question for you brokers ?

As I live in the central part of the US I am considering contacting a buyers broker in two different regions of the country. hopefully knowledge of that region being a plus for me, Does this make sense over just getting a local guy ? Any way looking in Muskegon Mi and Jacksonville Fl. if there are any recommendations they would be appreciated. thanks

I have lived in West MI for many years and can make a recommendation for you. But it would be better to know the specific type/brand of boat(s) you are looking at to match the most knowledgeable broker to your search. PM me if you wish.

Mark Ziegler in Jacksonville has been in the business for a long time, he knows what he is doing, he used to work for Huckins and now runs his own brokerage. He does not specialize in trawlers but I do not either, he like me is a generalist who has sold lots of different types of boats.
A buyer's broker in a different area can inspect a boat for you in person. Being in South Florida I look at boats for buyers from all over the US and eliminate the bad ones before a buyer wastes time on the poor ones, and there are usually more boats for sale here.

If you are looking as far afield as Michigan and northern Florida, then there is lots of territory in between as well as above (well NE US) and below. It just doesn't make sense to try to find a buyers broker near each and every boat that you are interested in. A buyer's broker isn't going to travel far to look at a boat for you.

Better to find one that you trust and stick with him, irrespective of location. But a local one to you where you can look each other in the eye is always better for a relationship. which is what you want in a buyers broker.

And a buyers broker can help you and save time and trouble even remotely. Years ago when I was looking for one specific boat model and the one that looked the best was thousands of miles away, my buyers broker found a local surveyor who for a few hundred bucks would take a general look at the boat. He found that the owner's sons were using it as a love nest- used condoms and all, and was a mess. The listing broker either didn't know or didn't say. We passed on that one.

David

David

Bill Gladding in Jacksonville, surveyed our Defever 44 and we were very pleased. Thorough, honest and hard-working. We've had very few surprises.

Mike Webster at Hansen Yacht Sales, located at Lambs Yacht Center in Jacksonville, and I second Bill Gladding as a surveyor.

thanks guys for the input, local broker to where I live would be about an hours drive for a face to face interview so most will be phone calls anyway, my thought was if looking at a real-estate 900 miles away i would use an agent in the area that knew it. Looks like I'll make a drive and see where it goes from there. Thanks again