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Old 11-09-2012, 09:32 PM   #1
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Default No one will love her as much as we do...

Greetings from Oz

We're back on home soil after 8 weeks up in Borneo with the ongoing refitting of our new 44 Antigua ketch Australis. We're chuffed to now have a new distribution board and a total 12v & 240v rewiring of the entire vessel after a conversion from the original 110. There's a new wind generator atop of the mizzen, new fridge and freezer, repacked stuffing box, additional engine battery and a nav pod up at the helm. Still struggling with the hydraulic steering powered auto helm which is off line at present and probably a victim of our rewiring but we did get in two 4 day cruises out to the islands offshore! The next job is ripping out all the gear behind the nav desk and a neat reinstall which gets underway next week. We're currently putting together a couple of small blogs with images of the projects we have been doing which we'll post soon.

Speaking of posting, we've had our 33' Alajuela cutter Mico on the market now for approx. 5 months through one of the online sales sites Yachts & Boats for Sale in Australia & New Zealand | Yachthub and a small youtube movie. 2500 hits but no calls or responses.

Sure - we really have not put a whole lot of effort into selling her as she is now equipped with everything we'd ever need including a brand new fully battened main and integrated boom mounted sail bag, wireless remote auto steering and anchor winch control. A big part of us would still like to keep her for Australian cruising while we commute back and forth to Borneo exploring the South China Sea in Australis, but ongoing costs such as double insurances and berthing fees are pretty painful.

So

I'm sitting on the plane coming into Sydney and it occurs to me 'you idiot! - I'm a graphic & web designer - surely I could create something to hopefully move things along'

After a couple of weeks of piss farting about we just launched a site for Mico - Home
and would appreciate any feedback from the forum.

We've all had occasion to be both on the buying and selling end of yachting. We've all experienced the looking and the dreaming and the trying to convince our partners that 'this is the one' Conversely - many of us have experienced the agony of a million 'tyre kickers' , false leads, ridiculous offers and the reluctance to sell our pride and joy at a marked down price which in no way reflects her true value, or the time, effort, love and money we have put into her.

It's never a good time to sell a yacht but I'd be interested in a possible discussion on how we can best optimise our efforts to communicate the true value of our vessels and what has worked for us. What information do we look for when contemplating a yacht purchase? What finally convinces us to go the next step? - apart from winning Lotto that is!

I have directed the content of the Mico site at the first time or relatively new buyer. I figure that a seasoned yachtie will know what they want and will recognise a good deal when they see one. We also wanted to personalise it a bit more rather than just cold specifications and details. If our web attempt gives you any ideas on how you might tackle your own yacht sale - even better.

One good thing that has already come out of this exercise has been the interest of a number of yacht owners in the CMS based site we have built and we're currently exploring creating 'rentable' CMS yacht sale sites that individuals can upload images and text to create their own personalised site without having to have any knowledge or experience in web design or programming. You'd simply suggest a domain name, receive the CMS site together with a small tutorial and walk through, upload your text and images and pay a monthly hosting fee until it's sold. After that we simply turn off that site.

With all due respect to yacht brokers, no one will be able to communicate the joy, love and experiences and true value of our vessels more than ourselves - it's worth a thought.

Fair winds,


Mico
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Old 11-09-2012, 11:58 PM   #2
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Ouch Mico!

it hurts to say this but consider the times: there are 1000's of under-water and even more former home-owners out there. The
times for selling what for many is a luxury item are very tough.

Perhaps the ridiculously low offers are the reality of the market. Your own love and perception of "your" boat should not cloud a business decision. If you DO need to sell, make known you will drop the price a predictable and regular amount each month until it sells. That is how some of the foreclosures are being sold. It may be better to bite a bullet now rather than later. Or worse, suffer some storm or water calamity in the meantime.

This is not what you like to hear, I know, but think about it. After 2500 nibbles, should there not have been a single bite?

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Old 11-10-2012, 12:22 AM   #3
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it hurts to say this but consider the times: there are 1000's of under-water and even more former home-owners out there. The times for selling what for many is a luxury item are very tough.

Ahh oh so true and as I titled our post, 'no one will love her as much as we do' but even so, I think there is a buyer out there for anything and I often think the seller does themselves an injustice by scrimping on the information given or being backward about the real worth of their vessel.

Still, we're in no real hurry to sell and as I mentioned, would just be as happy to keep her but the thought of giving her away at some stupid price is not something we're contemplating. State of the economy aside, there is an old marketing adage I tell all my clients 'if you don't believe in your product, how can you expect others to?'

We all love a good bargain but at some point I think you need to draw the line and say 'no - this is a fair and good price' Obviously some don't have the luxury of taking that stance and must act as needs must but dropping and continually dropping a price brings in the law of diminishing returns. Rather that cut their own throats, I will always advise my clients to look at value adding and clear market directed communication. If we recognise value for money, more often than not, we're happy to pay for it.

How many times have we rushed to the store to purchase a super cheap product only to walk out an hour later with one far more expensive, but now convinced that our new purchase while more expensive, is still better value that the 'lost leader' advertised?

Still - fair comment linnupese - I guess we'll just all have to watch this space and thanks for your feedback.

Fair winds,


mico
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Old 11-13-2012, 01:28 AM   #4
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Hey there--Love the site, mico!

About selling and prices--it is a sad, sad fact that right now prices are quite rock-bottom. Given that, you're in good company with all the people who must decide whether they'll take a rock-bottom offer or they can hold out and keep their vessel for better economic times and the higher prices that go with such times.

Sadly, what we have "in" a boat isn't what the boat is necessarily "worth" on the market. I'd suggest you hold onto the boat if at all possible and if you're not able to take less than you have in her. Other creative options? How about selling a "share" of the boat and jointly own with someone else? I know a couple folks have done this and been quite happy with the arrangements. Ultimately, at some point, one partner will buy out the other(s) or the boat be sold outright, but you might be happy with a partnership.

Else--squeeze the eyes shut, hold your nose, and sign the papers to sell the boat (via broker) for far less than you'd like to.

Best wishes in finding the right buyer!
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Old 11-16-2012, 12:20 AM   #5
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Nice web design. Try listing with Coastal Passage too.
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Old 11-20-2012, 08:51 PM   #6
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Nice web design. Try listing with Coastal Passage too.

Thanks Haiqu - looking at that at the moment but we've been amazed at the number of calls and email responses.

It's not as if Mico has not been out there on the market - we had her on yachthub for 4 months and while we had 2500 views - not one call. In just on two weeks since we launched www.thelifeextraordinary.com we've had 35 direct emails a dozen calls and a number of people booking flights to come across over the next fortnight to see her.

Still - the proof of the pudding is always..... but we've been encouraged.

The one consistent thing we've heard from everyone, is that they made contact because of the effort we went to tell Mico's story and answer many of the questions that were on their mind before they called. As a result when they have called, rather than the usual long question and answer sessions that usually end with an 'ok - thanks - we'll get back to you' - the callers have launched straight into - what she like to sail? - tell us some of the places you've taken her and what do you like best about her?

We've having some really great conversations about the joy of sailing and 'messing about in boats' as Ratty would say and are now starting to feel relieved and excited about that fact that she's very likely to go to someone who will love her as much as we do.

So my encouragement to everyone if for some reason you find yourself putting your pride and joy on the market - Tell her story. Tell of the joy she's given you and share some of the passion you have for her.

With all due respect, they are things you'll never ever be able to communicate through a broker or a sale listing site.

Fair winds,

Mico
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