Holiday Group Webinar July 25th Announcement

https://www.gotomeeting.com/register/952751513

Can register and view more info here!

Want to get the most out of your timeshare? This FREE timeshare Webinar will show you how. And you’ll learn from the comfort of your home! Join Lisa Ann Schreier author of “Timeshare Vacations for Dummies” on Wednesday July 25th from 5:30 to 6:00 pm PST.
* Special bonus for attendees below.

Lisa will discuss:

1) Extra Vacations Available To RCI and II members
2) Last Minute Vacations Can Mean BIG Savings
3) Trading Timeshares For Cruises---Is This A Good Idea?
4) How And When To Stay At Your Home Resort
5) Referral Programs---Yes They DO Work!

This free 30 minute Webinar also includes an extended Q & A session, so you’ll have an opportunity to ask Lisa all your timeshare questions. Space is limited, so please sign up today!

* Bonus: Webinar attendees will receive a complimentary copy of Lisa’s “Timeshare Vacations for Dummies” book! Must attend webinar to receive.

Holiday Group, www.holidaygroup.com, is proud to host Lisa Ann Schreier, founder of Timeshare Insights and the author of both "Surviving A Timeshare Presentation...Confessions From The Sales Table" and "Timeshare Vacations For Dummies." As a former timeshare salesperson and manager, she is in a unique position to guide consumers through the myriad of timeshare products available and is known for her "tell it like it is" style. Ms. Schreier was recently featured in Budget Travel Magazine. She’s been featured in the New York Times, National Public Radio and Penn and Teller’s “Bullshit” on Showtime. She’s currently co-authoring her third book, "Introduction To Vacation Ownership" a college-level text due out in 2008.
System Requirements
PC-based attendees
Required: Windows® 2000, XP Home, XP Pro, 2003 Server, Vista

Macintosh®-based attendees
Required: Mac OS® X 10.3.9 (Panther®) or newer

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Since Lisa Ann is a former salesperson, would someone ask her why a salesman at Holiday would say that Holiday's FF points would be used to reserve a week for a new buyer of a FF pts timeshare, when closing couldn't be done in time for new buyer to make ressie in 2007 with pts expiring June 30, 2007 (and said buyer paid maint fees for 2007 as part of total purchase price)? Thanks for asking this on my behalf...I don't have the technology to join in the seminar.

Can Lisa address Holiday Groups problems?

I am sure that the plan is that Lisa will talk only about "general" timesharing procedures, but Holiday Group has its own problems.....for example, they say they "own" the units they sell, yet when we bought a unit from them, and they proudly told us that we "now" owned it and could reserve it (after all we had paid the MF up front 4 months before!) the original owner's name was still on the deed and we were unable to reserve it at all! Three more months of hasseling with them and we finally had her name taken off. But we had still paid those fees in advance which are not paid in advance by the particularr resort company. It took another 2 years to get that refunded.

It disturbs me that Holiday Group promotes itself so much on TUG when they have certain procedures that no TUGGER would tolerate.

ronandjoan said:

I am sure that the plan is that Lisa will talk only about "general" timesharing procedures, but Holiday Group has its own problems.....for example, they say they "own" the units they sell, yet when we bought a unit from them, and they proudly told us that we "now" owned it and could reserve it (after all we had paid the MF up front 4 months before!) the original owner's name was still on the deed and we were unable to reserve it at all! Three more months of hasseling with them and we finally had her name taken off. But we had still paid those fees in advance which are not paid in advance by the particularr resort company. It took another 2 years to get that refunded.

It disturbs me that Holiday Group promotes itself so much on TUG when they have certain procedures that no TUGGER would tolerate.

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Oh, I hope Holiday Group is ready for some "tough" questions. Fasten those seatbelts! Will a HG rep. be available for questions too?

Phil

ronandjoan said:

I am sure that the plan is that Lisa will talk only about "general" timesharing procedures, but Holiday Group has its own problems.....for example, they say they "own" the units they sell, yet when we bought a unit from them, and they proudly told us that we "now" owned it and could reserve it (after all we had paid the MF up front 4 months before!) the original owner's name was still on the deed and we were unable to reserve it at all! Three more months of hasseling with them and we finally had her name taken off. But we had still paid those fees in advance which are not paid in advance by the particularr resort company. It took another 2 years to get that refunded.

It disturbs me that Holiday Group promotes itself so much on TUG when they have certain procedures that no TUGGER would tolerate.

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This is the first negative post ive ever seen with regard to holiday group. I am sorry for your experience, but it appears to be the exception...not the norm.

Also are you sure you arent confusing holiday group with another "holiday" named organization....I have see notso happy comments about the latter before however.

ronandjoan said:

I am sure that the plan is that Lisa will talk only about "general" timesharing procedures, but Holiday Group has its own problems.....for example, they say they "own" the units they sell, yet when we bought a unit from them, and they proudly told us that we "now" owned it and could reserve it (after all we had paid the MF up front 4 months before!) the original owner's name was still on the deed and we were unable to reserve it at all! Three more months of hasseling with them and we finally had her name taken off. But we had still paid those fees in advance which are not paid in advance by the particularr resort company. It took another 2 years to get that refunded.

It disturbs me that Holiday Group promotes itself so much on TUG when they have certain procedures that no TUGGER would tolerate.

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Do you mean that the Holiday Group is buying from these "postcard companies" too today? I hope that this isn't true.

I know from experience that the Holiday Group didn't start out this way because they used to get their inventory "dirt cheap" from the Mexican developers who would offer to buy back "American based timeshares" from American tourists who would come to their timeshare presentations in the Puerto Vallarta area.

Several developers told us that it was a tax write-off for them to take these timeshares off your back and they would dispose of these "American based timeshares" for a dollar, if this was true. Who knows? They would offer you full value for what these timeshares were selling for that day at these resorts in the USA. In other words, they were lowering their inflated prices by that amount. In the meantime, they were selling their resorts at very over inflated prices to people who didn't have a timeshare to trade in or didn't haggle about the purchase price.

If this is true, it looks to me that the Holiday Group has found another source for buying dirt cheap timeshare units today but they may not realize that these timeshares are taken back with a power of attorney only so the poor old suckers, who paid these postcard companies almost $3,500 are still on the hook for maintenance fees, special assessments and taxes too, if they are collected separately like in CA, if the timeshare hasn't changed hands even after paying this outfit $3,500. You must have bought one of these timeshare units from them, in your case, so had the difficulty with the title, etc.

This industry cannot sink any lower than it has already but plenty people here take advantage of buying these dirt cheap timeshares too while it lasts but ridicule people who buy from a developer. Most people still buy from developers today which is a rip-off too but not as bad as what these postcard companies are doing today. They are scum and I wouldn't like to buy from them if I knew what was going on.

If a timeshare is offered dirt cheap on eBay and the seller offers many like that then you should know that they are taking advantage of someone, even if they deny it or lie about it. On the other hand, someone else will buy it from eBay if you don't because most people are not aware of what is going on behind the scenes so it is better that someone buys it than nobody at all and the poor old soul will be relieved from his liability, at last.

I am going to sign up for their course to see what they have to offer. I know I may not be popular here for posting how I feel but at least, I have a conscious.

This industry needs to be cleaned up by educating people. Notifying AARP and AAA too would not be a bad idea either so they can write about it and warn their subscribers. Most timeshare owners, who could afford buying a timeshare from a developer at one time can also afford to be a member of AARP or the triple A, most likely. They are older folks and they like to travel.

TUG alone cannot do it because many old people do not search the Internet yet and are even scared of it or do not even have a computer. They have to be educated with an old fashioned magazine that they can hold in their hands while reading the information.

Is this the Lisa who wrote a book for timeshare newbies too that was supposedly worthless? I never ordered it so I don't know but I am just curious. If she would only educate people too today how to get rid of their unwanted timeshares for no money at all and not paying someone $3,500 instead, she would do the public a favor. She certainly didn't do this when she could have educated people about not buying from developers but buy a re-sale timeshare unit instead. JMHO.

Hi Emmy,

I agree with you on your posting's content with one major exception. I do not believe that Tugger's redicule people just for buying from a developer. After all, 90%+ get it this way the first time.

What I personally redicule and have seen posted by others is when somebody HAS been told and shown that there is another way and still buys from the developer without a compelling arguement to do so. For exaample, buying presale at a Marriott can historically make economic sense.

I guess the bottom line is when you know better and still do something, that's plain ignorance. I personally feel that ignorance is a big challenge facing our society in every aspect.

I bought and read her book, it's terrible IMHO.

She is a timeshare salesperson who still believes in being a timeshare salesperson. She covers how to negotiate which is great but does not truly embrace the resale market. Sort of funny that Holiday Group is promoting her. IMHO her credibilty comes only from the fact that her book is part of the "for Dummies" series, not from the book's content.

The resale market continues to grow, the word is slowly getting out. Want to save people, talk it up, that's what I try here and in person with anyone who shows an interest.

Knowledge will eventually win out. It has a big battle against a very profitable industry that needs ignorance to thrive. Thus the standard "sign today or lose the deal" tactics. Tomorrow, the "lemming" may learn...that's dangerous to them.

A 'Dummies Book" :

http://www.dummies.com/WileyCDA/DummiesTitle/productCd-0764584421.html

Panned here (on TUG) when it came out as quite biased, panned on the Amazon website, and if you can't remember, I believe she was a member or guest here who asked for much info in helping her write the book & or articles.

I also seem to remember a lot of negativity about certain items in relation to this entire subject.

I thought.. ' ton of super swell information vacuumed out of tons of tuggers for free, so the vacuum can load up their pockets.

You are correct. Do you happen to remember which developer she sold for?

Am I correct or incorrect in remembering that she sold for a Orlando Timeshare Developer?

If it was or wasn't a Orlando Timeshare Deleveloper, which one did she sell for?

Has any one read her book listed below. If so was worth your while?

She is also the author of Surviving a Timeshare Presentation . . . Confessions from the Sales Table (Oct. 2004).

Bruce

KenK said:

A 'Dummies Book" :

http://www.dummies.com/WileyCDA/DummiesTitle/productCd-0764584421.html

Panned here (on TUG) when it came out as quite biased, panned on the Amazon website, and if you can't remember, I believe she was a member or guest here who asked for much info in helping her write the book & or articles.

I also seem to remember a lot of negativity about certain items in relation to this entire subject.

I thought.. ' ton of super swell information vacuumed out of tons of tuggers for free, so the vacuum can load up their pockets.

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Holiday Group from Seattle

TUG Improvements! said:

Also are you sure you arent confusing holiday group with another "holiday" named organization....I have see notso happy comments about the latter before however.

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This is the group - they did it to us 4 years ago and apparently are still doing it.


I have posted about it several times, whenever someones asks about it.

Reactions from others are mixed - some have good exp and some not. Seems to be if there is any possible snag, you get caught. Also, they misspelled our name, admittedly their error, on one deed so that was delayed again...

Just make sure any promises (e.g. we will reserve a week for you with OUR fairfield points) is in writing. They were unable to do it with a customer despite the sales promise.

johnmfaeth said:

I guess the bottom line is when you know better and still do something, that's plain ignorance.

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Actually it's stupidity. By definition ignorance is when you're unaware of something. Stupidity is knowledge and still acting unwisely. Everyone is ignorant at some time about some issue, and there is usually no stigma attached. It takes a jerk to be stupid.

ronandjoan said:

I am sure that the plan is that Lisa will talk only about "general" timesharing procedures, but Holiday Group has its own problems.....for example, they say they "own" the units they sell, yet when we bought a unit from them, and they proudly told us that we "now" owned it and could reserve it (after all we had paid the MF up front 4 months before!) the original owner's name was still on the deed and we were unable to reserve it at all! Three more months of hasseling with them and we finally had her name taken off. But we had still paid those fees in advance which are not paid in advance by the particularr resort company. It took another 2 years to get that refunded.

It disturbs me that Holiday Group promotes itself so much on TUG when they have certain procedures that no TUGGER would tolerate.

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At least some of the time they own them. To make a long story short, I had an ebay purchase from them fall through and wasn't happy with the excuses I was getting from the then sales manager, who I thought was a bit of a jerk. I suspected them of selling it to someone for more because I had learned that a not so upright TUGger had made them a higher offer when I discussed the closing delays with her. I checked the deed several months later at the city hall for the unit and it was listed in the president of Holiday's name.

Sheila

I've bought from them off the website and off ebay. The difference in the service level was night and day -- both from the sales rep, and the back office transfer people. MUCH better service when ebay wasn't involved.

Holiday Group

I bought a week from Holiday Group and they could not provide a clear title so they refunded my money. They obviously didn't own the week! The refund didn't happen overnight and I began to wonder if I'd ever see the money I'd paid them. I don't remember if this was an e-Bay purchase or not.

luana said:

I bought a week from Holiday Group and they could not provide a clear title so they refunded my money. They obviously didn't own the week! The refund didn't happen overnight and I began to wonder if I'd ever see the money I'd paid them. I don't remember if this was an e-Bay purchase or not.

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I had the same experience with Holiday Group, and yes it was Holiday Group. It was a nightmare. Holiday never had clear title from the beginning, yet continued to string me along. Then, half a year later, a refund mysteriously appeared on my credit card statement. No phone call, email, apology from Holiday whatsoever.

It was a sale off of ebay, if that indeed makes a difference.

Jana

FYI this is starting right now.

You have the option of signing in via the Internet or accessing it via a toll free number.

Since its Holiday Group day and all in the lounge....

What sort of topics would you like to see TUG cover in a future webinar if available?