Brokerage
FL Yacht Broker Lic. #12079
Kevin Gardner holds an active Florida yacht broker license. All listing and representation agreements run under it, in writing, before any work begins.
Licensed Yacht Brokerage · Islamorada, FL
Buy and sell Keys boats with a licensed broker who knows every hull.
Kevin Gardner is a licensed Florida yacht broker — and the owner-operator of IYMS, the Keys' mobile detailing company. That combination means your listing gets professional presentation in-house, your buyers get honest condition answers, and nobody has to guess what deferred maintenance will look like after closing.
Florida Yacht Broker Lic. #12079 1,500+ vessels inspected & detailed Keys-based, Florida-wide for the right boat
10+
years on Keys water
1,500+
vessels inspected & detailed
5.0
Google rating
1
point of contact, quote to closing
The Unfair Advantage
Most brokers sell photos. We sell condition.
A brokerage license lets anyone list a boat. What decides whether that listing holds its position is knowing what's underneath the shine — oxidation depth, waterline history, interior moisture, brightwork pitting. Kevin's crew has documented those exact conditions on more than 1,500 Keys vessels.
For sellers, that means accurate positioning from day one and prep that's already scheduled in-house. For buyers, it means a broker who can walk a deck and tell you what the finish will need over the next three years — before you write the offer, not after the survey.
And when a surveyor's cosmetic note is really a detailing item in disguise, we're the only brokerage in the Keys that can fix it before the re-inspection.
Credentials
Licensed, insured, documented.
Operations
Licensed & insured crew
Proof of insurance provided to marinas, dockmasters, yacht clubs and property managers on request — before we arrive, not after.
Products
Professional applicator
Starke Yacht Care and Dura Coat Technologies ceramic systems, applied by the same crew that prepares the hull — no hand-offs.
Paper trail
Condition packs
Before/after photos and written condition notes on every prep job — a file your listing, your surveyor and your buyer can all rely on.
Representation
Both sides of the transaction, handled properly.
For Sellers
List it right the first time.
- Valuation & positioning — comps plus real condition data, not guesswork from listing photos.
- In-house sale preparation — correction, interior, waterline and photography-ready gloss, scheduled by our own crew.
- Listing & marketing — professional presentation across major yacht listing networks, with the condition pack attached.
- Showings & negotiation — we field the tire-kickers, brief serious buyers honestly, and negotiate from documented condition.
- Contract to close — deposits, survey and sea-trial coordination, title and closing paperwork, through funded delivery.
For Buyers
Buy the boat, not the surprise.
- Sourcing & alerts — tell us length, budget, layout and where you'll keep her; we work listings on and off market.
- Condition-first viewings — a detailer's eye on hull, brightwork, interior moisture and cosmetics at every showing.
- Offer strategy — positioned against what the finish and maintenance history will actually need after closing.
- Survey & sea-trial coordination — independent surveyors and technicians perform them; we schedule, attend and translate the findings.
- Day-one ownership — closing-day detailing, ceramic coating or a recurring care plan from the same crew, so she starts her life with you protected.
In-House Sale Preparation
The prep crew is our crew.
Every listing we take gets sale-prep detailing from IYMS's own team — gelcoat correction, waterline cleaning, interior and mold work, teak and brightwork — timed backward from your photography date. No coordinating third parties, no guessing whether the prep finishes before the listing goes live.
On a recent 1971 Hatteras 36 sale prep, that in-house process caught a live-well drain leak mid-detail — documented and disclosed before survey instead of discovered during it. Sellers keep their negotiating position; buyers keep their trust.
Not listing with us and just need the boat ready? Sale-prep detailing is available standalone too →
The Process
Consult to closing, four steps.
Consult & valuation
We walk the boat together (or review photos and records), position it against comps and real condition, and agree representation terms in writing under License #12079.
Prep & list
In-house detailing brings her to photography standard. The listing goes live with professional presentation and a documented condition pack.
Show, negotiate, inspect
We manage showings and offers, then coordinate survey and sea trial with your chosen independent professionals — attending every step.
Close & hand over
Title, funds and documents through closing. Sellers walk away clean; buyers get a day-one care plan so the boat stays as she looked on listing day.
Brokerage Coverage
Keys home waters, Florida reach.
Our listing and showing territory is centered on the marinas and canals we work every week — Mangrove Marina, Islamorada Yacht Village, Whale Harbor, Church Key, Bluefin Rock Harbor, Marina del Mar and Gilbert's — plus private docks and yard slots throughout Key Largo, Islamorada and Tavernier.
For the right vessel we list and represent statewide, with travel for showings, surveys and closings arranged up front.
Brokerage FAQ
Asked before every transaction.
Are you a licensed yacht broker?
Yes. Kevin Gardner is a licensed Florida yacht broker, License #12079, operating from Islamorada. All listing and representation agreements are handled under that license, with terms set in writing before any work begins.
How do brokerage commissions work?
Commissions follow standard market practice and are set in the listing agreement (sellers) or buyer-representation agreement (buyers), typically paid from seller proceeds at closing with co-brokerage splits handled between brokers. Every term is walked through in writing before you sign.
Can you list a boat that needs work?
Yes — it's our specialty. Our detailing crew handles correction, interior and waterline work in-house before photography. When prep doesn't make sense for the boat's likely market position, we'll say so and list as-is with full disclosure.
Who handles surveys and sea trials?
Independent marine surveyors and technicians perform them. We coordinate scheduling, access and documentation, and help interpret cosmetic and finish findings. Mechanical opinions always belong to your surveyor.
What areas do you cover?
Home waters are the Upper Keys — Key Largo, Islamorada, Tavernier and Plantation Key. We list and represent vessels throughout Florida for the right boat, with travel arranged by agreement.
Broker Consult
Tell us what you're buying or selling.
Kevin responds personally — usually same-day in season. For detailing-only requests, use the detailing quote form.
Received — Kevin will reach out personally.
For time-sensitive transaction questions, call 305-396-1787 during office hours.