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Old 29-05-2017, 19:43   #1
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Job of the Seller's Broker?

In all seriousness, what is involved with the broker's job? Yes, to list it on YW, show the boat, sell it, and process some paperwork.

Is there more to the sales job?

Now, on to my gripes, based largely on MANY YW searches.

Can you take some photos? Really. Isn't there a common sense checklist? Interior, engine, instruments, repairs. Sure, I get it. You don't want to show all the bad stuff- but no boat is perfect. Do you want to field yet another call asking why the boat is $60,000 when all others are $90,000?

Five photos of the bottom under a winter cover, and one of the interior (likely a stock photo). OK, maybe that's the best you could do in November. IT'S JUNE.

Are the cushions white leatherette or blue fabric? Some photos are white leatherette, and some show blue. Do we get both sets, or which are on the boat now? How old are some of those photos anyway?

And, can you take some that are in focus? Is that asking too much?

If your net on a $120k boat is $12k, I'd think you could make an effort to take some decent photos. Not asking you to wash the boat or straighten up the live-aboard mess. Just saying that if somebody was going to give me $12k (or $10k based on selling price) I'd be more than happy to take some bloody photos. For that matter, I'll wash the boat before I take the photos.

Can you get the specs right? Soooo many listings for "max draft" show the max draft of the boat model. I can clearly see it's a shoal draft you idiot. Yes, I can go to yachtdata....can't you?

Is it that hard to list the engine hours? OK, maybe you don't want to on purpose. But I know not all the boats with no hours listed have unusually high hours.

Are there really that many people willing to pay near your $100k asking price for a $40k boat? Why not be a bit up front. We drove an hour (thankfully, only an hour) to look at a boat for which the broker's photos grabbed our hearts...we were in love. Unfortunately, upon looking at the boat, the heavy oil in the bilge, warped and ruined cherry veneer on the bulkheads, and white dust that used to be gelcoat turned us off. Do you really think somebody might buy sight unseen? Or might actually look at the boat and think it's OK? This one in question I went back and looked at the online photos and fell in love all over again- even knowing it was a total POS. Why not let us know ahead of time the boat is trashed?

I assume the ST60 is the most popular, and expensive, instrument set available. I assume that because it is the most photographed electronic device on YW; often with more than one photo of the same instrument! Yet "autopilot: yes" leaves me wanting more. A new autopilot for 40' boat can run $5000 plus. How about some info? Same for windlass.

Does it have davits or not? Too often the few photos don't even hit that end of the boat. It looks like it might have davits, but I can't tell, and they're not listed. Did the owner rip them off? I can't even tell if this is the version with the sugarscoop transom or not...if you told me the sub-specific model, or took a photo, that would have been great.

Why does it have a new mast and furler? You know I'm going to ask.

For trucks sake mate, is this the two cabin or three cabin version? Thanks for posting the manufacturer's layout showing both- how about letting me know- somehow- which one this boat is?? Really? You can use a camera or put it in the description, I don't care- just do it.

So you say the primary winches were removed for transport. I assume you mean for bridge clearance, but it doesn't make sense because the stanchions and cabin are still there. Dude, think up a better lie.

Just like the interior cushions...in one photo the hull shines like the sun. In another I can see gouges on a hull that hasn't been maintained. Can we get photos that were taken this decade? You can skip the old photos, I don't need to use my imagination how it might look, any more than I have to use my imagination to think of how the wife looked 20 years ago. I'm getting what is there today, so help me out here. Newsflash: a 10 year old photo on a dating website might get a first date, but it has rarely led to a second. Are you and I looking for a single date, or do you want to sell a boat?

RETURN MY @#$& call. Called on one boat, no answer. A few days later I was talking to a broker I know well, and he said "we'll I'll call" Call was answered immediately though they didn't know who he was. So they can answer the phone, but not return calls. Great for business. Told another broker I'd be in his city for three days and could look at a boat of interest; he said he'd get back to me on the best time. I went to that city, never heard from him, went home.

I want a Beneteau 430. That's my dream boat. We looked at one, it was right on the edge of being able to be restored. Told the broker I wanted to come back and do a more thorough look, he wanted a 10% deposit first. Why would I give you a deposit when I want another look before I decide if I even want to put in an offer? His response: pay deposit, put in offer, put the caveats in offer. Yeah, right so I tie up the money in escrow, pay $1500 for a survey (which we know will be ugly) and the owner is likely to not let it go for asking minus serious repairs. Doesn't make sense. And I had my boat sold pending purchase of yours you idiot! For cash!

I am in sales, are you? Buyers base decisions in this order: on the person (the broker in this case), the company (e.g., Shannon) reputation, and the product (this boat). If they don't like the company the won't be calling you, so now we're down to two influences. They may not like this boat, that happens. But a lot of it comes down to you. If they don't like you, they won't buy the boat, because they don't trust you.

Answer the darned questions. No boat is perfect, you don't have to advertise it, you don't have to volunteer it. But if the buyer is savvy enough to ask a question, answer it truthfully! In fact, I've found several brokers who are VERY truthful, which saved us both a lot of time. I don't have time, do you? If I travel there to look at the boat and you failed to be truthful- or even open- about a major issue then your brokerage is off my list.

Keep the on-line list of "accessories" to the important stuff. I don't care if it comes with a TV or sheets. Don't make such a big deal about the dingy, I have my own...I'm interested in the big boat. Don't post the manufacturer's endless list of highlights, options, and accessories, because a fifth of them were never installed, and another fifth don't work. Even the neophytes aren't going to read that run-on list because they don't know what three quarters of it is. So skip the mush.

Circling around- let's be truthful, up front. Post some dammed photos. I want to see the water damage, the external condition of the engine. I want to get a feel for how the owner maintained the boat, and I want to know what it looks like in the recent past. For the $2000 commission on a bloody Catalina 30 you should be able to take some decent photos and provide a real description.

[I'm going to put my Nomex suit on now.]
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Old 29-05-2017, 20:23   #2
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Re: Job of the Seller's Broker?

So true, so bloody true!
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Old 29-05-2017, 22:14   #3
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Re: Job of the Seller's Broker?

Well said !!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Old 30-05-2017, 06:23   #4
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Re: Job of the Seller's Broker?

Check out the thread "Post the Worst 'For Sale' Picture You've Seen." Long discussion on the idiotically useless pictures that are often posted in advertisements. Both by brokers, and by FSBO sellers.
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Old 30-05-2017, 13:23   #5
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Re: Job of the Seller's Broker?

Quote:
Originally Posted by denverd0n View Post
Check out the thread "Post the Worst 'For Sale' Picture You've Seen." Long discussion on the idiotically useless pictures that are often posted in advertisements. Both by brokers, and by FSBO sellers.
I'll give some slack to the FSBO. Life can have some real twists that can prevent one from properly marketing a boat.

But a broker??!! They stand to bank thousands, or tens of thousands of dollars. No excuse! Brokers with few and/or poor photos are doing themselves a disservice, but more so the client. It must be a seller's market, with the brokers able to be so lax with quality of output.
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Old 30-05-2017, 14:18   #6
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Re: Job of the Seller's Broker?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tetepare View Post
In all seriousness, what is involved with the broker's job? Yes, to list it on YW, show the boat, sell it, and process some paperwork.

....
Had a couple of occasions where they never got back to me, but I did end up on their mailing list.
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