Rant warning.... Some brokers are worst than ------!

Some of all professions are worse than.....

Some are better than....

Now you've got me started!! I've bought and sold boats with and without brokers involved.

The following ramble is from the buyer's perspective. I am amazed at the poor presentations and lack of info forthcoming. Especially after I try to make it clear that I am finicky, not a "tire kicker" and believe there is no such thing as TMI. I make my offers on my paper NOT THEIR'S and in the future will place any sincere money in some sort of escrow. After my experience with a broker's general business account and his legal problems at the bank -- NEVER AGAIN!
I think some brokers' ethics are a bit self serving. I'll give you an example. But first I assume someone who wants to sell a boat and contracts with a broker wants the help that is unique in that relationship. Maybe privacy or maybe just avoiding the nuisance of dealing with nut jobs, other time wasters, and low ballers. One thing that seems to be an unwritten rule is that the prospective buyer should not make any substantive contact directly with the seller. I can see where that makes good sense in many but not all circumstances. Let me give you an example from my experience.

The Players: a couple 90 miles north of me are selling a 47' aft cabin

an elderly widow 75 miles south of me that is selling the same model boat one that is one year newer without a couple of desired features found on the other one.

me and my wife THE SOCIAL BUTTERFLY.

the widow/seller's broker.

Both boats are serious contenders. I do a documented vessel search that results in the usual info but with one very interesting item; the widow lives just two blocks away and my wife knows her pretty well. We (wife and me) agree there is nothing to be gained by evidencing our interest in her boat. A few days pass and my interest has been narrowed to the above two boats. So the widow's broker and I get together to do some paper work and I give him a check for five figure money. Nothing unusual EXCEPT I require an update within 5 days and the offer is good for six or so I remember. It has been a few years. Time passes. No contact. I AM BOATLESS. IT IS SPRING. Maybe I should call the broker - no no must not look too interested. More time. About day ten I call the broker HE IS OUT OF TOWN and does not return my call after an add'l two days. THAT'S IT! All bets are off. I'm going to call the seller/widow direct. The social butterfly, you remember, my wife, says I should calm down and take a pill. I relax. I call. I am Mr. Nice. She has heard nothing from her broker in weeks. I tell her nothing of my offer but suggest she give him a call. She does. NO TIME PASSES AND MY PHONE RINGS! ***WOW!!!*** I don't ever recall being called those things, ever. The good news was a check went out to me that day. Within a couple of weeks I owned the other seller's boat. All's well that ends well.

Did I break any rules? Did I push the envelope? Why oh why did the broker sit on my offer and why did he call me all those bad names?
In the interest in full disclosure it has been a while so I may have some of the times off a bit. Also, Some time back I believe I posted this story.

Two notes...find a buyer's broker you trust so you're not at the mercy of the seller's broker. Also, note that there are only two states that license brokers, Florida and California.

There are two approaches to large multi-location brokerages.

The first approach is to have a group of professional brokers in multiple locations ready to provide excellent service. You have trained and experienced brokers.

However, the more common approach is to have as many brokers as possible, not really caring that some of them won't be making money. Just live with volume. Treat brokers as fungible. One leaves, you just replace them with another and you're no worse or better off. These brokerages don't do a lot of training. They just believe bigger is better.

I would never choose a "brokerage", always a "broker." If that quality broker happens to work for a larger brokerage, that's fine, but, if not, that's also fine.

I see that a lot. Owner first lists his boat way above market price with broker #1. 6 months go by and he switches brokers and the new broker talks him into lowering the price. Broker #1 forgot to remove the old listing from Yachtworld.