Still Thinking About Selling Your Boat?

You should be! Just because winter is upon us means nothing in this unprecedented period of boat demand. While most boaters have nestled their boats all snug in their off-season beds, so many buyers are still out there. There’s been a decrease of the already-low inventory, so just imagine how much attention, and how high of a price, a boats for sale listing can get right now.

Unlike the past, this offseason continues to be a hot market for used boat sales, as production costs and delays continue to increase.

Even with so many people lined up to view, drive and buy your boat, you still should prep the boat to be in its finest shape, cleaned and tuned up.

If you’re wondering how to sell a boat in the winter season, the only difference is that we suggest you also do the proper winterization steps, if you haven’t already. Most of these tips are useful when you’re prepping to sell, anyway. Of course if you’re going to arrange for a sea trial you’ve just got to be sure that you’ve got your battery, engine and freshwater systems prepped for use again.

And yes, you should still stage it and shoot high quality photos and a video walkthrough. This market is making people emotional and if they’re that eager to buy your boat, imagine how much more they’ll offer if it comes with a clean bill of health and history report, is sparkling and primed for them to make it their own. Check out this checklist that walks you through 10 steps to get your boat ready to sell.

Dealers are among the hungriest of buyers right now and are offering high-dollar bids for used boats.

If after reading this you really think selling your boat is the way to go but you don’t want the hassle of meeting buyers and negotiating, try a cash offer. Dealers are among the most aggressive in this used boat buying frenzy so you may likely get a higher cash offer than selling direct. And all that it takes is a few minutes to fill out this form. Then we’ll connect with local dealers near you, and come back soon with an offer.

If you’re on the fence about selling, keep an eye on the market and consider a non-committal cash offer from Boats For Sale.

“I’m still not ready to sell my boat,” you’re thinking. Then fine! As long as you’re leaning towards planning on lowering it into the water next season.

Consider the carrying costs of winter storage. We’re confident that the demand is so high that you can sell a boat now, save storage costs, and get just as high of a price as you will next spring. Inventory is THAT LOW. And springtime is likely going to see a continued high interest in boating. Just be sure to keep abreast of the market and your boat’s current value. You can do that via the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) Guide for Boats as a baseline. But in this erratic market you want to check local listings as well, and of course you’ll want to keep an eye right here on boats for sale near you. Even better? Set up a search for a boat just like yours to see the price and availability, and to keep an eye on your competition. Who knows, maybe you’ll decide to keep it, after all, and set your sights on a few months from now when you can get back on the water.