Happy to be a Newb!!

[skezzy]

I would like to start buy saying that Im new to timeshare ownership but not to timeshares. I have been freeloading my Fathers extra and unused weeks for years now. The old man is fully retired now and keeping them all to himself these days So the days of just having to pay the exchange fee are over for me. I'm named after him so I didnt even have to pay for the Friend certificate I've been browsing the post for days with my finger on the Ebay trigger but everytime I think i feel comfortable enough to bid I find myself back here reading again. My father considers himself a timeshare Guru and to his credit he is always on vacation and still seems to lose a few weeks at the end of the year. Like all sons I want to be able to look the old man in the face with my head held high and say look at what your boy did pops. The only info he would give me is to never buy retail and not to buy in Orlando but that still leaves a few million choices I live on the east coast and from what Ive been reading here I should buy Wyndham. Is there a safe pick that i cant go wrong with? I just want to say thanks in advance to all for any help you can provide.

 

[Rent_Share]

Be patient, read and re-read

Where on the east coast are you

What is your family situation

If you are single I would suggest renting through the Last Minute rentals and aggressive counter offering around or below Maintenance Fees at Redweek My Resort Network etc . . . .

$1 Timeshares are easy to buy, Maintenance Fees come due every month until you can find a taker

 

[skezzy]

Be patient, read and re-read

Where on the east coast are you

What is your family situation

If you are single I would suggest renting through the Last Minute rentals and aggressive counter offering around or below Maintenance Fees at Redweek My Resort Network etc . . . .

$1 Timeshares are easy to buy, Maintenance Fees come due every month until you can find a taker

Im in Northern Va. under forty Divorced with no kids. I already have a membership to RCI and I have been taking adavantage of the last minute vacations.

 

[Rent_Share]

Im in Northern Va. under forty Divorced with no kids. I already have a membership to RCI and I have been taking adavantage of the last minute vacations.

Can't see amy compelling reason to buy, Since you can use Studios I would stay with the last minute rentals

You might look for a trienial in the event dad decides to unload his

 

[csxjohn]

Guru?

My father considers himself a timeshare Guru and to his credit he is always on vacation and still seems to lose a few weeks at the end of the year.

If he is losing weeks every year, he could still benefit from TUG. I know when I deposit a week with DAE, it is good for 3 years and can be extended beyond that for a fee. Membership is free as it is with VRI*ety exchange.

With DAE it is week based so if you're comfortable with points it may not work for you.

There are other free exchange companies so you may be able to save the cost of that RCI membership and pay less for your exchanges.

Learn how to avoid losing weeks, take in everything he can teach you, and take your time before you buy.

 

[theo]

My $0.02 worth...

<snip> I live on the east coast and from what Ive been reading here I should buy Wyndham. Is there a safe pick that i cant go wrong with? I just want to say thanks in advance to all for any help you can provide.

As a former Wyndham owner and decades-long owner of multiple other (non-Wyndham) timeshares, who also lives on the East Coast, I will add a dissenting voice regarding the alleged great and wondrous virtues of Wyndham. I gave my Wyndham ownership away for free two years ago, paid the closing and transfer fees myself ---and was more than happy to do so.

Wyndham certainly has some decent properties (none anywhere in New England btw, except for a very few in Newport, Rhode Island), but the many and varied "flavors" of Wyndham ownership can be a bit dizzying if you are new to their game. Wyndham has "points only" (UDI) packages, deeded fixed weeks, converted deeded fixed weeks (allowing either points use or underlying deeded week use), several different "club" flavors and assorted ARP (advance reservation priority) policies. Wyndham is the Baskin-Robbins of the timeshare world, imho, in regard to all of their many "flavors". You'd certainly be well advised to study up and learn and understand all of the many nuances before taking on a Wyndham ownership (...even a free one). Wyndham maintenance fees are no comparative "bargain" either, btw.

Maintenance fees are forever. My advice is to first very clearly define in your mind when and where you are most likely to vacation. Do you have specific calendar constraints which dictate your vacation time (e.g. young children, or a job as a teacher, or a job which "assigns" time off for its' employees?). If so, don't overlook the fact that in "floating" type ownerships, 90% of such people want the exact same 10% of available weeks (...no, I can't back up those specific numbers, but you surely get my intended point). Do the math --- many "float and flex" owners must inevitably become disappointed in their unfulfilled reservation plans and intentions. Is "reservation maybe" a statistical game that you are ready and willing to play?

TUG is a great resource for knowledge and experience (...and a few annoying and uninformed trolls as well, but you'll surely sort them out quickly). I would read and learn, then read and learn more --- for months.
Only when you feel you are well educated, fully informed and solidly confident in buying exactly what works for you (and what will continue to work for you in the foreseeable future) should you pull the trigger on taking on ownership obligations. Wyndham may or may not be a good fit for you; it surely wasn't for me.

In closing my (admittedly long-winded, for which I apologize) two cents' worth, please continually remind yourself that maintenance fees are forever before you rush into the permanent obligations of ownership.
Read and learn more before buying (...or even accepting for free) anything --- Wyndham certainly included.
Good luck.

 

[hapstersmom]

As a former Wyndham owner and decades-long owner of multiple other (non-Wyndham) timeshares, who also lives on the East Coast, I will add a dissenting voice regarding the alleged great and wondrous virtues of Wyndham. I gave my Wyndham ownership away for free two years ago, paid the closing and transfer fees myself ---and was more than happy to do so.

Wyndham certainly has some decent properties (none anywhere in New England btw, except for a very few in Newport, Rhode Island), but the many and varied "flavors" of Wyndham ownership can be a bit dizzying if you are new to their game. Wyndham has "points only" (UDI) packages, deeded fixed weeks, converted deeded fixed weeks (allowing either points use or underlying deeded week use), several different "club" flavors and assorted ARP (advance reservation priority) policies. Wyndham is the Baskin-Robbins of the timeshare world, imho, in regard to all of their many "flavors". You'd certainly be well advised to study up and learn and understand all of the many nuances before taking on a Wyndham ownership (...even a free one). Wyndham maintenance fees are no comparative "bargain" either, btw.

Maintenance fees are forever. My advice is to first very clearly define in your mind when and where you are most likely to vacation. Do you have specific calendar constraints which dictate your vacation time (e.g. young children, or a job as a teacher, or a job which "assigns" time off for its' employees?). If so, don't overlook the fact that in "floating" type ownerships, 90% of such people want the exact same 10% of available weeks (...no, I can't back up those specific numbers, but you surely get my intended point). Do the math --- many "float and flex" owners must inevitably become disappointed in their unfulfilled reservation plans and intentions. Is "reservation maybe" a statistical game that you are ready and willing to play?

TUG is a great resource for knowledge and experience (...and a few annoying and uninformed trolls as well, but you'll surely sort them out quickly). I would read and learn, then read and learn more --- for months.
Only when you feel you are well educated, fully informed and solidly confident in buying exactly what works for you (and what will continue to work for you in the foreseeable future) should you pull the trigger on taking on ownership obligations. Wyndham may or may not be the answer for you; it surely wasn't for me.

In closing my (admittedly long-winded, for which I apologize) two cents' worth, please continually remind yourself that maintenance fees are forever before you rush into the permanent obligations of ownership.
Read and learn more before buying (...or even accepting for free) anything --- Wyndham certainly included.
Good luck.

I am a newb here, but I totally agree. I used my parents' TS to trade for nice ones through II and RCI before taking the plunge. Once I did, I bought near my home. Two miles away, to be more specific. Why? Because as a HNL resident, I knew that I might use it a home away from home every few years (Waikiki is a RESORT, after all); because I knew I could rent it for more than my maintenance fees, as I live here and can monitor rental rates real time through many sources; because mostly, I knew I could use it to trade for places I want to go through RCI, as Waikiki is very desirable as a trade, and I can reserve a desirable week then dunk that into RCI for somewhere I want to go instead, even if it is 30 minutes away on another HI island. But, I own at Wyndham. And my experience with them has been awful. They have few places I seek to trade for (or whatever semantics you choose to use for going to a diff. resort.) If I could have afforded it, I would have bought with a different company than W. What made me do it is that Waikiki is trade-able, DVC is part of RCI, and RCI membership came free with Waikiki, and my MF's are less than I can rent my unit for.

My advice, like others here, is to really consider how and where you will use what you buy, and if you will realize the value you want to, whether from personal pleasure or other sources. If yes, go for it. If not, hold off. As, yes, MFs will stay with you until you can find an adoptive parent for your TS. If it is one with high MF's, that might be difficult.