Recommend a Surveyor and Buyer's Broker in Seattle

[Windygirl]

Greetings Everyone!
We have retired, sold the house and are finally ready to buy our first boat! We will be traveling to Seattle next week to inspect a few we are interested in and would be most grateful if someone could recommend a good surveyor and a buyer's broker in the area.
Thank you so much for all your kind assistance and sound advice.

[Stillraining]

Marine Servicenter

Ask for Jim Rard personally...tell him Scott from Church sent you.

You can read about their recent adventure here...Just got back.
Ruby Slippers » Rard Family Ocean Adventure

[camaraderie]

Windygirl...there is no such thing as a buyers broker. They all get paid by the seller and owe their allegiance there no matter what they tell you. The surveyor is YOUR ONLY friend and then only if he isn't one the broker recommends. I'd give StillRainings guy a call when you've found the boat you want. Others here may know some GOOD brokers in the Seattle area that know their stuff and work hard...but remember they all work for the seller.

[blt2ski]

I do not know Jim personally, I usually talk to/deal with Jeff Carson at MSC.

Another is Wayne Gilham at Gig harbor yacht sales.

As far as surveyors go, James Lamb out of Manchester Wa. Most will travel where you need them within reason. I am sure there are others out there too that will fill the need, ie surveyors and brokers.

Marty

[Stillraining]

Cam By definition you may be correct but I disagree in context...If a broker has a boat listed I use another one to work for me I will not use the same listing broker for a boat or a House..Yes they get paid by the seller but the non listing broker is way more likeley to have your interests in mind as hes not the one under pressure from the seller to move that particular boat..glossing over things that shouldn't be glossed over...Never use a listing brokers recommended surveys either and even question using the buyers brokers surveyor for that matter...get a guy from out of town or unknown or vegly knowen to either of them.
Mine was so through the sellers broker told mine that he wasent ever allowing him on another one of his boats...( What does that in itself tell you?) It tell me the guy only wants to sell boats and could care less about the buyers needs.

When I bought my boat My broker ( I will call her the buyers broker ) had the sellers broker so hot from our haggling that It was funny...Seller took my final offer that his broker laughed at and said he refused to even present....3 days after I asked for my deposit back..

This is just my opinion I respect yours..

I walked away paying 25K less then the seller's broker set as a legit offer to even present...scoffing at us with indignation.. My broker made sure the seller got the offer presented..

On another note...set the max your willing to pay for any boat..stick to it and be-willing to walk..In this market they just might come running after you..mine did.

[camaraderie]

Still ...no prob. whatever works for you...but I think that is a rare breed. The reason I work with one is to have the single broker have more $$ at stake making the deal. Then I can haggle more AND I have had a broker throw in part of his commission to help make the deal. Anyway...each situation is different...the main point is that a buyer should never trust anything a broker says as someone else is doing the paying whether you have one or two. Some are honest...some will steer you away from bad boat or a bad deal...but you can't count on that so do your own due diligence.

[Stillraining]

Well said.........

[jrd22]

My son just had a boat surveyed in Seattle and at the suggestion of the surveyor they called it off after a couple of hours. Boat had serious problems, surveyor cut his fee in half voluntarily. I'll try to get his name for you this weekend.

John