While it’s about as cliché as boat sayings get, this one certainly has some truth to it: “The two happiest days of boat ownership are the day you buy it, and the day you sell it.” And if you’re getting into the selling game, then prepping your boat to sell as quickly as possible—and for as much money as possible—is the name of the game. Whether it’s polishing and waxing your hull, or cleaning out all of your junk-packed stowage lockers, there’s work to be done before you officially list your pride and joy for sale.
- Set the Stage
In the real-estate business, “staging” refers to the practice of making a house look as unlived-in as possible by removing all but the essential furniture and basic living essentials. Your cluttered bathroom counter or magazine-littered living room may seem fine to you, but it can — and will — put off possible buyers. The same is true when you go to sell your boat.
- Clean, Clean, and Clean Again
If there’s anything that turns off a potential boat buyer, it’s a boat that hasn’t been well cared-for, and nothing sends that message more than a dirty boat. Yes, that means you, Mr. Spilled a Beer in the Fishbox Two Years Ago.
- Service With a Smile
Hopefully you’ve done the necessary upkeep and maintenance on your boat’s power-plant to keep it running in prime condition. Even better, perhaps you’ve kept all the receipts and records for that work in a binder. But even if you haven’t, you’ll want to make an effort to get your engine(s) current with the recommended service schedule. Why? Because every prospective buyer will ask about what’s been done about engine care.
- Pimp Your Ride
If your boat is a trailerable one, making sure your trailer is in tip-top shape before listing it for sale is crucial. Think about it: No one is going to want to buy your boat if the trailer beneath it is peppered with rust spots, rests on dry-rotted tires, and has lights that don’t work.
- Finish Your To-Do List
OK, nobody likes a nag, but remember that list of little odds and ends you’ve been meaning to fix on your boat since… forever? Well, you’ll want to take care them before you put your boat up for sale. Whether it’s a loose hinge or a rusty gas-assist strut on your livewell lid, fixing all the little nuisance items will go a long way toward catalyzing a successful boat sale.
Available Boats for Sale in Singapore
