Newell Gurus

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Hello Gurus.........

For personal reasons, I have my coach #599 for sale.  I have had it listed on Craigslist for about 3 months now; I've had it on eBay twice; it's also on RVTrader.com.  Below are links to current ads. 

https://grandrapids.craigslist.org/rvs/d...33748.html

https://www.rvtrader.com/listing/2001-Ne...5002020307

Other than on guy that wants me to donate my Newell I haven't had much action or interest.  Do you think it's because of price or is it just that Newells command a very small market and it just takes a while?  Or something else???

Your opinions would be greatly appreciated, I thank you in advance.

Bryan
It took 2 years to sell my 1978 Newell. Of course that was in 2008-9. I advertised online but ended up selling it out of my front yard. It is harder for people to get financing on an older RV. You might put it on a consignment lot if you haven't tried that.
Bryan,
Remember this advice is only worth what you paid for it.  I sold my Country Coach with 169,000 miles in five days, so I can relate to your coach.  The mileage is an uphill battle as most people have a mental block of things being worn out at 100,000 miles.  To overcome this I emphasized a few different things than are in your ad.  Remember that your buyer has never seen your coach so you have to tell them and show them why they need to come see YOUR coach.  Example:  "165k well-maintained miles"  I would put something like 165,000 miles with complete service records and receipts.  Everything in the coach has been serviced to factory specs and is 100% operational.  Coach includes all factory documentation that covers all systems. Coach has been fully serviced and is ready to drive off problem free.

I found that pictures are very important.  Your exterior pictures are ok, but your interior photos are way too dark.  I don't get a feel for the interior.  Get more light in the coach and it will improve the coach.  Get rid of personal items and stage the coach--look at Newell's ads and how they present an interior.  Your interior and exterior photos should emphasize the coach's features--look at Motorhomes of Texas and see how they present the exterior in their ads.

Remember that most people know almost nothing about a Newell and many have never seen one in person.  In your vehicle description emphasize how your Newell is different.  Examples:  Newells come with 24/7 factory support for all year Newells.  Newells have the biggest AquaHot units that include a Newell exclusive of a 220V electric element which means you will never run out of water--include a photo.  Newells have a 110V water pump that provides residential water pressure throughout the coach that is used in yachts--include photo.  Newells have Grohe residential plumbing faucets that have a lifetime warranty--include a photo.  I can think of a hundred more.  You have to tell people why a Newell is a better value than an Allegro Bus.

FYI:  Most of my buyer calls came from my ad on RV Online.com.  

For me your price seems right.  I hope this is helpful.
Hi, Bryan,

I 100% agree with Steve on the photos. Invest in professional images if you don't have the capability, yourself. I get the sense that your coach is MUCH nicer than it presents in these pictures, so it's in your best interest for that to change. If you don't know anyone, you may try searching for real estate photographers in your area as they're accustomed to doing interiors...just make sure they shoot with a lens wide enough for coach spaces. A crisp, professional, photographic presentation will make a buyer much more likely to feel that the coach has been maintained in a similarly meticulous manner. Good luck!
You might point out that your floor plan makes available more closet and storage space.
One other suggestion, get rid of the pet bowls in the pictures. Not everyone wants a coach that has had pets in it. And some people are allergic.
Also consider that people who are looking for a Newell are interested in the basement and engine compartment pictures. IMO you have too many of the exterior of the coach. Exchange some of these for basement and engine pictures, and generator. And make sure they are clean and not cluttered.
The inside shows nicely and not cluttered but I agree you need to brighten up the inside pics.
Also try to make sure all pictures of the exterior show the same colors. In a few because of lighting and cloud/shade, etc. the colors look different.
Hi Bryan, the aforementioned recommendations are excellent. I will add that you mention under items serviced in the last year “the list goes on”. That has always made me wonder if the seller is tired of putting money into it. Maybe just consider This Coach has been maintained to the highest standards and all records are available for inspection. I would drive this Coach from California to Florida, tomorrow with no hesitation, due to my commitment to the highest maintenance standards.

Your Coach is beautiful and seems to have a good asking price. Somebody is going to fall in love with it.
Another thing to remember is more than likely you are looking for a cash buyer as coaches over 10 years old are very hard to finance through a bank.  There are a few other options, but they take some creativity by the buyer.
Bryan,

We are actively searching for our first Newell, so I can offer a current view of why we didn't pursue your coach. I don't disagree with anything the previous replies have offered and the recommended changes can only help. For us, the floorplan with a sink vanity right next to my wife's side of the bed and a shower in the bedroom itself was a show stopper. I realize that there isn't much that can be done about that without considerable time, money and effort, but the idea of having bath and bedroom items together in the same space without the ability to separate them with a pocket door or other means may be difficult for some folks to handle.

 Regarding the difficulty in finding conventional financing for these older coaches, especially if one wants to full time, consider offering to use a lease purchase contract to effect the sale. Unless you absolutely need the proceeds from a cash sale, you can turn your asset into a revenue stream and make more over the term of the contract than by selling it outright. Dreamfindersrv.com specializes in arranging this type of transaction and it can eliminate a lot of buyer angst, which could only help your cause.

Hope that helps a bit.

Bob
I'm going to be selling my 1988 Newell soon. I'm going with a high fiber diet, advertising, and patience.
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