10 Traits That Make A Great Yacht Broker

Your perfect yacht broker does exist.

Finding the right yacht broker is kind of like dating — it may take a few tries until you find someone you’re compatible with. A great yacht broker should possess high-quality traits that make you feel comfortable with buying or selling a yacht.

To ensure your broker is more than just talk, ask the right questions and gauge their personality. As with dating, you want to work with someone who is a great listener, passionate, and respectful. Whether you’re in the market for buying or selling a center console, trawler, sportfish yacht, catamaran, or a superyacht, we gathered 10 traits that make a great yacht broker.

1.Knowledgeable

“As we sit here on our Lagoon 421 today, we are so grateful for Wiley and all of the knowledge and assistance he has shared with us through this process. We knew very little about all the intricacies of boat buying and no question we asked was beneath him to answer. He was with us through every step and I can’t say enough how awesome he has been and would recommend him very highly.” — Jason E. on Wiley Sharp

Having a particular knowledge of a brand or model is an attractive quality tina yacht broker. And that knowledge usually goes back to their roots as something they’ve been exposed to from a very young age.

For instance, Denison Yacht broker Wiley Sharp is a catamaran expert. He has personal knowledge of the cruising lifestyle and catamaran charter industry, so he’s especially great at knowing which catamaran works best for each client. Yacht brokers who possess a niche knowledge on a brand ultimately know how to market and sell successfully — which is beneficial to you as the client.

2. Focused

“If any of you is interested in buying or selling a boat, Matthew Morrison is your guy. He’s been a top salesman nationwide for years. He has the uncanny ability to match people with the right boat and will do everything he can to make all concerned very happy, even well after the sale. He’s also an awesome friend. Thank you, Mathew! Love you!” — Emily S. on Matthew Morrison

Being focused means being present and in the moment while demonstrating excellent communication and customer service. When it comes to buying a boat, yacht brokers can be like matchmakers — they’re focused on helping potential buyers find a boat that’s suitable for their means. Great yacht brokers are present and productive in achieving a goal to ultimately help their clients.

3. Honest

“I would like to put a special thanks to Mike in Jersey City, NJ. He was my broker to purchase my sundancer. He was 100 percent on everything that I needed from the first phone call to the pick-up of the boat. He also followed up after the purchase.We made this purchase in less than 2 weeks from the first day to the day we took ownership. He was a man of his word. Very responsive. Very nice guy. I will definitely be selling and buying in the future with Mike. Thank you again.” — Anthony C. on Mike McNiece

It’s important to work with a yacht broker who’s honest with you from the start. A yacht broker shouldn’t beat around the bush when it comes to helping you buy a new or used boat. You want to work with someone who’s going to be transparent with you throughout the whole process.

4. Attentive

“Along the way we nearly purchased another boat through him that was not the right fit for us for many reasons. However instead of pushing us into something that we weren’t comfortable with after a certain point, he put his own gains aside and listened to our concerns and supported us with all our decisions on it.” — Dane H. on Erik Mayol

It’s easy for yacht brokers to talk too much — hey, they’re just being passionate. But an important trait to notice is if they pause to listen to the needs or concerns of their client. If you, as a buyer, are hesitant about a particular purchase and communicate those concerns to your yacht broker, they should put their personal gains aside to listen and help you find alternative options.

5. Genuine

“We came down to Stuart in January to the Kadey Krogen Open House and we fell in love with Lady Kadey. Jeff served as the buying broker and he was not only helpful, but also very engaging and responsive. I called him many times and he never lost patience with me. We just wanted you to know how much we appreciated our yacht broker Jeff Phillips. Thank you!!” — Coleen C. on Jeff Phillips

Have you ever tried talking to a robot, like Siri? It’s not the most genuine interaction. It’s important to bring it back down to earth when you’re buying or selling a yacht. An excellent yacht broker should be a genuine human being toward you as a client. That means conversations should be real and help you manage expectations. The right broker should make the buying or selling process fun and approachable for you, not stressful.

6. Respectful

“Just a short note to thank you for dealing with the purchase of my boat in such a patient and positive manner. Our new boat is safely in the shipyard and should be launched late next week. Thank you for the “hand-holding” to ensure the boat was safely packed and transported from up north to Miami, FL.”— David T. on Jeff Sorgen

As with any relationships, you want to be with or work with someone who’s respectful. Someone who is polite, understanding, and genuine. A great yacht broker should have their priorities straight. They should put what will really help their client, above their own needs.

7. Passionate

“Again, Patrick has been an outstanding, honest, ethical, and friendly broker for me during this process. I think it is important for you to know that his passion for his job and care for his customers is truly evident in the way he conducts his business, and thereafter. ” — Gabe G. on Patrick Hopkins

Passionate people have a genuine love for what they do. Yacht brokers are (or should be) very passionate about what they do and the industry they’re in. They don’t waste time and they don’t do anything half-heartedly. When a great yacht broker works with a client to buy or sell a boat, they commit to the process until they cross the finish line. They’re enthusiastic people who make progress because they’re devoted to the job.

8. Dependable

“I just wanted to send a brief note to commend Russ and Drew to you. They took good care of us when everything went right but, more importantly, took GREAT care of us when things didn’t go quite according to plan. They did a great job and I just wanted to say, “Thank You.”— Matthew L. on Drew Offerdahl

When you’re buying or selling a boat, you should work with a broker who is dependable. Someone you can trust to take care of you throughout the whole process That means they’ll honor their commitments to you and build trust by holding him or herself accountable. Dependable people are also responsive. They anticipate others’ needs and account for flexibly to respond to the situation at hand.

9. Responsive

“My yacht broker, Tom Myers was a pleasure to work with. We discussed my goals for pricing and timing and within a very short time, he brought me several offers including one on target with the closing and price range we established upfront. Tom was always available and timely responded to my calls, texts and emails.” — JS on Tom Myers

You’ve probably heard the saying that communication is key to successful relationships. That holds true with your yacht broker. Communication includes being transparent, responsive, and available to chat about, well, anything. But with a yacht broker, communication is key to the success of buying or selling a yacht. They should inform you about every step of the process in order to make you, the client, feel more comfortable.

10. Professional

“I’m not kidding when I reference Mike as a “Pillar of Excellence”. From my first interaction with him, while inquiring about a boat and getting prompt responses, to the countless hours he has assisted getting the boat closed and ready for shipment, he has always overly communicated and provided top notch customer service.” — Rob A. on Mike Mahoney

Denison yacht brokers do a great job of balancing professionalism with having fun. They strive to make the buying or selling a yacht as seamless as possible for the client. You’ll see that in the way they present themselves with integrity and competence.