Have you decided that you are going
to sell your narrowboat or widebeam?
There are
two ways to sell your narrowboat or widebeam, and in this blog we will discuss both
options so you have a clearer picture of which method is going to work best for
you if and when you decide to sell.

Privately
If you decide
to sell your boat privately, you'll get the benefit of saving the cost of
using a broker. But you'll need to
be super organised to guarantee a sale at the right price!
You will
have to manage all the marketing and viewings which can be very time consuming.
Think carefully about the design of your advert and the photos you'll include
this can really make or break a deal. Your advert should be well thought out;
the title should be clear and includes the features you think buyers are most
likely to be searching for, for example the make, year, model, size, etc. Your description
must include all desirable features and justify the sale price, it should also
stand out from other boats that are similar to yours.
Research
what the market value is of boats like yours. If you are not sure or have
little experience of pricing, then discuss this with other experienced boaters
to estimate whether your price is realistic, optimistic or indeed pessimistic.
You need to price the boat fairly and leave some room for negotiation.
Make sure
you have all the maintenance records and other paperwork that detail your
boat’s history, including any declarations of conformity or Post construction assessment certificates. Without this boat documentation you may not be able to back up
your asking price when it comes to negotiating the sale.
Be prepared
to organise for the boat to have a survey. This will require the use of a
dry dock or a haul out. You will need to pay for using this service, but the buyer is
responsible for paying & getting the surveyor to inspect the vessel.
Organising this can be quite a challenge and it’s worth noting that a brokerage
company would be able to handle all this for you.
Lastly
be prepared to deal with a lot of time wasters, you will be amazed at how many
people are just window shopping and not actually in a position to put in an
offer and buy a boat.
Brokerage Company
By
contacting a brokerage company they can deal with EVERYTHING from the
marketing, viewings, surveys, negotiating and all the paper work that is
required to get a boat sold quickly and at the right price.
*The benefits of using a professional
brokerage company:
-
They will have a
wide customer base with buyers waiting to buy.
- Most will offer you a FREE Valuation
- They will use marketing
tools such as: websites, social media, magazine adverts, mailing lists, etc.
- Lots are open 7 days a week and will be able to deal with all the viewings (including the time wasters!)
- Most will provide
free moorings at their marina whilst the boat is being marketed.
- The experienced
and knowledgeable sales team will be able to get you the best price for your
boat.
- They will be able to sort out having a survey carried out in their dry dock, or slipway.
- They will have engineers on hand to sort out repairs or will be able to point you in the direction of someone who can help.
- Some can offer
you part exchange deals depending on the age and condition of your boat
- Some can buy
your boat for cash (depending on the age and condition of the boat)
All of the above is offered by
Whilton marina, but all brokers operate differently, so please check their terms of
business first.
Some FAQs that
might be on your mind can be answered here.
It is very
important to take the advice of the experts when it comes to the pricing of
your boat. Overpriced boats just don’t sell, it’s that simple. So if you
are looking for a quick sale, then use a brokerage company and take the advice of
the broker that values your boat.
If you would
like a FREE Valuation, give us a call today on 01327 842577, or fill in our online form - we are more than happy to
come and see you.