Offer Price

[RThorn]

Here we are heading into the heart of the winter months and we are out boat shopping.

We are looking at a R23 that is moored here on the Puget Sound. According to the broker the owners are "anxious" to sell

How do you go about determining a "reasonable" price? Going into the winter months I will be incurring the loan cost and the moorage costs while getting little if any use from the boat.

Any advice other than start crazy low to find out how bad they want to sell? Or just wait in out until spring?

Any advice or successful strategies are appreciated!

 

[dbsea]

you should be prepared with a range of comps and make an offer based on those comps, taking into account their anxiety to get the boat sold. You can always start very low, but they may be insulted and completely stonewall you.

 

[scross]

Yes, you will save money on insurance, moorage, maintenance, etc. by holding off until spring. But selling prices are typically lower in the fall than in the spring. This year that could be different as used prices may have peaked with demand slightly cooling for used boats.
All that said, if you need financing, loan rates could be substantially higher by spring 2023. I know they have already gone up significantly this year. We are in the process of closing a sale right now and rates have gone up 3/4 of a percent from what they were 6 weeks ago. For us the higher loan rates more than offset the other over the winter ownership costs.
Besides, I am planning on using this winter to make a number of mods and upgrades to our next boat. New batteries, adding a RIB dinghy and outboard motor, upgrading the solar system, adding a SmartPlug, new canvas enclosure panels, etc. By spring it will be ready for extended cruising!

 

[Ernie]

R23 is a Good choice have fun.
I suggest making a fair offer, after you’ve decided you really want this particular model. As you probably know there’s nothing really exactly comparable to the r23 out there, so if you find one at a fair price, go for it.
As for timing, this is a great time to take delivery. My last two boats both came in the late fall and winter, and it was a good thing. You’ll have so much time at the dock to crawl through every inch of the boat and learn it’s secrets. You’ll also have time to make mods and outfit her with what you’ll want to have on board in the cruising season. You want to be on the water in the spring, not looking for a boat or outfitting one and messing around on the dock. Speaking of a dock : if you’ll be keeping it at a marina, those slips are pretty easy to find right now, and pretty hard to find in the spring or summer

 

[marksandyham]

Get a survey. A good accredited surveyor will also establish a market price as is so it will take into account any needed repairs. Use that value as a starting point.