Buying a yacht is an exciting time for those embarking on or continuing the on-the- water lifestyle. But it can also be confusing and full of unexpected challenges. Therefore, having an experienced advocate working on your behalf is essential to guard your interests and help you make the most of your purchase. At David Walters Yachts, we have built our reputation on providing trustworthy, knowledgeable, and professional brokerage services. As a boutique-style brokerage firm, we’ve guided over 2,000 yacht buyers through the purchase process and boast a sterling reputation for exceeding expectations for over 40 years. If you’re considering the purchase of a yacht, here are the top reasons why you should contact one of our Buyer Agents today:
We Make a Complex Process Easy and Understandable
Buying a yacht is an exciting time for those embarking on or continuing the on-the-water lifestyle, but it can also be confusing and full of unexpected challenges. And while even the most experienced yachtsman may purchase and sell a dozen boats in their lifetime, our yacht sales professionals have hundreds of deals under their belt. Each transaction is unique, and each one has its specific nuances. The key to making it look easy is anticipating the challenges and making the right moves to mitigate their impact. This is true now more so than ever. Insurance has recently become a significant obstacle for many, as has marine financing. Finding the best solution comes down to knowing which agent to call or what program is offered by whom. Our connections and relationships in the industry, combined with our ability to forecast the challenges, are significant benefits to our buyers.
In addition, we take the time to explain everything and answer your questions completely and accurately. Communication and availability is critical. When you work with a David Walters Yachts buyer’s agent, you gain full access and our unwavering commitment to guiding you through the process. We’ll take you step- by-step through the consultation phase, exploring options, pre-survey evaluation,negotiations, survey and sea trial, post-inspection negotiations, closing, and so on.
We Share Your Passion
Every member of our Team shares in your passion. From Amanda running the back office, Diane facilitating the closing, to our experienced Team of yacht sales professionals. We have a deep and genuine love for what we do, and when you’re working with David Walters Yachts, you’ll feel that vibe with every interaction. And that matters when you’re looking to purchase a yacht. Our Team is as excited and energized as you are; therefore, we’re willing to put in the hard work to help you realize your dream because we know the lifestyle.
Every member of our Team has been a boat owner, and collectively, we’ve sailed every ocean on the planet, competed in many prestigious regattas, built, purchased, and sold dozens of yachts, caught every imaginable game fish, and lived aboard or cruised in many of the most exotic destinations. Our Team lives the lifestyle and is passionate about sharing our experience with you.
No matter your desire, either the lifestyle you’re looking for, a destination you have in mind, or a particular style of yacht you’re interested in, we have a broker specializing in just what you’re looking for. Our Find a Buyer’s Agent tool is a great resource to help you locate a member of our Team who specializes in what you’re looking for.
In-Depth Knowledge and Industry Leading Experience
For many reasons, yacht brokerage is often compared to the real estate industry, albeit with some apparent differences. There are buyer’s agents, seller’s agents, listings, inspections, escrow accounts, and disciplined processes to navigate through before a sale can be completed. Real estate agents are bound and required by strict regulations, licensing requirements, mandatory continuing education, and more. Surprising to many boat buyers, the yacht brokerage industry is loosely regulated, and only a handful of states even require a license. For that reason, it is paramount that you’re working with a yacht sales professional and a brokerage firm with a strong reputation, proven track record, and a steadfast commitment to living up to the highest industry standards. David Walters Yachts has been in business for over 40 years and continuously strives to uphold our reputation as among the most trusted and experienced firms in the United States.
Working with a buyer’s agent at David Walters Yachts, you can trust that you’ll be provided with an in-depth assessment of today’s yachting market, a tailored, comparative market analysis, and insight into the specific conditions affecting the yachts of interest to you. You can also be assured that our yacht sales professionals are highly versed in the laws, regulations, and nuances of yacht ownership that may factor into your yacht-buying decision. These may include specific documentation and registration requirements, possible complications with insurance, potential tax liabilities, and other factors you may not otherwise be considering. For the most complex of situations or specific legal questions, David Walters Yachts has one of the best maritime attorneys in the industry on retainer and can provide a certain level of complimentary access to legal services when necessary.
We Value You More than Simply Making a Sale
We’re known for our honesty for a good reason: we won’t tell you a boat is a right fit for you if it isn’t. When you work with a David Walters Yachts buyer’s agent, you’re working with a professional with a fiduciary responsibility to you and a genuine vested interest in seeing your dreams of yacht ownership realized with the purchase of the right boat. And that level of commitment to your interests can only be achieved through a close, honest, and in-depth conversation about your needs, desires, and requirements. We often enjoy involving the whole family, crew, or those who will be the primary stakeholders of the yacht. We must gain a complete perspective of how you and the family will utilize the vessel; that way, we can help shape your requirements and translate your vision into the perfect purchase.
We Know When and Where to Find Opportunities
In the yachting industry, things can move fast – very fast. When browsing online for a yacht to buy on your own, you might not see the best opportunities or most interesting boats. The best ones sell before they are listed or come under contract within days of becoming available. In fact, in recent years, 20% of the boats we’ve sold have come under contract before they even hit YachtWorld.
The key to finding off-market opportunities is to work with a buyer’s agent with a thorough understanding of your requirements. This way, as soon as they catch wind of a yacht meeting your criteria, you’ll be the first to know about it. Simply put, we have the tools, connections, and market awareness to give you the most and best- suited boats.
One such tool is our exclusive Yacht Alert program, which we use to immediately notify our customers of available yachts that specifically match their criteria. Fill out your profile to receive your customized Yacht Alerts.
We Manage the Details and Navigate the Process for You
There are several pitfalls in the yacht purchase process, all of which can be mitigated when working with a dedicated buyer’s agent. From researching the history of a specific yacht to ensuring the documents are squared away, there are many ways in which a David Walters Yachts buyer’s agent can help you avoid a headache or, worse yet, a wrong purchase.
Anyone can read the details in a listing and decipher engine hours and which electronics a yacht is equipped with. That’s easy. Our buyer’s agents can provide a far more detailed assessment of the yacht’s history, insight into the seller’s sentiment and motivations, and evaluation of the value of a yacht based on the sales history of sisterships or comparable vessels.
In addition, we check and verify the ownership of each vessel we help purchase and act as your escrow agent at closing to ensure your funds are protected and only released once every detail has been checked and the deal is ready to close.
Negotiating from a Position of Experience
When it comes time to move forward on a particular yacht, your buyer’s agent will help you formulate the best strategy to increase your chances of getting the best deal. This will include organizing an Offer to Purchase agreement containing the necessary protections and safeguards to your interests, clear and concise obligations for both parties and when those obligations will be complete. Once agreed, David Walters Yachts will ensure your deposit and all other funds moving forward are placed in a secure escrow account.
Negotiations can inherently evoke some emotions in the process. With our many years of experience, we know not only how to help manage those emotions but also how to ensure that on either side, those emotions do not hinder the ultimate objective. In short, we take the emotions out of the equation by acting as your trusted advocate. You can expect straightforward and honest advice and guidance based on our experience. We’ll tell you when a good deal has been reached and when it has not.
Technical Advice and Expertise
Every yacht broker at David Walters Yachts has extensive knowledge and an in- depth understanding of yacht systems, design, construction, and real on-the-water experience. Once a selection of yachts has been identified as potential prospects, a DWY buyers agent can assist you in evaluating the condition and suitability of each vessel for your intended purpose. We can help our clients avoid costly and unnecessary expenses by identifying issues before bringing a yacht to survey. And while our perspective is not a replacement for a marine survey, it sure can help narrow the search and avoid those yachts in need of expensive repairs and costly upgrades.
Your Advocate During the Survey and Inspection Process
Once a yacht has been identified and a deal is agreed upon between the buyer and seller, your broker will work with you to coordinate and manage all the inspection, survey, and sea-trial details. We act as your advocate and liaison throughout the process. This way, we can help address any issues, estimate the time and cost of fixing the problems, and obtain quotes for the items you may be unfamiliar with.
A Lasting Resource and a Reliable Network Long After Closing
One of the most significant intangible benefits of working with a DWY buyer’s agent is the ongoing support and expansive network you become part of after purchasing your yacht. Our yacht sales professionals are often the first call boat owners make when they have a question about their boat, need advice on equipment or upgrades, or are looking for recommendations on who is best qualified to service their yacht in various places around the world. We pride ourselves on our ongoing support and a never-ending desire to ensure your on-the-water experience is all you desire it would be.
In addition, David Walters Yachts has offices in key yachting destinations such as Newport, Annapolis, Fort Lauderdale, and the Caribbean, with many other remote offices in between. Call us in advance, and we’ll have dockage, service, and anything else pre-arranged and ready for you upon your arrival. We also offer service, refit, and project management for all your boat ownership needs.
We strive to create a community around the lifestyle and deeply value our ongoing relationships with clients long after purchase. We put so much emphasis on our relationship with our clients that many become close friends, and many of our future clients come through referrals, which is the best compliment we can receive.
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