Thoughts about selling with a broker

[captran]

It may be a sad day and we may need to sell Voyager, 1997 model, hull number 1345, located in Ft Pierce Florida.  After a meeting with personnel Jeanne came home in tears.  After 20 years with the school district there was some serious talk about eliminating the entire social worker dept.  We know it was serious because the Director of Personnel met with them and explained they will be elgible for unemployment.  Anyway, we have our tickets already purchased to Florida and were planning on spending June 20- early to mid August in the Abacos.  Anyone with thoughts about selling ourselves vs a broker.  Since we live 3000 miles away we may have no choice but to go through a broker after one last fling.  I'd rather lower the price to what we would get after a broker fee was deducted from the fair market price.  But since time isn't exactly on our side...well, any thoughts and experiences anyone would like to share would be appreciated.

[Tweetybd]

Hi, Randy

Sorry to hear about your predicament.

We own #1346, Tweety Bird, in San Francisco, and have been told that she's worth about $87500-90000 (about what we paid for her), so even if you deduct 5% (which is 1/2 of the 10% that a broker usually charges and a fair compromise), you should be able to get $84-85,500.
 
There usually has been very good demand for late-model 34s, so you wouldn't ordinary have to go through a broker, except for convenience.  However, the logistics being what they are, you probably are better-off going with a broker who can show your boat and always be there to write the deal.  Since you were willing to deduct the broker's fee from your price anyway, why not use a broker and save yourself the time and expense of one or more trips to show Voyager?

Good luck!

Jon

P.S. Where are you located?

[captran]

We're in Spokane Washington, boat in Ft Pierce Florida.  We cruised the Bahamas on a pearson 26 from 86 to 92, then British Columbia from 93-99 on a Newport 30 and since then on Voyager.  Got an estimate on trucking her up here (11000) but with the job thing that may not work as that would exhaust alot of our savings.  We'll sail the summer as planned and take it from there.  It might be better to put her on the hard like we always do and come down Xmas and get a slip and see if a friend would be available to show her.  we are pretty bummed at the whole idea.