Betcha Next 'Boat for Sale' Missing Price / Pics

[captainKJ]

Originally Posted by sww914

BTW, what does it take to become a boat broker? I really think that I could do better than some of these clowns, if I ever finish cruising.

think of it this way,,,,,what does it take to become a used car salesman in a seedy lot??? same as a boat broker in some states,,,

must be a man of very low morals (some preachers I know),,,,,must be interested in sex (screwing people),,,,must be a great talker (******** artist),,,must be good with money (pickpocket),,,,,must have owned a boat (inflatable dingy OK),must know boats (at least know they are supposed to float),,,,,be a good talker(******** artist),,,,,,,,have good people skills (******** artist),,,,know how to sell (******** talker),,

thats about it in a nutshell

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by Capt Phil

if I were hiring a broker I would look for several years of experience aboard power and sail, at least a Masters 100 ton license with sail endorsement, a fairly solid mechanical background and good understanding of marine electrical and electronics systems, outstanding people skills and a thorough understanding of marine contract, titling and vessel documentation. Honesty is a plus! Capt Phil

I think the key to that is the word hiring (a Broker).

IMO to get that skill set you will need to pay top dollar - and by the hour. For me it would be cash up front (if I had all those skills ).......rather than accepting an IOU on a boat that may never be sold.

I would love to be a fly on the wall at www.Brokers_hate_Punters.com - I am sure that there are 2 sides to every story.......and probably No.1 is completely unrealistic expectations of a broker, coupled with a total lack of understanding of the role.

For the job description above I see a number of roles:-

Surveyor
Electrical Engineer
Marine Engineer
Electronics Engineer
Delivery Skipper
Lawyer
Escrow Agent
Advisor (Counsellor?)


and.....Broker

and the expectation that some schmuck will do all that, on demand 24/7 for SFA on a vague chance of some cash...........for folk who don't know what day it is let alone which end is pointy .....and that's only the genuine buyers

[Curmudgeon]

I don't think it's fair to paint all brokers with the same brush. Some are very good. The good ones are (a) honest, (b) know the boat they are selling, and (c) know how to manage the seller's expectations. Yes, you can hire a buyer's broker (in which case commissions are split) but if there is only one broker in the deal, he or she works for the seller.

The brokers with whom I've worked in my current search have been fine (with one exception). It's the sellers who have been a PITA.

[spostamento nobile]

Originally Posted by Curmudgeon

I don't think it's fair to paint all brokers with the same brush. Some are very good. The good ones are (a) honest, (b) know the boat they are selling, and (c) know how to manage the seller's expectations. Yes, you can hire a buyer's broker (in which case commissions are split) but if there is only one broker in the deal, he or she works for the seller.

The brokers with whom I've worked in my current search have been fine (with one exception). It's the sellers who have been a PITA.

You are right. I amend my earlier post to say all the ones I have tried to use let me DOWN.

[captainKJ]

Just emailed a broker concerning a used fishing boat,,asked him for photos and if there was a recent survey and if there was any more information he could send me,,,his answer was look at the web site and email him if I needed more information

lets see,,, I already ask him for the info to start with,,,,I got his information from the web site, asked him some question,,,his reply was to email him if i have any questions,,,

go figure,,,he gets my vote for broker of the year already

[David_Old_Jersey]

It's a test.........

[Johnathon123]

Originally Posted by captainKJ

Just emailed a broker concerning a used fishing boat,,asked him for photos and if there was a recent survey and if there was any more information he could send me,,,his answer was look at the web site and email him if I needed more information

lets see,,, I already ask him for the info to start with,,,,I got his information from the web site, asked him some question,,,his reply was to email him if i have any questions,,,

go figure,,,he gets my vote for broker of the year already

He would win hands down BUT unfortunately the podium at the awards night would be overun with shiny polyester suits and hair gel if that was the criteria because that's how so many of them behave.

The response seems even more common when the request comes from their website.

[Khagan1227]

I must admit during our current search, when I look at an ad, I look for lots of pictures and a decent write up on the boat, its history and the reason it is being sold. I've seen the boats with no pictures in the ad, and never gave them a second look.

I love the photos that show the salon cushions, mattresses, cabin sole, etc. with waterstains, but no a mention in the write up about a leak some where. I think my favorite was a 41' Morgan Outisland that had pictures of a sewage leak in the head and dead cockroaches in one of the pictures. The stern view of the boat showed the rudder buried in mud (Florida, clear water). I mentioned them to the broker and the response was, what do you expect for $77,000...

[captainKJ]

Originally Posted by David_Old_Jersey

It's a test.........

I see,,,he must want to know if i am interested in the boat,,,,I get it now,,,I keep emailing him till he sends me the information this way he know I want THAT boat and not anotherone,,,,I get it now,,,Thanks DOJ

[Capt Phil]

Good point, DOJ... there is a difference between hiring a broker to work on your behalf who has your best interest at heart.
Dealing with a sellers broker is a whole different kettle of fish (or BS). I would never, and I mean never, take a selling brokers word for anything but would arrange for an independent varification of his or her representations.
I have been the proverbial 'fly on the wall' listening to a group of brokers discuss their sales leads, successes and failures, etc and it showed me that they normally hold the buyers in pretty low esteem. The game appears to be to boast about the biggest thing they ever successfully put over on a buyer and all would laugh about it. Not unlike used car salesmen...
Second only was what they thought about sellers but I won't go into that beacause the moderator will flame me, and rightly so!
If I was truly interested in a boat, I would not hesitate to contact the owner and tell them I got their name from the marina and suggest when the listing ran out to call me once the commission period had lapsed to see if I was still interested in doing a private deal.
In fairness, I did meet one broker who was in town checking out another boat for a client and approached me to see if I was interested in selling. She was very polite, businesslike, knew her boats and said she would see if her client would be interested in our boat. We did not do the deal but I kept her card and a year later she called just after we had sold our boat privately and steered me to another boat for sale which we ended up purchasing from the owners. There was no commission involved but we felt it right to offer her a finders fee for keeping us in mind. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend her as broker. Capt Phil

[zeehag]

in the 3 years i have had my ericson listed with a broker, i have had ZERO requests to see her--is not because of boat--is because the listed and asking price does not reflect his desired commission --he would not make much off my boat as i am trying to sell her short. brokers are interested in their commission primarily. then mebbe if they reallly like you, they might possibly send someone your way. AND they will keep the selling/asking price HIGH to accommpdate them selves.

[capnorv]

Originally Posted by Khagan1227

I must admit during our current search, when I look at an ad, I look for lots of pictures and a decent write up on the boat, its history and the reason it is being sold. I've seen the boats with no pictures in the ad, and never gave them a second look.

I love the photos that show the salon cushions, mattresses, cabin sole, etc. with waterstains, but no a mention in the write up about a leak some where. I think my favorite was a 41' Morgan Outisland that had pictures of a sewage leak in the head and dead cockroaches in one of the pictures. The stern view of the boat showed the rudder buried in mud (Florida, clear water). I mentioned them to the broker and the response was, what do you expect for $77,000...

I don't know what you're supposed to expect for $77000 in Florida, but I got our boat for $73000&tax last fall for comparison. I did make the broker get it out of the raft up slip it was in, couldn't figure out how to get out of the 6' hole it was in without moving his boats.

[capnorv]

Originally Posted by zeehag

in the 3 years i have had my ericson listed with a broker, i have had ZERO requests to see her--is not because of boat--is because the listed and asking price does not reflect his desired commission --he would not make much off my boat as i am trying to sell her short. brokers are interested in their commission primarily. then mebbe if they reallly like you, they might possibly send someone your way. AND they will keep the selling/asking price HIGH to accommpdate them selves.

Let your term expire and search Craigs List for interested parties at a realistic price. Worked for me, first person was the buyer. I know your out of country, but surely you have a trusted friend in San Diego who'd help. Just a thought.

[dave777]

Originally Posted by Curmudgeon

Here's another pet peeve of mine: ridiculously inflated asking prices on Yachtworld.

It's funny when used boats have asking prices higher than what the builder charged for the boat as new. Sure, there is outfitting and additional equipment. But some owners think that the delivery, commissioning, bottom paint, old electronics are part of an "investment". Fact is, it all is worth less used.

A boat is an expenditure, not an investment. In fact, you have to pay money just to keep and maintain even if you don't use it. You even have to pay money to throw a boat away, or risk legal trouble if you abandon it.
A boat is a liability.

The funniest part of the Yachtworld / Soldboats.com listing game is that the "sold" price they list is nothing more than the official asking price at the time the boat is sold. Maybe some brokers update the price. But this ain't the roaring 90s when everyone's IRA and house had them millionaires thinking of early retirement.

70% is the new 90% and I think some sellers try to compensate by having ridiculous asking prices.