Why I dislike working with brokers

I made a verbal offer, followed by an email, on a Virginia Beach, VA 2004 340 on Sunday, less than 24 hours after driving 5 hours round trip to look at it. While looking at the boat the broker told me if I like it get an offer in quick because someone was travelling from out of town this coming Saturday to see it. Thus why I got an offer in quickly.

The broker finally replied to my verbal/email offer Monday stating he was working on it, which I took to mean presenting to the seller. I was waiting for the electronic purchase agreement, and for him to ask me for my address and such for the agreement. I texted him this morning asking for an update. No reply. I just called him, and he tells me he has another offer on the boat, $2k more than mine, and that I still "might have a chance". It's an electronic purchase agreement offer. I asked him why he never sent me one, he said I never gave him my information. I asked him why I never heard back from my offer, he gave me a song and dance about me not giving him my information to complete the purchase agreement, that he told me about the other offer, etc. All BS. Every broker I've every made an offer to immediately asked for my information so they could send me the digital/electronic purchase agreement.

I hate dealing with brokers. My guess is he used my offer as leverage with the other interested buyer.

I have dealt with brokers too many times to buy boats .... I never sold a boat thru a broker because of the awful buying experience.
Now when I have to use a broker I just assume they are incompetent and i do their job as much as possible. Like in your case I have created my own offer sheet... They can use it or transfer the info... I am their worst nightmare with texts, emails and phone calls.... I have no problem going to the manager if I don't get a prompt reply.
Without a doubt this boat broker industry is the only industry I have to put over the top effort to get something accomplished

Fortunately, my experience with brokers has been better...from the transaction side. In terms of marketing the boats, brokers are AWFUL.

I do my homework on boats, so I memorize things like fuel capacities, standard vs optional power packages, etc. When a broker is too lazy to verify, or worse, not take photos of the actual boat (and just use the staged ones from the manufacturer's brochure), I pretty much feel like suffocating them.

To give you one example.... my current boat came on the market the day I saw it. The broker knew nothing about it... not even the length.... so I gave him a list of things to ask the seller after he had my offer sheet.... seller knew less than the broker. Turns out the seller had the boat stored for two years the day he bought it off his friend. The seller got transferred to South America for a big corporation.... when he came back he put it up for sale. So I said give me the friends name and contact info .... and they did... he was the second owner after some football player had it from new for 2 years. The seller’s friend and I are really good friends to this day .... we boat together and are in similar businesses ..... never would have happened if I didn’t walk over the broker

Blueone said:

..... never would have happened if I didn’t walk over the broker

Click to expand...

There’s a lesson in there I a) hope I’m savvy enough to remember / act on; and, b) hope I never need to use!