Navigating the Boat Selling Process

Determining the Value of Your Yacht

We always strive to deliver fair market value when marketing someone’s boat. Fair market value is influenced by many factors, including:

The perceived value of your boat
The current economic climate
The age of your boat
Maintenance records
Cleanliness
The vessel’s history
Upgrades
Availability of moorage
Active buyers

Assessing and carefully marketing your boat are only two phases within a larger process handled by your yacht broker.

As you’ll see below, we’ll leverage our expertise, industry connections, and experience to manage the entire process, from initial assessment to final closing.

Here’s a closer look at the various phases within the boat sales process that Kelly Yacht Sales offers.

The view from the back of a boat as it leaves a wake; the ocean takes up two-thirds of the image, with a setting sun in the centre of the image frame — When you work with Kelly Yacht Sales you’ll be assisted at every point on your boat selling journey, leaving the hassles and worries of the sale in your wake.

A Detailed Look at the Role of Your Yacht Broker

Boat Assessment and Preparation

Meet you on your boat and identify its unique selling features as well as what will detract from the sale.
Provide you with an assessment of your boat’s fair market value.
Direct you on how to prepare your boat for sale.
Recommend what to address prior to selling based on what purchasers find desirable.

Listing and Marketing

Compile a list of features and benefits that highlight your boat’s most important features to purchasers.
Arrange for photography, using a professional photographer when appropriate.
Create a professional listing that compels potential purchasers to call or email for additional information.
Market the listing on appropriate platforms such as YachtWorld, Boats.com, Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, and Google.
Call, text, and email existing clients and other brokers that have expressed interest in your size, style, and price of boat.
Respond promptly to every phone call, text, instant message, and e-mail resulting from the marketing.

Buyer Qualification and Showings

Schedule in-person viewings of the boat.
Meet potential purchasers on the boat on a day and time that is convenient for them.
Follow up with questions that came up during the showing.
Qualify potential purchasers and weeding out traders, scammers, non-buyers, and know-it-alls.

Negotiation and Closing

Adjust the listing and/or marketing strategy as needed to ensure accuracy and quality.
Write up a Yacht Purchase and Sales Agreement for the purchaser with appropriate subjects.
Cooperate with brokers from other firms.
Present you with a written offer and negotiate with the purchaser to come to a contractual agreement on the price and subjects of purchase.
Confirm a 10% deposit is being held in a trust account once the offer is accepted.
Assist the purchaser to coordinate a survey, haul out, mechanical inspection, and sea trial.
Operate the boat during the sea trial, moving it to and from the haul out.
Being present for the survey and mechanical inspections.
If it’s a non-BC resident purchasing the boat, assist the purchaser to coordinate an out-of-province delivery .
Assist US purchasers with exporting the boat from Canada into the United States.
Re-negotiate the price if there are findings that were not expected.
Once a final price is agreed upon, we coordinate the final funding and closing documentation.
We use a licensed and insured third party that specializes in boats to manage all the funding to protect the buyer and seller.
We ensure a lien search is completed.
Arrange for the Transport Canada Registration or Licence to be transferred to the new owner.
Coordinate documentation and customs clearance if it’s going to the US.
Confirm the final payment has been transferred to your account.
Meet the purchasers for the handover of keys.