Business must be good

[5BTM]

Originally Posted by Drumroll30

I'm originally from your area, let me guess...VSF?

No, south of me, across the international border.

The state where the major industries are cows , looking at leaves and tipping (and not selling boats that are listed for sale.)

[goboatingnow]

Boat sales in the med ( predominantly sail anyway ) going gang busters. Brokers have nothing left to sell however

[Mike OReilly]

This issue with piss-poor broker service long predates the pandemic. But I agree, boats have been selling like hotcakes up here. This has probably made the broker problem even worse.

My prediction is that as we come out of the pandemic, things will revert more-or-less back to the way they were. This means people will go back to spending their recreational money the way they were before, and a lot of these pandemic purchases will go back onto the market.

If this pushes things into a buyer's market, it might motivate some of the slacker-brokers into actually doing the jobs they've signed up for.

(BTW, I don't think most brokers are slackers. Most are good, but given the constant level of complains, there are clearly too many bad apples in the business.)

[Rumrace]

I’ve met some top notch brokers absolutely amazing. They already surveyed the boat they think fits your wife’s list.
They are charming can’t wait to take it out for a sale and earn great $$$$ from return clients.
If you wanted a Barvarian or Jeanneau in California the Dealer group there will call you back in an hour. I don’t think they have Jeanneau anymore but lots of used ones.
My local guys don’t have inventory. The Big brands are advertising boats held in US or just on order. Times have dramatically changed tax and tariffs wise and the brokers have not read the memo.
beneteau, Jeanneau, Hanse, Barvarian, Dufour X Yacht etc are tax free if bought from Europe add 9% if the boat landed in the US. We paid a premium for brands bought through US offices which amounted to a double down on commissions. All gone which is why some last production runs from 2019 were 40K high. One broker here had a 2019 40’ advertised for 2 years without a price another huge disappointment. Bad brokers get ignored

[GreenWave]

Originally Posted by MicHughV

I'm flummoxed by this rocking boat sales thing....I certainly don't see it in my neck of the woods....north Fla.
Area marina's have oodles of available slips.
It's rare that I see a sailboat chugging down the ICW.
High gas prices have all but put the kibosh on your basic center console fishing boat, etc, etc..
Am I missing something. ? From where I stand it would seem that boat sales are in the tank.
The housing market is something else though. Area house prices have gone thru' the roof.

I don't think empty slip count directly aligns with the state of the boat market. Yes- fuel is expensive so powerboats may be impacted. I see many sitting on dealer lots that have been there for months (in Houston/Galveston area). However, there are very few really good sailboats for sale in the 35-50 foot range. It is all about perspective.

[GreenWave]

Originally Posted by garyfdl

If you're the surveyor, not the broker/seller, and got paid for the survey... why do you care?
As to the 8 people? I would have politely informed them that in order to do the job? They need to be off the boat.

Last year I was interested in a boat in Bayfield WI, 5+ hours away. Getting in touch with the broker (located in the Twin Cities in MN) and then getting info beyond what was posted in the listing, was like pulling teeth. While I was trying to get a viewing set up, and was waiting (again) on a response from the broker, another boat that 'ticked my boxes' came up for sale 2 hours away.

I now own that boat. I never did hear back from the broker.

Frustrating?? Sounds like it worked out for you. Oh and I agree with you 100% on that survey experience. In fact, one of my surveyors in the past flat out told me who was allowed to be present (buyer x1, Seller, Broker(s) max of 2).

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

This issue with piss-poor broker service long predates the pandemic. But I agree, boats have been selling like hotcakes up here. This has probably made the broker problem even worse.

My prediction is that as we come out of the pandemic, things will revert more-or-less back to the way they were.

Yes...Piss poor brokers did predate the pandemic. Things may revert but the piss poor attitudes will not. My recent purchase was so bad, I had to keep riding the idiot to get him to do what he promised from day to day but forgot. During the paperwork transaction he was nowhere to be found. Even the owner of the brokerage screwed up the paperwork. They were pathetic.
I was inquiring about an Ohlson 38 in the PNW, 700 miles from me. It took multiple phone calls to get a dozen (new) pictures from those guys. The ones they had on Yachtworld were over 5 years old. They actually asked..."why do you need more pictures"? 'Because I'm giving you money and spending more money to get on a plane and stay in a hotel' Do your freakin job.

[DeValency]

Strongly disagree with these poor ‘business’ ethics. Responding is what anyone could expect, regardless of what you think of their genuine interest or even bothering reading their inquiries.

Non responsive brokers have no place in our community. In downtimes they will learn it in the hard way. Just like any other lousy business.

Originally Posted by MicHughV

I can certainly see both sides of the story...but am in general agreement that most brokers can sense a keel kicker at a half mile distant.
If the boat is some distance from the brokers office or potential client, their motivation to show the boat is also drastically reduced.

You have to see the broker's point of view...he/she is unlikely to spend much time nor effort for someone that just wants to " see" the boat.

If you want to go "see" the boat, there is nothing stopping you from jumping in your car to go take a look. Sure, you are unlikely to be able to go inside, unless the owner is there, but an outside look can go a long way. Telling a broker you have already gone to see the boat in person, may be sufficient, to show that there is genuine interest.

If "seeing" the boat in person is a pain in the butt for you, it will likely be a pain in the butt for the broker too.

A lot of newbie "lookers" are unaware, that brokers earn their keep by earning a sales "commission"...not a salary...for a broker to "show" you a boat, it is done on his dime..

Sure, the broker can be kind and respond to the call, but this will likely lead to an effort by the individual to pester the broker into showing the boat, and saying nothing is infinitely easier than saying " no" on the phone.

There seems to be tendency to think boat brokers are like car salesman...but a car salesman has the car right there on his lot...a boat broker may have to travel a considerable distance to show a boat.....

Finally, as said before, a broker earns his income by commission. Traveling to show a million dollar boat is quite a bit different that showing a $10K boat. It requires the same effort for considerably less return.

A prospective buyer needs to be aware of these things to formulate a plan to have a broker show you aboat..

[Polski Gus]

Find another Broker. A good broker will respond. Good sales people respond. People need to stop making excuses for them or the industry will never clean up. For those talking about keel kickers or that brokers need to use their time effectively etc - every sales professional faces that, it's part of the job. Looker / keel kickers are all prospects - maybe later than sooner- and should not be discounted. Learn how to deal this issue in a professional manner - ignoring an inquiry is not professional. Putting items on Craigs list or ad in the paper as an individual is not the same as being a professional in the industry.

[JoeRobertJr]

Originally Posted by Polski Gus

Find another Broker. A good broker will respond. Good sales people respond.

How do you do that, when you have your eye on a particular boat that is listed with a particular broker?

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by JoeRobertJr

How do you do that, when you have your eye on a particular boat that is listed with a particular broker?

If the broker truly is unresponsive, I'd try and go around them. Try to contact the seller directly.

I don't support this approach in general, but if a broker is not doing his/her job, and is acting as a barrier, then you're fully justified in doing so.

[thomm225]

The Brokers probably aren't responding because they are simply overloaded with calls. (and my now most of the decent boats have sold)

Last weekend I happened to see the owner of a Catalina 30 that had been put on Craigslist the Monday before. So I asked him if he had sold it yet and he said he had. (it was a 1984 and he was asking $26,000 and it really did look good. It was at Cobb's Boatyard with a new bottom job completed)

It took 2 days to sell he said.

Same thing with a 1969 Morgan 35 or so boat at our Marina. The owner put a for sale sign on it 6 months ago and nothing happened. Then put it on Craigslist a couple weeks ago and it sold within a week. ($10,000 with iffy engine)

[edlepera]

I seen this on Yacht world a lot. In my travels along the atlantic seaboard between virginia and florida. I have managed to obtain business cards of brokers with there mobile. but in some cases i have no contact. I donated my boat to a youth sailing group last winter. Looking for another sailboat on the coast, sailable condition. no project for me. I have used boat history report dot com when I don't get a reply. sometimes I get the owner information and sometimes I don't

[thomm225]

In this area you can go to any broker you want, but most all the good boats have been sold.

And many that are still displayed on YachtWorld as being for sale have been sold as well.

I checked on three boats (34'- 36') last Fall that were on YachtWorld for sale via email and all three had been sold. (I found out after the brokers finally responded)

[Cheechako]

It's "the broker way, why do my job unless I'm forced to."