BoatBanter.com - View Single Post - Who usually pays to put boat in water for trial

In article ,
(Gould 0738) wrote:

You can ask for anything you want. It's all negotiable. My comment merely
reflects the industry norm.

Ding. Ding. Ding. We have a winner!

Chuck finally raised the point that seemed to be escaping those
bickering this issue, and that is there are no absolute terms.
Unregulated transactions are case by case dealings with "what is usually
done" being completely irrelevant from one case to the next.

As the seller you are well within your rights to price your boat
$5000.00 above retail book value, while refusing to pay for the vessel's
launch/sea trail or survey fees. However, the buyer is well within
their right to walk away. As a buyer you are well within your right to
get the boat for $5000.00 under wholesale book value, and insist the
seller launch the boat, pay for the survey, clean the interior, and fill
the gas tank before handing you the keys. Of course, the seller
reserves the right to walk away as well.

Obviously the chances of these two parties coming away with what they
want from each other are nil. So their choice is to move on until they
find someone who will meet their unreasonable demands, or learn to
compromise.

If a seller with any intelligence is really motivated, they will be
amenable to serious buyers, they will work with you to address
reasonable concerns. I've walked away from decent deals because the
seller remained absolute firm on the purchase price but:

1. Acted too imposed about showing the boat and answering questions

2. Didn't want to rig or launch/sea trail a stored boat

If someone really wants to buy your boat, they will understand the
effort you are undertaking to meet with them and show them the boat, and
will not take those efforts lightly. A serious buyer will meet with you
at the time scheduled (or at least call to cancel) and if they like what
they see, will often put earnest money down, at the risk it forfeiture
should they refuse to buy after a satisfactory survey or seal trial.
IMHO, this shows that they are serious about purchasing. I have refused
to show or sea trail a boat to inDUHviduals who:

1. Twice failed to meet or cancel our appointment

2. Failed act with courtesy and respect

As for the original poster, I've always thought when selling the boat it
was in my best interest to demonstrate the boat is worthy of the asking
price, so if my asking price reflected an operational vessel, I "paid"
to launch the boat and sea trail it for the prospective buyer. As a
buyer I've always thought it's in your best interest to have a survey so
you pay for that interest.

To those won't deal in these terms, the choice falls upon you. Accept
their terms, try to understand and work to address each other's
concerns, or walk away. Frankly I won't tolerate the "This is how it's
always/usually done" argument for these transactions. It's a weak
minded argument that I will not stand for as a buyer or seller.

With all the chest beating and name calling over such a subjective
topic, I thought I'd point the obvious out and hope I never have to deal
with most of you as either the buyer or seller.

Sheesh.

Bob Dimond