Easy Tips on how to Screen the
Houseboat Classifieds and Save!
| Tips on how to Read between the Lines! |
How to Screen the Houseboat Classifieds came about after a lifetime of personally visiting hundreds of boats, and some of them were a total waste of time. Possibly some of you can relate to this type of experience?
My wife and I quickly learned some valuable steps that saved us precious time & money. Because of all this experience, here is our short summary on how we Screen the House Boat Classifieds to avoid disappointments!
The Basics on Screening Houseboat ClassifiedsHere are some of the common things to keep in mind while scanning the Classifieds. It doesn't matter if you want to buy a small or large one, or a standard or luxury houseboat, the same screening principles will apply.
The Psychology of Selling is different from a Buying Psychology. The Seller wants to SELL, and will sometimes write their ad in a very enticing way in order to get potential visitors. Sometimes they will unknowingly omit vital information (or problems) that should be disclosed to the potential buyer right from the beginning, however if they did, it might jeopardize getting the appointment.
The high price is because it's just LIKE NEW syndrome. Let's say you're looking for a 10 yr old boat, you're fully aware that it's no longer new. You know it has wear & tear, has depreciated, and may need small repairs. So be on the look-out for signs of a seller glorifying it, or having "just like new fantasies" and thinking that it's worth double market value. Let's be honest, we all know, a 10 yr old boat, is a 10 yr old boat.
Decide all your WANT & NEED items before starting out. By deciding which "options" that you definitely can't do without, you will save yourself time by not visiting unsuitable houseboats. Example, if you want a newer aluminum houseboat with a Flybridge, there's no point in visiting an older wooden single helm model. Our free Pre-Visit Checklist can help with this.
Buying Locally or From Far is a factor to consider. With today's fuel prices, the expense of moving or transporting a houseboat can be costly. Moving them by river requires planning, time, fuel, expenses and a crew.
Having a Plan or Checklist is crucial in achieving your goal of finding your dream Houseboat. It will help to focus directly on suitable houseboats and eliminate the time and money wasters. That's why we assembled a simple Pre-Visit Checklist to help get you started. Read more about it here.
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The Questions you want to Ask?You're excited about finding and buying a Houseboat, and I can truly understand, but with a little preparation in advance, you will reap big dividends in the long run. Better off to Plan Now, than Pay Later!
Is a Recent Marine Survey available, and can you see/get a copy?
Recent photographs are a good way to visualize or eliminate boats.
Engine & Generator Hours and who does the yearly maintenance
How long it's been For Sale can be a good indicator of market price.
Are Liens and Title free and clear, since this is important information.
Any major accidents or sank, can help to avoid future problems
Why are they selling can often bring out hidden problems or reasons.
Is a Sea Trial possible should you make a potential conditional offer?
Is the price negotiable can show you if they're serious about selling.
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Sources for Houseboat Classifieds AdsAs you can see below, there's various places to find Houseboats For Sale.
Links will be coming soon to people that I call professionals, and that I can recommend as Houseboat Specialists. If anyone can help you, they can!
| Yachtworld.com Buyaboat.netBoatDealers.caBoatsVille.com | BoatSalesWorldwideHouseboats Buy TerryTheHouseboatStoreHouseboatDepot.com |
If you would like to be added here, please feel free to contact me directly.
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The Who & What of Marine SurveysIf your contemplating a Houseboat Purchase, I would recommend getting access to a recent survey, if not, at least having your own survey done.Surveys are becoming a requirement for Loan and Insurance companies. They also have an additional value to a perspective buyer in showing the boat condition, current value, and to identify any necessary repairs.
Marine Survey Cost can vary but a ballpark figure is @ 10-30$ foot, and depends on the extent of inspection needed. A survey will give you an indication of the current value, condition, and seaworthiness of the boat, therefore a survey can be extremely beneficial in all stages of either purchasing, financing, or insuring.
Survey Advantages are that for a low-cost the purchaser/owner can know the value, condition, seaworthiness of a boat, and can use this information while financing, purchasing, or insuring a vessel.
Find a qualified Marine Surveyor by visiting the organizations below, or contact me directly and I'll try to connect you with someone qualified.
- NAMS Marine Surveyors at www.nams-cms.org
- SAMS Marine Surveyors at www.marinesurvey.org
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As a free Bonus Offer to you for visiting us,
get a Pre-Visit Checklist & online MagazineMy wife and I know what it's like to search for a good houseboat to buy, so we decided that it would be useful to have the Pre-Visit Checklist, and that all our readers have access to our Houseboat Insider magazine.
Both are extremely valuable to have since the Checklist helps organize all the details about each houseboat visit. The Houseboat Insider is filled with Tips, Updates, Articles, Reviews, and good Discounts. A useful Resource!
The Checklist is designed to
help you with all the details, equipment, and information
about house boats you visit. |  | The Houseboat INSIDER is filled
with Tips, Updates, Articles,
Reviews, and good Discounts.
Like to know more about it? |  |
Sounds like a Win-Win combination for you, don't wait, sign up now.
After you subscribe to The Houseboat Insider magazine, you will receive a confirmation email with the link on where to download our Checklist.
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