How to become a boat or yacht seller ?

Question

http://yachts-de-luxe.blogspot.com/2008/02/vendeur-yachts-business-de-luxe.html

Answer 1

As a Yacht Broker, I will give you the basics.  In the US California and Florida  require a license.  In California you have to take a test and work with an Employing Broker who meets the State's Administrative Code and Ethical Code for Transaction Brokers.  In Florida you can be sponsored by an Employing Broker who also meets the Ethical and Administrative Code for all transaction brokers in the state.  Your first two years are as an apprentice in the State of Florida.  After that you can become a Broker but only after you have met the previously mentioned Administrative and Ethical Code.  Some of the states are starting to consider licensing and are going to copy either California's or Florida's laws as they are pretty similar.  So far all the southern states recognize the California and Florida License.  I can go into Alabama and sell Yachts but an Alabama Broker cannot come into Florida, unless he follows the Florida laws, get his license,  and uses the Florida Yacht Broker's Association Office as his mailing address. By the way for this discussion a Yacht is any vessel over 32 feet in length.  While Yachts are actually all sizes of boats that is the distinction that Florida and California make.  You can try to sell only vessels under 32 feet but it is an even harder living than being a Licensed Broker.  As for the Yacht Brokerage

Associations they provide us with training, forms and continuing education.  A few years ago all of the individual Yacht Brokerage Associations got together and came up with a Certification Program.  You must be a Broker with a clean record with at least three years experience.   There is a study guide available and the test takes about three hours.  It is a way for the professionals in the industry to improve the breed as it were.  You don't have to be a member of an association but it helps.  Our associations rules actually go above and beyond what the State of Florida requires of Yacht and Ship Brokers.  While I realize that there is a public opinion of Yacht Brokers that is not always favorable, I know that the way we as professionals transact business is regulated so stringently by ourselves as well as our respective states, that many of the "pirates" in the industry just don't last long.  That being said prepare to have a thick skin.  You must love helping people, even those that may not necessarily like or trust you.  You must have a passion for boating and helping people into this uniquely diverse pastime.  You must be willing to obsess over any and all boating information.  You will work almost every Saturday.  You will work long hours if you wish to be a success AND see to the well-being of your Clients. I personally work about 60-80 hours a week.  I only take two four day vacations a year.  I don't work Sundays but that is a religious choice.  The pay is only going to be as good as the time YOU put into it.  If you work a 40 hour week, you may make it a year.  One of the trainees I had two years ago only worked 30 hours a week and went broke in about 6 months.  That should give you a picture of what to expect.  To get you started learn everything you can about boats and NEVER STOP LEARNING. Find a professional broker in your area and have him teach you.  Consider taking classes (as I do) in Conflict Resolution, Human Behavior, Ethical Negotiation Tactics, Business, and Advertising.  Your Boss may ask you to join the local association (Florida, California, Mediteranean (SP?), British Columbia, etc.  as their training and continuing education programs will help you to become a better Broker.  We try to hire passionate people with lots of boating background.  I was a shipwright and a charter boat captain before I became a Yacht Broker. The background in boating is MUCH MORE important that being a great salesman.  I don't want great salesmen.  I want someone who knows what they are talking about and have the desire to help their fellow man.  As an odd side note, no state requires you to have a license to sell New Boats of any size.  But you are more likely to succeed if you could also sell the trade in (and that requires a license in the two aforementioned states.  If you wanted to get your feet wet as it were, you could try to get a job at a New Boat Dealership and see if you liked it.  I did sell new boats for a while but I didn't enjoy it as much as being a Yacht Broker.  I liked being outdoors  too much to sit in an office all day, I only spend 3 days in the office and 3 days in the field.  It is an honorable profession that everyone in our office enjoys and works hard at every day.  We consider it a craft and a privilege to have such awesome careers, I realize that this is a long response but as a Professional in the industry that you wish to enter, I wanted to give you the full picture.  Please feel free to e-mail me with any questions.  I know this answers your question.

Answer 2

Go down to the yacht harbour go into a office and tell them you wish to work the long hours every weekend and for very little pay...... and learn the ropes!

Answer 3

Here almost anyone can hang out there shingle as a boat broker, suceeding at it is more difficult. I think it tends to be a sideline to marina and shipyard businesses if they aren't dealer affiliated. Nice ambition though, you could try contacting one of those brokers and ask how to get in to the industry.

Answer 4

If you want to sell a boat - first you have to buy one.

Then you can sell it....

Answer 5

Just do it. Unregulated. Associations are voluntary and many brokers will use them to posture above you. You need to get listing forms and sales contracts though but they're pretty basic.