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Buy/Sell/Trade.. A noob question

huenix

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I am very much a novice at this but in reading hundreds of threads here, I came across something I cannot understand and I want to.

I see people who have noted buying this and that and the other thing. Like... "I bought four TS's from these people..."

There is a fundamental gap between me and understanding, and I think it might be an important gap. And I think that its relevant. For instance..

I want to spend a week at Disney next year. And maybe some more weeks in the future. So I was kind of looking at cheap Orlando area TSs for sale. Does it make sense to even consider buying a TS to something there? Like.. Buy one, use it in 2015, maybe again in 2017 and then sell it after that? Is that why someone would have as many as they do?

I guess I also want to understand... If you have more than one TS, why? And should I? I have 1 MF'ed week a year, plus 2 'free' weeks. Is buying a TS that basically amounts to the transfer fee worth it knowing I may only use it twice.
 

DeniseM

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When you buy a timeshare, you usually get one week every year (or every other year) so buying one in 2015, and 2017, would usually mean that starting in 2017, you'd have 2 weeks of vacation every year.

People who own multiple weeks usually, have a lot of vacation time (perhaps retired) or they rent their timeshares.

It's far too much trouble to buy two deeds, and just use them 2 or 3 years and then sell them. If you don't want to own long-term, you should consider renting - especially in Orlando, where rentals are very inexpensive, because there is more supply than demand.

If you actually mean that you want to own or vacation at a Disney Vacation Club resort, that is a different story, because those are expensive timeshares to buy and own, and not the kind of thing that you buy and sell casually, or even rent cheaply - they are expensive.
 
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Saintsfanfl

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I own loads of timeshares but I don't suggest anyone does what I do. It's a hobby of mine but at the end of the day is it worth it? Only from a hobby stand point. I have a full time job and 3 weeks of time off per year.

I have bought about 27 timeshares in two years. Some to rent out and/or resell, some as pure traders, some I probably shouldn't have bought or taken. I always target free usage or extra value of some sort.

It's very time consuming so if someone is just wanting to vacation it's best to rent.
 

ronparise

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As Denise has already suggested, some of us are not tied to a school or work schedule anymore.


Im another one that bought more than a few timeshares. Although I didnt start out with this as my plan, its gone from buying for my own use, then like Saintsfanfl, to a hobby, and now its developed into a little business

Also like Saintsfanfl I dont suggest that anyone do what I have done....but its working for me


My original plan was to accumulate enough that my timeshares would work as a proxy for a second home. Something like 10-25 timeshares would provide three to six months away from home each year. I still recommend this plan to those folks that want a second home, but not the expense or hassle of owning one.
 

csxjohn

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At one time I owned 4 timeshares but I got 7 1/2 weeks vacation so I used 2 exclusively for exchanging and the other two I went to and exchanged. The one I owned near Disney was a lock off so I got 2 weeks when I exchanged it.

I think a cheap Orlando area TS is a good idea but that's just me. In fact I'm looking for a good lock off in the area now with reasonable MFs. I have 2 grandchildren, 4 yrs and 8 mos with one on the way. The kids will be able to use it when they need to and I'll exchange it when they don't.

On the other hand, for an occasional trip to Orlando renting may be better for you, it depends on how you'd otherwise use a TS you own.


Getting back you your question, buying to use a couple years and then sell has one drawback, If you get it dirt cheap it may not be easy to unload, something you'll have to try to determine.

To enjoy the parks I don't think you have to stay on site but others wouldn't do it any other way. My TS was about 15 miles from the crowds but close enough to get to the parks easily.


So you can see with so many choices and every person being different there is no easy answer to your questions. The best you can hope for is to read what others do and steer your course accordingly.
 

Saintsfanfl

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Convenience is a factor. It's easier to reserve or have a fixed week than it is renting from an owner.

Value is a factor. The fees for a high demand week will be lower than renting. Sometimes half.

There can be really good value in exchanging. A lock-off can be traded for two large units but many times it's short notice or lower season. Some of the best value lock-offs are at resorts that flatten their fees. Some resorts actually charge the same fee for a 1BR, 3BR, or a 2BR lock-off.

Most timeshares have less than zero value. Many timeshares can be rented for much less than the fees.
 

uscav8r

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Convenience is a factor. It's easier to reserve or have a fixed week than it is renting from an owner.

Value is a factor. The fees for a high demand week will be lower than renting. Sometimes half.

...

Most timeshares have less than zero value. Many timeshares can be rented for much less than the fees.

So you're saying, "it depends!" :)

OP needs to get very specific so our responses (or what he thinks he understands from the FAQs) are less confusing.

I agree that it does not make much sense to buy a particular TS with intent to sell in only a couple years. It seems to me that the examples the OP has seen of "flipping" through TS is more a factor of getting into something and finding out later it is not what you needed or are otherwise not willing to keep it long term.

Is that an accurate characterization of the ones you've dumped?




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huenix

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This discussion is exactly the information I was looking for, not out of any great need to know it, but just because I was very curious what was going on.

I could easily exchange my week in MX for a week in some other place, but with all the fees, it almost seemed like I might be better off getting a cheap week (maybe even a EOY) at a ski place. I can't see that having a place near Disney would make any sense for me since I really don't go every other year.

Thanks everyone!
 

Passepartout

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Depending on what you own in Mexico, it may not exchange as well as you think. It's a helluva lot easier to exchange into a premium Mexican resort with a fairly ordinary U.S. TS than to exchange into a like-for-like exchange into a premium U.S. TS.

I have stressed for years, that while one CAN exchange it isn't free when you examine the fees. Membership in an exchange company, then paying exchange fees, and short stay fees, and housekeeping on top of your MF makes exchanging pretty steep.

At the infamous sales presentations,- especially those involving points- buyers are given the impression that they have this huge stash of points and just 'use them like currency' to book vacations all over the world. What they either don't say, or glaze over is that if an owner does this, they can pretty easily double the amount of their MF.

Jim
 

DeniseM

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I could easily exchange my week in MX for a week in some other place, but with all the fees, it almost seemed like I might be better off getting a cheap week (maybe even a EOY) at a ski place.

Actually - you probably can't. Timeshares in Mexico have low trading power, because there is more supply than demand. So you are unlikely to be able to trade it for prime weeks during ski season.

If you want to take a ski vacation every year, for 10+ years, then buying exactly what you want at a ski resort makes sense - it's difficult to trade into prime ski weeks.

But in your original post, you said you were considering buying a timeshare to use 2 years and then selling it? That is way too much work for 2 vacations. Instead, just rent exactly what you want.
 

uscav8r

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I am very much a novice at this but in reading hundreds of threads here, I came across something I cannot understand and I want to.

I see people who have noted buying this and that and the other thing. Like... "I bought four TS's from these people..."

...

I guess I also want to understand... If you have more than one TS, why? And should I? I have 1 MF'ed week a year, plus 2 'free' weeks. Is buying a TS that basically amounts to the transfer fee worth it knowing I may only use it twice.

For your first observation, this likely refers to buyers who have had good experiences with certain sellers and would recommend them for future business.

As to your last bunch of questions, I bought into two different TS systems, Wyndham and Worldmark, because they complemented each other geographically. I originally bought (was suckered) into Wyndham, which has many resorts, but are focused in the eastern half of the US. I later found out about Worldmark, which is focused on the Western half of the US.

I would imagine others with multiple TS at individual resorts wanted either more weeks at that resort or weeks/points at other places for diversity of experience. My wife likes the beach, I like the mountains.

I cannot speak to your individual tastes, but for now, I recommend you first learn how to maximize what you have. Learn how to trade/exchange to get to other locations. Be flexible (in terms of vacation experience). Rent those must-have places/times that you can't get via trade.

Then, and only then, should you either buy more of what you have, or into some other resort/system.


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Saintsfanfl

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So you're saying, "it depends!" :)

OP needs to get very specific so our responses (or what he thinks he understands from the FAQs) are less confusing.

I agree that it does not make much sense to buy a particular TS with intent to sell in only a couple years. It seems to me that the examples the OP has seen of "flipping" through TS is more a factor of getting into something and finding out later it is not what you needed or are otherwise not willing to keep it long term.

Is that an accurate characterization of the ones you've dumped?

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Not really accurate in my case. I usually know exactly what I am buying and the value. I buy below value. I haven't exactly "dumped" any yet. I have sold 6, 5 of them Marriott's. Of the Marriott's 2 were to Marriott as buybacks and 2 were through Marriott as the broker. 1 was to a 3rd party. The non-Marriott I got for free usage and then sold it to a Tugger for the amount of the transfer fee. Giving that one away was painful because it's a fixed week in Augustine and next year is the 450 year anniversary that week. Needed to do it though. In a nutshell I sold the 5 Marriott's for as much as I paid for my first 22 timeshares, including the 5.

I do have 1 I tried to dump but it's still a good lock-off value trader so after talking two people out of taking it I paid the fees and will keep it for now.

Unfortunately you can't provide specific information because there are so many variables and circumstances involved.
 

Saintsfanfl

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The one I kind of regret buying is one I bought for day use. The mistake was buying it as a 1BR which is unrealistic to rent out for the fees. I got my reservation for it just barely before 60 days only to find out that II won't add it because it is corporate account only but it takes months for them to set it up. I will try and get rid of it if I take too big of a loss on the rental.
 

huenix

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But in your original post, you said you were considering buying a timeshare to use 2 years and then selling it? That is way too much work for 2 vacations. Instead, just rent exactly what you want.

The more I look at this, the more it seems to me that my best bet is to use my one already-paid week every year, and then use my vacation fair weeks if I need them. Then just find a rental anywhere else. My vacations are rarely such that I could pick a fixed week, but looking through ebay, here, and other sites it seems like I could prolly pick up a ski week for way less than the cost of paying the fees on my "free" weeks, then the added fees of exchanging it.

Same for Disney.
 
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