Visit our Popular Forums

2Hulls · 14-02-2015, 16:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sand crab

Heath you can't act as a buyers broker.

Not entirely true.

In effect you can act as your own buyer's broker and negotiate with the listing broker to lower his/her commission to make a deal since there is no other broker involved.

Quote:

If you don't have one then the seller will just pay the entire commission to his broker.

Not necessarily, and this is key. If you don't have your own broker, the listing broker doesn't have to share the commission 50/50 and can reduce the commission % such that the seller still gets his/her price as if two brokers were involved. The listing broker can reduce their commission to whatever they want to make a sale. In effect, they have the full commission to play with to make a sale with a buyer w/o a second broker. With another broker involved, they have only 50% of the commission to play with.

Quote:

But an experienced cat broker can steer you in the right direction and give you comps on sold boats for guidance on your offer. They will look for boats, and some have a knowledge about a particular cat that is either a good or bad deal.

Very true, and an advantage to uninformed buyers. You can do all that other stuff yourself to arrive at a reasonable offer. If you are not an informed buyer who has done sufficient homework and who knows what to look for, a broker who is getting paid by the seller can still be valuable to you because they don't get paid unless you buy and they have to earn your trust. The more informed you are, the more trust they have to earn.

Bottom line: unless a broker is entirely separated from the seller by being separated from the commission, he/she works for the seller. Repeat after me: The broker works for the seller. Such a broker not paid directly by you may still be valuable to you and may offer objective input, but you have to weigh the competing interests to judge the worth of this advice. He/she won't get paid unless there is a sale.

Dave

watervan · 14-02-2015, 21:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sand crab

Welcome to CF. You don't say where you are from but I think it is wise to use a broker from your country. That way your deposit is held there and if there is a problem then you can deal with them in a language that you speak and read.

However the big guys like the Multihull Company, Catamaran Company, Denison and others are international and do worldwide sales all the time. Multi Co will act as your buyers broker.
How to Buy Your Multihull
I'm sure the others will as well.

Thank you for the advise. Multihull company has been pointed out to me before, I will contact them.
I am Dutch so I will contact their UK branch.

Sent from my iPad using Cruisers Sailing Forum

beneteau-500 · 14-02-2015, 21:48

For the life of me I can't see why you need a buyers broker it must be a Yankee thing to do

tanre · 22-01-2019, 18:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by smj

Alexis DeBoucard of the Multihull Company

I sincerely disagree. Alexis may have been great at one point, but seems to no longer have the time due to side work he is doing to maintain a helpful or professional relationship.

Unlike others here, my experience with him has been nothing but negative from the start. Just my opinion.

Heath68 · 26-01-2019, 00:18

Does anyone know (or did I just miss it) what % is normal for a broker in a boat sale?

CatNewBee · 26-01-2019, 01:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by Heath68

Does anyone know (or did I just miss it) what % is normal for a broker in a boat sale?

usually around 10% ...

LeeV · 26-01-2019, 04:49

We’re working with Larry Shaffer at Just Catamarans, and I’d highly recommend him. Why, you ask?
1. He is an experienced blue water sailor.
2. He isn’t pushy, and doesn’t even use/require a contract (I can go off on my own at any given moment)
3. He’s amenable to setting the rules together, e.g., it doesn’t have to be a boat at JustCatamarans so he can avoid splitting the broker’s fee.
4. He can recommend sources for financing, gear, repairs, not just JC, and doesn’t get ruffled if I use my own resources.
5. He’ll listen to your ideas, dreams, desires, needs, and then help you sort through them to arrive at what might be the best solution. (We were all over the map when we started, and months later we’re starting to narrow down in a realistic manner to what we can easily afford that suits us best.

Just my humble opinion after having sifted through a list of several names, some of whom you might recognize, and weeding out those who were:
1.pushy
2. arrogant, and required loyalty to themselves, instead of to the contract
3.looking for clients to buy their boat
4. Looking for clients to buy their listing
5. looking for clients with lots of $$ but less experience who would buy anything this “expert” recommends
6. dismissed my ideas of what we’d like
7. dismissed my experience (this was funny - I mentioned something about sailing that happened while I sailed aboard the tall ship, Pride of Baltimore II, and he said, “well, that’s not really sailing like what we do.” Then I mentioned sailing offshore on my Condor 40 years ago, and he told me that sailing has changed a lot since 2000, and boats are different. I left.)

Give Larry a call; tell him Lee from Maryland sent you: 954-235-1448

Regards,

InsuredApple · 01-02-2019, 14:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by LeeV

We’re working with Larry Shaffer at Just Catamarans, and I’d highly recommend him. Why, you ask?

Larry is a nice guy, but he really only knows the basics when it comes to boat buying. He will always say... no problem, and don't worry... but he got us into quite a bit of hot water with our boat buying experience. We almost had to have the boat hauled out a second time because of him. Instead we paid a couple more thousands for a tonnage survey that didn't require the boat to be hauled out again. Just be careful!

I'd stay away from him and Just Catamarans. Just my opinion.

They are nice guys, but... buying and/or servicing your boat is expensive -- and I am guessing you worked hard for your money. Choose wisely.

LeeV · 01-02-2019, 15:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by InsuredApple

Larry is a nice guy, but he really only knows the basics when it comes to boat buying. He will always say... no problem, and don't worry... but he got us into quite a bit of hot water with our boat buying experience. We almost had to have the boat hauled out a second time because of him. Instead we paid a couple more thousands for a tonnage survey that didn't require the boat to be hauled out again. Just be careful!

I'd stay away from him and Just Catamarans. Just my opinion.

They are nice guys, but... buying and/or servicing your boat is expensive -- and I am guessing you worked hard for your money. Choose wisely.

You’re the first dissatisfied customer of @ 14 people/couples I’ve spoken to. Who would you recommend?

As for a tonnage survey, I’ve never seen one required here in the U.S., at least not for the 4 I’ve purchased, and wonder if it may have slipped through the cracks for that reason, but I have no desire to guess at something about which I have no knowledge.

Sorry you had a bad experience! I did choose wisely, thanks.

Regards,

InsuredApple · 01-02-2019, 17:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by LeeV

You’re the first dissatisfied customer of @ 14 people/couples I’ve spoken to. Who would you recommend?

As for a tonnage survey, I’ve never seen one required here in the U.S., at least not for the 4 I’ve purchased, and wonder if it may have slipped through the cracks for that reason, but I have no desire to guess at something about which I have no knowledge.

Sorry you had a bad experience! I did choose wisely, thanks.

Regards,

I wouldn't recommend Just Catamarans

but I am really glad it worked out for you. At the end of the day, us boat owners need to look our for fellow boat owners.