Selling your yacht: pricing, preparation and a clean closing

Selling a yacht is mostly decided before the first buyer steps aboard. The price you ask, the state the boat is in and the papers you can show on day one set the tone for every conversation that follows. A well-priced, well-prepared yacht with a complete file tends to sell in a reasonable time. An overpriced one with gaps in her history can sit for seasons, costing berthing, insurance and maintenance, and often sells for less than she would have fetched at the start.

This guide covers how to price realistically, how to prepare the boat and the paperwork, whether to use a broker, and what happens from the first offer to the closing.

Price it realistically

What you paid and what you have spent since are not what the market will pay. Buyers compare your yacht with others, so you should too.

• Comparable sales. Asking prices show what sellers hope for; completed sales show what buyers paid. A broker with access to sold data gives a better picture than listing sites alone.
• Condition. Two yachts of the same model and year can be worth very different amounts. Be honest about cosmetic wear, tired upholstery, oxidised gelcoat or teak that is near the end of its life.
• Refit history. Documented work on engines, generators, rigging, electronics or paint adds value, but rarely its full cost. A new engine helps a sale; it seldom adds its invoice to the price.
• Engine hours. Hours matter less than how the engines were maintained, but buyers will compare them.
• Market and season. In the Mediterranean, more buyers are looking in spring and early summer. A yacht that is ready to view and use before the season usually attracts more interest than one listed in autumn.

Set a price you can justify with evidence. Starting high to "leave room for negotiation" often means the serious buyers never call.

Prepare the yacht

Buyers judge a boat in the first few minutes.

1. Deep clean everything. Hull, decks, bilges, engine room, lockers, heads and galley. A clean engine room and dry bilges suggest good maintenance.
2. Declutter. Remove personal items and anything you are not selling with the boat. Buyers need to see storage space and imagine their own belongings aboard.
3. Fix small faults. A blown bulb, a sticking hatch, a slow pump or a dead instrument costs little to fix but raises questions about what else has been neglected.
4. Be open about larger issues. If something significant needs work, either fix it or disclose it and reflect it in the price. A late surprise damages trust more than an early disclosure.

Build the documentation pack

A complete file shortens due diligence and supports your price. Assemble it before you list:

• Ownership papers. Registration certificate, bills of sale back through previous owners where available, and evidence that the yacht is free of mortgages and debts, or a plan to discharge them at closing.
• VAT and tax status evidence. If the yacht is described as "EU VAT paid", have the documents that prove it. Check with a tax adviser what evidence applies to your yacht.
• Service records. Engine, generator and systems maintenance logs, with invoices.
• Refit invoices. Yard work, paint, rigging, electronics and upholstery, with dates.
• Manuals. Owner's manuals and equipment manuals, on paper or digital.
• Inventory. A clear list of what is included in the sale, from tenders and toys to safety equipment and spares, and what is not.
• Previous surveys. Recent survey reports, and class records for a classed yacht.

Photography and the listing description

Listings are compared on a phone screen, so photographs do most of the work. Use a professional photographer if you can, on a clear day. Show the exterior from several angles, every cabin, the saloon, galley, helm, deck areas, engine room and any toys or tender.

The description should be accurate and specific: builder, model, year, length, engines and hours, generators, layout, recent work and notable equipment. Avoid claims you cannot support. Every inaccuracy a buyer finds costs you credibility, and listing statements can matter in a later dispute.

Broker or private sale

Selling through a broker gives you a professional who prices the yacht against the market, markets it to other brokers and their clients, screens buyers, handles viewings, negotiates and manages the paperwork through closing. The broker is paid a commission on the sale; the rate and terms vary, so agree them in writing, including whether the listing is exclusive and for how long.

Selling privately saves the commission but leaves you doing all of the above yourself, including qualifying buyers, arranging a stakeholder for the deposit and drafting or reviewing the purchase agreement. It can work well for smaller, simpler boats and sellers with time and experience. For larger yachts, or any sale with tax or cross-border questions, most owners find a broker earns the fee. Choose one who knows your type of yacht and your area.

Viewings and offers

Be flexible about viewing times, and have the yacht clean, aired and with power on. If you are not present, make sure your broker or captain can answer questions and demonstrate systems.

When an offer arrives, look beyond the price. Conditions, timing, the deposit and the closing location all matter. A slightly lower offer from a buyer who can close quickly with few conditions may be worth more than a higher one with a long list of conditions.

The purchase agreement and deposit

Once the main terms are agreed, both sides sign a written purchase agreement. In the Mediterranean the MYBA Memorandum of Agreement is widely used. It sets the price, the deposit, the conditions for survey and sea trial, deadlines, what is included in the sale, and the place and date of closing.

The deposit, commonly 10%, should be held by an independent stakeholder, such as the broker's client account or an escrow agent, not paid directly to you. Yachtxchange does not hold deposits or any buyer funds.

Survey and sea trial from the seller's side

The buyer appoints and pays for their own surveyors. Your role is to make the yacht available and to help the process run smoothly.

• Prepare the boat with access to all spaces, the bilges, the engine room and the documents.
• Do not pre-warm the engines if the buyer asks for a cold start. Agreeing to it shows confidence.
• Provide a competent captain for the sea trial and check that your insurance covers it.
• Expect a list. Almost every survey finds something. Respond calmly and with facts: some items are minor, some you may fix, some may lead to a price discussion.

Closing

At closing, the buyer pays the balance to the stakeholder, and you deliver a bill of sale and the documents the agreement requires, showing the yacht is free of debts and encumbrances. You will normally need to arrange deletion from your registry so the buyer can register her. Both sides sign a protocol of delivery and acceptance, and the stakeholder releases the funds. Agree the closing location with your advisers, as it can matter for tax.

Before handover, cancel or transfer insurance at the right moment, settle marina and crew arrangements, and hand over keys, codes, manuals and spares.

List your yacht

When your yacht and her file are ready, list your boat on Yachtxchange to reach buyers across Europe, the Americas and the Middle East, or find a broker through our brokerages directory.

This guide is general information, not legal or tax advice. Rules on VAT, registration and sale contracts vary by country; take advice from qualified advisers before you sign.