Business must be booming with certain brokers in the U.K.?

[Chief Brody]

Yes, I’m being sarcastic.

A yacht I’m interested in is up for sale via 2 brokers...both very well known. The sale price of the yacht is £70k. I contacted broker A via their web form and after a week did not get a reply. I then did the same thing with broker B and, again, after a week I got no reply?

10 days ago, I contacted broker A via the telephone. The person who answered said “Good Morning, Broker A speaking” despite it being 3pm and with my full knowledge that their office is a few miles away from me. After him telling me that he’s had the time of his life being furloughed and getting free money for the past 3 months but still selling boats, he finally emailed me the yachts hull survey. There was no greeting, subject line...nothing...just an email with an attachment that got flagged as spam by O365.

Since then, there has been no follow up from this guy...nothing. I did at the time ask that, if required, could I view the yacht and that I had no problem travelling despite the COVID restrictions. He replied “dunno mate...you might have to make an arrangement with the Marina”. And then he went off on one about how business was booming?

Broker B does not answer the phone.

Both brokers are big in the UK yacht sales world but as a seller I would be shocked at those clowns. They (brokers) are literally doing nothing but posting up pics and a description on Yachtworld. When contacted it’s nowt but silence or any attempt to do the least work.

It’s no wonder that yachts take an age to sell.

[S/V Illusion]

It’s a part-time job to some, a hobby to others. Over the years, I’ve found they are generally good at only one thing - collecting their commission.

[Chief Brody]

Originally Posted by S/V Illusion

It’s a part-time job to some, a hobby to others. Over the years, I’ve found they are generally good at only one thing - collecting their commission.

One broker I spoke to was very good but the boat sold...that was a shame.

It’s just that the two I mentioned are very large but don’t seem to give a toss?

[DeValency]

Would hate to generalize. 18-24 months ago I ran a wide search for a boat with US(8), UK(2), Italian(1), Israeli(1) and Croatian(3) based brokers.
With three from the US and one from the UK I had a similar negative experience. All the others were very good.

Not sure it is a matter of working part time. Maybe some of them are tired, lazy or just always had poor work ethics.

Anyway, hope you've found a boat and if not, the next months and year are going to be great for buyers with cash.

[Stewie12]

Most yacht brokers are just salesmen.

[Halam]

The good news is the owners will be desperate to sell to the first buyer who can bully the broker into action. Other buyers wont make the effort, such barriers are a benefit to those who manage to clamber over them.

[Shrew]

Yes, boat sales are exploding....everywhere. They don't need to follow-up because there is a non-stop line of calls and E-mails. He doesn't need to 'sell' you. He can see the line of people behind you.

Do yourself a favor:

1) Call
2) Book an appointment. (YOU shouldn't need to check with the marina, that is his job).
3) View boat.

[DeValency]

Originally Posted by Shrew

Yes, boat sales are exploding....everywhere.

2) Book an appointment. (YOU shouldn't need to check with the marina, that is his job).

Another baseless claim of course...

There were high sales early in the summer with small motor boats and jet skies (these are included in the industry records for "boats").

I get a daily feed from few very honest brokers I know well on cruising boats - most are for good sailboats where as of last year are down 20-30% off their asking price. There are of course exceptions for specific boats here and there, but at a time like that with the biggest economy downturn since the great depression, just at the beginning, smarter people (most sailors are... ) hold their cash and fantasies.

As for #2) suggestion here: Do contact the marina, boatyard and even the owner if you get no acceptable response from the listing broker. Many brokers don't want you to do that of course... But you learn a lot more when you ask directly at the marina and boatyard. If you discuss with a good honest and responsive broker, you may not need that or he/she will actually encourage you to speak with the marina, boatyard and owner.

[Zzmeyer]

In case facts are an issue here is a quote from a USA Today article:
"Total new boat sales – from personal watercraft to yachts – were in May the highest in a decade, and June was strong as well, reports the National Marine Manufacturers Association,based on the latest sales figures available" Consistent with my experience. Sold two boats since June, the latter without even getting it listed. The broker said he just emailed some acquaintances. Sold for asking price. Lost out on two boats when my full price offer was rejected because they had already accepted a full price offer. Just landed a new boat coming out of the factory that the buyer had fallen out. Got a decent price, but not great.

[barnakiel]

I think they are called Generation Z or X, or anything like this. They are too busy following FB pages of their friends to write emails to you, let alone learning such archaic skills as business correspondence. They are slowly becoming the main "working" force these days.



Alternatively, while you imagined talking to an office 3 miles away, you had been re-directed to:


- a bot ( a robot) that reacts to your keywords, say "boat" "information" "my number" and hang up,

- an Indian staffed 'support center, HANG UP.



Of the two disasters, I prefer bots. With Indian centers all I understand is their 'Hellaw Mista! ? and then follows a series of sounds styled on Queen's English, but somehow not quite there.


Do not worry though. If the boat is there - drive to the broker, get them by the face and get the paperwork you need, make them call the seller while you are there.


All is doable, it just requires 4x as much time as it did before the Internet.


Good luck shopping!



Cheers,
barnakiel

[Chief Brody]

Originally Posted by Shrew

Yes, boat sales are exploding....everywhere. They don't need to follow-up because there is a non-stop line of calls and E-mails. He doesn't need to 'sell' you. He can see the line of people behind you.

Do yourself a favor:

1) Call
2) Book an appointment. (YOU shouldn't need to check with the marina, that is his job).
3) View boat.

The boat has been up for sale for 2 years and reduced in price by £30k - which happened this time last year. I'm the only one in the line.

I remember when buying my last car, a Mercedes, and I was looking at 2 year old examples of the model I was after. I contacted 7 Merc dealerships via email and phone but only one of them got back to me and I bought the example that they had. 4 years later and the same sales guy at that dealership still contacts me to say "hi" and, of course, asks if I'm looking for a new car.

Those brokers have had this yacht on their books for 2 years yet made no effort to sell it. If I were the seller, I would be utterly horrified.

[Chief Brody]

Originally Posted by DeValency

As for #2) suggestion here: Do contact the marina, boatyard and even the owner if you get no acceptable response from the listing broker. Many brokers don't want you to do that of course... But you learn a lot more when you ask directly at the marina and boatyard. If you discuss with a good honest and responsive broker, you may not need that or he/she will actually encourage you to speak with the marina, boatyard and owner.

As with all your good advice, this is very good. My next move may be to contact the marina where the boat is sitting.

[Chief Brody]

Originally Posted by Halam

The good news is the owners will be desperate to sell to the first buyer who can bully the broker into action. Other buyers wont make the effort, such barriers are a benefit to those who manage to clamber over them.

Good point.

[Chief Brody]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

Good luck shopping!



Cheers,
barnakiel

Thanks. I do apologise to those who may see me as venting but for the sums involved I would expect some positive "movement" from the broker to at least chase up a lead. I was asked "how would you look to pay for your potential yacht purchase?" and I was truthful in that I advised that, for the right boat, I can move pretty fast. To all you fine folk here that means "cash buyer" but I didn't say that to the broker, I just advised that I can move fast on a purchase.

[Bullshooter]

It seems to me that before I ever had a broker to sell my boat for me, I would put in a call to the broker as a buyer and ask about a boat he is listed for. If he made no reasonable effort to sell the boat, I certainly would not list my boat with him.