Are you are thinking about selling your narrow boat and using a brokerage company? don’t sign on the dotted line till you read this article!
Choosing the right brokerage company is a critical part of selling your narrow boat, get this part wrong and it could be the difference between getting the best price possible and not selling it at all!
Follow our guide to finding a good brokerage company;
Recommendations – it’s always a good sign if people are happy to recommend a company. Ask family and friends and check out the company’s website for reviews.
Use an established and reputable company; if they have been trading for a reasonable amount of time then they will know what they are doing, bad brokers don’t stay in business for long.
Before approaching a company to sell your boat, go in as a customer looking to buy. Are they professional, do they seem competent, if you requested a brochure to be delivered for example do they do what they said and in a timely manner?
Check out their website; are the photos good quality are the descriptions clear and well written, is it easy to navigate
Look at the quality of the printed brochures they produce to market boats on their books. Check to make sure it is well written.
Are the boats they are currently marketing realistically priced? There is little point using a company that has overpriced the boats on their books, just to get the business. Overpriced boats don’t sell.
Check out the display boards in the sales area how many boats are sold or under offer?
A good brokerage company will have online and off line marketing tools check out the company’s package.
What is the viewing policy – are you able to track how many people have requested a brochure and viewed the boat either physically or online via their website?
Find out what their opening times are not all brokers are open every day.
What brokerage offers do they have in place?
Do you get on with them? It is important that you can communicate and get on with your broker. They are going to be responsible for selling a large investment for you. They don’t need to become your best friend, but you do need to be able to trust them to work in your interests so you get the best deal possible.
So that’s it, do your homework before signing a contract with a brokerage company and you will be well on your way to instructing the best company to sell your narrow boat on your behalf.
You can of course sell your boat yourself, but when you look at all the advantages the right brokerage company has to offer, it’s more likely the boat will be sold at the right price and in a timely manner.