Totally dissed by broker

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Boat brokers like real estate brokers specialize in certain market segments. I'll bet if she was asking about 100' yacht the response would be different.
 
I'm not surprised. The broker "industry" is loaded with sleezeballs.

To those saying "it happens in every industry" seems kind of dismissive to something most industries would find disgusting. A real estate broker wouldn't act like this because there's laws against it and they'd lose their license.

Bet if it happened to you'd have a stronger opinion.
 
Mrwesson said:
I'm not surprised. The broker "industry" is loaded with sleezeballs.

To those saying "it happens in every industry" seems kind of dismissive to something most industries would find disgusting. A real estate broker wouldn't act like this because there's laws against it and they'd lose their license.

Bet if it happened to you'd have a stronger opinion.
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Real estate brokers not sleezeballs? Oh, please, tell me another joke! They're probably worse than boat brokers.

I'm not saying it isn't disgusting. More than it's human nature. Caveat Emptor isn't a saying that's thousands of years old without a lot of history backing it up.

As for having stronger opinions or reactions, there's a fine line between wasting your time and playing a part from Cervantes.
 
Hi Betsy - did you pilot for AUTEC? If so, I know you from a few years back...it is definitely not you that is the problem!

Best of luck in your search and hope you find a suitable broker.
 
here is a good guy who will help.

call Mike Dickinson at Galati. 931-217-4419 he will help you

Betsy said:
So in 2006 i was dismissed as a boat buyer. Finally went elsewhere and did not buy from that broker but found what we were looking for and bought our boat. Seems like women are not supposed to buy boats. I kinda passed it off as the times. But here i am now. ... Ready to buy a trawler... Looking to be a looper. I have done my research, know what i want... For the most part... But when i contact brokers.... I get totally dissed and passed over like i know nothing! So I'm a pilot, i know systems and engines and have owned and lived on boats most of my life,... But the freaking broker hears that a woman wants to buy a trawler.... And here ya go... You get total bs and that...tone... Like they don't want to even waste their time talking to me! Drives me crazy! I'm in Florida. Anyone know who i can turn to that will assist me in byung my "loop mobile" and treat me like a human being?
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Try Doug Jenkins at Edwards Yacht sales 941 504 0790
 
Good broker

Barbara Burke
Yacht Sales
Curtis Stokes and Associates
direct phone 904.310.5110
direct fax 888.573.5113
www.CurtisStokes.net
www.StokedOnBoats.com
 
WOW, Hold your horses, just a minute....buy your boats from the actual owners, you still have to get and pay for a survey...OWNERS,,,,,Eliminate the 10% useless fee and give that percent to the new buyers to close the deal. How many times has a broker called the boat owner to say they have an offer which is half what your asking, did that piss you off. NO, I won't use a broker to sell my boat, advertise it yourself.
 
Betsy said:
So in 2006 i was dismissed as a boat buyer. Finally went elsewhere and did not buy from that broker but found what we were looking for and bought our boat. Seems like women are not supposed to buy boats. I kinda passed it off as the times. But here i am now. ... Ready to buy a trawler... Looking to be a looper. I have done my research, know what i want... For the most part... But when i contact brokers.... I get totally dissed and passed over like i know nothing! So I'm a pilot, i know systems and engines and have owned and lived on boats most of my life,... But the freaking broker hears that a woman wants to buy a trawler.... And here ya go... You get total bs and that...tone... Like they don't want to even waste their time talking to me! Drives me crazy! I'm in Florida. Anyone know who i can turn to that will assist me in byung my "loop mobile" and treat me like a human being?
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Hi Betsy,
Sorry to hear of your atrocious experience with this particular Yacht Broker. I'm relatively new to the profession myself, and I can't help but be a bit sensitive when I hear stories along this line. This is like the third negative encounter about Yacht Brokers that I've read on this forum, and I'm only looking from time to time :eek:
Anyway, please let me assure you that not all Yacht Brokers are like this. Personally, I love my job as a Yacht Broker, and passionate about creating lasting relationships. If we happen to find the right yacht for our Client along the way, well that's a win-win. You will find the right Broker, and the right yacht. Keep the faith :flowers:
 
Betsy said:
So in 2006 i was dismissed as a boat buyer. Finally went elsewhere and did not buy from that broker but found what we were looking for and bought our boat. Seems like women are not supposed to buy boats. I kinda passed it off as the times. But here i am now. ... Ready to buy a trawler... Looking to be a looper. I have done my research, know what i want... For the most part... But when i contact brokers.... I get totally dissed and passed over like i know nothing! So I'm a pilot, i know systems and engines and have owned and lived on boats most of my life,... But the freaking broker hears that a woman wants to buy a trawler.... And here ya go... You get total bs and that...tone... Like they don't want to even waste their time talking to me! Drives me crazy! I'm in Florida. Anyone know who i can turn to that will assist me in byung my "loop mobile" and treat me like a human being?
Click to expand...

I know a lady broker in Florida who really knows boats, lives on one and has traveled extensively. She will be pleased to find a lady boat buyer. (I bet she gets dissed by male buyers occasionally.)

Name: Nancy Ballard (713) 859-4979‬ Not sure this is still her cell phone, but pretty sure this is still her email. nballard48@gmail.com Please say I gave her your name.
 
nemier said:
Hi Betsy,
Sorry to hear of your atrocious experience with this particular Yacht Broker. I'm relatively new to the profession myself, and I can't help but be a bit sensitive when I hear stories along this line. This is like the third negative encounter about Yacht Brokers that I've read on this forum, and I'm only looking from time to time :eek:
Anyway, please let me assure you that not all Yacht Brokers are like this. Personally, I love my job as a Yacht Broker, and passionate about creating lasting relationships. If we happen to find the right yacht for our Client along the way, well that's a win-win. You will find the right Broker, and the right yacht. Keep the faith :flowers:
Click to expand...

I find expressing a problem one has fine, but when one turns it into an attack on all of a profession, I find it inaccurate and offensive stereotyping. I've seen many good brokers mentioned and know there are hundreds more. If one keeps finding bad brokers, they need to reevaluate how they find brokers.
 
RT Firefly said:
Greetings,

I think there is a TF member (Judy Waldman sp?) who is a broker. I've only heard good things about her...I think she's in Miami or there-abouts.
Click to expand...

Judy Waldman is awesome. 954-763-3971.
 
In 1989 my wife and I want to look at a 40
Ft twin diesel trawler. My wife called the broker and left a message as to our offer . When he called back my wife answered and he asked for me. My wife asked why he wanted me and the answer was” to discuss the offer.” My wife told him “John, that’s my offer, what do you want to talk about? “. He was stunned and mute for a few moments and then the bargaining began . She is a way better horse trader than Me. We bought the boat right and enjoyed it for 26 years. Good old gal. ( both the boat and the wife )
Anyone who underestimates the power of a woman is a fool
 
It is not uncommon for sales folks to blow off a prospect based off of gender, age, looks etc. When I first started in sales in '85 the vets on the sales floor were notorious for this. Being new and hungry I started to target the customers they blew off and made a number of big sales including $25k in hi-fi to a 16yr old. I learned never to judge as customers come in all shapes and sizes.

As a fairly new boater I also struggled with getting sales folks to spend the time I needed to make the right decision. $100k sale may not be a big deal to some but for me it was a big decision. I asked questions and interviewed a could of brokers before I was comfortable. My guy was not high preassure and half held me through the process. He followed up with me this spring to see how I liked the purchase 3 yrs in, subtlety asking if it was time to upgrade.

Best advice is to get referrals from others on a broker and talk to them on the phone or via email. If they do not want to spend 10-15 min w you move on
 
Try mike Mascari at American Marine in Ft Myers , FL. ONE THE BEST AND MOST THOROUGH BROKERS I HAVE FOUND, FOLLOWED UP WITH EVERY QUESTION

JACK HULSE
2004 Endeavour 44 Cat Trawler
 
I can relate to your experience and agree that's it's apalling.

I suggest you might contact Bob Butler at (844) 815-0508. He's honest, hard working, knowledgeable. He and his wife work together and in my experience he is respectful of all, man or woman.

Tell him Capt Rob sent you.

Best of luck on your next adventure.
 
BandB said:
Wifey B: It's all hard to tell. So many guys talk about being dissed by brokers, no one can say whether females have more issues with brokers or not. It's like a local business that someone was claiming ignored him because he was black. I gold him I was afraid they just ignored everyone.

That said, I do believe there are some brokers who are less inclined to be helpful to female customers. :)
Click to expand...


I have to say that there aren't many woman brokers in this area, but there are a few, and those that I have heard of are very well respected. The best real estate brokers in my experience have been women and for some reason there are many more women in real estate than men.


I will say though that I understand being dissed (I'm male) by brokers several times even when closing a deal. There seems to be this "my poop doesn't smell" thing about them whether they are good at it or not. Not all certainly but more than I meet in day to day life. It has made me very mad several times. I'm not saying that you haven't been dissed because you are female at all though.


We have a large community of women sailors and trawlers here in Anacortes. All of them know more than the people that work in West Marine. There was couple that had a large sailboat to me the for a couple of years. The lady was by far the Skipper and Owner. She got respect everywhere she went and woe to anyone who didn't respect her.


Finding a good fit with a buyer broker is not easy most of the time for anyone in my experience. Unfortunately you don't get to choose a selling broker when you are looking. That can also be a nasty deal whether male or female. Good luck with finding the right broker for you. May he/she be competent, diligent, energetic, assertive, and easy to get along with.



There are good women brokers. The recommendations sound like a good start.
 
exmaggiedrum said:
Finding a good fit with a buyer broker is not easy most of the time for anyone in my experience. Unfortunately you don't get to choose a selling broker when you are looking. That can also be a nasty deal whether male or female. Good luck with finding the right broker for you. May he/she be competent, diligent, energetic, assertive, and easy to get along with.

.
Click to expand...

That's why you never deal with a selling broker, have your own buyer's broker.

You start contacting selling brokers and you're likely to be dissed unless you're willing to have long discussions or go meet them. Otherwise you're one of the hundreds online just calling on boat after boat. Real Estate is the same way as they want to sit down and talk with you, not just answer questions about one listing.

Also, be honest as to where you stand. Just started looking vs. serious. When are you likely to buy.
 
When I bought my 42 Nordic Tug last year (I am a single female owner), I had a similar experience. The selling broker was rude and condescending. Fortunately, I had a fabulous buyer broker to balance that out!

In my opinion, the guy did zilch to earn his fees. An unrelated broker in a neighboring office actually gave me systems familiarization. The selling broker was not interested. Also misrepresented a number of points on the boat (type and condition of batteries, told me boat had been detailed (I found a 7 year old jar of mayo in drawer in Galley), told me the PO had taken boat to Alaska (not likely in light of very low engine hours), claimed new nav equipment (it was 5 years old). Broker never got any maintenance records from the PO.

I bought the boat in spite of the broker because it was in pretty good condition and met my needs. I did spend many boat units replacing wear items because I had no maintenance info.
 
Bill Harris. Fort Pierce. Affiliated with Kadey-Krogen. The best I know.
 
Future sale

We also have heard good things about Judy Waldman. We will talk with her when we sell our 2005 Mainship 43’ this fall or sooner.
Contact us if you are interested.

Chas & Bev McKeown
and Everywhere
King Fisher Bay Marina
Demopolis, AL
bevchasm@gmail.com
 
Hi Betsy;
We are shopping trawlers at the moment and have visited a number of boats and brokers. All male except for one. Barbara Burke of Curtis Stokes in Jacksonville. She has so outdone the other brokers that we will use her services even if we don't buy the boats she is offering.
1-904 310 5110.
I wish you the best in your search.
 
Bill & Stella said:
If you are interested in real trawler yachts, not trailable skiffs or high speed cruisers with character superstructures, than the go-to guy is Jeff Merrill: https://jmys.com/https://jmys.com/https://jmys.com/


And he will treat you right!
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I know Jeff as a colleague from the professional organization, the California Yacht Brokers Association and as a CPYB (Certified Professional Yacht Broker). He's a real pro in his area of speciality and I have comfortably referred interested parties to him when they were looking for vessel that were out of my area of specialization.
 
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"But when i contact brokers.... I get totally dissed and passed over like i know nothing!"

Calling a broker is probably never a good idea as he has no way to sift the Looky Louis that can waste vast amounts of time from real customers.

I am sure a 5 min face to face talk will assure most brokers you are serious about buying..
 
Any sales position can attract sleeze bags and jerks. Most sales positions take very little education or training to get into including selling yachts. Fill out a form, pay your money and you are a sale person. A broker needs two years experience, but easy to get. Some states are different but pretty much the same. Very similar to a real estate sales or brokers license.

Because it's so easy to get, there's a lot of part time, non qualified and lousy sales people that get into the business.

Back in the 80s and 90s when I was buying a lot of houses, we had these sales people that we called "fat ass cadillac" realtors. They were housewives that got the kids out of the house and got a part time job selling real estate to get out of the husbands hair. They didn't know the difference between a brick and a front door. But because they lived in a house, they were now "experts". We see similar in the boating world. And there's a ton of brokers that have evolved from a different career to sell boats or houses in retirement for something to do. And there's a ton of folks that couldn't get a job anywhere so they decide to sell boats.

There's a reason why brokers and salespeople get a bad rap. It's because it's true. Just look at all the dissatisfied people that have dealt with them.

Granted, there are exceptions and the challenge for a buyer (and a seller) is to find the jewels in the brokerage business. And that CAN be frustrating.

I totally agree that a good buyers broker is worth their weight in gold for the buyer, especially if the selling broker is a jerk.

And, I'd bet that over 50% of the brokers/salespeople out there aint worth the time of day. (It's higher than that for me).

I'm currently selling my 28ft runabout. Talked to a broker from POP Yachts, supposedly the largest brokerage in the world. The guy is a jerk, totally inflexible and everything has to be done his way and I have no say so. Don't think we'll do much business. In the past, I've talked to other POP Yacht brokers and they have been great.... go figure.

As for "dissing" the ladies, yes that happens, and probably way more than dissing the guys. And that's a shame. However, generally the guy buys the boat, does the negotiations, picks out the boat, and most likely pays for it. (I do) So, the guys get the reputation of being the boat buyer in the family and unfortunately the lady is often looked at as a dummy that know nothing, and the only thing she cares about is how pretty the boat it. So that's the way the broker approaches it.

Just food for thought.
 
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