Selling a Regal: Best time to sell? Setting price?

[Asherah]

Job relocation requires us to part with our 2003 Commodore 2860. Great boat, great condition and we'd like to continue enjoying her this summer on Lake Champlain (VT) and sell at the end of the season (Sept/Oct), but realize this may not be the time most buyers will be looking. Would appreciate opinions as to best time to place ad: Now and negotiate availability? Closer to end of season? Anyone have experience with Boattraders.com or other for sale by owner sites? I'm looking at comparables to set asking price but is there a reliable "blue book" value equivalent site for boats as there is for cars? Any advice appreciated.

[ImRich]

IMHO Boats are tough to sell. The best time to sell is now, because as soon as it gets warm in the North East, people think of doing warm water things, like boating. And anyone that buys a boat in the fall/winter will be looking for a deal (just as you would).

If you want to sell, do it now. Waiting until the end of the year may mean getting a lower price, if you sell it at all, and if not, then you end up paying for preparing it for the winter layup, storage, etc. Then next spring, you start all over again. Of course, now there is another year of depreciation on it.

If you are sure you want to sell, do it now, or take the change and possible price hit later. If you do sell it now, I'm sure you have some boating friends, you know the best thing about boating (from a cost point of view) is "knowing someone that owns one"!

Good luck.

[kdubya]

There is a shortage of clean used boats. Demand is high. I think you will be surprised how quick your boat sells.

[Muddy Blues]

If you want to sell, do it now. Waiting until the end of the year may mean getting a lower price, i.

+1

[Muddy Blues]

There is a shortage of clean used boats. Demand is high. I think you will be surprised how quick your boat sells.

+1

The new boats are super expensive and still selling well, which has increased prices and demand for good used boats.

[Chris_in_Texas]

My 35SC is for sale still.. Just in case someone is looking for one...

[Asherah]

Thanks all who have responded

[Seven]

Definitely put it up for sale now. I have been trying to sell my four winns since October which I thought was a "desirable" model combination. We posted it late in fall and got some interest but no bites. Then all winter was dead silent. Luckily storage is free for me on the trailer. Its starting to pick up now but what I have heard from other brokers is mid summer is their busiest time of year. Not sure how true that is because, well they are used vehicle salesmen...
Its disappointing because we sold out previous boat in less than 2 weeks this time of year. It was a small bowrider and to me not as desirable.

[Rob]

To add another perspective, I'd want a sea trial, so selling it after winterized could be really tough. I agree, nice weather, quicker sale. Also, last year, we were looking for a boat and had had good luck with used, but we found such unrealistic pricing on many boats that we were convinced to go new/leftover since most of the used boats we found were priced beyond a reasonable value proposition.

Good luck, whichever way you decide to go.

[Texdoc8953]

Now is the best time to sell, especially in the northeast. Also I doubt that you will be able to sell the boat now and then keep it for the summer and then deliver it to the new buyer. If they are buying a boat they will want to use it.
You can look at www.bucvalu.com and also www.nadaguides.com/Boats for a valuation of what it's worth.
Good luck...
As my broker told me... A boat priced right will sell, if it doesn't sell it's priced too high...

[Bassdeer]

A boat priced right will sell, if it doesn't sell it's priced too high...

This is true, a lot of people price their boat to high,

[Catch22]

Hey all. Saw this thread and was wondering if anyone has an opinion on the accuracy of NADA? When I book mine out there it tells me low retail is $87k. I’ve listed my boat for $78.9. Not a bite yet. So, I’m trying to better understand if NADA is high or if boats above a certain price range take much longer to sale?? I’ve searched the next boat size up which is pushing $100k, and the next boat size down which was $62-$64K. So, I’m in the middle with price. Curious to get feedback or experiences from anyone out there.

Thanks - Steve

[Chris_in_Texas]

Take the "Low" price with zero options and see what it comes back with. That is a good baseline to start with. Its very tough to stomach but most of the time that is typically a good ball park. Its counter intuitive from what you think its worth, and if you look at the description on "Low retail" it sounds like the motor doesn't work and the trailer only has one wheel and there could be a hole in the bottom, but that is what I have seen at least around.

Something else to keep in mind that you have a month or two left of prime selling time this season, so you have to figure its going to cost another 6-8 months of payments and insurance etc so if you are wanting to really sell it you have to take that into consideration and lower the price as next year it will be worth less. Its one of those darn if you do and darn'd if you don't. (have to be PC) Even here in Texas people roll in the carpet and don't use boats much after Labor day. The marina's are night and day difference even if the weather is cooperating. Most won't by a boat to just winterize it and store it for many months.

[Catch22]

Thanks Chris. The dealer offered me $65k out right or $70 on consignment, so I thought I had to be close with a list price of $78.9k. Priced it where I did assuming negotiation would get it down to $75-$76k from an individual buyer. The other interesting thing is I can only find two to three other 2500’s for sale (boat trader). None are in my area, and I am priced below the others I found (in the northeast and I believe Tennessee). Maybe I was lucky enough to buy a boat that is not that popular/in demand. I’m not trying to make any money on it, and since it’s paid off, and I don’t have to make a fire sale, I’m not looking to give it away either.

Thanks - Steve