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"The two best days of owning a boat are the day you buy it and the day you sell it." We have all heard the old adage, but if your boat is not well presented to the market or you don't prepare the way for a smooth and fair transaction, the reality of selling your boat may be very different. Using a Boat Retailers and Brokers Association (BRBA) qualified broker will ensure that selling your boat is as stress free as cruising in it. We, as a qualified broker will focus on all three stages in the process of selling a boat:
It is vital that your boat is well exposed to the market. We will ensure that the necessary photos and specification details are on all the appropriate boating portals. We have spent a considerable sum developing our own, award winning, user-friendly website. We also advertise extensively in specialist boating magazines and exhibit at various national boat shows. In addition to selling from a dedicated sales pontoon, we will phone, email and 'snail-mail' our extensive database of serious buyers. Advertising is important but there really is no substitute for just getting on the phone. We also attract a large volume of visitors 'just looking around' due to our location. Price, presentation and location are key to securing the offer; the art of brokerage is the understanding of how to achieve the best price for a particular boat. Highlighting key items in the specification, positioning the boat in the market and having a large database of potential buyers will help achieve the best possible price as quickly as possible. We will ensure all paperwork for the boat is in order. Proof of VAT status, such as a VAT invoice, will have been sourced. Clear Title will have been confirmed through Bills of Sale over at least five years. Conformity with the Recreational Craft Directive will have been checked. The status of a boat's registration will have been ascertained and enquiries made to detect any mortgages or liens. If any of the above paperwork has gone missing, we may be able to help you to locate it. We will also draw up a contract ('Agreement for the Sale and Purchase of a second-hand vessel') issued by the British Marine Federation, the Marine industry's own trade association; this must be done in close consultation with purchaser and vendor and covers timescales for deposits, surveys, acceptance and completion, the apportioning of costs for surveys, berthing, lift-outs and launches, the extent of any river trial and what exactly is included in the sale. If the purchaser has an existing boat we will consider taking it in part exchange even though we are selling a brokerage boat. In an increasingly regulated age, we earn our commission by ensuring that all legal requirements are adhered to and that the interest in the boat is successfully transferred from vendor to purchaser. Very importantly, all clients' funds are held in a dedicated client account ensuring that any outstanding debt/liens are paid off from the proceeds thus protecting the buyer; similarly the vendor's money is protected in the client account. Once the sale is completed we conduct a technical handover and tuition if required; we will also offer advice on moorings, insurance and transport. All that remains is for you to get out on the water and have fun! |