On Mon, 24 Nov 2008 15:14:51 GMT, "Janet O'Leary"
wrote:

When making an offer subject to survey,, is it proper or common to have the
seller and the buyer share the cost of the survey? As I've posted, I'm
looking at
a couple of sailboats, and since I am on a budget, I'd hate to spend $400
dollars
and have the surveyor tell me the boat is junk. As I read these postings, I
got to
wondering if the buyer should ask the seller to share the cost of the
survey. This
way, if the seller knows there is a hidden defect, he/she will not only lose
the sale,
but also lose some money. Wouldn't this be a way for the buyer to test the
seller, especially if the seller is telling the buyer that the boat is in
excellent
condition.

The buyer always pays for the survey because it is for their benefit.

Janet, in all seriousness and with all due respect, if you are
concerned about $400 you have no business even thinking about buying a
boat or living on one. $400 and the purchase price are just the tip
of the iceberg.

If low cost housing is your top priority consider the rental or
purchase of a mobile home. It would be *much* less expensive than
owning a boat and have a lot more living space.