[Jeff_H]

Whether I am working with a broker or not, I generally set up the survey or the sea trial so the owner can be present for part of the time. In a survey you need to have permission to disassemble things and without the owner on board for a part of the time it is hard to get that permission to do the kinds of disassembly necessary to perform a proper survey. Of course I agree with you that meeting the owner at some point is very useful to sizing things up.

With regard to buying a boat through a broker, and with all due respect, I have not found it to be true that boats for sale by owner sell any cheaper than boats for sale with a broker.On the contrary, while you hear that mythology all the time, at least in my experience which includes negotiations on nearly identical boats one with a broker and one without, the broker involved deals have been equal or less than the For Sale By Owner (FSBO) boats. Often a FSBO owners are more parsimonious and are therefore less willing to negotiate.

Respectfully
Jeff