Buying or Selling a Pre-owned Boat

Listing for sale

Broker to meet with seller to:

  • review boat
  • get specifications
  • See documentation
  • Suggest “curb appeal repairs, cleaning, staging
  • Explain process with 10% industry standard commission

Create Listing agreement

  • Contract between seller and broker detailing commission, process, responsibilities
  • Get approval from seller prior to posting
  • Post on Yachtworld, Boat Trader, social media, and Murrell Yachts website
  • Explain co-brokerage availability

Showings

  • Make appointments to show boat
  • Work with cooperative brokers to show to their customers
  • Post brokerage for sale sign on vessel

Offers

  • Solicit offers verbally, and in writing to present to seller
  • Negotiate seller acceptance, Counter-offer, or rejection of offers

Purchase Agreement

  • Put agreed offer in writing for signature by buyer and seller to include all conditions, restrictions
  • Secure 10% deposit from buyer, and deposit in trust account

Financing

  • Determine if buyer requires financing
  • Provide list of finance company options
  • Remind buyer boats over 20 years old typically not financed with conventional boat loans

Survey

  • Present list of potential surveyors to buyer
  • Schedule surveys with buyer, seller, surveyors, boat yard
    • Hull Survey
    • Rigging Survey
    • Engine Survey
    • Haul out for bottom inspection
  • Broker to attend survey

Sea Trial

  • Schedule buyer to take vessel on “test Drive” before, after, or in conjunction with surveys
  • Attend Sea Trial

Negotiate Survey allowances

  • Secure estimates and allocate costs for any issues, or repairs, discovered during the surveys and sea trail
  • Prepare amendments, conditional acceptance, or relevant documents

Insurance

  • Remind buyer insurance will be needed for boat at completion of purchase
  • Supply list of insurance brokers
  • Discuss possibility that insurance companies may require instruction prior to allowing buyer to take boat out on their own

Documentation options

  • Discuss need for documentation for transfer of vessel from seller to buyer
  • Explain difference between UCCG Documentation and California Registered vessels
  • Discuss, and explain, LLC sold or purchased vessels
  • Provide list of documentation companies
  • Provide list of lawyers for any LLC transactions

Closing

  • Facilitate transfer of ownership with documentation companies
  • Facilitate transfer of funds through trust account
  • Provide closing statements
  • Facilitate hand off of vessel
  • Facilitate slip transfer or relocation of vessel

Post-sale

  • Be a resource to both buyer and seller for information
  • Help buyer with training sources for use of boat
  • Follow up on buyer progress with repairs, improvements, etc.

Contact us today!

Buying or Selling a Pre-owned Boat form