Unlock the secrets to a fast yacht sale with professional insights on pricing, presentation, and accessibility.
Selling a superyacht is no small feat. High-ticket sales of luxury assets like yachts require a strategic approach, meticulous attention to detail, and expert market knowledge to ensure a successful transaction. While the basics—such as using a reputable brokerage and ensuring all necessary surveys are completed—are critical, there are some steps that can be given a higher priority to significantly enhance the speed and success of your yacht sale. These strategies can make all the difference between a yacht languishing on the market and one that attracts immediate interest. Here are three essential strategies our sales consultants recommend you consider.
1 Price Your Yacht Right with Professional Market Research
Setting the right price for your yacht is paramount to attracting serious buyers and achieving a successful sale. This involves thorough market research and understanding current trends. Your consultant will begin by analysing the sale prices of similar yachts recently sold. This will give you a benchmark for pricing your yacht competitively.
Your consultant will also consider the competition currently on the market. What are the asking prices for yachts similar to yours? Are there unique features or advantages your yacht offers that can justify a higher price? What condition is your yacht in compared to the competition? Identifying your yacht’s unique selling points can help position it favourably in the market.
And it’s not just price vs length vs age (and condition and features) but Gross Tonnage, the measurement of internal volume of your yacht can provide a more accurate comparison to the competition of other yachts that are for sale. Our consultants, through our internal database, have access to a custom report of Asking Price vs Gross Tonnage together with a graph that provides a great visual reference to consider when setting a price for your yacht.
Understanding where the potential market for your yacht lies is also crucial. Are there particular regions where demand for yachts like yours is higher? Working with a knowledgeable consultant who understands the global yacht market can provide invaluable insights and help you set a price that reflects the true value of your yacht while attracting potential buyers.
2 Present Your Yacht at Its Best – Through a Buyer’s and Surveyor’s Eyes
First impressions matter, especially in the world of yacht sales. The smallest imperfections can be enough to put off a potential buyer, so presenting your yacht in the best possible light requires meticulous preparation and attention to detail. We recommend you start with a pre-showing visit with your consultant to agree on any necessary works.
Your consultant will consider what a buyer and a surveyor will be looking for and work with your crew to address any maintenance and cosmetic matters to ensure your yacht is market ready. Attention to detail in areas such as lighting, décor, and mechanical components speak to a yacht that has been exceptionally maintained, allowing your consultant to highlight such features to potential buyers.
Once your yacht is ready for viewings, investing in professional photography and videography is key to boosting interest from qualified buyers as soon as possible.
“High quality, professional imagery (still and video) suggests a high quality, professionally kept yacht and are essential in today’s digital age. Images are the first point of contact potential buyers have with your yacht so are key to making a favourable first impression.”
These visuals should not just capture the yacht’s physical attributes but also convey the unique yachting lifestyle it offers. Potential buyers should feel the allure of a sunset dinner on the aft deck or the thrill of cruising in spectacular destinations. This emotional connection can be the catalyst that transforms interest into an enquiry and ultimate sale.
Recognising this, we collaborate with top industry photographers and videographers, even creating our own walkthrough videos and social media content in-house, to showcase yachts in their best light.
3 Ensure Your Yacht is Accessible – Location and Yacht Shows
Accessibility plays a crucial role in attracting serious buyers. Buyers are usually busy, time challenged people who won’t want to search to the end of the earth for their ideal yacht. The location of your yacht can significantly impact its visibility and appeal. Your consultant will advise berthing in renowned yachting hubs such as Monaco, Antibes and the Côte d’Azur, Palma de Mallorca, or Fort Lauderdale to ensure your yacht is easily accessible to potential buyers. These locations are the heart of the yachting world, where serious buyers start the yacht purchase journey and begin with viewings as they can often see multiple yachts in a short time.
Moving your yacht to these strategic locations, even if it means relocating from a more secluded berth, significantly enhances the number of visits from potential buyers and helps to support the yacht’s price point. The convenience for buyers to view the yacht without excessive travel or logistics can’t be overstated. This simple yet effective strategy can provide a critical edge in a competitive market, dramatically boosting your chances of a quick and successful sale, as Ocean Independence Sales & Purchase Director Jeremy Comport notes:
“More critical than being in a prestigious marina, it is essential for your yacht to be easily accessible to prospects travelling in from major cities, so it is always included in the initial round of visits.”
In addition to berthing, your consultant will suggest for your yacht to be exhibited at yacht shows and luxury events. And for good reason. Events like the Monaco, Cannes and Palma Yacht Shows in Europe and the Fort Lauderdale and Palm Beach International Boat Shows in the US are considered prime venues to present your yacht for sale before a discerning audience of potential buyers.
These shows are not just exhibitions; they are opportunities to create lasting impressions. Your consultant will handle all aspects of event participation, from berthing and logistics to on-site representation. By engaging with buyers directly, consultants can highlight your yacht’s unique features and answer questions on the spot, thus accelerating the decision-making process and ensuring your yacht gets the attention it deserves from those most likely to make a purchase.
“Our internal data shows that over 90% of buyers attend at least one show during their search for a yacht.”
