Adventure Yachts brokerage experience

[ipasgas1]

I wanted to share my recent experience with Cris Castles, owner of Adventure Yachts inPompano Beach Florida. I was contacted by a broker saying he had several buyers who would be interested in my boat. I told him I had a couple folks interested and had it advertised on ebay and was going to continue trying to sell it on my own as well. He said if I sold it myself, it was no problem and sent me a contract. I signed the contract assuming that he would be good to our verbal agreement as well. That was in February. I heard from him only a couple of times in five months with one being a low ball offer of a little over 50% of the asking price. I continued to advertise it myself on ebay. I found a buyer through that forum and notified the broker that the boat was sold. He now says he is due a $5000 commission as our contract was exclusive. I am already in the hole over $7500 on the boat sale and now he wants $5000 when I'm the one who sold it? I have emailed him numerous times regarding our verbal agreement that I could sell the boat on my own and he has not once acknowledged or denied making the agreement, only that he wants paid commission. He "graciously" (his word) discounted it to $2500 if I paid it by the end of this week. Otherwise he was going to file legal action against me and he let me know that he had recently done the same to another client and had won the commission and more. I was advised that even if I fought the suit, it would cost more in time, money, and effort than the $2500 so I had to pay him. When I paid him, I let him know I would be sharing my experience and he responded with the threat of a lawsuit if I falsely defamed him. I share this so others do not make the same mistake as I. While it is human nature to see good in all and want to trust them, be careful...you make regret it later.

[Palarran]

Personally, I don't believe your story. In any case, unless you were just born yesterday you would know that you can't sell a boat or house outside of the contract without incurring a commission from the broker.

[ErikFinn]

If your story is true you should blacklist him.

[Celestialsailor]

If it is true, why didn't you read the contract? Secondly, how do you know he wasn't BSing you about winning other claims? You should have challenged him and called his bluff.
Besides...he must be honest...he has religion on his side...
http://www.yachtworld.com/adventurey...chtsinc_7.html

[ipasgas1]

My apparent mistake was trusting that our oral agreement would override the written contract. In my day, a verbal agreement was as solid as a written. Naïve? perhaps. Still prefer to believe that most people are good and trustworthy? Yes, but less everyday...sadly. As a Christian, I have no problem with folks quoting religion on their websites...unless they do so only in hopes of enticing others into believing they are good, honest and trustworthy. How exactly does one "blacklist"?

[smj]

One look at that Yachtworld page and I would have been running the other direction.


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[Sulaire]

If you are a christian, why not just forgive him? 😈

[ipasgas1]

Ha, I'm working on it...it's a process. It started with "graciously" donating my $2500 to the cause... Sometimes, forgiveness takes a little time, kinda hurts, and has a financial component...apparently.

[Dulcesuenos]

Originally Posted by Palarran

Personally, I don't believe your story. In any case, unless you were just born yesterday you would know that you can't sell a boat or house outside of the contract without incurring a commission from the broker.

Your wrong, we have had multiple brokers contact us when we had our last 5 boats listed over the last 7 years and they all said if we sold them on our own, it was no problem. Of course if we had gone that route I would have had it in writing.

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[Dulcesuenos]

Originally Posted by smj

One look at that Yachtworld page and I would have been running the other direction.


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+1

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[skipmac]

Originally Posted by Palarran

Personally, I don't believe your story. In any case, unless you were just born yesterday you would know that you can't sell a boat or house outside of the contract without incurring a commission from the broker.

Yes you can sell the boat without paying a commission to the broker IF you don't sign an exclusive listing contract. There are two standard brokerage contracts, one gives the broker an exclusive and guarantees a commission on the sale no matter what. The other is called an open listing and allows the owner to sell without a commission or to list it with more than one broker allowing that broker to also sell without sharing the commission.

[rourkeh]

This guy has been around South Florida for years trying to make a living. Looks like he is fishing on the Internet for people trying to sell their boats privately and conning them into signing a contract, then attempting to enforce the contract when they sell the boat themselves. You should have told him to piss off he would not have taken you to court, he is a leech. Cris Castles is not a licensed yacht broker in Florida and what you claim he did with you would be fraud, I would have gone to the local cops in Pompano Beach and filed a criminal complaint against him for trying to extort money under false pretenses. People like him are what give the broker industry a bad name.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by Celestialsailor

If it is true, why didn't you read the contract? Secondly, how do you know he wasn't BSing you about winning other claims? You should have challenged him and called his bluff.
Besides...he must be honest...he has religion on his side...
Adventure Yachts (Pompano Beach, FL)

Signing any contract without a careful reading is a big mistake. With few exceptions a written contract will win over a verbal agreement..

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by rourkeh

This guy has been around South Florida for years trying to make a living. Looks like he is fishing on the Internet for people trying to sell their boats privately and conning them into signing a contract, then attempting to enforce the contract when they sell the boat themselves. You should have told him to piss off he would not have taken you to court, he is a leech. Cris Castles is not a licensed yacht broker in Florida and what you claim he did with you would be fraud, I would have gone to the local cops in Pompano Beach and filed a criminal complaint against him for trying to extort money under false pretenses. People like him are what give the broker industry a bad name.

Not licensed? This guy sounds like he's just a crook. I would have gone to court over this. Small claims court is easy and cheap.

[Capt Phil]

Thank you for sharing this experience. I trust that what you related is true, ipasgas1.
Your story is, alas, not u common in the industry and the point a previous poster made about reading any contract carefully before signing is a good one!
When I sold my last boat privately, I was inundated with brokers trying to have me sign a contract with them to help with the sale. Many of them had a reputation for dishonesty within the brokerage industry on the west coast which is a cliquy group. As I had established myself as a delivery skipper with several brokers, I was privy to their opinions.
I did not sign a contract and sold my boat in about 2 months.
Boats can be major assets so be very careful about who you engage to help with a sale.
I would say most brokers are honest and will work hard for you. It is riffraff like the one you experienced that give the whole industry a bad name. Cheers, Phil