got it worked out... but no sea trial intill a deposit is made.. seems fair to me..

Jeff! Your alive? Where you been hiding at brother? I tried to call you before the holidays.

Find the name of the boat or the USCG # and find the real owner by searching here: http://www.st.nmfs.noaa.gov/st1/CoastGuard/index.html

Then make him a direct offer and save the 10%.

Hope this helps.

I saw that one coming EARLY this morning!!

All the relestate that I have bought I have never put up money on an offer in an account for the realtor to present the offer, after acceptance then yea no prblem before no fkn way. I close on 2 houses in TX in 28 days and made offers no ernest money till offer accepted. Same with boats cars planes, they ask for money upfront I tell em where to go I don't give a crap if they get pissed they don't need my dollar to present an offer, Kinda like the realtos that have need pro of funds if they want to sell the client will do it your way if not fk'em. My dad did an offer with money in escrow on a house he was buying many years ago seller didn't accept took close to 30 days to get the money back from the realto and it was a large office in FL ever since then fk it no money till offer accepted. Same with vehicles/boats/etc/etc

I have no dog in the fight and I have no particular love for brokers, but they DO provide a service. If the prospective buyer found the boat from the broker's listing, doesn't he deserve a commission? I like to save a buck as much as the next guy, but this sounds a bit underhanded.

As a broker, I will take the offer to the owner and present it to them, when you are dealing with Hi Performance Boats some owners will require a 10% deposit before a test ride or $500 to $1000 non refundible deposit, this weeds out the real from the kickers. I always suggest if you like the boat get a survey from a proffesional this will cost between $350 to $800 but to ask for a 10% deposit to make an offer? Wow that takes some large ones.

Last boat I made an offer on through a Broker , he said NO. The boat sold here on OSO for Less

Real Estate offers are either presented with an offer "On Acceptance" or "Herewith"
Most deposits are given upon acceptance, once the buyer and seller come to a written agreement.
Herewith is usually used in a hot market, or on a property that has multiple offers.

Reaching an agreement on a price for the boat, then putting down a refundable deposit for a sea trial makes sense.

I would shop elsewhere. It's a buyers market. And as a seller there is no way I would pay a broker 10%.