As a first-time boat owner, your priority is not just to get the best boat but also to get the most competitively priced one. This is not an easy balance to strike. More often than not, cheap ends up being below average. If you are on a tight budget but need a good boat, you first need to involve a boat surveyor Fort Myers trusts before paying for any vessel. The role of the surveyor will be to help you understand what you are really buying.
Will the boat require expensive repairs? What is missing? How much will insurance cost? These are some of the questions an experienced boat surveyor Fort Myers will help you answer. In addition to that, you have to understand the difference between price and value.
Price versus Value
The price of a used boat will not necessarily reflect its value. This goes for both boats that have been priced too high and those that have been priced too low. This is a very interesting concept that first-time buyers ignore. Basically, the price is what you will be paying for a boat. Value, on the other hand, is what you actually get for your money. Sellers have the freedom to put any price tag on their boats. This means in most cases the price tag reflects more than the objective value of the boat. Working with a marine surveyor is the only way to determine if the boat has been overvalued or undervalued.
There are several factors that affect the price of a boat. Here are the three main ones:
- Emotional attachment
After owning something for a long time, we find it hard to let go of it. This is what leads to a personal attachment. Every boat owner believes that their boat is special. While that may be true to the seller, it shouldn’t affect the price of the boat. A boat surveyor will give you an objective take on how much the boat is really worth.
- The popularity of the boat
Models that are more sought-after tend to have higher price tags. This is simply due to the law of supply and demand. As you shop around for a boat to buy, focus more on the less popular ones. The less popular vessels are often as good as the popular ones but with a low price tag. It is, however, good to research why those boats are less popular.
- Location
Boats that are being sold in a location where more prospective buyers frequent will tend to be more expensive than one in a remote location. Therefore, if you are looking for a cheaper boat, don’t be afraid to move to the more remote boat yards.