How to determine a good deal?

[theranj]

Hi,

I just came back from Moon Palace Cancun a week ago and we absolutely loved it - we just came back and now we're dreaming of our next visit. We've been to five AI's over the years and this was hands down our favorite...my wife and I discussed making this our "go-to" from now on. We talked about timeshare briefly while we were there but didn't go to a presentation...once I came back I started Googling and found out about this site and am glad I didn't!

Like most people, I had no idea a timeshare resale market even existed, so I've spent some time over the last few days reading articles and looking around but am trying to figure out how to determine what is a good deal for the resort we're looking at.

For example - I went to the following site - http://www.sellmytimesharenow.com/t...oon+Palace+Golf+and+Spa/resort/buy-timeshare/ and can see prices all over the place...for example, there is one for $2,900 that is an annual floating week / year but expires in 5 years, or another for $6,400 that sleeps 6 but expires in 30 years

Any help / info is appreciated as I keep looking / trying to figure things out.

About us:

1. Family of 4 - our kids are currently 4 and 2
2. Floating week or fixed week is OK depending on the deal - but if it's a fixed week then we would be planning around school (which would cost more I'm sure)
3. I would like a 2 bedroom so that we can fit comfortably as they get older or if we want to take friends / parents / etc.
4. I'm not sure if buying on eBay is a better option for us either - I've started to look there as well and find people selling their weeks, but not the actual timeshare
5. For reference - we flew Sun Jan 15 - Sun Jan 22 from Vancouver and our cost was $4,350 USD for an ocean view room for the four of us (purchased thru Costco Travel)

 

[tschwa2]

To be honest the two best ways to travel to Palace resorts for the best prices would be to do a package plan that includes air from a place like Costco travel or others - you may need to shop around- or to rent from the highest level owners. The AI price per person is fairly high and doesn't vary all that much regardless of whether you have a basic ts package or the double black diamond platinum package- or whatever it might be called. Most owners have more weeks than they can use annually and actually might receive a small kickback for sending someone to the resort. A slightly larger bonus if the persons the send agree to the tour and presentation and a larger one still if they actually buy in from the retail developer. Since the AI fee is essentially the same regardless of which member/owner you rent from you are looking for to rent from the owners who get the most perks and upgrades included. The more money they spent on the membership the more perks during the weekly stay.

Buying resale strips most of the perks and you are basically getting a weeks package that will be no better than what you could reasonably expect to fairly easily buy from a retail site or rent without any buy in fee.

 

[theranj]

Thanks for the reply - very informative...maybe it's better for me to go thru the eBay route and buy an excess week from a VIP member like you mentioned...I'll continue looking into that...thanks a lot

 

[elaine]

imho, i would buy a ts that expired in 5 years. with all of our purchases, except dvc, after 5 years, we no longer traveled to that ts and our kids' schedules and our travel tastes had changed. many have trouble getting rid of ts. if you bought here, i would go with the 5 yr. but agree with others, package deal is likely better value for MX.

 

[theo]

imho, i would buy a ts that expired in 5 years. with all of our purchases, except dvc, after 5 years, we no longer traveled to that ts and our kids' schedules and our travel tastes had changed. many have trouble getting rid of ts. if you bought here, i would go with the 5 yr. but agree with others, package deal is likely better value for MX.

I personally have no interest in Mexico, but nonetheless agree wholeheartedly that a RTU contract that expires in 5 years has some inherent appeal --- as long as there are no onerous reservation restrictions or week limitations on the "floating" nature of the referenced contract.
It's nice (and it's not all that common) to have such a a pre-established, relatively short term "exit strategy" so readily available.

In the U.S., "floating" weeks ownerships often have specific seasons or defined windows in which reservations can / must be made. I dunno if that's the case with Mexican RTU contracts, but it's certainly a detail to learn with clarity and precision --- before committing to a purchase.

 

[theranj]

Thanks for the feedback guys - we decided to attempt our next purchase on eBay thru a Diamond member and try that instead.

 

[theo]

Thanks for the feedback guys - we decided to attempt our next purchase on eBay thru a Diamond member and try that instead.

Fwiw, although I personally know absolutely nothing about Diamond, I do read a lot of complaining by disgruntled Diamond owners about inordinately high maintenance fees within DRI, much of it right here on TUG. Just sayin'...