Article Surfing Archive

Selling your boat should be taken as seriously as
buying a boat. Obviously, you want to get the
best price but at the same time you don't want to
overprice the boat that you are selling. There
are several things that you can do to ensure that
you have the best experience in selling your boat.

First of all, find out the fair market price for
the boat. Get an estimate of what the boat is
worth. You can do this by consulting a boat sales
professional and have the boat appraised. A
second option is to consult the marine blue book
value and adjust the price based on the
accessories included,depreciation and the final
touches you'll add to increase buyers appeal.
Such items would include, polished wood, carpet
replacements and anything that might appeal to
you if you were the buyer.

Making an estimate on your own will require that
you take the task seriously. Start by finding out
the going price for the boat and then deduct
value according to the age and the condition of
the boat. Next, you will add any value according
to the accessories that you have and the
condition that they are in. Minor touch-ups and
repairs here and there can go a long way towards
increasing your boats value. Once you have done
this you should be able to come up with a price
that is fair to both you and the potential buyer.

Boat Sales: When to sell

Knowing when to sell your boat is just as
important as knowing how to set the price.
Certain times of the year will make a difference
in the amount potential buyers are willing to pay.
For example, trying to sell a boat in the middle
of winter is not a good idea. This is especially
true if you live in very cold regions. People are
just not interested in boat sales during this
time of the year. The offers that you do get may
leave you a little disappointed.

However, trying to sell a boat at the beginning
of the boating season will have a completely
different effect. This is when people are out
searching for that perfect boat and many of them
will be willing to pay a little more for the boat
of their dreams. This also means that you will
need to put less effort into selling your boat
because more people will already be interested.

Know How to Negotiate a Boat Sale

Knowing how to negotiate a boat sales means
having everything in order. One of the most
important things to make sure you have is all the
paperwork ready and available. Put all the
important papers needed for the sale in a nice
binder. Add pictures of the boat that show it in
its best light. Make up a flyer that shows the
features and benefit of ownership. Include a
breakdown of insurance, slip fees and other
expenses so the potential buyer understands what
is needed to store and maintain the boat. Add
repair statements so the buyer knows how well the
boat has been maintained.

The quickest way to lose a sale is by not knowing
where the title is or not having everything you
need to legally sell the boat. Make the buyer
feel he is dealing with someone who knows boats
and can justify the asking price.

You also want to make sure that the boat looks
its best. So take time to clean it up and make
it look nice. Make sure the battery is charged
and ready for show. Point out the unique features
of the boat, drawing attention to those areas
that show the great condition the boat is in.
You might even go to a boat dealership and let a
professional salesman try to sell you a similar
boat. Use these tips and strategies to sell your
own boat.

Basically, you just need to be prepared when a
buyer shows up at your boat sale and everything
will fall into place.