best time to list boat for sale

[superpop]

I just purchased a boat on a fire sale and got a great deal but now I have my old boat to sell. Is there a good time to start listing the old boat, I can store it on my side lot for a long time if need be, I just want to know if I should try selling it now or just wait till spring. It is a 1996 Wellcraft Eclipse and it is in pristine condition with just about everything new or replaced in the last 2 years.

 

[oops!]

Re: best time to list boat for sale

depends on your area pop.

but you being in washington thats year round boating.

traditionally, the prices are higher in the spring.....thats april for you.

cheers
oops

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: best time to list boat for sale

in this economy there is not a good time, spring, don't expect NADA value. put it on the market, if it does not sell, tarp it for another time. i did that with a boat in November. it's in the back under the tarp.

 

[clarkbre]

Re: best time to list boat for sale

I'd put it up on Craigslist ASAP. Search for comparable boat prices so you're not pricing yourself too high for the market. Being that it's January and the crazy WA weather we've been having, people are looking forward to spring and their new toys to be had. You've hit a good time of year for it though. Winter into Spring is the best time to sell since people can buy and have a full season to use it. I bought a boat in May of '07 and sold my old boat about 2 weeks later. If you were wanting to sell it at the end of the summer it'd be much tougher.

 

[arks]

Re: best time to list boat for sale

Yup, go find all the free classifieds you can and get it out there. A few years ago I sucessfully sold a boat at powerboatlistings dot com.
Just be extra careful when dealing over the net.

 

[nightstalker]

Re: best time to list boat for sale

in this economy there is not a good time, spring, don't expect NADA value. put it on the market, if it does not sell, tarp it for another time. i did that with a boat in November. it's in the back under the tarp.

What he said!!!! The boating market is so bad, that it doesn't really matter when you put it up for sale. It's difficult finding anyone with the extra cash for a boat. If you talk to an honest dealer, you will find that the lower cost of fuel has NOT increased their sales one bit. It's the economy that is causing the wealth of cheap boats for sale. Put it on the market, price it to sell, and keep your fingers crossed. Good Luck
Nightstalker

 

[redfury]

Re: best time to list boat for sale

It's like asking when is a good time to put my house up for sale right now. With the right price,anytime is the best time to sell. You have to find the buyer for your boat, not the other way around, so you have to market it as such.

If you were out looking for your old boat, what would you want to see in the listing other than specs? Upgraded from this to 'X' so this needs to go, priced to sell. Ready for the water, full disclosure/history available to interested parties. Would trust sending my wife and kids out in it alone. Etc, etc.

 

[kaferhaus]

Re: best time to list boat for sale

Even down here on the gulf coast where boating is a year round activity boats are not selling unless they're bargain basement priced and even some of those aren't moving.

If the boat is paid for and you don't have an urgent need for the cash I'd tarp it and let it sit while taking advantage of the free ad opportunities.

The only folks that are going to get "hurt" in this horrible market are those that are having to make boat payments or those that need to turn the boat into cash to pay other expenses.

I've had a really nice Catalina sailboat for sale for several months. I've had a couple dozen responses, maybe 4 that actually looked at the boat and 3 "offers". I own the dock that it's moored to, it was paid for many years ago and so doesn't cost me a nickle to sit there. I have it priced fairly and if someone makes me an offer within a few hundred bucks of what I'm asking they'll own it. If not then it will stay in the slip until the economy gets better or I decide to keep it... family loves the boat we just don't use it more than 3-4 times a year...

And I recently sold a 16ft Bass Tracker deep vee that I had on the market for 3 months (craigslist). I had 50 or so calls on that boat with the first question from all of them being "what's your bottom dollar"... to which my response was "you haven't seen the boat, come look at the boat and if you like the boat we'll talk. But the boat isn't eating anything and this is not a fire sale" The first guy to actually come look at the boat bought it for a hundred bucks under my asking price.

As everyone has been saying "it's a buyers market". BUT, that only applies to a motivated seller. If you find a boat that you really want you may or may not get that "deal" everyone is talking about.

I've made offers on a couple of boats lately that although the buyer wanted to sell the boat he couldn't.... as they owed the bank several thousand dollars more than I had offered. One guy is still holding on, the other told the bank to come get it.

 

[rick6977]

Re: best time to list boat for sale

The honest answer is two years ago,this market is bad and getting worse.I have one boat for sale and one i'm trying to buy.I'm told the one i want to buy is over priced and the one for sale is never low enough.You just can't win in this economy,on top of that i believe people with cash are very wary of parting with it.Even the wealthy are getting nervous with the way things are going.

 

[chiefalen]

Re: best time to list boat for sale

I gotta tell you tarp it and wait.

There are so many boats for sale here that i just saw a 2 year old Grady walk around thats is going for less than half of the new price of one.

Fully loaded, i am tempted myself.

Sorry it might not be what you wanted to hear but, the truth hurts sometimes.

Good luck !

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: best time to list boat for sale

You may get lucky listing it now being some people are getting tax refunds soon.
Try it on Craigslist,its free and see if you get any interest in it.

 

[Bondo]

Re: best time to list boat for sale

Ayuh,...

Traditionally,...
May thru July is the time to sell a Boat....

In May,.... If a Fisherman has any loose change,.... He'll buy a boat....

By the end of July,.. If the Dad who has the cash for summer vacation hasn't bought a Boat,....
He's not going too...

But,...
Boats can be,+ are sold year round....
Aren't the Boat Shows just getting wound up,+ running,..??
Your boat might look Sweet to somebody just getting home from a Show....
Might be able to use Sticker Shock to your favor...

 

[superpop]

Re: best time to list boat for sale

I don't care when it sells as long as it sells eventually. It is paid for and sits in its spot on the side of the house. The new boat that I got a screaming deal on will sit next to it. I have it on Craig's list now so we will see if I get any bites. I am not going to give it away and time is on my side to a certain degree.