious about selling you better be priced at the low end and have a boat in high end condition. Good luck, Barry
Hello, I sold my boat (1986 Newport 28) a few weeks ago. I first listed it at the end of October. No calls, inquiries, nothing. Being the end of the season that didn't really surprise me. When March arrived I had a few people interested. The boat was sold in April. In all I had a few email inquiries, three people looked at the boat, one person made an offer, and he is the one that bought it. The offer was for less than I hoped, but was close enough. I had my boat listed here, on All Boats, and Craigslist (for a short time). The buyer found it here. I don't know what the market is like for older used boats, but I suspect that it is not very large. My opinion is that if you are serious about selling you better be priced at the low end and have a boat in high end condition. Good luck, Barry
Mooring could be part of the problem
I just read an article in Pacific Yachting amout limited moorage availability. (I think it was that mag or something similar) Anyway the author shared their experience of purchasing a bigger used boat and the challenges they encountered attempting to get moorage along with the huge wait lists. (The Pacific Northwest)It sounded pretty grim, you need to be able to buy the slip with the boat these days. There is also a trend to bigger boats 40'+ so the smaller ones are dying a slow death. Marinas are reconfiguring for larger boats therefore 30' and smaller slips are getting fewer. I get the sense that 28' - 34' boats are not so popular as the 36'+ ones are. I also notice that trailerable outboard power boats are not lagging in sales nor is anything trailerable. Are we sailors a dying breed? Too many environmentalists are anti-marina, they perceive marinas as a blight to their view and look for ways to thwart plans for new marinas as part of waterfront condo developments. There are more boats being manufactured and sold than there are marinas and slips to accommodate them. Maybe it's time to deep six a few old clunkers to make way for newer boats, who knows, just a thought. Do a search on Yachtworld or any other listing service and you will see just how grim it is, more boats for sale than buyers by a long shot, it's buyers market right now.
I just read an article in Pacific Yachting amout limited moorage availability. (I think it was that mag or something similar) Anyway the author shared their experience of purchasing a bigger used boat and the challenges they encountered attempting to get moorage along with the huge wait lists. (The Pacific Northwest)It sounded pretty grim, you need to be able to buy the slip with the boat these days. There is also a trend to bigger boats 40'+ so the smaller ones are dying a slow death. Marinas are reconfiguring for larger boats therefore 30' and smaller slips are getting fewer. I get the sense that 28' - 34' boats are not so popular as the 36'+ ones are. I also notice that trailerable outboard power boats are not lagging in sales nor is anything trailerable. Are we sailors a dying breed? Too many environmentalists are anti-marina, they perceive marinas as a blight to their view and look for ways to thwart plans for new marinas as part of waterfront condo developments. There are more boats being manufactured and sold than there are marinas and slips to accommodate them. Maybe it's time to deep six a few old clunkers to make way for newer boats, who knows, just a thought. Do a search on Yachtworld or any other listing service and you will see just how grim it is, more boats for sale than buyers by a long shot, it's buyers market right now.
You need a broker..
I too listed here on this site and not one peep. My broker brought me a buyer from all the way from Florida and I'm in Maine go figure. My boat was absolutely pristine and after an 8 hour survey the only thing he could find was a small chip in the gel coat the size of a Tic Tac candy that was caused by the anchor and I had not yet had a chance to re gel coat and patch it. Clean boats, and I mean spotless, sell almost instantaneously while others sit and have as many as 25 to 30 lookers before someone makes an offer. The caveat to all this is that for a boat worth more than 25k you need a broker. Under 25k sometimes Craigs List, Ebay or this site works...
I too listed here on this site and not one peep. My broker brought me a buyer from all the way from Florida and I'm in Maine go figure. My boat was absolutely pristine and after an 8 hour survey the only thing he could find was a small chip in the gel coat the size of a Tic Tac candy that was caused by the anchor and I had not yet had a chance to re gel coat and patch it. Clean boats, and I mean spotless, sell almost instantaneously while others sit and have as many as 25 to 30 lookers before someone makes an offer. The caveat to all this is that for a boat worth more than 25k you need a broker. Under 25k sometimes Craigs List, Ebay or this site works...
no sale here yet
I have had my boat listed for two months here and elsewhere, 38 footer, lowest price on the market, and only one scammer and one "international" broker scam emails....hope the market improves or I get a good job and can keep her. Actually worse than the home market here...
I have had my boat listed for two months here and elsewhere, 38 footer, lowest price on the market, and only one scammer and one "international" broker scam emails....hope the market improves or I get a good job and can keep her. Actually worse than the home market here...
Hard to figure
In the past 24 hours I've heard from classified ad customers who sold a Catalina 36 to the first caller and a Seaward Fox on the first day it was listed. On the other hand, I also got an email from a forum regular who needed a couple years to sell his Hunter 320. Obviously, there are more factors that just the media. IMHO, you need a detailed ad, good photos, and a fair (or lower) price. Your popularity of your boat's brand and model are important, as is your location. Of course, if your boat is too popular (Catalina 22 or 30) that can hurt too because there are so many to choose from. And then sometimes a seller has everything going for him and it still takes a while. While I don't think a broker is _necessary_ to sell a boat over $25k they can certainly help get it done faster -- and help you price it right, which is most often the problem with slow moving boats. In general terms, I'd say our sites are better for selling Hunter, Catalina, Macgregor, Oday, Beneteau, Potter, Seaward, and Precision sailboats. We have a strong forum presence with those brands. We also do a lot of internet advertising on those keywords. So people shopping those brands will eventually end up shopping here. But for more exotic or custom boats there are probably better places to list. Maybe not cheaper, but probably better.
In the past 24 hours I've heard from classified ad customers who sold a Catalina 36 to the first caller and a Seaward Fox on the first day it was listed. On the other hand, I also got an email from a forum regular who needed a couple years to sell his Hunter 320. Obviously, there are more factors that just the media. IMHO, you need a detailed ad, good photos, and a fair (or lower) price. Your popularity of your boat's brand and model are important, as is your location. Of course, if your boat is too popular (Catalina 22 or 30) that can hurt too because there are so many to choose from. And then sometimes a seller has everything going for him and it still takes a while. While I don't think a broker is _necessary_ to sell a boat over $25k they can certainly help get it done faster -- and help you price it right, which is most often the problem with slow moving boats. In general terms, I'd say our sites are better for selling Hunter, Catalina, Macgregor, Oday, Beneteau, Potter, Seaward, and Precision sailboats. We have a strong forum presence with those brands. We also do a lot of internet advertising on those keywords. So people shopping those brands will eventually end up shopping here. But for more exotic or custom boats there are probably better places to list. Maybe not cheaper, but probably better.
I bought two boats here and sold one here.
They were all 25 O'days.I still have one of them. r.w.landau
They were all 25 O'days.I still have one of them. r.w.landau
You don't need a broker..
I sold my Hunter on this web site! I did all the paper work myself too! You have to have your boat listed in the spring! That is the trick. Spring fever is the time to sell a boat. You can sell the boat for 10% less by not listing the boat and get the same amount of money. The broker's commission.
I sold my Hunter on this web site! I did all the paper work myself too! You have to have your boat listed in the spring! That is the trick. Spring fever is the time to sell a boat. You can sell the boat for 10% less by not listing the boat and get the same amount of money. The broker's commission.
Sold mine... bought another
I sold my Hunter 170 here about a month ago. I had three people ready to buy if the deal fell through. It's now in Wisconsin. I also bought a 2005 Precision 23 here just a few weeks ago. My 170 was for sale since last November, but I really didn't expect to sell until spring. I looked at several P23's, but this one was close, newer and well cared for. Good luck.
I sold my Hunter 170 here about a month ago. I had three people ready to buy if the deal fell through. It's now in Wisconsin. I also bought a 2005 Precision 23 here just a few weeks ago. My 170 was for sale since last November, but I really didn't expect to sell until spring. I looked at several P23's, but this one was close, newer and well cared for. Good luck.
Trailer
George, I may be interested in buying your trailer. Could you tell me more about it? The size of the tires? Type of brakes? What is the weight the trailer is rated for? Please email. gphillips@imerys.com Thanks Greg
George, I may be interested in buying your trailer. Could you tell me more about it? The size of the tires? Type of brakes? What is the weight the trailer is rated for? Please email. gphillips@imerys.com Thanks Greg
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