What should I buy?

[bbQueen]

1) Is there a vacation destination you wish to visit most of the time or on a regular basis? if so where?
Europe

2) Do you want to visit your home resort at least half the time, or do you want to trade more than half the time?
Trade more than half

3) What are your 5 top trade destinations?
Eua
France
Mexico
Greece


4) How many people do you usually travel with?
2

5) Can you travel any time, or are you locked into the school schedule?
Flexible time

6) Can you make firm plans 12 or more mos. in advance?
Yes

7) Can you vacation for a full week at a time?
Yes

8) What level of accommodations do you prefer on a scale of 1 to 5 stars?
3-5

9) How much can you afford to spend upfront, without financing?
3,000

10) How much can you afford to spend every year for a maintenance fee that will come due right after Christmas, and increase each year?
1,000 or less

11) Are you a detail oriented planner?
Yes

12) Do you understand that once you buy a timeshare, it may be very difficult to sell or give away, and you are responsible for all fees, until you do?
Yes

 

[Passepartout]

You don't mention where you live. We suggest that at least for a first timeshare, you (a) rent a few times to learn about different brands (systems). Then try to get one that is within reasonable driving distance from home. That way, should airfares become more expensive, or you should suffer a reversal of fortune, you can just drive there and have a nice vacation.

In your 'wish list', your top destinations are all international. You should know that most European TSs are not up to American standards, and generally, they are located in rural areas. And Mexico is so overbuilt, that you can rent there for far less than owning a TS and exchanging into Mexico.

Best wishes, and even free, I would not accept a Brazilian TS.

Jim

 

[GT75]

I agree with the advice that @Passepartout has already given you. In addition, you haven't given us any information/details on what has been offered to you in Brazil. I just don't see how getting this TS in Brazil is going to meet your needs on where you want to travel. Brazil isn't even on your list. I would only recommend purchasing a TS if you are planning to using it at that location or within that particular TS system (such as Marriott, or Hilton or Hyatt, etc). I wouldn't use RCI has my main means of using the TS which I purchased.

 

[bbQueen]

Sorry for the lack of details. I live in Brazil, on a city called Belém, about three hours away by car from this new time sharing hotel that they are building. I am not really interested on spending a lot of time there, even though it’s a beach.

They’ve offered me a 4 week TS plan for about $13,000 to be paid on a period of 3 years and also a 5 year free of charge RCI association.

 

[Passepartout]

Living in Brazil would make that one more attractive, but since it's new, there won't be resales, and $13,000 is too much to spend. The 5 years' RCI membership is worth less than $500, so that's no incentive.

I really wish I could see a way to make timeshare as a concept useful for you, but I can't. RENT- or use VRBO/AirBnB! There is no buy-in, you can go when you want without having to book a year ahead of use and you are free to go or not go as you wish- no obligation, and no worries about hurricane or fire damage and refurbishment fees.

I wish you Good Luck!

Jim

 

[WalnutBaron]

Contrary to your statement that "since it's new, there won't be resales", I will guarantee you that within 6-12 months of the opening of the resort you speak of, resale offers will begin to come on the market at 10% of the retail asking price, or even less. RCI membership is a plus, but is easy to obtain and is not a huge perk. You will also read here on TUG that most members now prefer Interval International (II) over RCI for many reasons, not least of which is that exchanges cost about 25-30% less than an exchange on RCI.

Previous comments regarding the importance of renting are very good advice. I would also advise that you purpose to spend at least a half hour per day roaming around the TUG bulletin boards to read and absorb as much as you can. You'll be surprised at how much you will learn, and that learning will help you become a smarter buyer with a lot more $$ (or, in this case, Brazilian reals) in your pocket than if you spent $13,000 on a new resort that will soon enough become available on the resale market.