Buying and Selling Barges
The upshot of all this international high finance is that nations of buyers come into the market prepared to pay the going rate while others leave the market as too expensive a proposition. One means of dealing with the uncertainty caused by demand variation is to base the selling price or value of the barge on its cost in a constant currency.
Barges aren't like houses where location can add 50% to the value, or street appeal can vastly increase the price commanded. They do benefit from wharf appeal, but probably no more than 10 - 15% of the value. So how do you decide how much to sell a barge for, or how much to pay? The best bet by far is to look at as many as you possibly can and determine a common thread to the pricing structures. For example, if a barge is too small, has inadequate insulation, poor galley facilities, poor electrical systems, and poor workmanship, by comparing it to barges that are good in all these respects you can determine the relative value of the unit.
The value of the barge as a construction item is one thing, its value to you as a potential home requires a separate form of evaluation. When selecting barges to investigate, pre-screen them on the basis of what you want in a barge. If you are not going to run a hotel boat, don't include barges with four bedrooms, three bathrooms, and 38 by 5 metre dimensions.
These comparisons help establish what you will have to pay to get the barge you want from among those currently on the market. How do you determine what you want someone to pay you for your beautiful ship? There is some lattitude granted to the absolutely beautiful barge, and we have seen several that could earn a premium for finish. Mostly, however, a barge is worth what it cost to build. If it has all the bells and whistles with great electrics, hydraulics, heating, and the ideal layout, and everything is fairly new, it will command the cost of replenishing those systems. So you can add up the value of the components, plus the 100,000 Euros required for a good used hull, and it will set the sales value of the barge.
The exception to the cost based pricing is the fully built-to-order barge. We know of several that are on the market at over 450,000 Euros, far above what they would have cost if fitted out by the owner. These seem to come up at a price determined by the owner based on his purchase cost, discounted often to reflect the level of interest at the top end of the market. It is very difficult to say if the price of these beauties is the right price. There is so little with which to make a comparison that it really boils down to "Is that what you want?" and "Are you comfortable with that price?" If the answer to those questions is yes, that's the end of the discussion. SOLD
