What would you suggest is a good starting point to offer based on the asking price? in a percentage figure.

That's a tough question. Sometimes people place an ad with a real good price in an effort to get people to call. Other times, people place ads with higher pricetags knowing that they will be talked down. I think a good rule of thumb is you should get 10-20% off the price. When I was selling my Scarab(asking price of $16K), I got a bunch of ridiculous offers in the 9-10K range. I basically told those people to go eff themselves. Then one guy who was serious about the boat offered $14.5K and I said "take it home."

I wouldn't think there is an average starting point. You have to do your homework, know what an average retail price is and compare to what it is worth to you.

Good luck

I'm most open to offers that come with an explanation of why the prospective buyer feels that it's a fair price. Wanting to pay less isn't a justification I'm interested in when I'm on the selling side so I have no expectation that a nother individual values that position either.

When I make an offer on something, I try to do my research ahead of time and I have no problem offering that research to the seller when I'm making an offer. I find that it makes the negotiation process more friendly and the seller is often more amenable to seeing my position.

offer what you are comfortable with paying, its your money buying. Now from the selles point all I have to do is say no or your a little shy and counter. Regardless of the price. I have pissed some people off and I have gotten some outstaanding deals from it but if your too cheap get ready for a F U as a responce or don't call again, but in a day or two up your offer a little.

I don't think there is any good rule for that. Imagine you were selling a $60K boat. Would you take $6000 to $12,000 (10% to 20%) off the asking price? I don't think so.

Do your homework. Compare prices. NADA is a joke! Don't believe that.

In the end, get a good survey and buy yourself a great boat!

Good luck!

Rob.......would this be you making the offer ? Please do tell................................and Happy New Year to you and your family.................

Right On! You just never know.
Back in 1994, I was looking at an '89 Fountain 10M ICBM. I knew the boat well as a buddy owned it a couple years before.
The seller had it listed at 59k on a nice Myco trailer, this was a fair price at the time so it got my attention enough to look at it on a VERY cold day in January. The boat was in a barn colder than a meat locker, dead batteries etc. It was all there but had the signs of used and put away wet. Not as clean as I like in a boat. After looking it over, the anxious seller asked me if I was a serious buyer and was prepared to buy today...
I told him flat out I'd have to steal it from him to buy today... He said make me an offer, I said 20 grand....he said "FAAAK YOOO!!!!!....walked away and fired back 25 grand and it's yours! I wrote a check and towed it home in the snow.

In the end, it was a good thing we got it so cheap. The first time out I blew a motor... installed a new one...next ride blew the other side....next ride blew a tranny....next ride blew a drive... So after all the repairs, I was into it for close to the asking price!

Kurt

I did the take 14.5k when asking 16k trick before.

But what I have noticed about online ads, you will always get a rash of calls from all over the country from people who just want to see if you are desperate and if they can lowball you big time.

I actually had a dude offer me 8k on a 16k asking price, just to see if he could get it. I am sure that if he called everybody in the US he could find the desperate one. He pretty much admitted that it was what he was doing. I told him that I wasn't that desperate, he said that "somebody is" and he hung up.

There's some fantastic deals out there right now. Two weeks ago I picked up a mint 22 Pachanga, 454, nice trailer for a song. The guy was in trouble with his motgage and needed to make a payment. He was told to call me as I was a "boat guy"