"How so?"
6 months ago I sold my Bayliner 4788 and 11 years ago I sold a 1988 Bayliner 4588 both of those deals without a broker. I see huge differences between the two time frames here are just a few of the big ones.
- before the economic downturn of 2008 or so there were more buyers and much easier financing for the larger used boats
- the internet has now become the key tool used by many buyers replacing visits boat shows and the like. I believe this does a disservice to buyers but it greatly affects sellers as well, not realizing this can be a barrier to sell.
- Many of the potential used boat buyers in the past were very 'handy'. That is they came from trades and/or had mechanical or electrical skills or similar skills and had no issues with evaluating and or correcting boats deficiencies. Back then a used boat would attract many technical questions about the engines, running gear and the like. Today you can expect many questions about things like blenders, bedding and requests for pictures or the blinds and shades. Many new buyers know very little about these used boats and even less about the mechanicals that make them work.
The potential buyers are not lese intelligent, and in most cases very sharp - its just that they know about software, or accounting, or maybe investment management but not about boats and the things that TF members speak about every day. Yes- there are a few trade-up buyers that are boaters that may answer an add , but not like 10-12 years back.
All in all I have sold at least a dozen boats above the $50K line in the last 25 years and 3 in the past 3 years and the landscape today is quite different than 10 years back.
At least with the dozens and dozens of inquiries that I fielded over the past few years.
6 months ago I sold my Bayliner 4788 and 11 years ago I sold a 1988 Bayliner 4588 both of those deals without a broker. I see huge differences between the two time frames here are just a few of the big ones.
- before the economic downturn of 2008 or so there were more buyers and much easier financing for the larger used boats
- the internet has now become the key tool used by many buyers replacing visits boat shows and the like. I believe this does a disservice to buyers but it greatly affects sellers as well, not realizing this can be a barrier to sell.
- Many of the potential used boat buyers in the past were very 'handy'. That is they came from trades and/or had mechanical or electrical skills or similar skills and had no issues with evaluating and or correcting boats deficiencies. Back then a used boat would attract many technical questions about the engines, running gear and the like. Today you can expect many questions about things like blenders, bedding and requests for pictures or the blinds and shades. Many new buyers know very little about these used boats and even less about the mechanicals that make them work.
The potential buyers are not lese intelligent, and in most cases very sharp - its just that they know about software, or accounting, or maybe investment management but not about boats and the things that TF members speak about every day. Yes- there are a few trade-up buyers that are boaters that may answer an add , but not like 10-12 years back.
All in all I have sold at least a dozen boats above the $50K line in the last 25 years and 3 in the past 3 years and the landscape today is quite different than 10 years back.
At least with the dozens and dozens of inquiries that I fielded over the past few years.