Can I Sell My Yacht Without A Broker?

There comes a time in every boat owner’s life where you begin mulling over the idea of selling your yacht. It’s an inevitable situation that can either be one of excitement or sadness, depending on your future plans. Whether moving in to a larger yacht, taking a break from boat ownership, or trying out a different type of vessel, the concerns are all the same. What price should I list my boat? What do I need to do to get it ready to sell? How do I advertise it? How can I get as much of my money back as possible?

If you’re new to owning a yacht, one question often asked is “Can I sell my yacht without a broker?” The answer is yes, you can sell your yacht without hiring a broker, however there are many advantages that come with enlisting the services of a professional in the form of experience, advice, support, stress relief, and a more successful transaction overall.

Whether you are purchasing or selling your yacht, having a professional yacht broker in your corner can make a world of difference in the outcome. Below are 4 ways you can benefit from using a broker to sell your yacht. If you have specific questions or want to be connected with an experienced agent near you, please call our main headquarters at 772-463-3131.

“The Only Source Of Knowledge Is Experience.” – Albert Einstein

There is no substitute for experience when it comes to success in the yacht brokerage industry. When dealing with the sale or purchase of a luxury yacht, whether valued at $500,000 or $5 million, an experienced broker knows exactly what to expect throughout the process and can help you navigate through any potential problems.

“After more than 25 years in the boat business, I have seen everything,” says Brian Franc, UYS Emerald Coast Division Manager. “It’s not just about having sold a bunch of boats and knowing what to expect in the process. True experience comes in the form of visiting the builders, learning about the construction techniques of different shipyards, going through countless boat shows, joining industry programs to gain certifications, and frankly, being out on a boat with your clients and learning what is important to them!”

Brian continued, “When we sell a boat for one of our customers, we already know everything about the vessel, its history, the history of the model itself, the builder’s reputation, the market value, and we know exactly where we are going to go to find a buyer. A boat owner trying to sell on their own misses out on all of that experience and it may end up costing them in the end. Having someone negotiate for you, that is a market expert, is simply smart business.”

Hiring an experienced yacht broker means that you, as the seller, benefits from all of the successes and pitfalls that come with decades of doing business in the boating industry. While you may save some money on commission, it could very well cost you more in the end by going at it alone.

Preparing Your Yacht For Market

(Below: United Social Media Manager Elliot Brownstein goes the extra mile to help market a listing.)

In the era of drone technology, 4k quality video, professional editing, and GoPro cameras, your iPhone pictures just aren’t going to cut it when it comes to successfully listing and selling a yacht. Could a boat sell by just taking pictures with your phone? Sure. But we have proven time and again that boats sell more quickly and for more money, when the presentation looks immaculate.

“You have to paint the picture for the buyer, so they can see themselves enjoying the yacht,” says Elliot. “United’s brokers have multiple professional photo and video teams at our disposal all around the country. We also provide in-house social media content for our brokers and their customers, as well. Capturing images of a boat for the internet and magazine ads, is different than what works on social media. We get it all so we can always put our best foot forward.”

Professional Listing Services For A Faster Sale

When you employ a United Yacht Sales broker to represent you in the sale of your boat, you are getting much more than just the effort from that one person. With an experienced staff on the listing services team, marketing team, and closing team, you benefit from decades of knowledge and experience when it comes to sales support. If you choose to sell your yacht without a broker, you will not be able to take advantage of these specialized services that make the process easy, stress-free, and successful at the end.

“The UnitedYacht.com website is one of the largest in the industry with over 100,000 unique visitors on a monthly basis,” said Captain Jeff Palmer, co-owner of UYS. “The minute you employ us to sell your yacht, we get to work. Not only do you get to take advantage of the large amount of web traffic we bring to our own website, but your vessel also gets listed on over 100 other websites, including our biggest competitors. There’s also no way for a private seller to get their boat listed on Yachtworld or YachtBroker.org, the two largest MLS systems in the industry, without hiring a broker.”

There is no substitute for the amount of potential buyers we can place your boat in front of, if you choose to sell it yourself.

Avoid Issues At Closing By Using An Experienced Team Of Experts

From the finding a reputable surveyor, to navigating all of the closing paperwork, actually completing the sale of your yacht can be a challenging experience. you might have found a buyer for your yacht, but are you ready to re-negotiate the terms after the survey is completed? Is the contract signed between the two parties complete and protects your best interests? Have you done everything possible to keep yourself from any legal action after the same is completed?

Selling your yacht by yourself can save you commission, but it can end up costing you a lot more in time, stress, and money when it comes to the final stages. If your buyer is being represented by a professional broker, that means you are immediately at a disadvantage when it comes to negotiating after the survey findings. At United Yacht Sales, our closing support team has decades of experience in the marine industry and can help assist you every step of the way, ensuring a smooth transaction when it matters most.

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