Best Time Of Year To Buy A Used Boat ~REPACK~

So after you have decided on what type of boat to buy, when is the best time to buy it? If you live in Florida or California, the best time to buy is 24 hours a day, all year long. But for most buyers, winter is the time to get the best deals. For example, if you are based in the Northeast, where there are specific on and off seasons, you should always aim to purchase a boat during the off-season. This is because lots of owners and brokers might offer you steep discounts when business is slow since they still have several months to wait before most customers want to start hitting the water again.

best time of year to buy a used boat

The different times to buy a boat depend greatly on where you live and what type of boat you are looking for. Whether you are buying in the height of summer or early winter, knowing how the different seasons affect boat sales can greatly improve your overall shopping and purchasing experience.

In addition to these excellent conditions, many boat owners would also argue that the fall is the best time for buying a boat from a financial standpoint. This is because most of the manufacturers start offering discounts around September and October. When demand begins to decline, dealers often provide all kinds of attractive incentives.

You can often find some of the best prices for both new and used models by searching for a boat during the fall. If you buy a boat in the fall, you can use the entire off-season to install equipment and accessories. You can also ensure that there is plenty of time to get the boat ready before starting the next boating season.

The winter might seem like an odd time to buy a boat, but many people feel that this is the absolute best time because of the many boat shows held across the country. Boat shows bring together a wide selection of the most popular manufactures from all across the world, allowing you to explore various models across all ranges of price, size, and style. Exhibitors show off their new models and display all of the latest features. You can look at a big selection of boats from different companies without having to travel from one location to another.

If getting the lowest price possible is a priority, schedule your boat buying purchase to match these kinds of dealer and manufacturer incentives. This usually means shopping in the fall and early winter, when dealerships are trying to clear the decks of current inventory to make way for the new model year boats.

Sometimes this period overlaps with the boat show season, so you may look at buying a boat from a show. One downside to shopping for incentives is that you may have to be satisfied with what a dealer has in stock, rather than having the flexibility to order a model equipped with exactly the features you need.

The boat show season usually starts around January and lasts through March, and you can often find incredible deals at these events. Even some of the dealers from warmer climates will be trying to sell their year-end inventory, so there is usually a chance for a great deal even if there is no off-season for boating in your area.

Some companies look at their business monthly, and more deals tend to be closed near the end of the month, but you can sometimes get a good deal early in the month, too. Although prices can be lower toward the end of the month if you are not exactly sure what type of boat you want, avoiding the last week of the month may be a good idea. It might be better to visit the dealership during a quieter period when you might receive more thought and personal attention.

If you are looking for one of the hottest new models on the market, early spring may be the best time for you to consider buying a boat. Many manufacturers announce their new model-year offerings in late summer, and then they introduce them to the public at the winter boat shows.

This means that the new model year really begins each summer, and boats for sale in the spring may sell for lower prices as the new boats start coming in. If you wait until late June or July to buy an older model, just be aware that boats can sell out quickly so you might miss out on the exact boat you had in mind.

When you are looking for a used boat, keep in mind that there is often a scarcity of boats for sale during high-demand times. Recent developments have meant that the demand for boats is very high, so it might be a real challenge to find the type of boat you have been looking for. This is not necessarily the case with unusual older boats like trawlers or custom racing sailboats.

In seasonal boating areas, spring and early summer are typically the high seasons for boat sales, but that does not always mean these are the best times to buy. If you are buying a new boat in the fall, dealers will sometimes cover winter storage costs. As soon as spring starts, you can launch your boat and enjoy some of the first good boating weekends of the season. This same situation applies to whether you are buying a new boat or a used one.

Another thing to consider if you live in a place like Florida is the transient population. The market for boats in these areas tends to improve in the late fall and winter when the snowbirds fly south to escape winter. Many of the average boaters from Vermont or Michigan seem to think the boating season is just getting underway when they arrive in November, so the dealer and broker offices tend to stay busy. However, when spring comes, some of those same boaters might decide to sell their boats rather than store them for the next six months. As a result, you can sometimes find great deals in April, especially if you are buying a lightly used boat.

As is the case with all major purchases, most boat-buying decisions can be emotional, so if you rush into things too much, the reasoning part of your brain may get ignored. You need some emotional desire, or you may never end up buying a boat at all, but always give yourself a little time to put your emotions in greater balance.

First, do some research into the type of boat you might want, spend some time meeting with several potential sellers to learn more about the specific pricing options available. Then you can go about negotiating the final purchase when you believe the time is right.

Although good new and used boats might sometimes be a little hard to find, your planning will give you the confidence to sign on the dotted line as soon as the right boat shows up. The anticipation of owning the boat and spending time on the water with your family can be an exciting part of the process. A good idea is to plan a big boat party for the day you take delivery so that you can celebrate your purchase in style.

The best time to buy a boat is typically in the fall. The weather is getting cooler, and the boating season is mostly over. Boats are coming out of the water and going into dry storage for the winter, and most people have finished shopping for boats until the spring. With fewer buyers in the market, it's easier to negotiate with sellers who want to sell their boats before the winter.

Part of what makes fall the best time to buy a new boat is that most sellers don't list their boats for sale that late in the season. Boats are typically listed for sale earlier in the summer when prospective buyers can still use them before the end of the summer.

There's virtually no more time to use a boat for the season, and sellers know this. Anyone who buys may have to wait six months before enjoying their new purchase. Not many people shop for boats once the weather turns cool. Most have moved on from boating for the year and some people are preparing their kids to go back to school.

Many people try to hold off on maintenance for their boats until fall and winter, so they won't lose time enjoying the boat during the season. But that also means they're putting off the cost of service. If a seller doesn't sell their boat to whoever is buying in the fall, they'll have to cover those maintenance costs before their boat goes back in the water in spring.

The worst month to buy a boat would be the summer months. Everyone wants to be out on the water as soon as it warms up, and sellers know that if they sell, they're probably giving up the rest of their time on the water for the spring and summer. Plus, they've already arranged dock space and had their boat serviced, so it's ready to use.

So when is the best time to buy a boat? For most buyers, winter is prime deal time. According to Boating magazine, "Late fall is pretty good too, when everyone wants to move inventory." However, the answer is a bit more complicated. Christine Kaplan, owner of the 40-year-old brokerage City Yachts, said timing is a regional question. "If you live in California, the best time to buy is 24 hours a day, all year long." But if you're located in the Northeast, where there are definite on and off seasons, you should always aim for the off season.

Just as with any major purchase, don't go with the first dealer you meet, and don't take the first boat you see in the local classified ads. You will spend a lot of time using your boat, so do your homework. Discover Boating explains, "Shopping around gives you an opportunity to compare and contrast prices, models and more. Finding the right dealer always works wonders in the long run, for your pocket and your fun." 041b061a72