Boat broker etiquette - boat shopping

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by DRS

A broker ONLY gets paid when he or she is involved in the sale. What the broker is trying to do is get a commitment from you to work with them so that they have an opportunity to earn their living.
My question to you is, in whatever line of work you do or did in the past, how would you feel about a person who used your time and expertise with no intention of paying you for it?
When someone wants all the information from, and the expertise of, a broker and and is not prepared to make a commitment to that broker then that is essentially what they are doing.
Don't be surprised if they are less than enamoured with providing anything more than the most basic of service.
As someone who has spent 30 plus years self employed or on commission I really do have to laugh at some of the broker bashing that goes on by people that don't understand the value a good quality representative can bring.
Just my humble opinion

A lot of rambling there but reading between the lines on the original post, the broker wants to establish that he is the broker for both the buyer and seller. If there is a buyers broker, he has to split the commission. If there is not a buyers broker he gets it all. Simple as that.

This guy is the sellers broker, his job is to get the boat sold and that includes telling prospective buyers about the boat and showing it. You aren't abusing him or doing anything wrong. This guy has simply got so focused on HIS COMMISSION that he forgot what HIS JOB is to SELL THE BOAT.

If I was the seller and caught my selling broker pulling this kind of stunt, he would be out of a job as soon as I could contractual possible.

[denverd0n]

Short answer to the question about abusing brokers... No, you are not. Absolutely not. You are an interested buyer, and if they want a chance to make the sale then they need to answer your questions and take you seriously.

On the other hand... The way you are approaching it does not encourage any broker to spend the time to help you find the boat you want. You need to make a commitment to a specific broker if you want him to invest any more than the minimum amount of time needed to sell you the one boat that you particularly called about.

And, of course, if you are working with a buyer's broker, then the selling brokers will get more of a sense that you really are serious about buying a boat.

So, your choice how to proceed. You can continue as you have been, and you may find the right boat for you. Or you put a little effort into finding a buyer's broker to work with, and they will help you. The latter approach will not cost you anymore, and may very well result in finding the right boat more quickly. Either way, you are not "abusing" anyone here. These are just different, but equally legitimate, ways to approach the buying process.

[S/V Illusion]

Originally Posted by DRS

I beg to differ. A broker can not force a seller to sell or a buyer to buy. They must negotiate between both so that both the buyer and seller are comfortable with the agreement. It is not until this point that the broker earns anything

You are giving others way to much power if you think salespeople force you to do anything.

Do you actually infer from my comments that I think brokers force people into purchasing? Really???

[SFS]

Originally Posted by valhalla360

A lot of rambling there but reading between the lines on the original post, the broker wants to establish that he is the broker for both the buyer and seller. If there is a buyers broker, he has to split the commission. If there is not a buyers broker he gets it all. Simple as that.

This guy is the sellers broker, his job is to get the boat sold and that includes telling prospective buyers about the boat and showing it. You aren't abusing him or doing anything wrong. This guy has simply got so focused on HIS COMMISSION that he forgot what HIS JOB is to SELL THE BOAT.

If I was the seller and caught my selling broker pulling this kind of stunt, he would be out of a job as soon as I could contractual possible.

I'm in 100% agreement with the first paragraph. You would not have gotten the "pressure" if you already had a broker working for you. In fact, YOUR broker would have been asking the questions of the listing broker, saving you time, while perhaps communicating your level of seriousness about buying.

I'm also in 100% agreement with the last paragraph. In fact, my first reaction to the original post was "if it were me I'd call the owner and tell them that they are not well represented, and explain why."

One final thought: If the listing broker is in a state that has licensing requirements to be a yacht broker (there aren't many), there will be a regulatory authority to which complaints can be addressed.

[rmesfo]

Originally Posted by smj

I believe we are all tire kickers until we find what we desire, pull out the cash and make the purchase. In my opinion, if you sell boats, cars or real estate, if you won't work with tire kickers you need to find a different vocation.

Right on. I believe the broker in the original post was looking for a commitment to be the sole broker no matter where you purchase your boat. That is a big commitment for the buyer and poses risk if the broker is not as competent as most. I have traveled across the US searching for a boat and have had no trouble with brokers showing me the boat or other boats they think will fit my requirements. What I discovered is that there are different issues on condition and equipment depending on the location of the boat and I am not sure if a broker in California is as knowledgeable about the boats in New York.

I put a contract on one located in Texas but the results of the survey nixed the sale. It was a great experience and even though I traveled a good distance I believe the broker would have treated me the same if I was a
"tire kicker". That is someone I can work with. I have also worked on commission and you take care of everybody and it works out in the long run.

Good luck!

[taxwizz]

I once asked a real estate agent friend what business he was in.
He replied "The business of earning commissions."
I assume that boat brokers are similar.
"Nuff said.

[Terra Nova]

Originally Posted by smj

I believe we are all tire kickers...

No.

There are tire kickers and there are serious buyers. Tire kickers are the ones who don't know what they're looking at, haven't done their homework and don't know what they want; expect a broker to educate them and show them all kinds of boats in hopes they'll find something that suits their fancy.

[smj]

Originally Posted by Terra Nova

No.



There are tire kickers and there are serious buyers. Tire kickers are the ones who don't know what they're looking at, haven't done their homework and don't know what they want; expect a broker to educate them and show them all kinds of boats in hopes they'll find something that suits their fancy.

From my experience you never know how serious someone is until they pass over the cash. I have sold boats to people I would never had thought would buy and it's a brokers job to deal with all buyers not hand pick the easy ones. If a broker can't do that then it's time for him to pick another profession in my opinion.

[somanyboats]

When a boat is listed with a broker, it is their responsibility to show the listing to all qualified buyers. You should not have to make a promise to only use them. As the buyer you hold all the cards. If you really like the agent that shows you a boat you can always just use them to find the boat you are looking for.

[taxwizz]

I once had a broker refuse to present an offer because he knew that there was another agent involved.
Greedy scumbag.

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by smj

I believe we are all tire kickers until we find what we desire, pull out the cash and make the purchase. In my opinion, if you sell boats, cars or real estate, if you won't work with tire kickers you need to find a different vocation.

Can't agree with this. What you describe is a customer, not a tire kicker.

From conversations with brokers who are personal friends, a tire kicker is a person who has no intention of buying the subject boat, or has no realistic means of affording it... but wants to tour it and spend the broker's time showing it.

Your example of the person who finds the boat they want and "pulls out the cash" is kinda different!

Jim

[Sid at SailAway]

Originally Posted by S/V Illusion

Some people keep describing the broker as "working for you", "working for the seller", etc...


The broker works for himself and his only motive is to get sales.

I've got a list of clients that would beg to differ. I've literally saved them time, heartache and thousands of dollars.

[gaucho]

I agree with the comment that we are all tyre kickers in the end.

I was a tyre kicker for 6 months until I finally bit the bullet.

If your definition is:

"a person who has no intention of buying the subject boat, or has no realistic means of affording it"

For the first few months I had no intent on buying any boat. I wanted to scope out the market. Maybe if I found something I really fell in love with, it would sway me to do it.

I would look at boats above and below my "estimated" budget. I didn't even have a clear idea. Actually I had no idea. That's why I was a tyre kicker.

Eventually I slowly became a customer. Until I flew to Annapolis, surveyed a boat, turned out it was not the kind of project I wanted to tackle and ended up buying my current boat because I just kinda fell in love with it at first sight.

We are all tyre kickers, potentially customers. There are a very few CUSTOMERS who already know they are customers. But they are few.

[Ken Z]

Had the same verbal nonsense in the past, find a new one no good is no good. Its your money....

[geoleo]

Originally Posted by S/V Illusion

Some people keep describing the broker as "working for you", "working for the seller", etc...


The broker works for himself and his only motive is to get sales.

Righto!