Yachtworld Asking Prices VS Actual Sale Price - or What is the Markup ?

[sandy daugherty]

When I said they are all over the chart, I meant it. I have seen boats go for more than the asking price, because the buyer wanted the dinghy or the ssb that the seller was holding back. I have seen boats sit for a year and then sell for more than the original asking price in a bidding war after a favorable article in Multihulls Magazine. I have cried real tears when a great boat, one that I really admired, went for much less than I thought it was worth, but still tantalizingly out of reach.

The answer is NO. There is no way to know what a seller will take based on what he is asking. A Broker can talk himself blue in the face trying to get a seller to drop his price to something remotely resembling a fair price, only to have the seller get mad, pull his listing, and sell it somewhere else for less! In fact, a sellers lowest price, just like a buyer's highest, changes from hour to hour, based on emotional factors. Seldom do practical considerations hold an offer rigid.

As far as blood sport, Paul, its a fact. Cops, Emergency Room Nurses, and Salesmen get to see much more of raw human behavior than they should have to. But for every sword-swinging negotiator, there are five rational customers, two who maintain a great sense of humor, and one pushover, who is probably another salesperson!
I tried to make a living as a broker twice, and had to get out for other reasons. I actually enjoyed most of the more annoying customers simply because they were characters. There are a very few people in the world that no one should have to deal with, and its pretty damn hard to find the right line to walk away on. Tactical retreats are best made early and fast, to reduce the damage in a rear-guard action.

The reason I had to get out was always because I couldn't encourage a customer to buy a boat that was clearly not right for him. I was being judgmental before I could close a deal, and I felt a little sleazy some of the time.

Final word: BUC + NADA + Bluebook + whatever = GIGO*

*garbage in equals garbage out.

I'm much happier peddling paint and pushing a broom. I was perhaps overpaid in my checkerboard past.

[Mainstay]

I just Googled "Soldboats" and the first hit it gave me was a site called "Bugmenot.com" which gave me a login and password for "Soldboats"!! I tried the login and password and voila! all the information was available..! It was quite interesting to see the selling prices for boats that I had eyeballed over the last few years... some real good bargains that I missed!

[David_Old_Jersey]

I am not a yachtworld follower.....but one thing I try and do (on anything I buy that I may want to later sell) is ask myself "at what price would I feel comfortable in acheiving if I was now selling?"........kinda removes some of the rose tint from the spectacles.

And then I may add in a "buy it now" premium

Not to say that every boat purchase should be dependent on later sale price.

[imagine2frolic]

Everything has an asking price. That does not always equate to a selling price.

[F15EWSO]

Originally Posted by Mainstay

I just Googled "Soldboats" and the first hit it gave me was a site called "Bugmenot.com" which gave me a login and password for "Soldboats"!! I tried the login and password and voila! all the information was available..! It was quite interesting to see the selling prices for boats that I had eyeballed over the last few years... some real good bargains that I missed!

The bugmenot.com approach will no longer get you in. This thread is a bit dated and I think the initial approach on 30-50% off asking is a bit aggressive, even in today's still soft market.

[casual]

When speaqking with a seller or broker use the approach I,am Looking to spend XXXX dollars.I,dont want to waste anyones time Should I,come see the Boat or not?
In all fairness don't approach a 100,000. 00 boat with a 30,000.00 price range,But who knows>Talk Cash not finance,be preparred to settle it up quick,afer surveyds ect.
Worked for me.

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by casual

When speaqking with a seller or broker use the approach I,am Looking to spend XXXX dollars.I,dont want to waste anyones time Should I,come see the Boat or not?
In all fairness don't approach a 100,000. 00 boat with a 30,000.00 price range,But who knows>Talk Cash not finance,be preparred to settle it up quick,afer surveyds ect.
Worked for me.

So you got the 30%?

[F15EWSO]

Originally Posted by Therapy

So you got the 30%?

I don't think the 30% is realistic on a well maintained boat. The deeper discounts seem to hang in the 60-45K ranges where ONE big fail in rigging, engine, hull (a heavy labor intensive repair) can totally change the value of the boat. Also these lower priced boat in the size I'm looking at are generally older.

I'm max'd at 100K as my limit. My offer will depend on many variables.

[zeehag]

asking vs selling actual purchase price ar two different things. you SEE the asking price and counter with your version of reality. they may not like it if they have too much pride in their boat. there is always another--is a BUYERS not a sellers market, and will continue this way for looong time.
yachtworld reflects brokers desires. they want their 10 percent.

[Free Agent]

Our experiences have been it's 100% mark-up.
50 to 70% of the MSRP is the way we roll.

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by David_Old_Jersey

I am not a yachtworld follower.....but one thing I try and do (on anything I buy that I may want to later sell) is ask myself "at what price would I feel comfortable in acheiving if I was now selling?"........kinda removes some of the rose tint from the spectacles.

And then I may add in a "buy it now" premium

Not to say that every boat purchase should be dependent on later sale price.

Yeah..... putting yourself in a sellers mode mentally brings some reality to it. How long have they been trying to sell at the asking price?

[SeaSloth]

Originally Posted by David_Old_Jersey

I am not a yachtworld follower.....but one thing I try and do (on anything I buy that I may want to later sell) is ask myself "at what price would I feel comfortable in acheiving if I was now selling?"........kinda removes some of the rose tint from the spectacles.

And then I may add in a "buy it now" premium

Not to say that every boat purchase should be dependent on later sale price.

I've been shopping for a boat for about 6-8 months and I'm taking a different approach. When I look at a boat I ask myself, "if I owned this boat now and were selling it what price could I put on it that I could reasonably expect it to sell in about one year."

[bobconnie]

Ive been dealing with Yachtworld brokers in the Gulf and Fla. areas for about 2 yrs trying to buy a motorsailor. I have made firm offers on 2 different boats. one of which I know my offer was never given to the owner!! I know this because I talked to the boat owner after he sold the boat for less then my offer!! This same broker told me that the average boat stays on the market for at least 2 yrs before selling! seems to me that ya need a buyers agent these days ! if I had had one before now I would be sailing now with the above boat ! Im only saying I offerd 42000 on a boat that was orignaly offerd at 125000, and was at 75000 at the time of my offer ! he sold the boat for 35000 2 mounths after my offer ! So I would say most brokers do sorta start boats off at way over priced money in hopes of getting more then a boats really worth !! Just my idea from what Ive seen on line and in person ! Im so tired of lookin at ready to cruise boats which would be lucky to make it to the fuel dock LOL just my 2 cents

[zeehag]

brokers look at their own bottom line, not your needs and desires. broker greed can keep a boat on market for years before anyone gets any forward progress made. i dont like buying thru brokers, and have avoided that route at all costs.
i just quick surveyed a vagabond 47--was offered for 125k USD on yachtworld. the maintenance, or lack thereof made the boat value less than half the asking price, and i recommended offering 80k usd. i wontknow what happened--the broker was defensive about the boat and kept making like he thought i was a dummie.....his loss. he wont get a commission of any size from the boat, as the quality of the boat is neglected badly and is broken -- willsurvey out to being somewhere in the 50k range.

[kmacdonald]

I would guess that over 50% of the boats offered for sale on yachtworld will never sell. They will be scapped a taken to the landfill. Offer no more than the value of the lead in the keel for a boat 20 years or older.