Choose The Right Broker

A Yacht Broker should be BOTH a Marketer and Salesman:
First pick a Broker who will seriously market your yacht and not just put it on a list and wait for buyers to phone.

Most boats should have both print and web advertisements. Yachtworld.com, boats.com and the Brokers' website are ideal media to get your boat to the buying public. AND they are immediate!! Magazine are great places to show current listings and are a great introductions to websites BUT please remember that when you 'List' a product it may take up to a month or longer to get the ads out in magazines and the press.

To make it easier for our sellers, we will 'List' and sell our vessels from the owners' own slip (which may be assumable moorage) which gives it a more personal approach. Most of the Buyers are pre-qualified by us, which means only real prospective Buyers are shown the products.

Another major advantage to Steele-A-Weigh is that they have both Steele-A-Weigh Yacht Sales Canada and Steele-A-Weigh Yachts Sales LLC an American company. They can legally show and sell boats in boat the US and Canada. They have lots of cross-border brokerage experience. This also helps Canadians who keep their boats in the US and want to sell them back into Canada.

Steele-A-Weigh hand picks their listings. We choose our yachts for their cleanliness, their owner's care, and the overall completeness of the vessel. Every yacht has a 'history' which is just as important as how many hours are on her engines. We want our yachts to be 'turn-key' and 'cruise away'.

What's My Boat Worth?
Beware of the broker who tells you what you want to hear JUST to get the 'Listing' i.e. Your boat is worth more than the current market. Honest brokers will tell you the Truth right from the beginning. What your boat should sell for on the current market.

Most Sellers want to know what their vessel is worth before entering into a formal brokerage agreement. The best avenue which is available to us is the www.yachtworld.com/soldboat site which is available to Yachtworld member brokers. Most Soldboat prices are recorded on this site and with a simple search for 'Like & Kind' yachts we can come very close to determining what the vessel will actually sell for. Please note that the 'Selling Price' is quite different than the 'Listing Price' with a spread from between 7%-15%. If this resource is used correctly, a vessel will not be 'Listed' at above current and local 'market values' and thus selling a vessel faster.

Please note that we focus on the Pacific NorthWest yacht prices and try not to compare to the other prices stated in the South or East Coast.

Most importantly, be realistic with a ‘Listing Price’ Many Sellers will repetitive in ‘How much they have put into their yacht’ These items may not make her sell for more but they will make her sell faster than other ‘Like & Kind’ units on the market. One of my ‘idioms’ which I quote “vessels are like ex-wives, the jewelry you gave made her look beautiful but you never got any back when you split."

What Seller Have To Do:
Most sellers have grown accustomed to seeing their boat and may not notice many potential buyer objections. On our initial onboard meeting with a prospective Seller we get the opportunity to give an 'out of arm's length' opinion of the condition of the vessel. Everything said and noted is given as a constructive element of the final sale of the vessel. We try to turn the tables a bit and take the owner back in time when they were looking at this yacht and 'make' them a Buyer again. What were they looking for? What made them buy this yacht? What were the features that they liked? In giving these details, we can point out where the vessel might need attention for the next sale.

The following are a few of the things that a seller can do to enhance his yacht for sale:

  • Most boats are too ‘busy’, clean them up, get bedding, dishes, pots and pans, clutter, tools organized – remove as much personal gear as possible. This will show the boat is seriously for sale.
  • Clean the HEADS, shower stalls and sinks – most men will not even notice but their spouses surely will.
  • Clean under the stove-top and the inside of the fridge. Make sure there is nothing growing under the mattresses.( please note the continuing word is ‘Clean’ – the male Buyer will usually buy anything BUT if their spouse says ‘YES’ it makes it so much easier)
  • Get rid of the dog and cats’ dishes, if your are a smoker ‘Quit’ and get a portable ionizer for a week or more.
  • Clean the bilges and put some absorbent pads below the transmissions and engines.
  • If required, wire brush and paint the risers and engine mounts.
  • Lubricate the main entrance door and put down some step carpets.
  • organize the boat literature and service records.
  • any obsolete electronics or inoperable equipment should be removed or repaired.

ALSO: if a mechanical service is past due, the main engine, transmission and generator fluids should be changed.

Make the Boat 'LIGHT & BRIGHT'

What To Expect With An Offer:
All 'OFFERS' will be written, have Subjects and Conditions stated with firm completion dates. 'OFFERS' will always have Earnest Monies paid in Trust and there will be no 'GREY AREAS'.

No used yachts are perfect, there will always be deficiencies found in mechanical inspections and/or marine surveys. Expect a 'saw-off' or 'amended offer' to complete your deal. If you were to keep the vessel for the next year you would have any safety and mechanical issues fixed. Wear and tear and cosmetics are part of a 'Used boat' sale and will usually be not an issue.

"If it is a used vessel, do your 'Due-diligence', best monies ever spent"