Selling a boat or yacht while it’s still under finance can be tricky. To help clear up some concern regarding this process we’ve put together a few tips to guide you through the sell process.
Determine how much you owe on the boat or yacht before you list
The first step is to find out what you still owe on the boat or yacht. Simply call your financial provider or bank and they will be able to indicate how much you owe as well as any fees you may incur by paying it off. It’s also a good opportunity while you're on the phone with them to ask whether they have a specific procedure in how you can go about selling your boat or yacht with finance.
Determine how you will pay off the remaining loan amount
You will need to decide how you will pay off your loan and when. Will you be paying it off before advertising it on boatsales or will you use the money from the sale to do so. For many sellers, paying it off won't be possible without selling it first.
Assuring the buyer the remaining finance has been paid off
If you are using the buyer’s money to pay off the loan, some buyers won't be comfortable with this type of arrangement. As they cannot be sure that the loan will actually be completely paid off once they purchase the boat or yacht from you.
To ease a potential buyer's worry, accompany them to the bank where it's financed and have an employee explain the situation. If the buyer is still uneasy you may have to use your own money to pay off the loan, or you may need to find a different buyer.
You can also provide the buyer with a statement from the financial institution of the exact amount owing, to give reassurance to the buyer that the amount owing is the correct amount. Once it's been paid, you can ask for an updated statement to confirm the owing debt has been cleared.
Many banks will accept payment directly from the buyer. You can also have the buyer split the payment for the boat or yacht. One transaction to your bank for the outstanding loan amount and a second transaction for the remainder of the agreed purchase amount to your own bank account.
Taking ownership
If the buyer has agreed to pay off the owing amount, they will expect the transfer of ownership to take place at this time. Make sure to have all transfer documentation and the vehicle ready for the hand over.
Honesty
Be sure to be upfront and honest about any finance owing on the vehicle from the start. An explanation in your comments section of your ad on boatsales is encouraged, as to not scare away any buyers.
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Buying a boat or yacht under finance
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