Random broker listed my boat

Call the brokerage, talk to the guy’s boss...

And I would spread the word about the broker. It s happened to a friend of mine a few years ago. She was checking YW to see comparables in order to adjust her insurance coverage and was surprised to find her boat listed using old pictures from an old listing. In her case the offending broker worked for FYI in coconut grove.

OMG, would I ever jerk him around. I'd find someone to be the interested buyer and call and ask to see the boat to start with. I'd take it as long and far as I could as my own little game, wasting as much of his time and effort at I possibly could. Heck a few days later, I might have another interested buyer on it. I'd take him down so hard.

Do keep in mind that FL licenses brokers and agents and you could go to the state reporting him.

We had the same thing happen on a business we purchased where another business broker kept an open listing.

That's what you do.

OB, What would be considered a licensed agent in brokerage? A salesman possibly? I see this occasionally being printed under listings in lieu of "broker" Is this what your referring to as a licensed agent.

Fl. Dept. Of Business & Professional Regulations: (850) 487-1395; 850 922-6530

File a complaint with YachtWorld: (877) 336-9527

Aside from the technical definitions, the nomenclatures used are broker, salesman, salesperson, and sales agent. Only Florida and California require a license. Take advantage of the broker being in one of the states where you can file a complaint. Buyers should check with the DB&PR before dealing with a broker to see if there are complaints. If you read your complaint against this broker, would you use him?!

Thank you Judy,
I see this "salesman" or "salesperson" nomenclature used once in awhile by a few of the big brokerage houses with a couple of gentlemen on staff who wouldn't or couldn't pass the FL. Yacht Brokerage license background check to be a broker so I was curious if there was a legal demarcation of what these individuals are allowed to do by law in the process of purchase and sale with the exception of advertising their listings.

If someone can't qualify for the basic license background, then they are not supposed to sell boats (one doesn't need a license to sell new boats or boats <32'). There is a hefty fine and it is against the law. I can't imagine that a brokerage firm in Fl. would let an unlicensed broker sell boats under their name. To quantify, an unlicensed broker can't sell a boat in Florida nor to a Florida resident with expectation of compensastion. So perhaps you're referring to a Fl. broker who sells boats in states other than Fl. or California. Hopefully.

For further clarification of nomenclature, one must be a salesperson under a licensed broker for 2 years before they can upgrade their license from salesman to broker. However, the use of broker for a title is commonly used even if the person is a licensed salesperson but not broker.

A couple weeks away from doing a member mailer announcing The Shipyard is available for owners to sell their boats directly. It will be free for the first few months while we establish an operating baseline.

Most of the big forums have vibrant classified sections that have taken a big chunk out of Trader publication’s business, which makes sense because forums naturally attract buyers.

I don't understand....if random broker all of a sudden shows up at your boat with a buyer, whether it's for sale or not, can't you tell him/her to buzz off or hold on and call the police?
Also you need to have a signed contract between you and the broker in order to sell your boat...right?

It's like random broker thinks they are going to sell your boat with out knowing ?! And someone drive away with it?

It all seems to be a waist of time for the random broker to me, to list boats that are not theirs .

Not a waste of time or they wouldn't do it. They won't sell it without you, but if they can get an offer on it, then they'll bring that offer to you. Will you tell them to leave and not to ever come back or will you look at the offer? They depend on enough people looking at, and responding to, offers and then if it doesn't sell perhaps listing with them. Dealers and brokers call up people with items listed on Craigslist all the time.

Doesn't surprise me at all that there are sales people doing this, especially new struggling ones. Does surprise me that there are brokers tolerating it but there are brokers out there actually encouraging such behavior and some who only care about sales, not how you did it.

What about real estate agents who drive clients around and the clients like a house that isn't for sale so the agent shows up at the door asking to speak to the owner. That happens all the time. The difference is that they make no pretense to the buyer of having a listing. I knew a very successful young real estate agent that all the others in the office were wondering how she was getting so much business. Well, she was going door to door and introducing herself and telling them lots of people were looking for homes in their neighborhood. Most did nothing, but much like telemarketing, you only need to hit on a few.

Hmm. I understand your point and get it. But if I listed my boat, myself , on CL or BT and some Yutz took my own listing and brought in a buyer I would flat out tell him/her your getting zero in commissions as you were never asked to be part of the sale by me the seller,nor do we have a listing agreement .
Simultaneously I would also let the buyer know right up front on what was going on.

A bogus listing is also a way to get buyers. When a client calls with interest on the boat listed, the broker can say that the boat is under contract but they have a similar boat in even better condition/lesser price/whatever. Bad brokers need to be reported by clients and boycotted by fellow brokers.

That too, Judy, we all know the one major web brokerage that shows all these listings as if their own. Lying and deceit pay off for the unscrupulous. It's why they do it. It's our job to do what we can to stop them.

By naming said major web brokerage? Is that kosher?
Too many shenanigans with brokers. They seem to want to hold value for listings in order to maximize the resale for sellers and maintain a decent commission. Good idea. If buyers get their way the price of used boats will plummet and there is no winning for the seller or broker. I get that.

Listing boats that are not their listing, annoying if not wrong.

What if this bogus listing is a way for a salesperson showing their listing to their employer to bluster their numbers?

For real? How about "lying" "fake" "unlawful" and "unethical" just to name a few. Said brokers name should be on a billboard to warn people of him/her. They cannot be trusted with anything.

For real, I was being too kind, I agree with you.
So why not name this broker?
Reprisals are uncomfortable.
Most people don’t throw caution to the wind in their dealings with others. That is one reason bullies gunna bully. Cheaters gunna cheat. They get away with it. Just like this broker is as far as we know.
And so it goes.

OK, we're on the same page.... ;-)