You would think, but people $&%# it up every...single...day.

With smaller airplanes, it seems that many of the problems come from airplanes that just fell into someone's lap and the deal was done with a check and a handshake. It isn't until years later that a more educated buyer or broker is involved in a sale that the monumental problems start to show up.

Of course, the "opposite" can occur also where the buyer is so "over researched" (not necessarily accurately either) that buying the airplane becomes a lesson in micromanagement of every single task to the point that the sale falls apart.

Not a Bonanza but it still applies. I wrote this on Vans Air Force after selling my absolutely beautiful RV-7 back to the original builder/owner.

Ok, our beautiful RV-7 was almost immediately sold back to it’s original builder who flew it 1800 nm back home. It was a near perfect airplane that was beautifully built and updated to make it even better. I’m glad it worked out this way. During the few days it was on Barnstormers, I answered a bunch of calls. Most were from great people that were truly interested. Thank you. There were others though that didn’t fit that description. If you are trying to find an RV (I’m looking for a RV-8 right now), you may want to think about how you approach the seller. The following are examples of what I found to be a real turn off as a seller:

1. You don’t introduce yourself
2. 1st question - “What’s your bottom dollar.” Why in the world would I bid against myself? If you are really interested, ask and I’ll send you all of the info you request. Then, if it meets your expectations, come visit. I published the asking price, the next move is yours if, after doing your due diligence, you want the airplane.
3. Select your buyer’s agents carefully. I’ve experienced, as a seller, a real pro that you guys all know. This time, I was contacted by another guy who warned me that he has been thrown out of people’s hangars and went into detail about the confrontations. I immediately decided I wasn’t going to work with him. His customer may have missed the airplane he’s been looking for.
4. It’s ok to come look, decide it’s not what you want and leave. Just try to respect the seller’s time and thank them for showing you yet another beautiful RV. You’ll learn something and maybe make a friend along the way.

Robert, great points!!

People make deals with people they like!

I haven’t sold an airplane in fives years since starting JetAcq, but I did sell my really nice pickup recently... talk about a seller’s market. My phone blew up! Most of the calls / text were “would you take” and some were pretty aggressive. Why would I sell a used anything to a guy who shows he is difficult in the first interaction.

I actually sold it to a buyer who flips vehicles to car dealers, he paid less than what other’s would have paid, but he was nice and respectful, upfront and honest. He came and looked at the truck, wrote me a check and drove away.

It took me the next two days to get the other “buyers” to stop harassing me and I enjoyed telling many of them it was sold.

Lowballing doesn’t work in a buyer’s market, it sure doesn’t work in a seller’s market. Lowballing will only get you the airplane that no one else wants.

Firstly I don’t think there is a sellers’ market in GA, perhaps pre 1973 OPEC crisis during the GA golden years.

Look at the demography of the owners and the fleet, and especially in bell weather non exotic types, the supply of decent examples is plentiful. Exotic types are for enthusiasts, stick to bell weather types.

A realistically priced aircraft with good log books will sell efficiently. I sold a 70 year old Super Cub to the first offer in hours of placing the advertisement, during this summer. Had over half a dozen offers, including above asking price. Note conditions: realistic price and good log books.

Unless you know the airplane locally, and then it will sell unadvertised, a complex aircraft like the BE33/35/36 deserves a pre buy. No point organising this unless the log books are good.

Now on this topic I feel the quality of some Beechcraft log books are very inferior to the quality of the type’s engineering and build! In a forty or even sixty year airframe the quality of maintenance as reflected in the log books is paramount.

Robert, I think you just described the conditions of a seller's market.

In a buyer's market, even a plane that's priced right is going to take longer to sell and most of the offers will be below the asking price, even if it is priced right.

Eric there is quite a few V35 languishing on the for sale sites. But you are correct for the well maintained candidate it seems quite a good market all things considered.

I've had that happen a few times as well, including some property that's not for sale. I mean, it's almost comical.

I just don't see how people expect that to work, but like roboscam calls and late night infomercials, it must, otherwise they wouldn't be doing it.

Best,
Rich

The end of the year was nuts! Deals that closed, some that didn’t, from talking to the folks at the title company and several of my friends who are aircraft brokers, closing airplanes in December was like a war zone.

Fortunately, we closed three deals in November and December, but had them done by the 18th, so we were good and actually enjoyed some rare downtime over the holidays.

The relevance to this thread is... what happens now?

Obviously, the rush to close by year end is over, but all indications are that things aren’t slowing down. The increasing Covid numbers continue to drive people away from the airlines. I’m typing this on a flight to Boise, I wish I wasn’t on, and had I not already had Covid, wouldn’t be on! Every seat full. I should have said, driving those who can afford private away from the airlines, everyone else is here!

I’ll keep you guys posted, but we are currently rewriting our aircraft purchase agreements to better protect our buyers in a seller’s market.

You've been told what’s coming...a long dark winter. I expect more business to come your way.

I think finding a plane with the right things wrong with it is the best approach, and the approach I recently used

This kinda implies that Sellers are evil. And because most Buyers are also Sellers (or eventually will be), how can one explain the bi-polar nature here?

Best,

Tom

Just sold my cherokee. Posted on facebook, barnstormers and controller. Sold to a guy via controller. Within 2.5hs of hitting controller I had a guy wanting to put a deposit but I ended up selling it to a guy that was local.

Got a stupid amount of interest off facebook but most if was people asking “is it available”. Also got one or two stupid lowball offers.

In their defense, "Is it available" is pre-loaded by FB when you click on an ad, so it looks like a logical first step.

This kinda implies that Sellers are evil. And because most Buyers are also Sellers (or eventually will be), how can one explain the bi-polar nature here?

Best,

Tom