How do I find the right Yacht Broker?

     How and when you should list your yacht can be a critical decision, one if done right, can limit future headaches down the road.  What to look for in a listing agent?  If you have a high end yacht, you should try and establish a relationship with a yacht brokerage company which is known to have the right resources to bring clientele to your yacht for viewing.  Some local brokers may profess to have many yachts listing and have creative marketing techniques to lure you in, however, by doing a little research you can find out if they are the right broker for the job, below I have listed several important criteria to hiring a brokerage firm to market your yacht for sale.


1. Are they a licensed yacht broker?
     Some brokers depending on the state are required to work for several years under a licensed broker selling yachts, then they themselves can apply for a brokerage license, after which they can profess to be a broker, this practice helps maintain a level of integrity within the profession. Unfortunately, only a few states govern yacht brokering.


2. How did you find out about them?
     One way to insure a broker has a good name is by word of mouth, how you found out about them speaks volumes; Did you find a business card tacked up on the yacht club bulletin board, or did you find them online?  Getting references from other yacht owners is the best way to pick a broker, "word of mouth" still means something.


3. Are they a local broker?
     In most cases local brokers have a better chance selling your yacht than an out of town broker, not always the case, but local brokers know a lot of people, they wine and dine with other yacht owners and can market to local marina's shipyards etc. The more local you are the better you have a pulse on the local yacht market. You may get more showings and can get more information on a local company.


4. How do they market their inventory?
     If you have a high end yacht or not, how a broker markets your vessel can mean a sale. Do they have a heavily trafficked website, is it appealing to the eye? How many other boats are they currently listing, do they have too many or too few?  Do they market at boat shows?  Do they have aggressive advertising methods? How big of a sales team do they have? How are other yachts listed on their website? Pictures, info, brochures, etc.


5. Who is on their staff?
     Some yacht brokers have retained the services of estimators, engineers and mechanics, giving the client the ability to have his or her yacht evaluated by experts, giving the client a full evaluation of a yachts value, notifying them of any mechanical defects or a hint of problems found by a potential buyers marine survey.




     There are many other variables to consider when listing a yacht with a broker, this posting gives you a small insight into finding a broker, click on the link below for more information on the requirements brokers must complete to obtain a lincense.


http://www.ehow.com/info_7782387_florida-yacht-broker-information.html