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Julie Mor · 11-01-2015, 19:22

I retired over 6 years ago. I was ready to sell the house and buy a boat. Then I met someone. She's amazing. So I waited. Now, she seems ready. The house is turn key but the realtors say wait until late Feb. I'm sitting on an egg waiting for it to hatch and I'm going nuts.

I want to buy stuff to prepare for the trip.

I want to buy stuff to put on the boat.

This is insane!

Or is it?

Since this is in the Sailor's Confessional, please don't report me to the Brute Squad.

**skipmac** · 11-01-2015, 19:36

Buy stuff now for a boat you don't yet own? Maybe I'm crazy too. Not doing exactly the same but have been buying stuff to go cruising for five years while I work on the boat in my spare time and get ready to retire next year.

I have new sails, life raft, new rigging, GPS, charts, guide books, boxes full of spare parts, Honda generator, wind charger, solar panels, you name it. That doesn't even begin to touch all the stuff that's been installed on the boat like the new fridge.

Seems to make sense to me to look for deals and bargains for the stuff I'll buy sooner or later. Plus it does give me something to play with until I'm actually back in the water.

By the way, you know the whole boating/cruising thing is by definition crazy to begin with. So what's a little more insanity on top of that?

colemj · 11-01-2015, 19:38

I don't understand how any of this is mutually exclusive? We bought stuff to prepare both us and the boat while still living in our house. We actually did this over a period of 5 years, so a month doesn't seem unreasonable.

Since I don't understand the real estate market, I don't understand why you can't sell your house if someone wants to buy it now. If the thought is that there may be better pricing in late Feb, then why wait? Put it up now and don't take a lower price than you need to.

Also, late Feb is like 30 days away or something - is that actually a burden? We have waited longer for parts shipments and visas out cruising. How much stuff can you actually buy in a month? I think you may need more time than this to get ready.

Mark

**Tellie** · 11-01-2015, 19:42

Buying stuff for a boat you don't own yet?
How do you know the future boat won't already come with some of the stuff you want?

Halden Marine Services | Marine Watermakers, Solar Panels, Wind Generators

Chalifour · 12-01-2015, 08:44

We've been waiting two and a half year to sell our house with this specific objective of buying a sailboat! So I totally understand your impatience. Our solution was to shop without buying in order to make an informed and fully educated decision when came the time to buy. It proved to be well worthed! In the interim you gain knowledge and ease off your impetience. In life you sometime have to make a little effort to make the journey as much fun as the destination!
Jacques

Mystktravler · 12-01-2015, 08:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by Julie Mor

I retired over 6 years ago. I was ready to sell the house and buy a boat. Then I met someone. She's amazing. So I waited. Now, she seems ready. The house is turn key but the realtors say wait until late Feb. I'm sitting on an egg waiting for it to hatch and I'm going nuts.

I want to buy stuff to prepare for the trip.

I want to buy stuff to put on the boat.

This is insane!

Or is it?

Since this is in the Sailor's Confessional, please don't report me to the Brute Squad.

Hi Julie,

If you have the boat already, nothing is stopping you from your preparation. If you don't own the boat and the sale of the house is a requirement for buying the boat wait. BTW thirty days is not going to necessarily get you a better price...sell and go, you're burning precious time!

Tom

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Capt Phil · 12-01-2015, 08:56

Put some time and effort into planning passages, researching destinations and learning about maintenance issues that will crop up on any vessel. This will keep your thirst for cruising going and add to your prep work for the life style... good luck, Phil

barnaclejim · 12-01-2015, 09:00

Congratulations Julie!
If you dont know the boat you're going to buy dont buy stuff unless its booze. Boats are preety specific in their needs and if you are going to go cruising those needs are even more specific and space particular. I suggest you practice your drinking and wander marinas and boater hangouts, "with your sweetie" and druel. All used boats come with a lot of stuff already, half of which you will toss sooner and some of the rest will sit and mold until you figure what is important. Fair winds

wincrasher · 12-01-2015, 09:01

You do know that closing will take 4 to 6 weeks once you get an acceptable offer, yes?

robert sailor · 12-01-2015, 09:04

Sometimes the sizzle is almost as good as the steak, enjoy looking and planning and dreaming!

Julie Mor · 12-01-2015, 09:46

I'm pretty set on one boat but my SO is still trying to find one better. I already bought Explorer charts for the near Bahamas. I'm planning that as our first destination. I've been amassing a nice collection of boat maintenance books. When I think back on the work I did on my Dad's boat years ago, I wish I had those books!

I also bought some basic chart navigation tools so I could get my SO up to speed on how to use them. You can take a horse to water... I already had some lines from my dad's boat and I've been trying to get my SO to spend some time learning knots. I have my work cut out for me.

As for the house, you got me thinking. Three realtors told me pretty much the same thing which was wait until late Feb or early March to list. One said right after Super Bowl is best. Their reasoning was there's a glut of buyers coming out of hibernation and they will be competing. But now I'm thinking their real reason is to sell the house quickly and that keeps their costs and time spent trying to sell the house down. Hmmmm.... gotta discuss this with the SO.

The only reason I think the house would sell better in the spring is because everything will be in bloom. I've done a lot of landscaping the past few years and it really shows in the spring.

colemj · 12-01-2015, 09:50

I'm still confused on why you can't put the house for sale now, accept an offer you agree with if it comes along, and reject offers you don't agree with. If that means it doesn't sell until spring, then no harm.

Putting the house for sale is the piss or get off the pot point - it will springboard all plans.

Mark

travellerw · 12-01-2015, 10:04

Up here, at least your Realtors would be 100% correct. Only about 10% of houses for sale in the winter actually sell. The weather is cold, and so is the housing market.

So if you listed now, your house would probably sit on the market until spring. Then potential buyers will look at the "days on market" number and put low ball offers since your house must be overpriced as it has been on the market forever. You end up getting less than if you listed it in the spring. At least that is the theory around here.

However you could get lucky and your house is the one potential buyer is waiting for. That's a gamble though. I'm guessing your Realtors are playing safe in their advice. The gamble is up to you.

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ThresherMan · 12-01-2015, 10:08

Good luck on getting on board!

Before you buy any boat, there's plenty of shopping that you can do if you haven't already: foulies, boots, gloves, life vests and harnesses, galley supplies, binoculars, prepare a medical kit, prepare a ditch bag, bosun's chair, and on, and on, and on. Basically anything that 'probably' won't come with the boat.
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