What's new
Van's Air Force

Don't miss anything! Register now for full access to the definitive RV support community.

Unsolicited Offers to buy your RV??

rvisnext

Active Member
I did a quick search and didn’t come up with anything, so if this has been covered, my apologies.

I’ve only been in the RV world for a few years, and I’ve heard of only one (what I believe to be) real unsolicited offer to buy a beautiful RV7.

If I’m remembering correctly, the hopeful buyer saw the plane at Oshkosh, but I don’t think the owner/builder was at the plane. The hopeful buyer looked up the owners address through the wonderful system of the FAA letting everyone know our personal info(sarcasm)and sent him a letter with an offer that was at the time was probably 10-20% above market. The builder didn’t sell, and I do wonder if maybe that potential purchaser found his RV eventually. Maybe by going down a list he had made by walking around HBC and HBP at Oshkosh or potentially by more conventional means… checking Barnstormers and VAF at least once a day for months/years.

If I were a prospective buyer, I would think an Oshkosh trip could be maybe the best way to finding, or at least getting good leads on finding the perfect bird. I would expect that someone using this method would probably be paying above market in most cases, but even so you still paid way less than the labor should have cost, and you save year of your life had you built yourself.

So anyone have any stories along these lines? Really want to hear a story of someone who found one this way, and if it was like some sort of Hail Mary pass to finally join the RV ranks. Thanks in advance for any good stories.
 
Not as a buyer but I have sold two RVs that I built and both of them were unsolicited purchases as I had no plans to sell nor advertised them to sell.

Please don't take this as a self promoting/congratulating but I believe a nice RV or anything else for that matter sells fast and fetches good $. My advise if you are in the market to buy one and find a good one, don't wait too long.
 
Offers

Perhaps a better question is how many of us have standing offers to purchase, i.e. "Let me know if you ever decide to sell." I bet that's quite a few and the reason many good RVs never come onto the market.
 
I don't know about Oshkosh...never been and I don't think that it would be the first place I'd look. But when I was looking for an RV-7A or RV-9A (I didn't really care which) I posted a want-to-buy on EAA and here on VAF. I didn't really get much response on EAA but I had 8 replies here, and only two of them had been listed anywhere else. The other replies started with "I don't have this listed anywhere, but..."

Short version....I bought exactly the plane I wanted for a very fair price from a super-nice guy and flew it home from St. Louis about 3 weeks after placing the ad here. That was 18 months ago and remains one of the most positive big-ticket purchase experiences I've had.
 
I had several unsolicited offers for my purchased RV-3 along with a standing offer from the ferry pilot who flew it across the US, he bought it when I sold.
 
I have personally had (and accepted) an unsolicited offer to by an RV-10 that I built, it’s been several years ago though.
 
I did a quick search and didn’t come up with anything, so if this has been covered, my apologies.

I’ve only been in the RV world for a few years, and I’ve heard of only one (what I believe to be) real unsolicited offer to buy a beautiful RV7.

If I’m remembering correctly, the hopeful buyer saw the plane at Oshkosh, but I don’t think the owner/builder was at the plane. The hopeful buyer looked up the owners address through the wonderful system of the FAA letting everyone know our personal info(sarcasm)and sent him a letter with an offer that was at the time was probably 10-20% above market. The builder didn’t sell, and I do wonder if maybe that potential purchaser found his RV eventually. Maybe by going down a list he had made by walking around HBC and HBP at Oshkosh or potentially by more conventional means… checking Barnstormers and VAF at least once a day for months/years.

If I were a prospective buyer, I would think an Oshkosh trip could be maybe the best way to finding, or at least getting good leads on finding the perfect bird. I would expect that someone using this method would probably be paying above market in most cases, but even so you still paid way less than the labor should have cost, and you save year of your life had you built yourself.

So anyone have any stories along these lines? Really want to hear a story of someone who found one this way, and if it was like some sort of Hail Mary pass to finally join the RV ranks. Thanks in advance for any good stories.

My thinking is that most people who fly their RV to Oshkosh aren't really interested in an unsolicited offer on their plane. If you are at Oshkosh and looking to sell, you'd put a sign on your plane, right?

I went to Oshkosh many years ago thinking I'd see a bunch of RVs for sale, but there were just a few. The ones I saw were not very appealing. Bad panels, overpriced (for that era) and even one with a broken passenger side step. Going to Oshkosh is great, and I recommend it at least once for every RV owner, but I don't consider it an ideal way to find the best plane.

I eventually found my RV6 here, on VAF.

However, a RV owner I know took a different approach that is sort of unique. They used the FAA database to create a list of RV7 owners in Colorado and surrounding states with the age and engine they desired, and mailed a postcard asking if their plane was available or would be soon.

They ended up with a really very nice RV7.
 
However, a RV owner I know took a different approach that is sort of unique. They used the FAA database to create a list of RV7 owners in Colorado and surrounding states with the age and engine they desired, and mailed a postcard asking if their plane was available or would be soon.

Had the same thing happen with my Cessna 140. A tailwheel flight school in Arkansas was looking for C-140s to expand their business. I got a letter in the mail asking if I was interested in selling. It energized my hangar co-owner to not want to see it leave, so he bought it instead.
 
I bought exactly the plane I wanted for a very fair price from a super-nice guy and flew it home from St. Louis about 3 weeks after placing the ad here. That was 18 months ago and remains one of the most positive big-ticket purchase experiences I've had.

Exact same thing for me. Purchased my 7a that was never listed.
 
A long time ago a friend, who had an exceptionally nice airplane, although not an RV, was approached by a gentleman who said, "I'd like to buy your airplane." Bob replied, "It's not for sale." The fellow responded, "You don't understand - I don't care about the price." To which Bob said, "You don't understand - I don't either."

True story.

Dave
 
Word of mouth

I found my RV though someone who knew someone.... It was not on the market.

Fast forward 12 months I was doing my condition inspection and people at the airport would stop in and chat. After seeing the condition of the aircraft and the level of detail that went into the inspection I had two people tell me when I was ready to sell please let them know.
 
I am sure most RV’s sell by word of mouth and are never listed. I put in a WTB ad in VAF and had more than one person contact me. I bought the right plane at a fair price. The market is tighter now but scouring TAP, Barnstormers, and VAF classifieds is not likely to bear fruit, networking is key.
 
I have...

The number of unsolicited contacts for my rental properties are uncountable. Many every week through letters and cards in the mailbox to calls and text on my cellphone! Maddening... I have only gotten one unsolicited offer on my RV7A and it was by a card in the mail. I believe it was from a broker.
 
Same

I had a very similar experience buying an RV-9A that was listed here first, and never got listed anywhere else.

I don't know about Oshkosh...never been and I don't think that it would be the first place I'd look. But when I was looking for an RV-7A or RV-9A (I didn't really care which) I posted a want-to-buy on EAA and here on VAF. I didn't really get much response on EAA but I had 8 replies here, and only two of them had been listed anywhere else. The other replies started with "I don't have this listed anywhere, but..."

Short version....I bought exactly the plane I wanted for a very fair price from a super-nice guy and flew it home from St. Louis about 3 weeks after placing the ad here. That was 18 months ago and remains one of the most positive big-ticket purchase experiences I've had.
 
Never been approached at OSH or SNF.

I owned a Cessna 152 for a decade. Before I bought it I searched for a partner and no takers. Not long after I owned it several were then interested in buying half. No Thanks was always my response.

Now a decade in and flying my finished RV7A, I have had a couple offers of a partner and several have made the comment of "Let me know if you ever want sell."

I think it's boils down to shying away from the unknowns. Once they see your plane and that it's always hangared and how it's maintained... then they are interested.

I can be bought but not cheap.... My plane and nearly anything I own is potentially always for sale if you know what I mean.
 
My RV Search

My search and eventual purchase of my RV7A was, I thought, unique. My goal was to identify a broad group of willing RV sellers so that I could find my ideal aircraft at a reasonable market price. Using the FAA database I came up with a list of RV registered owners (within a reasonable distance) that I mailed post cards to stating an interest in finding an appropriate RV for a specific target price.

Needless to say, folks who received my postcard took the inquiry quite differently. Some people responded in a curious manner offering to sell their RV’s, some folks raised a minor stink on this forum saying my target price and equipment criteria were ridiculous, and most folks just threw away the postcard because they weren’t interested in selling their aircraft. I even had a few people contact me offering to build one for me.

As a result of this approach I actually had about six potential RVs (6, 7 and 9) that met my stated criteria and were either within or near my target price. The aircraft that interested me the most was about 10K above my target price but hit all my equipment buttons plus a few more.

I contacted the seller, we discussed the aircraft and his reason for selling (age and health) arranged for a prebuy, flew to see the aircraft, and knowing there were some build quality issues to address went ahead and pulled the trigger. Admittedly the build quality issues were greater than I initially thought but it still turned out to be a great purchase.

All I can say is that the broader the search, the greater the likelihood one will find the aircraft you want at or near your target price. I used the “law of large numbers” to find my RV. However, be prepared to receive a lot of rejection, negative forum comments, and a few honest inquiries when you go outside the normal approach to finding your aircraft.

It doesn’t help that a lot of scammers are out there looking for their next target when your purchase search is outside the norm. However my experience tells me that if people exercise due diligence, a cautious buyer and willing seller can be brought together for a successful transaction.
 
Not as a buyer but I have sold two RVs that I built and both of them were unsolicited purchases as I had no plans to sell nor advertised them to sell.

Please don't take this as a self promoting/congratulating but I believe a nice RV or anything else for that matter sells fast and fetches good $. My advise if you are in the market to buy one and find a good one, don't wait too long.

Not an RV but I spent years restoring a large sailing vessel. Was truly a work of art. One day a nice very experienced captain was walking the dock to his vessel. He stopped and chatted. I invited him in and on his way out with a wry smile he said "some day a fine gentleman will walk up to you and offer you a fine price for this boat." Covered in blood, sweat, tears, and a drained bank account I thought yeah right. Fast forward a few years. It actually happened a nice fine gentleman who could appreciate the craftsmanship took out his checkbook and said what do you want for it. I threw out a number I thought was fair and he wrote the check right then. I couldn't believe it. I miss the boat but honestly I was ready. It is WAY, WAY, WAY EASIER to write a check than build.

Builders are a rare breed that should be revered as their craftsmanship is priceless. Have a great Friday and fly em like you stole em.
 
Back
Top