How do I bid?
What is a Salvage?
What kind of units are listed?
Quick definitions
Does Certified Sales provide financing?
Does Certified Sales take trade-ins?
Surveying
Insurance

HOW DO I BID?
Print out a bid form and fax it to us complete with your signature. You will need to send a 'good faith deposit' of:

$100 for bids under $10,000
$100 for bids under $10,000
$1,000 for bids over $10,000
Please mail or drop it off to us on the same day you make a bid.

If you have questions about coming up with the correct number or for details on the auction process, click here.

• Rhode Island address:
  Certified Sales, Inc.
  1 Bay Avenue, Warwick, RI 02889
  Phone: 401-732-6300
  Fax: 401-737-0200
  
  
• Massachusetts address:
  Certified Sales, Inc.
  19 Uxbridge Rd. Mendon, MA 01756
  Phone: 508-478-0200
  Fax: 508-473-2021
  
  
• South Carolina address:
  PO Box 12627
  Charleston, SC 29412
  Phone: 843-762-7688
  Fax: 888-887-7160
  

We highly recommend that you or your agent(s) view the boat personally before making a bid.

Once the auction begins, the broker will call the low bidders and inform them of the current high bid, at which time the bidder has
the opportunity to either raise their bid or drop out of the auction process. The broker will continue to call each bidder until there is one high bidder left. The duration of the auction can range from
1-3 days.

After the highest bidder is informed that they won the auction, we require payment within 24 hours by wire transfer or a bank certified check. When we receive the payment, a Bill of Sale is written out and sent to winning bidder to be signed and sent back to us.

The proper ownership documents will be sent within approimately 60 days.

WHAT IS SALVAGE?
Salvage units, or "Insurance Salvage", are units that suffered damage from substantial, (It exploded, then ran into a rock, then sank in mud, stayed down for a week and they forgot to pickle the engines!) to minor, (It was docked next to a unit that caught on fire and has some heat damage on the port side). You need to have a good understanding of just how much work you're willing to put in to a unit.

Salvage units offer handy people a fantastic opportunity to purchase a unit for significantly less than retail value and fix it up. Many people re-sell the units after repair; others keep the units for their personal use. It's important to note that buying salvage is usually only a good idea if you plan to do at least some of the work yourself and are ready to get your hands dirty.

All salvage pieces are sold 'as-is, where-is'. We offer absolutely
no warrantee on any function of the unit. Buying salvage is a risk; although surveyors and repairers can offer valuable opinions, you're always betting. But don't be afraid - this could be your opportunity to get the unit you've always wanted for less than you ever expected!

Please, also note that it is often difficult (but not impossible) to secure financing for a salvage vessel.

WHAT KINDS OF UNITS ARE LISTED?
All of the items on this site are selling under what we would consider "unusual circumstances":
repossession, insurance payoff, damage, or simply that the owner has a strong desire to sell the unit quickly.

These circumstances can mean fantastic opportunities for the buyer, and also allow the seller access to a different crowd.

QUICK DEFINITIONS:

• Insurance Salvage: Damaged units, sold by an insurance company, to attempt to make up some of their loss
• Repo: Repossessed vessels; financial institution trying to make up some loss
• Two-unit-Owner: A private seller, who has already purchased a new unit, trying to get rid of his old one
• Estate Sale: Owner has passed away and family needs to liquidate the vessel
• Distress Sale: Can mean a variety of things - my wife said it's her or the unit, can't make the payments...regardless, it means that the owner really wants to get rid of the unit and needs to do so soon
• Useable-Repairable: Privately-owned unit that could really use some repair, but can be used as-is. A good alternative to Insurance Salvage, if the buyer needs financing, or isn't comfortable with a salvage project
• Needs TLC (Tender Loving Care): Unit is primarily in fair condition, but needs someone to care for it. Many of the units on this site are suffering from neglect and lack of use. These units just need some 'elbow grease'
• Donation - Someone donates their unit to a non-profit organization (Boys & Girls Club, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, the Foundation for Cerebral Palsy) for a tax advantage or just to be nice. Since those foundations don't have any use for a unit, they give it to us to liquidate for them. So, if you buy a donation unit, you can usually get it at a very good price and know that the money you pay is going to a great cause

DOES CERTIFIED SALES PROVIDE FINANCING?
No, we don't. We've tried to keep things here as simple as possible and we have no desire to become lenders. We will, however, put you in touch with several lenders who can help you out and we'll stay involved with the process.

Occasionally, the seller is willing to provide financing for the unit. We'll let you know if that's the case.

DOES CERTIFIED SALES TAKE TRADE-INS?
No, however, we are more than happy to help you sell your unit.

SURVEYING
Certified Sales, the provider of this website, is an affiliate member of both SAMS and NAMS, two national associations of Marine Surveyors.

Both organizations can provide extensive information regarding the importance of a survey, its uses in the unit-buying and selling process and the names of local surveyors across the country.