[C320-list] Sell YourSelf or Broker

[Larry & Melissa]

Joe,

We recently sold our previous boat (a 1988 Cal 28) to buy our current C-320. We weren't in a particular rush and decided that since it was the end of the season (this was Sept 08, not the greatest time to sell a boat) we would spend the fall/winter trying to sell ourselves. We used a variety of advertising means with minimal investment including craigslist, Boat/US, a local sailing rag (SpinSheet), all with references to a simple website (http://mysite.verizon.net/cal28forsale if it is still up). We had a few leads within a month or two, one very promising. Ultimately none panned out and we went with a broker in the spring of '09. Even then the boat didn't sell until August '09. I felt the boat was priced fairly but it was (and I imagine still is) a tough market.

I think if I were to do it again, I might still try myself first for a period of time before going with a broker. If you don't mind dealing with the hassle of showing the boat and aren't in a rush, you don't really have anything to lose but have several thousand to gain. Perhaps the best thing you get with a broker is the exposure through YachtWorld which has become sort of a standard for boat listings. 

Good luck whichever way you go.

Larry