You’ve found a great boat for sale, but it’s anchored hundreds of miles away. In the past, buying a boat long-distance was frustrating and unsafe, but not anymore. There’s a new way to take the distance out of remote boat purchases.
Sure, you can fly or drive to the seller and finish the deal in person, but that’s time-consuming and expensive. DealNow facilitates the long-distance boat-buying process by providing you with the tools you need to purchase a boat quickly and securely no matter where it is.
Before we tell you how DealNow simplifies boat buying, let’s look at the problems that usually kill long-distance purchases.
Before DealNow, long-distance boat shopping was so risky, time-consuming, and awkward that most people avoided it. Those who went through the process endured the following:
Each of these friction points is a deal-killer on its own. Combined, they’ve made long-distance boat purchases frustrating or nearly impossible—until now.
We designed DealNow to solve the friction points that used to kill long-distance boat transactions. Now, you can buy the boat of your dreams quickly and safely, no matter where it is.
You and the seller undergo ID verification during account creation. You know from the start that you’re dealing with a verified seller. Then, our in-app title verification and boat history report confirm the current boat owner, previous owners, title status, and condition.
Before DealNow, boat transactions took hours or days. Remote deals took even longer. Now, with instant payments and a real-time self-serve dealflow, your inspector/agent can finish the deal for you in minutes.
Because deals close instantly, your on-site inspector can act as your proxy from inspection through transport. They inspect the boat and talk to you over the phone. If you like what they have to say, you can finish the deal immediately, and they will handle the title transfer and shipping coordination.
Both parties sign a legally binding bill of sale in the DealNow app. The seller knows they’ll get paid for the boat instantly; you know you’ll get the boat. No more catch-22. You’ll receive a notification when the seller has signed so you can pay with confidence.
Book inspections and transport from your DealNow dashboard. Your inspector can coordinate directly with the transport company, and you can track everything in real time. Once the deal is done, your inspector can hand the boat over to the shipping company or coordinate pick-up.
Just as long-distance transaction friction points worked together to kill deals, DealNow’s solutions work together to make them happen.
Here’s what DealNow looks like in action: A buyer in California purchased a $133,000 Malibu boat in Utah—without ever seeing it in person. The seller handled the entire transaction while trick-or-treating with his family. The transport driver arrived, the inspector verified everything, and payment was transferred instantly. The whole deal wrapped up in minutes, at 8:31 PM on a holiday.
That’s the DealNow revolution: turning what used to be frustratingly complex into something you can do from your phone, anytime, anywhere.
Let’s walk through exactly how DealNow works for long-distance boat transactions.
Find a boat you like, and invite the seller to your DealNow dealroom via a custom link. If they need convincing, remind them that DealNow facilitates:
Once the seller is onboarded, you have the option to order the following services through your DealNow dashboard:
All communication is saved in your dealroom, and all relevant documentation is accessible from your dashboard.
If you’re happy with the boat so far, you’re ready for an inspection. Pick a time from the seller’s pre-arranged availability to schedule the inspection and sea trial.
Our streamlined communication features keep you in the action so you can fully assess the boat.
Now you’re ready to finish the deal. This is where our platform shines for long-distance purchases.
What used to take days or weeks now happens in minutes. Your inspector can verify the boat, coordinate with the transport company, and oversee the entire closing process while everyone’s still on site.
You’re not just using a payment app or a boat listing site—you’re leveraging a complete transaction platform that makes long-distance purchases as seamless as local ones.
The rule of thumb is that the best time to buy a boat in the United States is during September, October, and November. As colder months approach, the boat market sees less demand, which pushes prices down and creates a buyer’s market. Private owners in northern states are motivated to get rid of their boats to avoid winterizing them.
The best way to pay for a boat is DealNow. Unlike physical cash (which can be stolen) or checks (which take too long), DealNow facilitates instant, verified transfers of any amount directly between prospective boat buyers and sellers.
DealNow’s platform secures transactions by:
With DealNow, you get the immediacy of cash and payment apps with bank-level security. Funds are held in FDIC-insured accounts with easy offboarding to your regular bank.
Buying a boat from a private seller is better and cheaper than buying from a dealership. Here’s why:
Here are the agencies for each state, to the best of our knowledge. Research the appropriate boat registry agency for your state to make sure you’re going to the right place.
You can buy any type of boat remotely if you take the right precautions. From pontoon boats and fishing boats to yachts, successful remote purchases happen when you:
DealNow makes remote boat buying safe by providing all these safeguards in one platform, plus instant payments and coordinated transport.
Not if you take the right steps. While boat owners generally expect potential buyers to inspect boats in person, you can safely buy a boat without seeing it by:
The secret is having a trustworthy representative on-site and a secure transaction platform to handle the deal.
When searching for the perfect boat across state lines:
Remember, with DealNow you can safely complete the transaction from anywhere, so don’t limit your search to local listings.
Never send a cashier’s check or cash to a remote seller. While these payment methods work for in-person deals, they’re too risky for long-distance transactions.
DealNow provides a safer alternative:
It’s common practice to pay sales tax when registering for a boat in your state. Each state has different rules, but generally:
Check with your state’s boat registration agency for specific requirements. DealNow keeps all documentation organized so you can easily handle registration and tax payments.
DealNow is the easiest way to close your own vehicle deal, anytime. It’s the safe and simple way to avoid fraud, sign documents, and instantly transact, all in one app.
