Sellers

California Yacht Sales will review current pricing for comparable “sister” boats already on the market along with recent sales data to that which you are considering selling. We will make every effort to compare your boat and her features to boats for sale using a number of MLS (Multiple Listing Service) internet sites. We will organize the information into a user friendly format that is easily understood.

We are members of BUC and will use BUC Book Pricing—this is what the banks base your boat loan value on. (BUC International Corporation provides an evaluation service for used boats by analyzing used boat sales reports received from corresponding brokers and surveyors.)

It’s important to price your boat appropriately. Your broker has a vested interest in getting your boat sold, so they will advise you on the price that is most likely to help your boat sell in a timely manner. Some boats can ask a premium price, but they usually need to be pretty extraordinary in order to actually attract a buyer willing to pay the premium.

A dirty boat means that the first conversation we have is trying to explain that “a buyer should overlook a poor first impression.” Not a good start. Make sure to have the top-side washed at least once a month.

Have the boat waxed. Have her cleaned (and kept clean) both topside and below deck. Do not overlook the engine room. Consider hiring a detailing company to bring the boat up to standard. Not cheap but a good investment in your attempt to get the best possible price for your boat.

Give us a call—we have a list of preferred vendors and would be happy to make a recommendation.

Make sure everything works properly. No jury-rigged systems. Make sure the boat runs well. “It’s an old boat” is not a reasonable excuse depending on your asking price. Need some help? We have numerous contacts for technicians and mechanics that can get you going.

Make sure your boat doesn’t smell. Clean the bilge. Pump out the holding tank. Keep the bottom clean, it’s vital to the boat’s health and its first impression!

Whenever possible, get your personal belongings off the boat. Everything. If you don’t plan to sell it with the boat, remove it. Cluttered boats don’t show well. If you wish to continue using the boat while it’s on the market, make sure the boat stays as tidy as possible.

Place your boat where the most potential buyers can see it and get easy access. This means it should not be on a mooring ball. We can help you secure a slip in the San Diego Bay and Mission Bay areas. California Yacht Sales is located in San Diego’s largest marina, Harbor Island West.

The brokerage is located in a prime, high-traffic, resort waterfront location on Harbor Island across from the San Diego airport. We service the entirety of San Diego Bay and Mission Bay. We have great relationships with brokerages up and down the entire California coast.

We have a staff of both full-time and part-time sales people, and we are open 6 days a week. We can be of assistance in locating a San Diego Bay or Mission Bay slip, and will provide a complete service in the marketing and sales process.

We have a stellar reputation in the brokerage community. Other brokers know they can rely on us to provide our listings for co-brokerage, meaning any licensed broker can bring a buyer to your boat. Our commitment is to get your boat sold, regardless of who brings the buyer.

Our primary effort is to maintain a successful online campaign. Our goal is to provide a database that is searched quickly for online inventory, to create search-engine-optimized listings, AI Search Optimized listings, to provide buyers with increased access to co-brokerage available boats, and to integrate social media and blog design elements into an easy-to-use web presence.

One vital element California Yacht Sales provides free of charge is professional quality photographs of all of our listings. We have an in-house photographer and videographer who will help present your boat to the world in her best light. All of California Yacht Sales’ new listings now come with the option of a video walkthrough to accompany the listing on all advertising channels.

Our listings are “indexable” and are optimized for Google and Yahoo. We have a consulting firm who manage SEO on our behalf. In addition we have a different company tasked with creating and managing a Google Ads campaign on our behalf. We are in the unique position where specific listings can be targeted by specific key words and phrases.

Your vessel would be advertised in the MLS system with all brokers having access to showing and selling the boat. There are 50,000+ page views per month on our primary websites.