How to avoid the “I wish I had known that before I bought the boat” syndrome
Why you need a yacht buyer’s advocate
You and your family have been dreaming of moving up to the next size cruiser for some time now. Making that move from your current boat to the next one involves more than just buying the next size up. There are so many factors to take into consideration—where do you begin? A great starting point is getting the perspective of someone who repairs boats for a living. Someone like Steve Zimmerman and his team at Zimmerman Marine who have been building and repairing boats of all shapes and sizes since 1981 It is this insight as a service yard owner and custom builder that gives Steve and his Yacht Purchase Support team the ability to offer keen insight into finding the hidden issues before the purchase decision. If you are in the market for a boat valued at $300,000 or more the team will take you through a five-step process:
1. Identifying your needs and wants:
Steve and his team will start by creating a “cruising profile” for you. The process begins with a conversation about your plans and dreams. Are you planning on extended cruising? Will you venture offshore for a few days, weeks, or a month? How many people will likely stay aboard? How important is fuel range vs speed? How much cooking and grilling will likely be done? What is the length of the boating season? Where will the boat be docked? These questions and many others will be part of the decision-making process at the start.
2. Searching for the right boat:
Steve and his team are not brokers trying to sell you a boat. They are your representatives helping you buy a boat – the right boat for your plans and preferences, in the right condition, for the right price. The search process requires patience and persistence and they will work through that process with you, commenting on boats that appeal to you, and suggesting others you might have overlooked.
3. Assessing the boat:
Yacht Purchase Support Team will work with you, the broker, and the seller (as needed) to perform an assessment of the boat you are interested in prior to an offer. Using their boatyard expertise and knowledge base, they will provide a detailed assessment before you commit to the purchase and survey process.
4. Surveys: most brokers back away and leave you to find a surveyor. The ZMI team takes the opposite approach, using their connections to help you choose the best possible surveyor for the process.
5. Negotiating:
Once you have the perfect boat for you, we will help you through contract prep, organize and manage the survey. They leverage their boatyard knowledge and connections to help you arrive at a realistic assessment of post purchase costs.
6. Closing the deal:
Post survey negotiations can be challenging. Using a proven approach, your YPS team will provide the information and process needed to help close the deal.