10 practical tips to sell your boat at lightning speed
New boats are put up for sale every day. They are traded on online marketplaces, through advertisements, through a broker or simply by putting a bill on the boat. But how do you make sure your boat stands out among the sea of vendors and sells quickly? We share our ten tips for a quick sale.
New boats are put up for sale every day. They are traded on online marketplaces, through advertisements, through a broker or simply by putting a bill on the boat. But how do you make sure your boat stands out among the sea of vendors and sells quickly? We share our ten tips for a quick sale.
Tips for selling your boat fast
If you want to sell your boat, there’s a little more to it than just shooting a picture, writing some text and quoting your price. As an experienced yacht broker, we know this better than anyone else!
However, the practical tips below will get you a long way.
- Make sure your boat is in good condition
- Research what a realistic asking price is
- Ensure a perfect presentation
- Take professional photos
- Put the boat up for sale at the right time
- Describe key features
- Answer frequently asked questions in advance
- Engage a yacht broker (or not)
- Make the viewing a party
- Play the negotiation game with a smile
Below we explain each tip in more detail and share more small practical tips for each section.
1. Make sure your boat is in good condition
A well-maintained boat, with no defects or additional manual, is worth more than a “refurbisher. Also, more people are looking for a boat that is ready to go, rather than one that requires some work.
Therefore, make sure you perform maintenance and do (or have done) any repairs before you proceed with the sale.
Are there certain issues you really can’t solve for whatever reason? Then keep a list of any defects and include them in your ad copy and your conversations with potential buyers.
Tip:
Read our article on how to
refurbishing and selling a boat
in which we share a step-by-step plan for getting your boat ready to sell.
2. Research what a good asking price is
Similar boats are posted online for very different prices. Whereas nowadays, as a buyer, you can easily compare different ads online. And which one will be sold first? Right, the boat with the lowest asking price!
A good price is a competitive price that is just slightly below the price of similar providers. Your boat will stand out among the other providers due to its competitive price, which will make it sell faster.
A common counterargument is that the boat was purchased at a higher price at the time, or that a lot of costs were incurred for maintenance and repairs. However, this does not concern a buyer. Who simply wants the best boat for the best price. Therefore, don’t get stuck in the past, but accept what the market now says your boat is worth.
Putting your boat up for sale at too high a price actually adds a lot of extra expense. You spend money on advertising costs, the mooring, insurance, maintenance, cleaning, and so on. A boat with a competitive price sells faster, ultimately leaving you with more down the line.
Tip: Want a realistic estimate of your boat’s value from a certified appraiser? Then ask for a our comprehensive
valuation report
to!
3. Make sure your presentation is perfect
Both the (online) advertisement and the actual viewing involve a flawless presentation crucial. Buying a boat is not something you do carelessly for a moment. Everything has to be right.
Some practical tips:
- Polish the boat cleaner than it has ever been, inside and out
- Thorough vacuuming, even in the smallest nooks and crannies
- Clean any tarpaulins and fold them neatly dry
- Make sure upholstery is spotless and metal and glassware is shiny
- Pat cushions and place them neatly straight in their proper places
- Ventilate well and make sure the boat smells nice and fresh during the viewing
- Empty the boat completely and make sure there are no items lying around
- Spray the boat with anti-insect repellent
It may sound a bit exaggerated all around, but turn it around: would you yourself buy a used boat that is full of junk, has dirty spots and doesn’t smell fresh? If the owner is so careless with the presentation of his possession, what will be the condition of the engine, for example?
4. Take professional photos
A picture says more than a thousand words. Especially when buying a boat, where appearance is an important part of value. Therefore, don’t just shoot a few pictures with your smartphone, but arrange for a good camera with a wide-angle lens or consider investing in professional photos.
Take multiple photos of the interior and exterior, of all rooms, appliances and equipment. Leave nothing out and prefer to show too many pictures rather than too few. After all, an unrealistic picture will produce viewings that come to nothing. A waste of both parties’ time and effort.
In ad listings, one photo is often highlighted with each ad. This overview photo serves as a lure to direct potential buyers to your ad and therefore deserves extra attention.
Finally, take photos of the boat in action, preferably on a beautiful summer day in an attractive setting. Try to give viewers of your ad the wonderful feeling of what it could be like to own this boat.
Tip: If you let Jachtmakelaardij De Maas sell your boat, we will take care of professional photography. View
our offer
for examples of what that looks like!
5. Put the boat up for sale at the right time
In general, the best times to sell a boat are just before the peak season and just after. In the spring, when temperatures rise again, people regain the desire to sail and more boats are bought. Just after high season, many people want to get rid of their boats again and we especially see the supply growing. Smart buyers capitalize on this and buy a boat for a lower asking price.
At Jachtmakelaardij De Maas, however, boats are sold year-round. This is mainly because we are targeted in our search for buyers and the perfect boat can come into our possession throughout the year.
6. Describe key features
Just like taking as many pictures as possible, it is also important to describe the boat as completely as possible. Provide the ad with a brief tantalizing description and complete with a list of features.
Consider:
- Year built
- Dimensions
- Headroom, creep height and headroom
- Hull and deck color
- Material
- Rudder and steering system
- Detailed description of motor and electrics
- Present navigation and electronics
- Detailed equipment description – such as anchor, cushions, swim ladder, etc.
- Maintenance history
- Number of cabins and other spaces
- Unique Selling Points: what makes this boat unique?
Tip: If you let Jachtmakelaardij De Maas sell your boat, we will take care of a comprehensive inventory. View
our offer
for examples of what that looks like!
7. Answer frequently asked questions in advance
When the boat has been for sale for a while, you will find that you often get the same questions via email, phone or during viewings. Enrich your current listings by adding the answers to frequently asked questions. In the long run, this saves a lot of time for everyone involved.
8. Engage (or not) a yacht broker.
Selling a boat is a big job. You have to take pictures (or have them taken), write texts, format ads and schedule, prepare and conduct viewings. Very educational to do all by yourself, but it does take a lot of time. For example, just think about having to clean up and clean the boat all the time before a viewing.
Just as you hire a specialist for so many things in life, you can also choose to have a yacht broker sell your boat. Most brokers charge a percentage of the profit, which is often negligible below the line compared to the cost of marketing, incompetence and the time it takes to sell a boat yourself.
Tip:
Read our article
“Sell boat yourself or through a broker?”
in which we list the advantages and disadvantages of both options.
9. Make the viewing a party
Buying a boat can be compared to viewing a new rental or purchase house or picking out a new car. Not a small investment, but an adventurous one that (if all goes well) will have a lot of fun times.
Just as the mood of car salesman or home broker can make or break a deal, your enthusiasm about the boat to be sold will be contagious to the potential buyer. Tell lovingly about your boat and emphasize the things that make this boat so unique. Owning a motor yacht or sailboat, for example, is a celebration, so make sure this celebration starts at the viewing!
In addition, always be honest. Answer all questions, conceal nothing, make sure you have complete and insightful documentation and notes, and give people room to discover the boat for themselves. Take every viewer seriously and always remain polite. Go for a sail and let your potential buyers experience what it’s like to own this beautiful boat.
10. Play the negotiating game with a smile
It is rare that a boat actually sells for the asking price. For large sums, there is almost always negotiation and there are many buyers who greatly enjoy this game. So prepare for it and approach the game positively.
For example, don’t say right away that you don’t have to sell the boat. This leaves very little room for negotiation and is very discouraging. But don’t drop the price too quickly either, which actually makes the potential buyer feel that your boat is actually worth less than what you are trying to sell it for. That does not inspire confidence for the condition of the boat.
Rather, give reasons why this boat is worth the price you are asking for it, but also accept the reasons for reduction offered by the other party. This is how you slowly arrive at a fair price that allows both parties to feel good about the deal.
Outsource boat sale to experienced broker
We hope these tips will give you a good idea of what’s involved in selling a boat and give you some tools to get you started.
Would you rather engage an experienced specialist? Then contact Jachtmakelaardij De Maas to take the sale of your boat off your hands. We have been in the business for over 19 years, are certified yacht brokers, advertise on over 45 websites and multiple offline magazines, and have a large network of interested domestic and foreign buyers.
Please contact us without obligation. We would love to hear from you and are very curious about your boat!
Our tips
- Make sure your boat is in good condition
- Research what a good asking price is
- Ensure a perfect presentation
- Take professional photos
- Put the boat up for sale at the right time
- Describe key features
- Answer frequently asked questions in advance
- Engage a yacht broker (or not)
- Make the viewing a party
- Play the negotiation game with a smile