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sundowner · 07-09-2008, 20:20

Does anyone have some examples of purchase contracts, offer letters, or "letters of intent to purchase pending survey outcome" with appropriate pre-purchase language, etc.? In fact, is there a document repository on this site that allows people to upload/download documents/templates? Would be a great resource. If I find a boat that isn't listed with a broker I'd like to have some documents ready to go. Please PM me and let me know if you have anything. Thanks!

**Ex-Calif** · 07-09-2008, 20:34

I have the paperwork we used for a fairly straighforward cash purchase with no escrow.

PM me with your email address and I will send to you.

As always I suggest that you get the docs checked by a legal person if the amounts are significant to you.

sundowner · 07-09-2008, 22:29

Also, any advice regarding appropriate sales process, steps, negotiating tips, etc. either when buying a boat through a broker or direct with the current owner would be helpful as well would be greatly appreciated. Like when to make an offer, how to open an escrow account when dealing direct with a seller (no broker), negotiating a lower price pending survey issues, buying something that is currently in foreign waters (does that matter?), etc. Thanks!

Liberty28 · 08-09-2008, 02:36

Google up some of your terms. Letters of intent are present on some of the brokerage sites to give you a start. There is a lot of info on negotiations, and the rest of the activities associated with buying a boat. You might even go and talk to a broker who has the time and the inclination (does such a beast exist?) to provide info.

We just purchased our own boat without a broker and everything was on the internet.

sluissa · 08-09-2008, 05:12

I don't know how much we're talking about here, and if you trust the other person or not, but I just typed up my own simple little contract saying I was going to give a certain amount of money as a deposit towards the full purchase price we had agreed upon, and the price would be paid upon the boat being put in the water and the proof that she would float.

Granted, the amount I paid is a small amount compared to most boat purchases. And it was just a person to person deal, no broker involved. And the guy ended up being very trustworthy and nice.

Overall, the contract ended up being about a paragraph and I just had both of us sign and date a copy for each of us to keep. A lawyer probably could have torn it to shreds, but it might have held up in small claims court(good enough to get my deposit back at least had something gone wrong)

sundowner · 08-09-2008, 13:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by Liberty28

We just purchased our own boat without a broker and everything was on the internet.

Liberty, did everything go smoothly with the transaction or were there any problems with the process?

Liberty28 · 08-09-2008, 14:04

Sundowner,

No problems whatsoever. We had signed and notarized documents that were right off of a brokers site and everything went accordly. Having said that, I was dealing with two very intelligent and honest people. If I was dealing with some of the boatyard derelicts I've come across from time to time, I probably would have had a lawyer handle the legalities or skipped the purchase entirely.

We'll be in Punta Gorda this winter in our new (to us) boat and the previous owners will be in Trinidad on their new (to them) boat!