No broker no deal?

[Sand crab]

Buying a boat can be as easy as buying a car if it is state registered. Boats do get purchased without a survey or escrow company. Sometimes you find that well kept boat that you know will be ok. I did.

[Peterbreit]

I sold my two first boats (1981 Catalina 30 and 1992 Caliber 35) myself. The first a sold in late winter so no sea trial. The buyer after looking the boat over came back with a surveyor and we settled for the purchase price. Wrote out a simple contract you can download from the CG web site. With Caliber I took the buyer for a sea trial then he could give me a honest offer, we settled on the price (subjected to a survey) and he came back with a surveyor. No problems found, the boat sold. Again I used the CG form.
I don't like the brokers who make you sign a contract before you can do a sea trial...

[hellosailor]

The OP will be in Florida and the sale subject to Florida laws.
So the OP had best be aware of how to survey a boat, how to check for clear title and get title assurance on a boat, sales and use tax for their situation (which can be tied into registration), whether they are happy with paying cash and sailing away, whether they want to put aside an escrow...all that kind of stuff.

And if they're happy with it all, there's no need for a broker. Some brokers are priceless, others will disclaim any guarantee of anything, including whether there's a "boat" being sold.

[Peterbreit]

What does "OP" stands for ??? No abbreviations please !

[hellosailor]

"What does "OP" stands for ??? No abbreviations please !"
Now you're in for it. You're obviously using a computer on the internet without having studied for the proper license beforehand. Apparently no apprenticeship, either.

Strongly suggest you put the computer outside the front door before dark, because they WILL come and forcefully take it out of your possession before dawn. And if you try to lock it up inside, your front door and windows may become collateral damage.

[john61ct]

Originally Posted by Sand crab

Buying a boat can be as easy as buying a car if it is state registered. Boats do get purchased without a survey or escrow company. Sometimes you find that well kept boat that you know will be ok. I did.

The scenario I'm working on is, fantastic bargain appears in the listing, direct from owner.

At least appears to be, but 800 miles away, and I'm not free to drop everything and visit, because life.

Not qualified to judge either, would prefer to pay someone local with experience a few hundred to check it out, pre-survey inspection if you like.

But this takes time, and I don't want some Johnny on the spot to snag it in the meantime.

So, I contact the seller, tell them ready to "buy", sign a contract and put down a deposit in escrow. Do they have their own contract ready to go?

No? Well here's mine, FedEx on the way, evidence of escrowed deposit, I and / or my representative will be there by the end of the week / month to inspect.

[john61ct]

Originally Posted by Peterbreit

What does "OP" stands for ??? No abbreviations please !

Good luck with that 8-)

Original poster, she who started the thread.

Or their first "original post".

[john61ct]

Originally Posted by Paul L

I have not used this group, but had them pointed out to me for escrow. https://www.janebeale.com

Originally Posted by sainted

I've used these guys. Highly recommend them. http://www.registeryourboat.com/index.html

Thanks much to both.

Keep them coming please everyone, documentation specialists too?

[JKMilligan]

I used ASAP Marine Documentation and Registration out of Miami when I bought my boat. No brokers involved. They offer escrow and other services. I created all of the contracts and they helped manage the process. It was a foreign flagged vessel so was worth it to have somebody hand-hold the process.

[hellosailor]

"No? Well here's mine, FedEx on the way, evidence of escrowed deposit, I and / or my representative will be there by the end of the week / month to inspect."

Yeah, nice, traditional, 1970's way of doing business. Oh wait...Fedex...that wasn't around for the general public until the 1980's, was it?(G)

More likely a private seller will be "first cash, first sold" and they won't be interested in things like escrow, agents, contracts. They MIGHT be, sure. But these days? You fax (yes indeed) or email the contract. And a properly "signed" email has had the same force of law as a paper signature, since the Carter days, even if few folks besides Realtors have figured that out. Then you use one of the bank transfer systems to send your deposit--or payment--in a matter of hours, so there's a binding agreement and cash exchanged.

Just as a point of comparison, every time in the past 30 years that a TV or newspaper has looked at private "For Sale" automotive classifieds? 90% of them are not the straight honest private sellers they claim to be. Private cash sales were and are rife with all kinds of games, long before Craigslist and the like came along.

So, roll them dice, but try to do it in person.

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by Peterbreit

What does "OP" stands for ??? No abbreviations please !

There is a fair amount of abreviation abuse on CF(cruisers forum). It is often from folks answering a beginners question who want to come off as all so smart and 'expert'. It makes no sense to respond to people asking a basic question with an answer full of what will be obscure abbreviations to them.

In this case OP really is a pretty standard way to refer back to the first post and first poster in this thread, the Original Post or Poster.

[john61ct]

Originally Posted by hellosailor

90% of them are not the straight honest private sellers they claim to be. Private cash sales were and are rife with all kinds of games, long before Craigslist and the like came along.

Hence my desire for escrow.

If the seller wants cash in person, I'm less likely to lock in a plane ticket, either / or both lose out. Which I would have anyway.

No system will cover all the bases, but you can't win if you don't try.

[hellosailor]

Paul-
For that matter, "OP" is not an abbreviation. It might* be an acronym, but it certainly isn't an abbreviation in this instance. So no, it can't be a matter of "ab.use" here.

*I say might, because there's a rather long and well-debated topic on whether acronyms should or shouldn't or perhaps must or mustn't have periods after each letter, as in whether the US space agency is "N.A.S.A." or NASA. Unless of course you are the BBC, who seem to think they are "Nasa", not to be confused with a place visited by sailors in the the Bahamas.

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by hellosailor

Paul-
For that matter, "OP" is not an abbreviation. It might* be an acronym, but it certainly isn't an abbreviation in this instance. So no, it can't be a matter of "ab.use" here.

.....

Got me their, definitely an acronym. At least it's not a TLA😅

[Sand crab]

John, you could always ask the forum members here to take a look at the boat if you are geographically challenged.

There are also licensed surveyors in the forum too.