We cover the top tips on how to sell your caravan including where to place adverts for maximum effectiveness, who you can contact and where you might get the best value for the sale of your caravan.
So, How Do I Sell My Caravan?
If you’re thinking of selling your caravan, there are a few key considerations to bear in mind. Where will you advertise it? Who do you sell it to? What’s the best way to avoid being scammed? And how can you ensure that you get the best price for it?
Is There a Perfect Time to Sell My Caravan?
People seem to have the most luck selling their caravans at the start of the year, right into Spring. This tends to be because the warming temperatures and sunnier days give that holiday feeling and people start to think about planning their trips and holidays.
However, it’s not just spring. There are many other times in the year when you can get a better price for you caravan and is dependant on stock levels, new models for the manufacturer and interest in particular shapes/models or layouts. The best thing to do is get your caravan out there and see what interest you get.
Deciding on a Price to Sell Your Caravan
The price you sell your caravan can make a real difference, especially if it’s not that old so having a good (but realistic) idea of the price it could go for is important.
Check out local markets and online adverts, websites and caravan dealers for your make/model of caravan. Even local advertising in your area, such as newspapers might have something that’s similar to yours which can give you a more regional idea of pricing.
Ensure you take into account age, specifications and any damage to give yourself an accurate reflection of what you’d get.
Ultimately, it’s to get a good idea of what the second hand market is offering for yours or something very similar.
Where to Sell Your Caravan
There are so many more options these days on where to sell your caravan. From online auction sites to traditional dealers and everything in-between. Trawling all these can be hard work though, so we’ve listed a few of the key places you can place an ad, as well as some other options you might not have considered.
- Online auction websites. The big one is obviously eBay. Just make sure you set a reserve price you’re happy with and take into account any payment fees! This can be on the expensive side when taking into account all the fees.
- Online advertising platforms. Such as AutoTrader. Can be good, but caravans tend to be less of a focus than cars and have a very short advertising timeframe.
- Contact a reputable dealer. Check out our list of caravan dealers for some of the dealers we have listed to see how much they might offer you.
- Get an online caravan valuation. Some websites can give you an online valuation, but these (generally) tend to be way below the mark. May be useful if you need to sell quickly for cash, but other options are usually better in the first instance.
- Specialist magazines. Some caravan and leisure magazines allow you to take out adverts, but generally these are only best for niche or expensive caravan models.
- We buy any caravan-type websites. These can be useful if you’re desperate and after a quick sale, but generally these types of websites are going to offer the lowest offer they can.
- Caravanly Sell My Caravan. We offer a valuation and private and trade options for selling your caravan and keeping you, the buyer, in control. Get offers from the trade and advertise your caravan on Caravanly directly.
How to Avoid Getting Scammed When Selling My Caravan?
Whether selling online or in-person you want to ensure you are able to sell your caravan as safely as possible. Here are our top tips on keeping the scammers at bay.
Arranging a Viewing
If a buyer is genuine, they will want see the caravan before they make any form of payment. Any viewing should be arranged at your home or where the caravan is stored, if at a storage site. But you should not meet them at another location or at a location of their choosing.
Prior to a viewing, ensure you get their contact details, such as a phone number and home address for reassurance. If they seem cagey about this, see that as a warning. A genuine buyer shouldn’t having a problem providing these details.
Paperwork Security
A buyer will naturally want to see the paperwork. Ensure the paperwork (such as the V5C vehicle registration document/logbook) is ready and available to be viewed by the potential buyer, but do not allow them to take a picture of the documents.
Keep Your Eye on the Caravan the Whole Time
Don’t leave the buyer alone with the caravan, even if they seem genuinely interested in buying it. They may have hidden intentions, and there is always the risk of vandalism or accidental damage.
Always accompany the buyer on any test drive (if applicable) and check that they have a valid license and are insured. Otherwise you might be footing the bill for any damages.
Ensure Payment is Cleared
Ensure you have the full payment in your bank account and is cleared. Some payment methods maybe instant and others may take a few days to clear. Only once you have confirmed, cleared funds should you hand over all the documents and keys, etc. If you’re unsure about clearance times it’s best to check with your bank.
Most buyers of used caravans (either trade or private) are genuine and trustworthy. You can usually tell by how they behave and the things they say to you, but always follow your gut feeling and if it sounds too good to be true – it will be!
Use Caravanly to Get the Best Price
As part of our commitment to UK caravanners, we felt there was a need to get a better price for your caravan, whether that’s selling it to the trade or privately. Because of this we’ve been building a valuation tool, advertising system and network of dealers to give you the best chance (for minimal effort) of getting the best price for the sale of your caravan.
If you’re interested in finding out more, plug your caravan details into our Sell My Caravan page to start the process and see how much you could get for your tourer, static or motorhome.