Best Advice on checking Title / Liens / Huricane Sandy on a boat purchase

alan ber

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Jun 29, 2008
Messages
143
NEED SOME ADVICE REGARDING MY NEXT PURCHASE OF MY 27 FT SEA RAY SUNDANCER


Purchased a number of boats over the years.
All older fishing boats. .
As long as sellers had titles I figured everything was fine, and never had a problem .


In todays crazy world I have become un trusting which is not my nature

Boat I am purchasing is costing a lot more then my past boat purchases .

Purchase is from a used boat dealer/ wholesaler in Fl. .

I want too do a complete back ground check making sure it's not a Hurricane Sandy or Salvage boat with any liens or small unsecured notes .
I have vessels vin #


BOAT BACK GROUND SERVICES ARE THEY WORTH IT ?

I was always under the impression if seller has title, there are no liens ?

Last month deal did not go thru but was purchasing a cruiser.
Before cash changed hands I wanted too make sure no issues on boat
Had seller's vin #, name, address, ,.
Calling motor vehicle I gave MV employee info and they said no liens or any issues with title

Was going too go too motor vehicle and do the same on the Sea Ray

Any other checks or services I should consider too avoid any pit falls

Any horror stories that I am not considering that can happen down the road .

thanks
 

gm280

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Jun 26, 2011
Messages
14,585
I would think (now there is the problem) that IF the person actually selling the boat has the title, then they is nothing wrong or any leans because in order to hold the actual title in hand for anything, it has to be paid off and no leans. So I would feel okay making a deal with title handed over on a boat, car or whatever. If a person takes out a loan and uses the boat as collateral, the title has to be handed over to the loan company until the loan is paid off...at least that is how it is supposed to work. Other then a forgery, I don't see an issue with title and money swapping hands. But that is just my opinion.
 

64osby

Admiral
Joined
Jul 28, 2009
Messages
6,799
He could hold a title that did have unreported issues.

Have your insurance company run the registration number through their system and see if anything pops out.
 

roscoe

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Oct 30, 2002
Messages
21,657
I would think (now there is the problem) that IF the person actually selling the boat has the title, then they is nothing wrong or any leans because in order to hold the actual title in hand for anything, it has to be paid off and no leans. So I would feel okay making a deal with title handed over on a boat, car or whatever. If a person takes out a loan and uses the boat as collateral, the title has to be handed over to the loan company until the loan is paid off...at least that is how it is supposed to work. Other then a forgery, I don't see an issue with title and money swapping hands. But that is just my opinion.

Maybe in your state.
Not everywhere, not here.

Here the title remains in the hands of the owner, even if there is a lein.

And even if the seller has the title in hand, whose to say it is not stolen? Or a counterfeit title.
 

gm280

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Jun 26, 2011
Messages
14,585
Maybe in your state.
Not everywhere, not here.

Here the title remains in the hands of the owner, even if there is a lein.

And even if the seller has the title in hand, whose to say it is not stolen? Or a counterfeit title.

WOW roscoe, that is amazing. How does one know if anything is free and clear if the buy has a loan on the item but also has the title in hand? In Georgia you don't get the title until the item is paid off. Then the title becomes yours. That's why I posted my comment like I did. So if that is the issue, then I would certainly question every title on everything... Amazing!
 

64osby

Admiral
Joined
Jul 28, 2009
Messages
6,799
In Michigan if there is a lien the lien holder is listed on the title. If and when the loan is paid off you then apply for a new title showing it is clear.
 

tpenfield

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jul 18, 2011
Messages
17,624
In my previous purchases, I checked with the state agency responsible for boat titles to see if there were any liens on the boat.

So, you could look into this process for Florida. That would give you a level of confidence that there were no workman's or tax liens on the boat.
 

shrew

Lieutenant
Joined
Dec 29, 2006
Messages
1,309
Maybe in your state.
Not everywhere, not here.

Here the title remains in the hands of the owner, even if there is a lein.

And even if the seller has the title in hand, whose to say it is not stolen? Or a counterfeit title.

I would suspect that the title indicates whether there is a lien holder and whom that lien holder is, even if the owner holds the title. Typically transfer of title requires the lienholders signature in those cases.
 
Top