Question on selling a boat

[dm001681]

So, I'm considering upgrading from my '12 LSV to either a '14 LSV or '15 LSV. Which one is a completely different conversation. What I'm interested in hearing from you guys is, how difficult is it to sell a 60k boat? The '14 deal would include my trade but the '15 wouldn't which means I have to sell mine on my own...that makes me pretty nervous. Is it as difficult to sell a 60k boat as I imagine it to be? I want the '15 but rolling the dice on selling mine might be more risk than I can handle. What do you guys think?

[thtrog]

Easier than selling a $90k boat! Search the boat sites like onlyinboards and boat trader to see how competive your boat is compared to other 12's on the market. You will have more activity this spring, but don't hesitate to list now. Take lots of quality pictures and pay for the upgraded ad to get the most visability. I've sold one boat off this site and this year the buyer saw it on Facebook. Good Luck!

[skyskier]

It's risky for sure. As the cost of boats goes up, the pool of buyers who can afford them gets smaller. I used to buy a new boat every two years or so. The last one took so long to sell I just didn't see the point in trying it again. Price was 66K. My friend who likes to buy a new Supra every year has had his last boat up for sale for the past two years. He still has it. It's a stunning boat in the 65K range. Both boats in these examples are mostly black. Maybe better results with a more conservative color.

[thtrog]

I've sold 7 in as many years, the black ones sold the fastest...may be just luck. I only had one I held over the winter and it was the most expensive and not black, 24 MXZ.

[tvano]

So, I'm considering upgrading from my '12 LSV to either a '14 LSV or '15 LSV. Which one is a completely different conversation. What I'm interested in hearing from you guys is, how difficult is it to sell a 60k boat? The '14 deal would include my trade but the '15 wouldn't which means I have to sell mine on my own...that makes me pretty nervous. Is it as difficult to sell a 60k boat as I imagine it to be? I want the '15 but rolling the dice on selling mine might be more risk than I can handle. What do you guys think?

i think you answered your own question.

[thtrog]

I was not implying taking a risk if you want the'15, sell yours first or have a dealer consign it. I would not want to own two boats at once and there are plenty of leftover 15's out there.

[ConnollyCrew]

If the price is right it should sell fast. I would look strongly at the 15'. The dash is sick...

[Ifinallygota21v]

Not tough selling a $60k boat. What is tough is selling a $60k boat without a surf system

[Cmb396]

Selling anything is hard to do in today's market. If it's priced right it will sell, but hard to say how long it will take. You can always price it super low in hopes for a quick sell, flip side of that tho would be just trade it in.

I've had my boat fs now since mid summer, 10k below book, and less than models like it I've found. I'm probably just going to bite the bullet and trade it in to save the hassle of continuing to try to sell.

[NWBU]

It sounds like you've made the mental commitment to upgrade so now there's nothing to be lost by trying to sell your boat. You'll never know how tough your boat will be to sell until you make that leap. What you have going for you is being in the best used boat market since 2006/2007. New boat prices are dragging up the used boat prices so a private seller should be able to capture some of the premium over what a dealer offers as trade-in. There's the seasonal factor working against you but that should more than offset on the buy side with a newer boat.

I look at a lot of used boat ads, and most of them are awful examples of marketing so put some effort into good pictures of the entire interior and exterior. Spend a few minutes on a good narrative and talk about all the options it has so prospective buyers know most of what they need to know before ever contacting you. Go beyond CL and post on other sites like onlyinboards. Or consider having your dealer consign the boat, as thtrog suggests above, if you willing to give up some $ for less hassle factor.

Nothing against dealers and trade in values, but dealers carry a lot of overhead to cover in their business, and they have to make a fair profit on overhead and their cash tied up in trade-ins.