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Old 04-09-2017, 09:18 AM   #5
Steve Jackson
Veteran Member
 
City: Prescott
Vessel Name: JOURNEY
Vessel Model: Prairie 29
Join Date: Dec 2016
Posts: 84
We have just purchased a boat. Three years ago my wife and I were in Florida for a friends wedding and had driven there rather than flying. We stopped at a builders shop and spent three hours talking to him about one of the boats he built. We weren't able to see a complete boat at his shop, but he answered all of our questions and didn't rush us. I guess it was a slow day for him. We were able to see one of the boats later at a marina in northern Florida.

Since then we have looked at many boats up and down the east coast, on line, and a few inland lakes. After over two years of looking we found one of the boats that was built by the first builder we visited. He was acting as the broker for the boat. I flew from AZ. to FL. to look at the boat and ended up buying it. For the present time we are leaving the boat at the builders, to have him do some work on the boat, while I return to sea to make a living. When I return, in a couple of months, we will pickup the boat.

The most important thing I learned from all the looking and talking to different brokers is there were some that I would have been happy to work with,if they had the right boat at the right price, others didn't really understand what I was looking for, and others I would never buy a boat from, as I got the feeling that my business wasn't important enough to them to give me the information I needed to make an informed decision or to even meet me at their offices on time.

I have a very good feeling working with the person that is storing and doing the work on our boat. We talk often on the phone and email a couple times a week.

Find a broker that you like working with, as you will doing a lot through them, and remember you are working with a large sum of money. Buying a boat unlike buying a house, the broker may be handling your money, make sure they are someone you trust.
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