Boat For Sale!

Tips on how to Move your Boat in today's Market - FAST!

Rates are low, the shows are coming up and you're drooling over that new Boat or Yacht (26' feet or greater in length - LOA) that you've been glaring at in your stack of Boating subscription magazines! The only thing standing in your way - Your old Boat! If you sell it quickly, you'll have more cash and more negotiating power for your next deal. Now speaking from experience, selling can be difficult but perseverance and determination and of course motivation will get you your dream Boat or Yacht sooner then later.

Luxury Asset Network is a free online community for luxury owners to buy, sell and trade luxury assets including real estate, yachts, aircrafts, vehicles and more!

Yachting-n-Boating.com is here to help you unload the old vessel and bring home the new one! Here are a few Pro Selling Tips to seal the deal:

• Advertising Works: Place ads in the local Boating press and the daily newspaper. If you have a larger Boat that was a limited edition model or more customized Yacht that buyers will likely travel far to see, use regional and national publications as well. Ads with photographs of your Boat will drive more traffic. Rent space at some highway-side lot where hundreds of passersby can see it - at least more so than it sitting in your driveway.

  Also you must use the internet with sites such as BoatTrader.com, Craigslist.org (free), YachtWorld.com, Boats.com and many more that are out there. Remember virtual tours and/or images are key to reaching many potential buyers plus this can set you apart from most other sellers. Take your own photos, hire someone or most online advertisers will do it for you as part of the cost.

• Starting Points: Start the engine and warm it up and hour before a prospect comes to see the Boat. A dead battery or balky start - even for an excellent engine - will turn a buyer off.
• Wax On: (do not wax off!) Looks are important, so grab a can of Pledge. Spray-on furniture wax can be applied and wiped off quickly and easily. The gleam doesn't last more than a day, but it's perfect for the prospect who calls and says he'll be by in an hour.
• Empty Promise: Make sure the stowage areas in your Boat are empty because than you can remark how spacious they are. It looks a lot better than having them jammed and overflowing with your gear.
• Damage Control: Sure, if your Boat is pristine, then you should get it detailed professionally. But if your Boat is in just good-to-average condition, forget the fine points and focus on the more glaring blemishes. Remove the rust stains bleeding from fittings with compound, apply new tape over a shredded boot stripe, degrease the engine and clean the bilge. Is the cabin musty? Place some air fresheners in hidden spots to add a bit more appeal.
• Fogged Out: If your Boat's clear curtains are scratched or cloudy, remove them for the initial viewing.
• Bottom Job: Is your Boat's bottom painted? A fresh coat will make it look sharp. Also, use spray paint to touch up your outboard or stern drive skegs where the paint has worn off.
• Time to Test: Remove the canvas and stow everything ashore but the safety gear - you wouldn't want to get caught short if the Coasties stopped you for a spot check. Go light on the fuel and water, too. Your Boat will plane easier, handle more numbly and hit a faster top end. Limit the sea trial to the buyer only, for the same reasons. Also, having all his friends and family aboard will make the boat feel less roomy.
• Bound for Glory: Have all title, registration, extended warranty and, if available, service records on hand in a binder. It not only looks impressive but also makes you look organized and professional.
• Real Numbers: Figure out your bottom-line price well in advance of meeting the first buyer. Don't forget to tally the cost of advertising, storage and maintenance, as well as the time you lose while your Boat is for sale.
• Gag Order: Do not reveal your bottom-line price on the phone to someone who hasn't seen the Boat. Before a buyer sees your Boat, he or she has no emotional investment. Plus, buyers on the fence often have friends call as "new prospects" in an effort to trip you up.
• Getting Paid: Cash is King! Checks are fine - once they clear. So-called bank checks are not as good as cash. All these do is certify that the buyer has the amount on account on the date of issue. Plus, they can be canceled as easy as a personal check.
• Why? Why? Why?: Buyers invariably ask why you're selling. Well, for the money, stupid. But you can't says that (or that you're tried of tinkering with a Boat without a warranty). The best answer? You're looking for a change in lifestyle. Say you want to try cruising and can't do it in an open Boat or your kids don't go anymore so you don't need a Ski-Boat or you don't fish offshore anymore so you want to downsize.

The competition is fierce out there, everyone coming up with new ways to sell their Boat or Yacht - so get as much exposure as you can, take photographs and clean it up for show. Remember once the cash is in your hand, the sooner you can get into the new vessel!