The Lutra is Sold

A day I thought would never arrive has come at last. We have sold the Lutra. I didn't want to say anything to anyone, since we have been left at the altar several times in the last couple of years, but we have finally sold the boat.

After the last potential buyer decided to go in "a different direction" one day before he was supposed to come and pick up the boat, I called a guy who had inquired the week before and seemed moderately interested.

I told him that we were "motivated sellers". This was before we had seen the Guillemot - I was just tired of having a boat sit in a barn in Maryland, when we were in Seattle.

Todd came back with a series of questions. By the time he was ready to make an offer, we had already bought the Guillemot, so we were now really motivated.

He eventually made an offer that was several thousand less than we were hoping for. We negotiated over the phone and ended up a thousand or so less than I wanted and a thousand more than he had initially offered.

At first I was upset that I couldn't get my price, but then I realized that I had gotten a great deal on the Guillemot, and he was getting a great deal on the Lutra, and that each of us was very happy with our new boat. Life is too short to bear grudges over money.

After Todd made his offer, he went down to Maryland and spent several hours inspecting the boat. I was afraid he was going to find issues and reopen the price discussion, but he came away satisfied. Our friend John Vail, who has been showing the boat for us, called and said, "You owe me big time. I just spent 2 hours at the farm while Todd and his buddy crawled all over the boat. He seemed really excited about the boat. I think you have a live one this time."

I called Todd. He said the boat needed some TLC, but that he still wanted to buy it. I asked him for a deposit to hold the boat, since he didn't want to come and pick it up for several weeks. He said he would send one. The next day he called back and said his wife didn't want him to send a deposit, but to pick the boat up earlier. I wasn't ecstatic about that since there still was a week or so before the pickup, but I decided to play it out.

Todd arrived today on schedule with a friend with a large SUV, and the Lutra left the barn for the last time.

John called me to say the check is in the mail!

Halleluah.