Contract question

[Warby12]

Hi, I'm looking at making an offer on a boat here in Australia and the "offer to purchase and sales agreement" has a number of date items:

• finance date,
• trial run date,
• pre-purchase
• inspection date and
• settlement date.

They are all blank. How should I fill them in?

[Warby12]

Sorry on re-reading this it might be seen as a very silly question

I don't mean what actual dates should I put in but rather what order and spacing for the dates. For example, should the pre-purchase, inspection and trail run dates be on the same day? And then maybe the finance and settlement 2 weeks later? I know the broker should handle this but I trust no-one I am a hope for the best and plan for the worst kind of person.

[boatman61]

Try sitting down with the broker... he's done it before...
I don't use brokers but my norm is do a test sail... if I like her enough I'll offer a 10% deposit.. refundable subject to inspection and organise a lift with the owner for an out of the water inspection... if I find a problem worth dickering over I'll ask for a drop in price from 50% up depending on the cost of the repair.
If he agrees all the way down the line I buy... if he refuses the deposit refund bit I walk coz he already knows something I don't.
But... your going through a broker so you'll have to work to his rules...

[Warby12]

Hi boatman, thanks! Generally here, you do a bunch of inspections and don't go to the test sail and haul out until an offer is in and accepted. Then you can haggle.

You're right about asking the broker. He is the person with the most experience but he is not working for me he's working for the seller.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Warby12

Hi boatman, thanks! Generally here, you do a bunch of inspections and don't go to the test sail and haul out until an offer is in and accepted. Then you can haggle.

You're right about asking the broker. He is the person with the most experience but he is not working for me he's working for the seller.

That seems Ass about Face... why make an offer on a boat you don't know sails like a pig or a dream... over here the owners are looking for the dosh... and brokers work for themselves I've found... they live on the commission.. 3K in the hand is worth 6K in the Ad.. so to speak..