Brokers, Why So Bloody Lazy.

[blueglass]

To me, that's not brokering, that's just advertising your boat for you, 1.5% would be too much for that service.

I don't think brokers should be allowed to sell boats that they have not personally viewed, inspected and photographed.

They have a legal duty to notify you of any defects they are aware of. How can they do that adequately if the first time they see the boat is when they show it to you ?

They would argue that they were unaware of any defects, and they would be right because in fact they would never see my boat at any time in the entire sales process. For this they wanted to charge me £14,000 !!!!

[blueglass]

Ebay has been mentioned a few times - does anybody else have any experience of success (or otherwise come to that) with their classified ads. Im thinking for £14.99 a month and no commission it has to be worth a punt at least in tandem with other avenues.
My concern would be the financial side with 100K plus changing hands - whats the best way of dealing safely with that?

[PaulGooch]

Ebay has been mentioned a few times - does anybody else have any experience of success (or otherwise come to that) with their classified ads. Im thinking for £14.99 a month and no commission it has to be worth a punt at least in tandem with other avenues.
My concern would be the financial side with 100K plus changing hands - whats the best way of dealing safely with that?

Lots of experience with Ebay for car sales (yes i'm sadly one rung down on the ladder from the child molesters, so i'm told, as i own a car sales business).

IMO, wel worth a 15 quid punt. As for the financial aspect, treat it the exact same way as you would with a sale from any other method. Don't accept PayPal, obviously the charges for that would be daft. Just treat and Ebay classified the same as you'd treat any other classified.

Id further suggest setting up a website as discussed earlier. Link to that from the Ebay listing so you can use lots and lots of good pictures.

[blueglass]

As for the financial aspect, treat it the exact same way as you would with a sale from any other method. Don't accept PayPal, obviously the charges for that would be daft. Just treat and Ebay classified the same as you'd treat any other classified.

I know what you mean but Ive never sold (or bought)anything that expensive via a classifeid ad. A buyer would need some safeguards to feel happy about parting with that sort of cash via a banker's draft for example. I would be OK with that myself as long as was sure it was firmly cleared into my account but convincing the buyer.... not so sure. A secure intermediary, say a solicitor might work? Even solicitors are cheaper than boat brokers!

[PaulGooch]

I know what you mean but Ive never sold (or bought)anything that expensive via a classifeid ad. A buyer would need some safeguards to feel happy about parting with that sort of cash via a banker's draft for example. I would be OK with that myself as long as was sure it was firmly cleared into my account but convincing the buyer.... not so sure.

You could always use a solicitor or two to handle the funds. Or perhaps a smaller deposit than normal, where he wouldn't be afraid to trust you with say, a grand or two.

[mateyboy]

My concern would be the financial side with 100K plus changing hands - whats the best way of dealing safely with that?

A nice few big wedges of readies?
(check the ones at the bottom)

[jonic]

Well to be fair estate agents are working far longer hours and dont have to portray the same lifestyle, a Yacht Broker has to turn up in a Jag, Merc, range rover draped in bling which all adds to his expenses.

Remember he doesnt start work until 1000 - 1030, lunch 1145- 1430 and he needs to close the yard at 1500 so he can be away early.
that doesnt leave many hours to earn money so he has to charge you 8%.

.

In the interests of balance and clarity this is what I do as a broker for certainly much less than 8%. Followed by how and why. And I sure I am not unique. I am a bit concerned these broker bashing threads are now painting a very inaccurate one sided picture to the casual and uninformed visitor to these forums. I am certainly not alone in operating this way. Many of my colleagues from ABYA and the BMF do the same.



As a qualified ABYA Accredited Broker I provide:

* A personal, hands on, client focused service following the ABYA Code of Practice
* Low % commission rates with highly competitive terms
* No sale no fee
* Market appraisal of the yacht
* Photography of the yacht and preparation of particulars
* ABYA sale and purchase contract management and assistance with VAT and RCD
* Pro-active global marketing and advertising
* Including advertising on xxxxx.com xxxxxxxxxx.com & xxxxxxxxxxxxxx.com
* Accompanied and pre-arranged viewings
* Regular progress updates
* Sales negotiation with prospective purchasers and handling of all enquiries
* Survey assistance and post survey negotiations
* Bill of sale administration
* Professional indemnity insurance
* Deposit & final payment transfer through dedicated client account written in trust at Lloyds TSB

This is the sequence of events I use to deliver that process and why.

The boat is offered for sale at a certain price and this price is based on the condition the boat is known or thought to be in.

I check the title, VAT status, RCD status and pull together the previous bills of sale, check they match all the documents, track down the Vat Documents, check for outstanding finance and take copies of owners passports. I also get the owners to sign a declaration confirming the boat is theirs to sell and is free from debts and liens.

The boat is advertised and mailed to all on the database who are seeking something like that boat.

If it is not overseas I do accompanied viewings and like to give at least a 1-2 hour run through of the systems. This will happen as many times as it takes to find the right buyer. And as many times as the right buyer wants to come back before making his offer.

An offer is received "subject to survey" and accepted.

A 10% deposit is taken and held in an independent account. The deposit protects the seller if his boat is damaged by the buyer or his surveyor, and also protects against any lift out yard/bills not being paid by the buyer. The buyer is protected as It shows real intent and gives justification for the seller to now remove the boat from the market and not entertain any ideas of gazumping the buyer.

The seller and buyer enter into a contract. The seller agreeing to sell to that buyer, and not to change his mind or sell to another higher bidder whilst the buyer is spending money on a survey within a pre-agreed timeframe.

The buyer is agreeing to buy "subject to survey". As we are dealing with second hand goods between two private individuals that are not warranted, this gives the buyer independent knowledge of what he is buying, and the contract allows him to re-negotiate the price or have his deposit refunded in full if the survey shows the boat to significantly not be in the condition that both he and the seller thought she was in.

After survey If required a sea trail takes place, the boat is then sold at the original offer price, or if unknown problems are found, the seller makes repairs or reduces the price..If no agreement can be reached the buyer has his deposit refunded in full and the boat is free to be re-marketed.

It works very well for both parties. The seller knows he has a committed buyer and financial protection against any damage or unpaid bills. The buyer has time to find out exactly what he is buying and the knowledge that any money he spends will not be wasted by the boat being sold elsewhere whilst he is in that process. There is also a written framework and a third party to administer it all.

I do not have a Jag draped in bling

[kashurst]

Haydn
give Richard Bleakley at York marina boat sales a call he may be interested in buying it off you to sell on in the spring. Very helpful bloke and sold lots of boats last summer.

[blueglass]

In the interests of balance and clarity this is what I do as a broker for certainly much less than 8%.:

That sounds like a good service and it is what we should expect as an industry standard. The major international outfit i approached would only contemplate all of this service, i.e. including accompanied viewings and visting the boat to photogarph etc for 10%. I still think that is excessive. I know the boat is abroad and of course causes extra work. but even if the boat was in the UK, the 8% fee is certainly excessive, even considering all the work you have outlined.

[Who]

I sold my last boat on ebay. It took about 4 weeks but it was well worth it

I priced it competitively, to gain interest and it sold.

A twin petrol 30' maxum. Reportedly hard to sell.

In the end I had 3 people looking at it, all keen to buy.

Ebay is a great place to sell your boat, but mainly if under 100k.

But it's ONLY any good if you present the advert well with loads of good pictures.