Reasonable buyer's broker fee if I'm selling boat myself

[Prospective]

Yes, a large firm could be better... but what are they bringing to the table to hold your dollars? And, is there any reason they won't let you just exchange dollars when you get the title (after your do diligence)? I've never had one object to that... from either side of the transaction.



I guess I just get nervous when a third party wants to hold my money for anything.

As a seller, I would not go through the headaches of survey and sea trial without a deposit as demonstrated interest. And as a buyer I would be very nervous, regardless of a purchase and sale agreement, that my seller would jump to another higher offer, while I was arranging inspections. Deposits are standard practice in real estate as well as yacht sales. For a small dollar transaction I agree it's not a big deal. Just swap funds for title at the end. But for higher dollar sales I would prefer the security of a deposit.