Brokers, private sales and red flags

The buying process · Power & sail

A listing broker is paid by the seller and works for the seller. A buyer's broker works for you. Private sales can go well but put more of the checking on you. Either way, learn the warning signs of scams and of boats dressed up for sale.

Who the listing broker works for

• In a typical brokered sale the broker's commission comes out of the sale price, paid by the seller, so the broker's job is to get the seller a good price. BoatUS puts the usual commission at 10%.
• Yacht brokers face much less licensing than real estate agents; BoatUS says only a few states license them (it names Florida and California). A broker certified under the Yacht Brokers Association of America's CPYB program has passed an exam and agreed to a code of ethics.
• A good broker holds deposits in a separate account and writes clear conditions and refund terms into the contract.

Working with a buyer's broker

• A buyer's broker represents you. They search for boats, help set the price, negotiate, and handle paperwork and survey-day logistics. They are usually paid from a split of the seller's commission, so there is often no direct charge, but read their agreement first.
• For a specialized goal such as a Great Loop boat, the Loop cruisers' association says a buyer's broker can be a real help.
• Choose a broker and a surveyor who know the kind of boat you are buying. A trawler specialist will notice things a sportfish or sailboat specialist might miss.

Buying privately

• Use a written sales contract even between individuals; BoatUS publishes samples. List the boat and engine serial numbers, the price and deposit terms, the survey and financing conditions, and a statement that the boat is free of liens.
• Confirm ownership. See the title (in states without boat titles, the seller's own bill of sale and registration), check that the hull ID number on the boat matches the papers, and search the state title or Coast Guard record for liens.
• Without a broker you arrange the surveyor, the haul-out and the closing yourself. If money has to be held, use an escrow service or attorney that you chose and checked.

Red flags in listings and sellers

• Scam signs BoatUS lists: a price far below market, a seller who won't talk by phone, no interest in title or HIN questions, insisting on a particular escrow or shipper, offering to pay more than the price, and names or places that shift between messages.
• A survey done for an earlier owner is no substitute for your own. The boat may have been grounded or damaged since.
• Fresh oil put in just before a showing makes an oil sample almost useless. Ask that the oil not be changed, and draw samples after the engines have worked on the sea trial.
• Treat undocumented work as not done. If the seller can't show receipts for new rigging, tanks or wiring, value the boat as if the old parts are still there.
• Advice differs on using a surveyor the broker suggests. ABYC and several guides say choose your own to avoid a conflict of interest; a 2026 BoatUS article says a broker can help with names. Either way, you hire, pay and direct the surveyor.

General guidance for recreational boaters, researched from the sources listed and written in our own words. Your equipment manuals, local knowledge, the Navigation Rules and a qualified instructor come first.