Selling Your Yacht? Why List It Now Before The Holidays

Did you know that yacht sales nationwide decrease 7% on average from December to January? Whether it’s grey, wintry skies for much of the country that keep buyers at bay until Spring kicks in, or it’s the end-of-year taxes to sort out, the sold data from the last four years in the United States suggests that sellers have a better chance of getting it sold in at the end of the year than the beginning. Now that’s not to say business isn’t happening. Overall, there are roughly 2,700 pre-owned yacht that close in the U.S. each January.

Still, timing is important when looking to sell your yacht. The Fort Lauderdale Boat Show had more than 100,000 attendees this year with nearly half being from outside of the state of Florida. Many of those boating enthusiasts went through the new boat displays, but the fact is that more than 80% will find a used yacht for sale on the brokerage market to purchase instead. 

If you want to talk with one of our expert, professional yacht brokers about what your boat might sell for in this market, we invite you to:

• Fill out this form: What’s My Boat Worth?
• Call our main office at (772) 463-3131
• Visit our Find A Yacht Broker Near Me page

Advertising Your Yacht Takes Time. Start The Process Now!

If you want to have the best opportunity to sell your boat in December, it’s important to get it listed as soon as possible. While there are forms to be signed, your broker will want to ensure that your boat is ready for showings. This includes things like:

• De-cluttering the boat of any personal items or excess gear
• Cleaning and detailing your yacht
• Compiling the service records
• Getting the boat potentially moved to the best location possible
• Potentially getting a pre-market survey done to flag any potential service issues

This also does not take into account the time it will take to get a professional photo and video shoot done on your boat. While we will list it for sale on the MLS for a time without professional photography or with a sistership photo, boats that have a full set of good images always sell faster. If you’re looking for a sale in December or January, get it listed with a United Yacht Sales broker now!

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF YEAR-END TAX WRITE-OFFS.

The yacht charter business is booming as vacationers look for different kinds of luxury experiences and what better way to unwind than on your own yacht. It’s not uncommon to see yacht buyers using their purchase as a tax write-off and look to take advantage of this as the year comes to an end. “We have many clients that register their boat under their business, it’s a pretty common thing,” says Captain Jeff Palmer, President of United Yacht Sales. “We always advise our customers that are looking to do this to consult with a reputable tax attorney.”

“Expenses like hiring a professional captain, fuel, docking, navigational electronics, and other items can all be deducted at the end of the year,” he continued. “If you’re considering selling your yacht, give us a call and let’s get it listed. There is still time to take advantage of these buyers that need to spend the money before the tax year comes to a close.”

WHAT IS THE YACHT BROKERAGE MARKET LIKE RIGHT NOW?

There’s no question that sales have slowed since interest rates have crept higher, consumer confidence has decreased, and the frenzy fueled by the pandemic of 2020 has cooled. That being said, boats are still selling and some are coming under contract in 30 days. “We are seeing boats stay on the market a little longer than the past couple of years and there are more price reductions happening overall in the market,” continued Jeff. “But make no mistake about it, we are working with a lot of buyers just waiting for that perfect boat to come on the market.”

“If you have a yacht for sale built by a popular manufacturer or shipyard, along with it being in good condition, and priced reasonably, there’s a good chance it’s coming under contract pretty quickly,” he continued. Just in the last few weeks, United Yacht Sales has closed on everything from a Merritt Boats 72 (seen above), a 2011 Sunseeker 52, a 2013 Prestige 62, an Azimut 55, an Azimut 54, a 2019 Princess 62, a 2022 Contender 40, and the list keeps going with many more before the end of the year.

An advantage that United Yacht Sales offers to sellers is that we have a huge network of yacht brokers, more than 250, that all work together to sell the boats listed with us. The minute you sign an agreement for UYS to sell your boat, each of our brokers is notified with the details. That means even before we take the first picture of your boat, our team is aware of it being for sale and is actively talking to their network of buyers that may be interested.

WHAT IF I MISS OUT ON LISTING MY YACHT FOR SALE BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR?

If you’re unable to take advantage of the increase in activity in December, fear not. Boat Show season is in full swing and Spring is right around the corner.

Boat sales climb as the beginning of Spring is on the horizon. People are tired of the winter and are looking forward to warming temperatures and getting out on the water. (Yes Florida, we know you’ve been boating all year round!) According to the industry MLS sold database, boat sales climb 16% on average from January to February and an additional 32% from February to March. Listing your yacht before the end of the year means that by the time your boat is ready for market, activity is starting to heat up!

ABOUT UNITED YACHT SALES

United Yacht Sales has the world’s largest network of boat buyers and sellers in the industry, thanks to our team of over 250 yacht brokers in 104 different locations. Whether buying a luxury boat or selling one, we have the right expert on staff to assist you in navigating the brokerage market for your type of yacht. If you’re looking at selling a boat, there is no quicker way to get activity than listing it with United. Our entire team is immediately notified every time a listing agreement is made with United Yacht Sales and many boats are sold before they ever even make it online. Our support team is among the best in the industry at marketing your yacht. 100% of our marketing budget goes towards advertising our clients’ listings, a claim not many other firms can make. To get started listing your yacht, fill out our online form What’s My Yacht Worth?

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