TUG Oldest Questions

[Dave&Linda]

Okay,I'm sure these have been asked innumerable times before, but based on the number of questions I've been asked lately (it is winter here), what does one say to: 1) is it really worth buying a timeshare?; 2) where's the best place to look for one: visiting the place; checking on E-BAY; going to some other commercial timeshare seller?; and 3) Who can you trust/not trust in this business? I'm not joking around with these questions but given how most of us are up on the subject, please delete this if not appropriate. Thanks, Dave

 

[silvib]

Based on my personal experience, which is somewhat limited compared to fellow Tug members:
1) It's worth buying if you exchange into a resort that would cost you more to rent that your annual dues at your home resort. In our own case, we purchased a timeshare that we wanted to use because we like its location, but it turns out, it's cheaper to rent,as a member of the public in our resort at the time of the year we would go. We didn't discover this website until way after the purchase.
2) Years' ago, we bought 2 timeshares direct from the developers because we didn't know there were resales.
We bought our current timeshare on Ebay. Went to view the resort before we paid our money, the reception kindly showed us a unit they keep as a model, but in the reality they weren't as nice as that, although location is good (for us).
3) We bought ours through the Holiday Group on EBay.

 

[lprstn]

1) is it really worth buying a timeshare?; 2) where's the best place to look for one: visiting the place; checking on E-BAY; going to some other commercial timeshare seller?; and 3) Who can you trust/not trust in this business?

1) Is it worth buying a timeshare; To me it is. The vacations I have had are more affordable to me. However, I did buy 3 of my resorts resale, and even the one I bought at full price is worth it to me. Why? Because I never would have vacationed to the extent that I do now if I had not have purchased a TS. The thought of me coming up with $2200 to stay near (on Disney in a cabin at Ft. Wilderness) 2 times a year at one lump sum was not an option for me. However, with TS even owing the developer and paying monthly isn't as hard as parting with large lump sums at one time. Economically I have saved just by the amount of vacations I take, using my points and banked weeks. In addition once I payoff my developer loan (of which I get to write of the interest on my taxes) I will be able to TS for 3 months of the year at the cost of my MF and banking which (I did the math) comes out to about $382 a week which is cheaper than owning a vacation home, and having the care and maintenance of it on my own. Not to mention that the world becomes my vacation home.

2) Where to look for one? I bought from Holiday Group, a Tugger (Tom Corneilius), and GMAC Timeshare Resales, because I personally rather pay the extra money to make sure that the process is handled professionally and that someone is accountable. My purchase experience with all of the above have been rewarding and stressfree. I haggled on the price a bit, and paid what I felt comfortable paying.

3) Who can you trust? Yourself, do your research, analyze how you travel now, how you wish to travel in the future, and what you can comfortably afford in any situation...buying resale is definately cheaper, but everyone needs to research the pros and cons for their own personal preferences. Never trust the salespersons at the tours, THEY LIE. You can trust fellow Tuggers as a lot of knowledgeable and honest in their assessments, but only you know what is best for YOU.

** Also, I must note, that the downsize of TS is that when you are finished with it, they are hard to sell, give away, or get rid of. That's why when I purchased I did so with my eyes wide opened and realized that I would possibly never get the $$ I paid for it back, but the Memories I have had while using them will be worth it to me for any financial lost.

That's my soapbox and I am sticking to it

 

[easyrider]

1) is it really worth buying a timeshare?;

For me Yes. We love Cabo and have 2 weeks there now in owners units on Medano Beach.

2) where's the best place to look for one: visiting the place; checking on E-BAY; going to some other commercial timeshare seller?;

We went to 3 presentations to resorts we like in Cabo and bought ours based on location and happy hour gossip.

3) Who can you trust/not trust in this business? I'm not joking around with these questions but given how most of us are up on the subject, please delete this if not appropriate. Thanks, Dave

Trust yourself by learning what matters to you the most. I trust the numbers first because they are fact then trust every thing else especially gossip with
a little doubt. Since we found Tug we have bought 5 weeks total resale for very little. We are still learning things on tug by reading posts about places we want to visit.

Good Luck with your TS search.

 

[Hoc]

Okay,I'm sure these have been asked innumerable times before, but based on the number of questions I've been asked lately (it is winter here), what does one say to: 1) is it really worth buying a timeshare?; 2) where's the best place to look for one: visiting the place; checking on E-BAY; going to some other commercial timeshare seller?; and 3) Who can you trust/not trust in this business? I'm not joking around with these questions but given how most of us are up on the subject, please delete this if not appropriate. Thanks, Dave

My answers to the three questions are:

1. For me, it was. For you, you need to do your research and make up your own mind. There are benefits to timesharing (e.g., kitchens in some of the units, a little cheaper than the best places, being forced to travel to places you wouldn't otherwise go and therefore increase your adventure) that you don't get with other forms of vacationing, and there are drawbacks (e.g., limited availability, lower quality accommodations than equivalent-priced hotels, and limited service), as well.

2. The best place to look is everywhere, until you find one at a place you want for the price you want.

3. You can trust your own research and information, and nobody else. Most people in the business have a vested interest somewhere. Even other owners tend to overvalue their own timeshares, because they want to persuade themselves that they did not make a bad deal. So, trust only your own research that you have gleaned from everywhere and synthesized yourself.

 

[teachingmyown]

3 answers...

Was it worth it? To me and my family...absolutely! Resoundingly and unwaveringly YES it was. For you and your family...???? If vacations are important to you and you want/seriously plan to take one at least every couple of years or so then most likely it will be worth it for you as well. That's not a slam dunk "absolutely" but my opinionated "probably"


Where to look? I only have experience with what we (I) did...that was sitting right here in my slippers, letting my fingers do the looking on the internet. I started with TUG--first researching the "why", then researching the "how", finally narrowing down to the "where" and "who". I had an entire folder of sites in my saved section, and pages and pages of copy-n-paste notes in my Word files before I was satisfied that I was ready to purchase. Then I chose a resale broker (Angel England angelb -at- ozarkisp.net) and waited for "my" desired purchase to appear. Based on factors that were important to our family, I had decided specifically on Fairfield (now Wyndham) and had narrowed my choices within FF to two specific properties, based solely on maintenance fees. Angel answered all my questions, some of them more than once, handled everything and went so far 'above and beyond' that I feel forever indebted to her. We bought our week sight unseen and have never regretted it.


As for who to trust? Trust yourself--but be stern with yourself as well. Trust trusted friends who were friends before you started considering timeshare (I've helped several of my friends who wanted to timeshare but who didn't have the time or opportunity to do their own research). And I can/will recommend Angel. She did right by us and I would go to her in a second if I had a need or desire for more weeks.