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BigLake411.com • View topic - How to sell a boat

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How to sell a boat

If you are selling something, post it here.

How to sell a boat

Postby Ray » Wed Mar 23, 2011 9:54 am

This one is common sense... but... Have the boat in excellent/pristine condition, actually invest money fixing a few things before going on the market. Not big things but cosmetic issues that could have given a buyer pause. If you're marketing the boat as 'pristine', 'like new' 'cream puff' or 'in excellent shape', big hairline cracks, burnt isinglass, gelcoat scratches, worn carpet and other cosmetic things aren't very expensive to fix and will not distract buyers. A bottle of 3M Fiberglass Restorer or Cleaner Wax and a buffer can make old fiberglass look new.

Do a GREAT write-up! Make sure to point out everything that was special, unique about the boat, any upgrades, and write a good advertisement for it, making sure you are doing your best to present your boat as unique in this tough market. There's many boats out there, what is it that makes yours unique? This is an easy one to get an advantage on, competing against boats represented by others who know NOTHING about them. Also, make a point of any FREE items that you are going to be including with the sale (full tank of gas ect.). Fenders, lines, flares, etc., all these things can add up and if you are including them make sure the prospective buyer knows. Make a point of any sweat equity you've put into the boat!

Detail the heck out of the boat. Seriously, grab some Qtips for the hard to reach places, and spend a weekend making the boat look like new. If you can't wash it or wax it, rub or spray it with WD-40 or CRC for a great shine (don't forget to detail the engine under the cover, many people judge a boat's condition mainly on the engines condition). Oh, and clean out your stuff before you take the pictures. Clutter really detracts.

PICTURE PICTURES PICTURES, take the BEST possible pictures you can take right after you've detailed the boat! The more pictures the better, highlighting the boat's better features. If there's a nice detail (grab handle, upholstery logo, electronics etc) that you love about the boat, make sure to take a picture of it. If you've recently upgraded something, before-and-after pictures may help to convey the significance of the improvement. Include at least one good running shot of the boat, peole like to see the boat in action.

Host your MAIN ad in a place like Biglake411.com, with ALL OF the information on the boat and tons of pictures, with an answer for ANYTHING that you could think anyone may ask you, so that anyone who responds to one of your ads with questions or asking for more pictures, you can just direct to this ad. The ad here is free and without a limit on the number or words or photos!

Keep your Craigslist ads active, it's a pain but you need to do it. “Some people” who don't really follow the rules would suggest that you write different ads so you can put them in different markets, but of course I “cannot” advice that you do so. Yes it will increase your of spam, but it's also a viable selling tool. Make Craigslist ads were very brief, with a link to your very thorough biglake411.com ad.

Really very important: remember your boat is worth only what someone is willing to pay for it, and your boat's probably worth a little less than you think! Start advertising at over 10% of "rock bottom price". This is a mistake. You will get a few hits in the first month. It won't matter how clean it is if it's priced so high that people won't even bother to come see it. Change your asking price to just a few hundred over what you thought was "bottom", and the hits/requests for info will start flowing consistently. So I'd say, advertise just a bit above what you are willing to sell. Buyers will come to you, fall in love with the boat, before they realize that you're not willing to come as far down as they thought. In this market, if you turn down an offer, do it only after you consider the real possibility that you may end up keeping the boat.

Do all the research to know exactly how the THREE blue books price your boat. Keep in mind blue books are all over the place. You can get NADA and BUC online (the latter is tricky to get but can be done). For ABOS, try to find a connection with a dealer who's willing to give you the ABOS printout. Sell for about exactly NADA price including all the options (NADA w/o options is scary!), or just below ABOS price. Also get acquainted with every single similar model boat up for sale in the major web sites within a couple years of yours. Look at their asking prices, and be competitive with them. Look for things that make your boat better than the others. In most cases when someone tells you "I'm also looking at one in so-so place" you will already knew which boat he/she was talking about. Have a long write-up that you can send people in price negotiations, detailing blue book values (my interpretation as seller, very different from what my interpretation would be as buyer) for the boat, and how it compared with similar boats on the market in a price/features/condition perspective.

When you get your showing, be prompt, don’t be in a hurry, answer all questions honestly and have that boat sparkling clean! Show your pride in ownership and be willing to let the prospective buyer look everywhere in the boat and take his time. Make sure to be there early for the showing to connect the boat and charge the batteries.

Be truthful and honest. This may be controversial as some people may be afraid to lose a sale, be very honest behaviour and willingness to be forthcoming with information helps build a lot of trust with the person who bought your boat.

I think many people do a lot of these things, but I've seen many that just don't do a great job with their write-ups or pictures. In a tough market, this is what can distinguish your boat from all the others out there. A lot of buyers aren't knowledgeable enough to recognize two boats are really the same, the only difference being that one is just much better staged and photographed.

Of course, some people attribute the sale to the fact that in the listing there was a picture of your wife on the bow with a bikini... I refuse to believe it's that simple... But hey, it can't hurt.

Good luck with your sale! That's probably what it really comes down to!
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Ray
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2009 Cobia 19 Bay

Re: How to sell a boat

Postby doughutchinson » Sat Aug 13, 2011 1:51 pm

what do you think i should do to sell my boat 1996 cajun
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