The Game...

[punjabi]

So I made an offer on a boat that was listed at $30k. I offered $25k. This boat has been on the market for at least 6 months. Was originally listed in the mid to high 30s.

I get a call from the broker telling me this boat is all of a sudden the "hot" boat as there have been multiple offers. Someone from out of town outbid me sight unseen. There is a "bidding war" now. I should increase my offer if I really want the boat.

I told him my offer stands. He'll call back. In fact, when he does, my offer will probably drop a couple of thousand.

Am I being overly cynical in thinking this is a game that he's playing? I hate crap like that.

[soulesailor]

He's playing you. What a...salesman!

[teshannon]

Maybe, maybe not. It depends on the integrity of the broker. The exact same thing happened to me and I stood pat on my offer. The other offer was legit and the buyer accepted it. Subsequently their financing fell through and the boat was offered to me again at my original offer. We had moved on however and turned it down.
There are too many good boats out there, no need to get in a bidding war unless this is the one you absolutely must have. I think you're doing the right thing and good luck.

[TrueBlue]

You never really know when communicating remotely. Which is why I prefer talking face to face during negotiations, to read the classic BS signals, like - momentary diverting of eye contact, or rubbing his nose or chin, signs of a bluff.

[DrB]

Call the Broker and say "I really like the boat, but that is my final offer. If the seller doesn't want to accept my current offer by X date, tell them I have another boat that I will put an offer on on X date +1.

If the guy calls you on it, you got to be prepared to walk and lose the boat. As we start heading into a "recession", a lot of folks will want to get liquid and rid themselves of stuff they don't use or need. Boats will be one of these things, so my guess is more and more will become available.

DrB

[Robby Barlow]

DrB's idea to throw the ball back ain't bad, impossible to say whether the brokers straight or not.
All depends on how much you want the boat, how much you think it's worth, apart from how much you've got to spend.
Although at the moments it's more a buyers market, you can easily overstretch the bow, a good deal is only good if you sign for it.
Good luck.

[ehmanta]

You could have your S.O. or a friend call the broker to inquire about the boat and find out what the asking price is " just out of curiosity" and say that that price is too high........You don't want the broker thinking that there's another buyer ready to bid.

[Lion35]

I like the idea of standing firm (with a time line)and seeing what happens, there are a lot of good boats out there. I'm fairly cynical when it comes to sales people but sometimes it just bad timing and they're actually telling the truth.

A few months ago I went to look at a boat that had been on the market for about 6 months. While I was trying to find a time to get up to see her the price dropped about 7%. When I got to the broker in person the first thing he said when I walked in the door was they "just got an offer" and if I wanted the boat I should make an offer right after seeing her. Plus he said they had lost a previous survey he said he would have available for me to look at.

So, I almost walked but decide to look at the boat anyways. I left very sure in my mind they were playing me and I didn't want to pursue the boat based in large part on the broker. The next day the boat went to "sail pending" and it sold a few weeks later. You never know, sometimes it's just timing, but there are a lot of boats out there.

[camaraderie]

In this case...I believe the broker. The difference to the broker IF he is the listing AND selling broker is his share of the $500 difference in commission that his office will make at full listed price. Can't see him risking $2500 bucks for that. That does not mean you should raise your offer as the other biddr may not be qualified etc. ...but it does mean that you stand a better than even chance of being skunked on this one IMHO.

[killarney_sailor]

We looked at a boat last summer and was told by the person (not the owner or broker) who showed us the boat that only three people had looked at it in 7 months - including us. We put a reasonable offer in within a few days and all of a sudden there was another offer on the table. We walked away and the boat was still for sail months later. It was hard to do because this boat was, in fact, unique. There was not one the same anywhere.