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How low is too low

5K views 41 replies 28 participants last post by  13385 
#1 ·
Those of you with game how do you approach a deal without offending a seller ? "No low ballers" I know the age of the listing is a factor but do you offer a percentage off the asking price or go by instinct while speaking to the seller ? Any insight is appreciated
 
#7 ·
Is there a reliable source for used prices on boats ? This is really interesting because I will be shopping for my retirement boat towards the end of the year .

I hear you on flashing the bills . I had some guys waving 8g worth of 20$ bills in front of me once trying to lowball me on my old Vette Ha!
 
#11 ·
When I bought my Action Craft from a private seller, he had it listed at about market value for the boat if it was in really good shape. After I saw that it needed about $5000 in upgrades and repairs to get it into the shape that I wanted, I didn't want to insult him with a low offer, but he asked me what I thought of the boat. I politely walked around the boat and showed him all the stuff that was wrong with the boat and what it would cost to fix it. He then asked me to make an offer and I did well below his asking price and he accepted it. Sometimes when you own something you think it is worth more than it really is until someone points it out to you.
 
#13 ·
When I sold my pathfinder I posted it at what I believed was a fair price, stood by that price and eventually took the ad down and reposted it 2K higher. Folks buying used either think you need the money, so you will settle, or they won’t buy unless they think they got a deal. The irony is when those people come back willing to pay the asking price and the item has been sold, they seem to get a little butt hurt.
Kind of satisfying.
 
#14 · (Edited)
I've bought and sold a lot of boats. A seller who says "no lowballers" is very foolish. People who sell for a living know that you need to do everything you can to get customers in the door. Ever see a car dealership with a "no lowballers" sign? Once the customer is there, then real negotiations can begin.

To be clear: I will show a boat to anyone who comes to look, but until they've made a serious indication they're ready to buy at an agreed to price, I won't give any sea trials.
 
#15 ·
Offer the lowest price you can find for similar and drop that another 20%. Seller is going to come back with a higher number so you should end up with near that lowest market value. And sellers add/bolted on crap has no value. Neither do any comments like there are not many this color or it gets shallower than most boats.
True story. I was selling a piece of furniture for a hundred bucks. Guy offered me 20. I told him I would have more fun running it over than getting $20 for it. So I backed my truck right over it.
 
#20 ·
Offer the lowest price you can find for similar and drop that another 20%. Seller is going to come back with a higher number so you should end up with near that lowest market value. And sellers add/bolted on crap has no value. Neither do any comments like there are not many this color or it gets shallower than most boats.
True story. I was selling a piece of furniture for a hundred bucks. Guy offered me 20. I told him I would have more fun running it over than getting $20 for it. So I backed my truck right over it.
Good point on consoles above.

Being able to access a console from a door that swings upwards from the front is very, very nice. There is always more room in front of the console than between the back of a console and and the bench seat.

However, I've only seen it on some larger bay boats which is kind of odd being that it would be even more important on a small skiff.
That's that some dumb shit there. Now you have to pick it up out of the driveway and dispose of it. You would have been better off donating it to Salvation Army and claiming double your $100 asking price on taxes for a $50 deduction (depending on your tax bracket), and have someone come get it while you sit on the sofa with a beer.

Btw, if you were to low ball me 20% below the lowest one you could find, I would just say "No" and not counter offer because you're not serious. My counter (if any) is not based upon some median of your lowball offer and my asking price.
 
#17 · (Edited)
Guys, value plays a big part in the market today. The term "no Low Ballers" is a way to ward off tire kickers and hone into people who are serious, because the boat owner knows they have built-in "value" into their rig. The days of listing it up too high and allowing them to negotiate you down, are a thing of the past and really savvy sellers and buyers will know if the boat is priced right according to what the market for what they have into it (less some depreciation), according to what it is, the value of it, the condition it is in and what the buyer's needs and what he considers "value" to them. Otherwise, if people list their boats up too high, it will get overlooked. If they list it too low, people will know there is a problem with it and to look, but air on caution.

As someone here said on this thread, do your homework. Book prices can be tossed out the window, because a seller can have add-ons and features on the boat that can cost as much as the boat itself (i.e. custom trailers, electronics, power poles, jack plates, push poles, high end batteries, trim tabs, casting platforms, upgraded outboards, low hours, custom boat covers, upgraded trolling motors, etc.). Also how it was stored and maintained can be the difference on the over-all value of the boat.

You can take a look at all those values, the condition of the boat, then get a feel on it, if the seller is negotiable on the price or not, based on his/hers motivation to sell it or not, without insulting the guy because you just threw out some low ball offer. In today's market, there are many boats that are priced right (especially well maintain used skiffs, like with many who frequent this website). In other words, you may lose a good deal on a boat because you are brow beating a guy on the price, while the next guy is finding that boat to be a good deal and he's ready to buy it.

So do your homework/research/legwork, ask people "in the know" and know what you want and the values of what it offers and see if you can meet the guy in the middle of where you can both agree on, and that's when you know you have a deal or not.

Ted
 
#18 ·
I sold my boat for a less than I wanted. It was on the market too long so I settled for a lower price. The original offer made was a low ball offer and then the second offer was fair. Because I went a little lower and sold it when I did, I was able to pick up a good deal on another boat which was priced below market value.
 
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#22 ·
I cringe when I see pics of boats listed for sale on lifts .
Of course! or left outside uncovered, etc. When you go to look at a boat, look around and look at the guys home, outside, vehicles, etc and compare their condition with the boat you are seeing. Air on caution and ask many questions. Take the time and look in all the hidden areas. A good washing, bleach and boat wax will give it a good bling, yet hide a lot of sins and the fact that it really wasn't maintained as the guy stated. Also a test run in the water will answer a lot of questions. And if you are not boat savvy, bring along a guy who you trust knows boats inside and out who can seek out and find the problems you may be facing. They don't call them B.O.A.T.s for no reason! ;)
 
#21 ·
Having sold my previous boat on this forum I feel like I can have some serious input. I listed it for 7500$ boat motor trailer (2010 Ankona native14, new axle hubs bearings and wheels and tires, 30hp 2 stroke tiller and pushpole, ready to fish) I initially didn’t get a lot of action on it and reduced the price to 7k that’s when the low ballers came out of the woodwork. Within a week I had 4-5 offers anywhere between 4500-5000 cash. I politely told them I wouldn’t sell it for that price but offered them to come take a look at it if they were serious, none of them did. 2 weeks later I had someone try to argue that my boat was overpriced, but I knew exactly what a new one with similar options would cost and I was 5k below that price so I held firm. Low ball offers kept coming in the same price range so I started INCREASING the price for every stupid offer I got. About 3 weeks after that I had someone come look at it and offered me 7k and didn’t even want to wet test it. He left with a really nice Microskiff and hasn’t had any issues with it.
If you do the research and come up with what you think is a fair market price then stick with it, eventually it will sell for that price just takes the right buyer who agrees with the price
 
#24 ·
As stated in another post, do your research. Look all the boats you can online at sites like boattrader, yachtworld, popular forums such as microskiff classifieds and see what the boats you like are listing for. Compare that to Nada guides to see what their suggested value is. This will give you an idea of what a bank would offer for a loan amount. This works buying and selling. Be informed and don't get in a rush if you don't have to.
 
#25 ·
Having had to deal with people who make absurdly low offers and then want to debate your refusal, and even call back with the same low offer again, I understand the "No Lowballers" request. I went through this with a car I sold, and then with a truck. It's like some people feel you're obligated to sell them something for half its value.
If you want to lowball someone, accept their refusal and move on.
 
#26 ·
I don't like dicking around when I sell something...so I list it fairly and don't entertain offers outside of 10-15% below my listing price.

When I listed my 181 at $8500 I had guys offering me $5000. I just responded, "No thanks, its listed at a fair price. Good luck in your search" and moved on.

If you list it fairly, it will eventually sell when the right buyer comes along. Low ballers are looking for desperate sellers. Don't be a desperate seller.

After a few months, an older guy and his wife came to look at it. When he saw the condition it was in and the fact that I stored it covered on a trailer he pulled out $8k cash without even getting it wet. He was within my 10% rule so we shook hands and it was a done deal.

A year later I found my current skiff before it was listed for sale. The seller cut 10% of his price simply because I made a cash offer that saved him the headache of listing and dealing with low ballers.

If you list fairly...and offer fairly...deals are pretty easy to make...
 
#27 ·
I've sold upwards of 12 boats and the thing that always cracks me up is when the tire kicker follows his shit offer with - "I got Cash".

What the hell does he think he's gonna pay with - Monopoly Money?

If you're gonna low ball someone, make sure you know your stuff and can back up the reason why you think the price is too high.
 
#28 ·
No lowballers is a craigslist term.

There are many people who will just send low offers via email or text, so I get why people put this in their ads.

When you are inspecting in person you hold the cards and can offer what you want and he can take it or leave it and you can go home.

If you are looking at a boat that needs a lot of work you also need to factor in the cost of headaches to get it in the condition you want.
 
#30 ·
A few points:

NADA prices are what banks use to determine how much they'll loan on a boat. They have little correlation to actual market value.

Asking prices for private sales frequently vary widely from fair market value.

Dealer prices for used boats are reliably 20 to 50% above fair market value.

A buyer who is enamored with a boat will use what ever numbers he can dredge up to justify paying the asking price.

A desperate seller will, on occasion, accept unreasonably low offers.

Never buy a boat you wouldn't like to keep. Look for classics and quality. You'll never come out ahead buying junk. There are "cult" boats that will always hold value. If they have an owner's website, that's a good sign.

Conclusion: Do not finance a used boat. Do not buy used boats from a dealer. Do your research and control your emotions when buying. Look for a desperate seller. Strike quickly when you see what looks like a good deal. Usually they go quickly. Finally, ignore the "no lowballers" request in ads. Do NOT attempt to negotiate over the phone. Do it in person after seeing the boat. Offer what you think will get you the right boat, but start out with a lowball. All the seller can do is say no. Using these rules, over the years I've probably bought and flipped over 50 boats. I never lost a penny on one. and in most cases turned a 30 to 100% profit.
 
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