Brokers recommending surveyors

Same thing goes in our real estate office on dauphin island, al. We act as "the source of the source" with our list of appraisers, surveyors, builders, title companies , and insurance experts. These folks are known entities to us with good track records in our area. Buyers and sellers make their own decisions on who to use. No conflict of interest nor liability issues that way.

Art said:

...way before professional surveyors' reviews... there is nearly always a pending agreement signed with DP$$ in place...

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Okay, I misunderstood. I thought you were saying that you had a surveyor and mechanic look over the boat before you got around to signing an agreement and making a down payment. This makes more sense to me now.

denverd0n said:

Okay, I misunderstood. I thought you were saying that you had a surveyor and mechanic look over the boat before you got around to signing an agreement and making a down payment. This makes more sense to me now.

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Actually I have done it this way, with a surveyor, mechanic and diesel guru via phone/photo previewing a vessel before an offer was made. Or better said not made as issues found were too numerous to consider an acceptable (to seller) offer.

As a buyer you can take whoever you want to on the look see tours. On higher end vessels your Captain and crew can look things over too, particularly at a boat show. Two years ago I had a very reputable yard group who happened to be at a boat show give a detailed look over to a vessel. Their punch list ended up being part and parcel of the offer I made.

For pros like RickB a walk through can be most illuminating and point one in the right direction as to areas requiring more thoroughness.

I've paid lots of my hard earned cash for at least a dozen surveys over the years and not one has been worth a damn! This includes those done by some of the best respected surveyors in the industry. The only way to get it done properly is for you, the buyer, to be aboard when the surveyor is actually inspecting the vessel. Let him know this before hand so he will expect to be working with you and you might then walk away with a good survey in hand and not one done by looking at your boat from the bar across the street. I always ask to see the sellers last insurance survey as well.