# Who used to own timeshares and now just rents them?



## Fredflintstone (Jul 19, 2018)

I used to own 5.5 weeks of time with various timeshares I bought on ebay. All of them worked out fine until I just couldn’t take that much time off every year. I ended up giving all of them away and now rent only. I do enjoy the condo concept that timeshares offer. It’s like a home away from home. However, I like to have a NSA relationship with resorts and renting does that for me.

Many times I get lucky by having people who I know gift me a week because they can’t go or their points are expiring. I have been to Kauai and Maui many times staying in gifted rented timeshares.

At TUG, my hope is to take advantage of the 700 a week rentals here and there. I haven’t done that yet being New here.

So, do any TUGGERS rent only?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


----------



## JohnPaul (Jul 19, 2018)

Not here.  I use every minute myself.


----------



## Panina (Jul 19, 2018)

Fredflintstone said:


> I used to own 5.5 weeks of time with various timeshares I bought on ebay. All of them worked out fine until I just couldn’t take that much time off every year. I ended up giving all of them away and now rent only. I do enjoy the condo concept that timeshares offer. It’s like a home away from home. However, I like to have a NSA relationship with resorts and renting does that for me.
> 
> Many times I get lucky by having people who I know gift me a week because they can’t go or their points are expiring. I have been to Kauai and Maui many times staying in gifted rented timeshares.
> 
> ...


I use all of them. I never rented one in all the years I own.  If I had one I didn't use I would rent to a tugger.


----------



## DaveNV (Jul 19, 2018)

"Only" is kind of a strong word.   I own timeshares, but I have also rented.  Most recently, I wanted to extend a trip to Hawaii two months ago, so after I had exchanged a California beach week into a great oceanfront place at Ka'anapali on Maui, I rented an oceanfront two-bedroom place on Kauai for less than the Tug $700 limit.  Win-win.

Dave


----------



## DaveNV (Jul 19, 2018)

Panina said:


> I use all of them. I never rented one in all the years I own.  If I had one I didn't use I would rent to a tugger.



I think he means to rent from someone else, not rent out what you own.

Dave


----------



## bbodb1 (Jul 19, 2018)

I'm with JohnPaul and Panina here, but I can where Fred is coming from on this.  
When I started purchasing and enjoying TS vacations about 25 years ago, how I thought I would use TS is very different from the reality of how we used it.  I suspect many of us could share that same story but as I get older I do start wondering how we will use TS in our late 70's and 80's.  I can see the merit in what Fred suggests as we get older and start to sense the time we will not travel as much is approaching.


----------



## DaveNV (Jul 19, 2018)

I should add, I have since sold that California beach week, leaving me with only my WorldMark account.  It fits how I travel now (less than a week at a time, and more than once a year), so is a better fit for me than a Weeks ownership.  If I need extra time, I will definitely rent.  And if it ever becomes a budget issue, I'll sell the WorldMark, and just rent.  Traveling for me now is kind of a moving target.

Dave


----------



## Fredflintstone (Jul 19, 2018)

Yes, life change changes someone’s lifestyle. In my case, I could travel anytime and owned timeshares for just that purpose. Then, suddenly, my health slipped and I now cannot travel as much. It doesn’t make sense to own timeshares if health or other situations change because you pay fees whether you use them or not and pay to extend your weeks or points. In my cause, my kids have no interest in my timeshare ownership so I gave them away.

So, I only rent them now when health and time permit. 

And yes, what I mean is are there any tuggers who rent only like me and don’t own any timeshare(s).  However, I do appreciate those who use all their time. I also appreciate those who rent more time because they don’t have enough. 


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


----------



## Panina (Jul 19, 2018)

bbodb1 said:


> I'm with JohnPaul and Panina here, but I can where Fred is coming from on this.
> When I started purchasing and enjoying TS vacations about 25 years ago, how I thought I would use TS is very different from the reality of how we used it.  I suspect many of us could share that same story but as I get older I do start wondering how we will use TS in our late 70's and 80's.  I can see the merit in what Fred suggests as we get older and start to sense the time we will not travel as much is approaching.


I always have given thought to my portfolio trying to get desirable weeks I can give away when I no longer want them.

Meanwhile I will keep living the best I can using my timeshares, not thinking about the future and when I get older and can't then I will deal with it.


----------



## LannyPC (Jul 20, 2018)

We used to own one.  Now we just rent either TSs, motel/hotel rooms, or AirBNB units.


----------



## WinniWoman (Jul 20, 2018)

We always use our 3 weeks and never rented them out and actually never traded two of them. We have rented additional time at timeshares through their owners.

This said we are considering- rather cautiously- giving away two of the weeks we have at one resort because of a program the resort is temporarily offering.

Will be there in another week as see how we feel about it.


----------



## bizaro86 (Jul 20, 2018)

We rented a few times, and then concluded that owning was cheaper for us. Now we own so many timeshares all our vacation time is spoken for...


----------



## rapmarks (Jul 20, 2018)

We owned for twenty two years. I decided to get out and gave away every week.  I still have some spacebanked tpus.   I rent an occasional week, and decided to buy the week we rented.   It is in the transfer process now.  It was probably a mistake to do this.


----------



## bluehende (Jul 20, 2018)

Like many here I use the two I own and supplement with rentals.  In the last 3 yrs I have rented 8 weeks off the last minute board.   I am happy to give people around their maintenance fees to even paying a premium to go to a place I do not want to visit every year.  My guess is those 8 weeks were rented for a little under maintenance and well under what I would have to pay through normal channels.  I own where I enjoy going every year as I can guarantee a good price and availability.


----------



## Egret1986 (Jul 20, 2018)

I've been a timeshare owner since 1984.  Things have changed for me and I am currently liquidating my timeshares.  I may keep two that have low maintenance fees and are located at beaches that I vacation at regularly.  My plan is to drop my exchange company membership that I have had since 1984 also.  

I look forward to renting from other owners.  Our children are grown and we will be retiring in 2-3 years.  We have flexibility and have seen options that weren't always available.  Looking forward to other travel options that we haven't explored because we have used timeshares exclusively for 34 years. Things change and I'm ready for it.

I told another Tugger that rented two of my weeks on the LMR Board this week that I plan to get rid of my timeshares so that I can take advantage of the "deals" out there.


----------



## bluehende (Jul 20, 2018)

Egret1986 said:


> I've been a timeshare owner since 1984.  Things have changed for me and I am currently liquidating my timeshares.  I may keep two that have low maintenance fees and are located at beaches that I vacation at regularly.  My plan is to drop my exchange company membership that I have had since 1984 also.
> 
> I look forward to renting from other owners.  Our children are grown and we will be retiring in 2-3 years.  We have flexibility and have seen options that weren't always available.  Looking forward to other travel options that we haven't explored because we have used timeshares exclusively for 34 years. Things change and I'm ready for it.
> 
> I told another Tugger that rented two of my weeks on the LMR Board this week that I plan to get rid of my timeshares so that I can take advantage of the "deals" out there.



And this tugger appreciates the deals.


----------



## rickandcindy23 (Jul 20, 2018)

RCI could easily turn me off on exchanging.  I have so many TPU's built up in RCI I haven't used, and that is entirely my fault, and I know it.  The thing I am doing is reserving my own owned weeks and renting them out in many cases.  That is my way of leaving the exchange companies, but I still have to belong because I have those weeks I continue to combine.  It's ridiculous.


----------



## Panina (Jul 20, 2018)

rickandcindy23 said:


> RCI could easily turn me off on exchanging.  I have so many TPU's built up in RCI I haven't used, and that is entirely my fault, and I know it.  The thing I am doing is reserving my own owned weeks and renting them out in many cases.  That is my way of leaving the exchange companies, but I still have to belong because I have those weeks I continue to combine.  It's ridiculous.


It is ridiculous.  I always have difficulty finding trades that I want in my private tpu RCI account.  I just broke down and combined them all.  Hopefully now I can get what I want. I keep saying when I am done using them I will stop being a private member of RCI but these tpu’s never seem to get used.


----------



## Fredflintstone (Jul 20, 2018)

RCI was the main reason why I only rent. In my view, they fee to death on any and every transaction. Their exchange fees are very high and you can’t find what you want unless you pay extra for platinum membership and do an ongoing search. Their Mexico timeshares are terrible because they have mandatory inclusive fees or 150 to 200 per day per person where cervesa and food is cheap. The icing on the cake is when you find thousands of dollars worth of weeks point gone because you weren’t told they were about to expire and again need to pay an exhorbant fee to stop, in my opinion, theft of your weeks.

Grrrrr. 


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


----------



## DAman (Jul 20, 2018)

I sold my RCI affiliated timeshare. I did not want to pay the membership and exchange fees any more. Now I use II exclusively.


----------



## Egret1986 (Jul 21, 2018)

rickandcindy23 said:


> RCI could easily turn me off on exchanging.  I have so many TPU's built up in RCI I haven't used, and that is entirely my fault, and I know it.  The thing I am doing is reserving my own owned weeks and renting them out in many cases.  That is my way of leaving the exchange companies, but I still have to belong because I have those weeks I continue to combine.  It's ridiculous.



I stopped depositing to RCI Weeks a few years ago, instead deciding to rent out my weeks.  All my TPUs were used up a couple of years ago.  I removed several of my RCI Points contracts from points so that they became traditional weeks so that I could rent those out.  I bought RCI Points from other owners to do my exchanging.  My target date for ending my RCI membership was next June when it expires.  Unfortunately, that plan just got upended.  My last RCI Points contract was just sold.  The buyer decided to keep the ownership in RCI Points, and wants the 2019 usage reserved.  In order to do that, I have to pay another year of membership in order to reserve that August week.  I'm not happy about that.  However, it's worth it to me to pay one more year of membership in order to sell the week.  I know I won't have to pay any more fees other than that additional year of membership since I won't be exchanging, combining or extending.



Panina said:


> It is ridiculous.  I always have difficulty finding trades that I want in my private tpu RCI account.  I just broke down and combined them all.  Hopefully now I can get what I want. I keep saying when I am done using them I will stop being a private member of RCI but these tpu’s never seem to get used.



Fortunately, I have never had issues in exchanging with RCI.  I've always been able to use up what I had deposited and always have been happy with all my exchanges.  I think the reason is because we never really have specific places or time frames that we require.  In 34 years of membership, I've only used an ongoing search once.  I've had better results with RCI Points vs. Weeks.  I never had issues with the exchanges that I received from RCI.  We've been on vacations to many enviable locations during prime times.  Desirable locations during desirable seasons dictate our travels vs. picking locations to travel to and trying to get an exchange there.  It has worked well for us. We never settled just to use up TPUs/Points.   For the most part, we travel to new locations vs. returning to the same locations.  It has served us well over the years.  We have been to so many fantastic places over the years.




Fredflintstone said:


> RCI was the main reason why I only rent. In my view, they fee to death on any and every transaction. Their exchange fees are very high and you can’t find what you want unless you pay extra for platinum membership and do an ongoing search. Their Mexico timeshares are terrible because they have mandatory inclusive fees or 150 to 200 per day per person where cervesa and food is cheap. The icing on the cake is when you find thousands of dollars worth of weeks point gone because you weren’t told they were about to expire and again need to pay an exhorbant fee to stop, in my opinion, theft of your weeks.
> 
> Grrrrr.
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk



I share your view and it is one of the reasons that I have decided to move on and drop my RCI membership.  I really don't know how the "average" timeshare exchanger can make this membership work for them.  I have actively "worked" the system throughout my membership.  As stated by Cindy and Panina, "it's ridiculous".   All these fees are appalling.  My future vacations will not require RCI and its obnoxious fees. Bye, bye, RCI.  

While I have never had a complaint about the exchange opportunities, there are just too many other options out there now.  Like you, Fredflintstone, I will be renting time from other owners and exploring non-timeshare travel options in the future.  We have two RCI exchange vacations for next year, then we start a new era of vacationing. I have no regrets about timeshare ownership or exchanging, but I am ready to move on to new opportunities.


----------



## dickgregory (Jul 21, 2018)

Using “Getaway” program offered by timeshare exchange companies is a great way to safely get good rental rates. We’ve done this a few times and prefer it over giving our $$$ to someone we don’t know.


----------



## Fredflintstone (Jul 21, 2018)

dickgregory said:


> Using “Getaway” program offered by timeshare exchange companies is a great way to safely get good rental rates. We’ve done this a few times and prefer it over giving our $$$ to someone we don’t know.



Yes, you are right there. I have had some nice rentals and great prices with the Getaway programs.

Another reason I rent now is I feel more in control of costs. The main problem I see with owning is I can’t control costs. Special Assessments, Maintenance fees, club fees, exchange fees, etc. With renting I can shop around, get the best price and can use  whatever platform. With exchange systems, I felt I had to use their systems only because my points are there and should they up the fees I felt hostage.




Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


----------



## cgeidl (Jul 21, 2018)

Fredflintstone said:


> I used to own 5.5 weeks of time with various timeshares I bought on ebay. All of them worked out fine until I just couldn’t take that much time off every year. I ended up giving all of them away and now rent only. I do enjoy the condo concept that timeshares offer. It’s like a home away from home. However, I like to have a NSA relationship with resorts and renting does that for me.
> 
> Many times I get lucky by having people who I know gift me a week because they can’t go or their points are expiring. I have been to Kauai and Maui many times staying in gifted rented timeshares.
> 
> ...


Until last year we had the use of five.Four of them we had the right to use and we just gave the right to use back to the HOA The other we owned and that cost us $250 for Diamond Resorts to take back the week.. Now we are 78 and have none. We still use them and find it easy to get weeks from Hot Deals in Trading Places and II keeps giving us accommodation weeks .We now have five in the bank but they are mostly useless. We also have done the Tugger rental at whatever price is asked as most  Tuggers are losing money at $700 per week and we don't feel right in trying to beat down a more than fair price as we can afford the payment. We also USE AFVC for RCI weeks a bit. Our children did not want the weeks so we are now happy campers able to use weeks but not owning any.We probably used over 200 weeks over the last 30 years and to us it was a great value as we had low cost maintenance weeks that were good traders and almost always got an extra week from making a deposit.


----------



## DaveNV (Jul 21, 2018)

Egret1986 said:


> My future vacations will not require RCI and its obnoxious fees. Bye, bye, RCI.



I tried that. My RCI membership expired this year, and I was not planning to renew, since I haven't deposited anything to RCI in years, I no longer own a Weeks timeshare, and even if I did, I'd never again deposit anything to RCI because of their outrageous fees.  But while my membership was still active, when reserving an Extra Vacation week with a guest certificate for a coworker for this Fall, I found out that even though it was all a cash purchase, and no exchange or deposit from me was involved, I couldn't do that since it was for a time after my membership would have expired.  I don't agree with RCI's logic, since the deposit I was renting was already in their inventory. 

They said, "Why should we allow you to rent something for a period after your membership expires?"  (Excuse me?  That is why it was a FUTURE reservation, like a plane ticket is reserved in advance.  If purchased during my membership period, why is that so hard for RCI to understand?)  "What if there is a problem and we need to contact you?  If you're not a current member, how could we get hold of you?"  (Really, RCI?  Then why do you have all my information included in the reservation? You send me an email, or make a phone call.  How hard is that?)  And the end of it all, the answer is Nope, you can ONLY travel, or do anything else, while your membership is active. So if you're going to make a reservation for a year from now, you MUST be a member of RCI when that travel date comes up.  

I'm not sure if I was being blown a smoke screen or not, but the "Supervisor" I spoke to (not certain it was really a supervisor - she was VERY rude to me, when all I wanted was clarification) claimed that was "just the way it works."  I still don't understand the logic, since everything happened while my membership was current.  (And as I think of it, she was the one who called me an "a$$hole" at the end of the call, when she thought the line had already disconnected. What a b*tch.)

At any rate, I renewed my account for one more year, and told my coworker this is the last time I will be able to reserve for him.  I am beyond done with RCI.  I'm a nice guy, but there comes a point when you have to push back a bit. RCI has been pushing and pushing for a long time, and it's time for me to move on.

Dave


----------



## Fredflintstone (Jul 21, 2018)

That’s awful Dave. I almost think RCI thinks they have you over a barrel because you deposited your weeks or points with them and either you put up with their garbage and high fees or walk away and lose 1000s of dollars in weeks or points deposited.

In all fairness, a friend of mine who has used RCI for 20 years said RCI used to be excellent. Too bad things changed.

At least there are exchange options like II and internal like HGV. At least the owner has some choice so they can get the best value for their trade. 

If I buy another timeshare, I will consider a brand name like Hilton or Marriott. I used to own legacy resorts that only offered RCI. People on TUG have been very helpful on me narrowing down the best options.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


----------



## "Roger" (Jul 21, 2018)

I gave up my timeshare about four years ago. Mixed bag on how we travel now, but rent a timeshare occasionally. It costs a little more, but not that much. On the other hand, I found it easier to find something I want the exact week I am thinking of travelling.


----------



## DaveNV (Jul 21, 2018)

Fredflintstone said:


> That’s awful Dave. I almost think RCI thinks they have you over a barrel because you deposited your weeks or points with them and either you put up with their garbage and high fees or walk away and lose 1000s of dollars in weeks or points deposited.
> 
> In all fairness, a friend of mine who has used RCI for 20 years said RCI used to be excellent. Too bad things changed.
> 
> ...




Thanks.  It was a real eye opener.  They were all sweetness and light until they asked whether I intended to renew my expiring membership, and I said I wasn't sure.  Then the claws came out.

I don't know where you live, but I'd recommend Grand Pacific Resorts as a mini-system to explore.  They own and operate nice places, mostly in California.  They are also the management company for resorts in other areas, such as Hawaii.  A side benefit to owning with them is Grand Pacific Exchange, their internal exchange system.  It is free to belong (you need to own a Grand Pacific managed resort), but exchange fees are only $189. I exchanged through them into Ka'anapali Beach Club on Maui this Spring.  I think it was a great exchange, and I was treated by KBC as an owner, not an exchanger.  GPX also offers other resorts, but I'm not sure how they get those resorts into their inventory.  They also do rentals, which is how I got the 2br oceanfront Kauai resort I went to after my Maui week.  I rented it through GPX for $589 plus tax for a week.  It was a very nice vacation.

Dave


----------



## Fredflintstone (Jul 21, 2018)

I agree Roger. Over the past two years, I have been renting very nice one bedroom condos in Maui and Oahu through Airbnb. My daily rate has varied from 90 to 140 USD a night. All the ones so far I have rent have been either in the beach or a block from the beach, very clean and have bbqs, gym and pool. Unfortunately, when I timeshared I had trouble getting the weeks I want and the island I wanted in Hawaii. If I ever do buy a timeshare again, it will be in Hawaii and I will use it.  What has stopped me is I find the maintenance fees high on Hawaiian timeshares and can get them less by renting from an owner or Airbnb.  


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


----------



## Fredflintstone (Jul 21, 2018)

DaveNW said:


> Thanks.  It was a real eye opener.  They were all sweetness and light until they asked whether I intended to renew my expiring membership, and I said I wasn't sure.  Then the claws came out.
> 
> I don't know where you live, but I'd recommend Grand Pacific Resorts as a mini-system to explore.  They own and operate nice places, mostly in California.  They are also the management company for resorts in other areas, such as Hawaii.  A side benefit to owning with them is Grand Pacific Exchange, their internal exchange system.  It is free to belong (you need to own a Grand Pacific managed resort), but exchange fees are only $189. I exchanged through them into Ka'anapali Beach Club on Maui this Spring.  I think it was a great exchange, and I was treated by KBC as an owner, not an exchanger.  GPX also offers other resorts, but I'm not sure how they get those resorts into their inventory.  They also do rentals, which is how I got the 2br oceanfront Kauai resort I went to after my Maui week.  I rented it through GPX for $589 plus tax for a week.  It was a very nice vacation.
> 
> Dave



Thanks Dave. I have heard quite a few good things about Grand Pacific and their exchange system. That certainly would be another one to look at. California is nice too and as I recall, grand pacific has lovely places in Carlsbad, Ocean side and Coronado island. Since they have Hawaii, that peaks my interest as well.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


----------



## DaveNV (Jul 21, 2018)

Fredflintstone said:


> Thanks Dave. I have heard quite a few good things about Grand Pacific and their exchange system. That certainly would be another one to look at. California is nice too and as I recall, grand pacific has lovely places in Carlsbad, Ocean side and Coronado island. Since they have Hawaii, that peaks my interest as well.



They also have places in other parts of California, (Napa, Big Bear, Palm Springs, Tahoe, Yosemite area, and others.)  I only sold my Grand Pacific week because I bought WorldMark, and I didn't expect I'd be using the GPR unit.  One perk is they allow Day Use for free to owners at the resort where they own.  So it has a lot of good things going for it.

Dave


----------



## Panina (Jul 21, 2018)

DaveNW said:


> I tried that. My RCI membership expired this year, and I was not planning to renew, since I haven't deposited anything to RCI in years, I no longer own a Weeks timeshare, and even if I did, I'd never again deposit anything to RCI because of their outrageous fees.  But while my membership was still active, when reserving an Extra Vacation week with a guest certificate for a coworker for this Fall, I found out that even though it was all a cash purchase, and no exchange or deposit from me was involved, I couldn't do that since it was for a time after my membership would have expired.  I don't agree with RCI's logic, since the deposit I was renting was already in their inventory.
> 
> They said, "Why should we allow you to rent something for a period after your membership expires?"  (Excuse me?  That is why it was a FUTURE reservation, like a plane ticket is reserved in advance.  If purchased during my membership period, why is that so hard for RCI to understand?)  "What if there is a problem and we need to contact you?  If you're not a current member, how could we get hold of you?"  (Really, RCI?  Then why do you have all my information included in the reservation? You send me an email, or make a phone call.  How hard is that?)  And the end of it all, the answer is Nope, you can ONLY travel, or do anything else, while your membership is active. So if you're going to make a reservation for a year from now, you MUST be a member of RCI when that travel date comes up.
> 
> ...


Did you get the RCI representative name or it  is on their system so they will know.  I would elevate what she said with a complaint.

I did that on one employee who told me that I wasn’t very nice to her after she was rude, kept telling me that is how it is without explanation  and wouldn’t let me speak to a supervisor.  Since that call, RCI representatives have gone above and beyond, at least in manners and respect.  Wonder if my account is flagged?


----------



## Fredflintstone (Jul 21, 2018)

Panina said:


> Did you get the RCI representative name or it  is on their system so they will know.  I would elevate what she said with a complaint.
> 
> I did that on one employee who told me that I wasn’t very nice to her after she was rude, kept telling me that is how it is without explanation  and wouldn’t let me speak to a supervisor.  Since that call, RCI representatives have gone above and beyond, at least in manners and respect.  Wonder if my account is flagged?



Probably. It’s sad that you need to be flagged to get a respectful person in the other line. What bothers me the most is they appear arrogant (as in too bad so sad or suck it up buttercup or that’s the way it is so accept it). That attitude just doesn’t work for me and I go the extra mile to dump anyone like that.

I think I was flagged when I had a membership with them too. I wrote RCI a stern letter detailing my experiences with time, dates and who I talked with. I cced the letter to my old resorts that I no longer have. I did get a response with an apology but it was too little too late by then.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


----------



## DaveNV (Jul 21, 2018)

Panina said:


> Did you get the RCI representative name or it  is on their system so they will know.  I would elevate what she said with a complaint.
> 
> I did that on one employee who told me that I wasn’t very nice to her after she was rude, kept telling me that is how it is without explanation  and wouldn’t let me speak to a supervisor.  Since that call, RCI representatives have gone above and beyond, at least in manners and respect.  Wonder if my account is flagged?



Unfortunately, I didn't get a name, of either the initial VC or the so-called "Supervisor."  I put it down to being exactly how I think RCI views their paying membership, (with contempt), and it will be added incentive for me to not renew my membership when it expires next year.  I'm done with them.  If I hadn't promised my coworker I'd reserve his favorite place in Las Vegas so he could attend a huge car show there this Fall, I wouldn't have renewed.  I haven't used RCI for anything for myself in about five years.

Dave


----------



## deslagle (Jul 21, 2018)

Renting works well with TUG.   I have bought and sold a few timeshares on Redweek.com.
Between Redweek.com and TUG you can find a lot of good timeshare rentals for a good price.
TUG of course gives you a good relative idea of the value.


----------



## CAron1022 (Jul 22, 2018)

Where does a Tugger find the  $700 and under rentals please? I'm new.


----------



## WinniWoman (Jul 22, 2018)

Terry1015 said:


> Where does a Tugger find the  $700 and under rentals please? I'm new.



Sign into the Marketplace on the tab above.


----------



## amybethqpf (Jul 22, 2018)

Interesting thread . . . this topic captures what I've been thinking about timeshare recently.  We also used to own, but now just rent.   We had a fixed week at Allen House in London, which ended in 2014 (I purchased resale, thanks to very helpful information I found on TUG back in 1998.  It was sold on a 30-year lease basis; when I bought there were 17 years left.)

We used and enjoyed that timeshare nearly every one of those 17 years -- adhering to the mantra "buy where you want to vacation".  One year we gifted the use of the week to our daughter and son-in-law; another year I rented it to a co-worker for just the maintenance fee, what a screamin' deal he got!  

Reading the TUG boards, and realizing how much work it was to exchange with either RCI or II, I never joined either of those.  I did a few in-house exchanges with Allen House to change dates.  Modest fee (as I recall, perhaps 50 pounds?) 

I've rented through TUG to get just the weeks and locations I wanted (Pompano Beach in February) and been very satisfied.  In today's travel world, with AirBnB as well as VRBO, AFVC and a host of other consolidators, I find it quite easy to get the type of condo lodgings we prefer, and the price is always better than hotel stays.  

Honestly, reading the threads about points, membership levels, having to reserve far ahead, dissatisfaction with inventory available, etc. etc. . . . just makes me tired.  I don't want to work so hard for vacation!  

I'm a happy camper renting the weeks and locations that work for me.  But I DO love my TUG membership.  Every timeshare stay, I've talked it up to people I meet at the pool.  This is a great gathering place for information on travel and staying in self-catering accommodations.


----------



## tugcccsp (Jul 22, 2018)

I own timeshares, but I rented a 2-bedroom resort timeshare for the first time in July to fit my extended family.  It was a very good experience.  I found plenty of summer inventory in high demand places.  Yes, prices can be higher than maintenance fees, but the convenience and flexibility was worth the extra price above maintenance.  I rented through Redweek.


----------



## CalGalTraveler (Jul 22, 2018)

Terry1015 said:


> Where does a Tugger find the  $700 and under rentals please? I'm new.



Although there may be pockets or locations where this makes sense, I am skeptical that this is universal based on where we travel. We always check if it is more cost effective to rent vs trade and 9 times out of 10 it is cheaper to own/trade.

I just priced out a 2bdrm rental at Maui Hill and it was $2100+ fees (VRBO $2,734 total) to $2793 (resort) for a July 4 week garden view.  We are exchanging via RCI for a July 4 week and it will only be about $1100, trading hybrid points.  If we used MF points only from our Vegas Hilton property to trade it would only be $658 for the entire week to trade.  That's a savings of $2,135+ of owning vs. renting - we could afford an extra week of renting on that savings alone.

If you know how to find rentals at 4 star+ 2 bdrm accommodations on Maui or Waikiki that don't face a parking lot during late June to July for $700 and under, please let me know.  P.S. The cleaning fees, security and rental fees also add significantly to the cost of VRBOs.


----------



## billymach4 (Jul 22, 2018)

Own 3. Can't use all weeks anymore. Not enough vacation time. The moment I can't recoup from rent. That's it I will unload!


----------



## Egret1986 (Jul 22, 2018)

Terry1015 said:


> Where does a Tugger find the  $700 and under rentals please? I'm new.



https://tugbbs.com/forums/index.php?forums/timeshare-rentals-offered.45/

It's under Last Minute Rentals Offered.  There's smoking deals on there.  I look forward to using that board in the future for taking cheap vacations.


----------



## CalGalTraveler (Jul 22, 2018)

Egret1986 said:


> https://tugbbs.com/forums/index.php?forums/timeshare-rentals-offered.45/
> 
> It's under Last Minute Rentals Offered.  There's smoking deals on there.  I look forward to using that board in the future for taking cheap vacations.



If you are fortunate to be retired, flexible with your vacation, have time to dig for deals, can fit in a studio, and can travel at the last minute that certainly works.

For those of us who adhere to work schedules, need larger units, and/or peak times at premium locations, or need to book in advance to coordinate with family member schedules, then owning (with an occasional rental) seems be more cost effective.


----------



## Panina (Jul 22, 2018)

CalGalTraveler said:


> If you are fortunate to be retired, flexible with your vacation, have time to dig for deals, can fit in a studio, and can travel at the last minute that certainly works.
> 
> For those of us who adhere to work schedules, need larger units, and/or peak times at premium locations, or need to book in advance to coordinate with family member schedules, then owning (with an occasional rental) seems be more cost effective.


Even retired people like me want the known and owning for me is very cost effective.  I like peak time travel in premium locations and only deal with studios when they are sitting on the beach.


----------



## tugcccsp (Jul 22, 2018)

CalGalTraveler said:


> Although there may be pockets or locations where this makes sense, I am skeptical that this is universal based on where we travel. We always check if it is more cost effective to rent vs trade and 9 times out of 10 it is cheaper to own/trade.
> 
> I just priced out a 2bdrm rental at Maui Hill and it was $2100+ fees (VRBO $2,734 total) to $2793 (resort) for a July 4 week garden view.  We are exchanging via RCI for a July 4 week and it will only be about $1100, trading hybrid points.  If we used MF points only from our Vegas Hilton property to trade it would only be $658 for the entire week to trade.  That's a savings of $2,135+ of owning vs. renting - we could afford an extra week of renting on that savings alone.
> 
> If you know how to find rentals at 4 star+ 2 bdrm accommodations on Maui or Waikiki that don't face a parking lot during late June to July for $700 and under, please let me know.  P.S. The cleaning fees, security and rental fees also add significantly to the cost of VRBOs.


I guess I was thinking of the pockets and locations that make sense.  I think it would be hard to trade into an ocean front, high floor, 2-bedroom unit at Marriott Maui Ocean Club Lahaina Villas in July.  Owning there would have annual maintenance fees of $2500 plus, and even then, getting July would take some luck.  It was easy finding the week I wanted when I rented.


----------



## CalGalTraveler (Jul 22, 2018)

tugcccsp said:


> I guess I was thinking of the pockets and locations that make sense.  I think it would be hard to trade into an ocean front, high floor, 2-bedroom unit at Marriott Maui Ocean Club Lahaina Villas in July.  Owning there would have annual maintenance fees of $2500 plus, and even then, getting July would take some luck.  It was easy finding the week I wanted when I rented.



How much did you pay to rent this unit in July? I'll bet it was more than $2500 as evidenced by the listings on Redweek.


----------



## catbro (Jul 22, 2018)

Marriott Evergreen at Vail Prime Season. For get about it!!!!!

I would LOVE nothing more than to rent my floating week. We don't ski anymore and have no use for a prime ski week. MF is $1850/year. 25 years ago Marriott (we bought from resort) told us Marriott would rent our unit or we'd have no problem renting on our own. We now prefer Caribbean AI resorts or cruises and have no interest staying at the other Marriott resorts (we don't golf and just do not like the locations) and the II exchanges (mostly low quality) just don't fit our needs. We seriously tried renting a 2016 booked Presidents week online and on TUG for a very reasonable price (half the Marriott rack rate) and NEVER even had a single inquiry. I don't know if we're doing something wrong or if the market for Vail rentals is just not there. I've considered the time share exit program and it sounds pretty good but before that I am going to try selling points online to free up cash to take a vacation that I actually want. But, I've posted 2020 points for rent at $.65 / point and once again have had no inquiries.                

Although I'm a 25 year owner of the Marriott timeshare, I am not savvy in exchanging or renting and maybe I'm just missing something. Oh, and I have the priviledge of transfrerring my week to Marriott for 125,000 MRP which used to get 7 nights/airfare 25 years ago but now gets ~ 3 nights at a Courtyard somewhere. If I don't rent the 2020 VCP, I have to get rid of this as it is just a drain on our finances. 

Obviously, some of you have figured this out so any info and advise you can provide is definitely appreciated. Thanks.


----------



## Fredflintstone (Jul 22, 2018)

CalGalTraveler said:


> How much did you pay to rent this unit in July? I'll bet it was more than $2500 as evidenced by the listings on Redweek.



I don’t know about him but I rented the Marriott Maui ocean club 1 bedroom, ocean view from a nice fellow on redweek from January 6th to January 13 for 750 all in. He placed the ad in November and 1 snapped it up. I even got a flight deal to Maui for 489 all in . From January 13 to 20, I stayed at sands of Kahana, 1 bedroom ocean view for 500 rent for the week.
The trick I find is to have alerts on various places, TUG, Airbnb, Redweek, etc so you can act fast. I see those deals all the time thru my numerous alerts btw.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


----------



## Fredflintstone (Jul 22, 2018)

catbro said:


> Marriott Evergreen at Vail Prime Season. For get about it!!!!!
> 
> I would LOVE nothing more than to rent my floating week. We don't ski anymore and have no use for a prime ski week. MF is $1850/year. 25 years ago Marriott (we bought from resort) told us Marriott would rent our unit or we'd have no problem renting on our own. We now prefer Caribbean AI resorts or cruises and have no interest staying at the other Marriott resorts (we don't golf and just do not like the locations) and the II exchanges (mostly low quality) just don't fit our needs. We seriously tried renting a 2016 booked Presidents week online and on TUG for a very reasonable price (half the Marriott rack rate) and NEVER even had a single inquiry. I don't know if we're doing something wrong or if the market for Vail rentals is just not there. I've considered the time share exit program and it sounds pretty good but before that I am going to try selling points online to free up cash to take a vacation that I actually want. But, I've posted 2020 points for rent at $.65 / point and once again have had no inquiries.
> 
> ...



I would give it away on TUG. Someone else might like it. Better than forking out $$$ to exit teams that guarantee nothing. If you really want it gone, offer to pay transfer fees. Then, rent in the future. 


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


----------



## CalGalTraveler (Jul 22, 2018)

Fredflintstone said:


> I don’t know about him but I rented the Marriott Maui ocean club 1 bedroom, ocean view from a nice fellow on redweek from January 6th to January 13 for 750 all in. He placed the ad in November and 1 snapped it up. I even got a flight deal to Maui for 489 all in . From January 13 to 20, I stayed at sands of Kahana, 1 bedroom ocean view for 500 rent for the week.
> The trick I find is to have alerts on various places, TUG, Airbnb, Redweek, etc so you can act fast. I see those deals all the time thru my numerous alerts btw.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk



Congrats on a great offer for MVC during whale season.  It sounds like it is possible but one need to be very diligent and flexible to stay on top of these last minute deals. Unfortunately, trying to turn my family "ship" on such short notice would be next to impossible - especially before the holidays.  We are also bound by school holidays so a great offer like this would not work for us.  If we were retired, that would be a different story.


----------



## heathpack (Jul 22, 2018)

CalGalTraveler said:


> Although there may be pockets or locations where this makes sense, I am skeptical that this is universal based on where we travel. We always check if it is more cost effective to rent vs trade and 9 times out of 10 it is cheaper to own/trade.
> 
> I just priced out a 2bdrm rental at Maui Hill and it was $2100+ fees (VRBO $2,734 total) to $2793 (resort) for a July 4 week garden view.  We are exchanging via RCI for a July 4 week and it will only be about $1100, trading hybrid points.  If we used MF points only from our Vegas Hilton property to trade it would only be $658 for the entire week to trade.  That's a savings of $2,135+ of owning vs. renting - we could afford an extra week of renting on that savings alone.
> 
> If you know how to find rentals at 4 star+ 2 bdrm accommodations on Maui or Waikiki that don't face a parking lot during late June to July for $700 and under, please let me know.  P.S. The cleaning fees, security and rental fees also add significantly to the cost of VRBOs.



This is our problem too.

Personally I find that an AirBnB usually works out to be more expensive for me.  Maybe I’m picking “nicer” AirBnB’s or otherwise doing it wrong- I was looking for Sedona last Thanksgiving, for example, wanted a pet friendly place.  It was easily 2x to stay in a pretty unappealing AirBnB vs $800ish all in for my timeshare exchange.  I’m considering Bend, OR next summer.  Found a pet-friendly AirBnB house right on the river- great place!  But $2200 all in for the week.  Hmm.  That’s a lot.  

Definitely renting TS weeks makes sense.  But somehow if I’m paying cash, I’d rather find a pet friendly place.  Not terribly logical, I’m the same way with credit card rewards.  If I earn a cash perk, I just use the money on everyday stuff.  If I earn a travel perk, I figure out ways to travel really well...


----------



## tugcccsp (Jul 23, 2018)

CalGalTraveler said:


> How much did you pay to rent this unit in July? I'll bet it was more than $2500 as evidenced by the listings on Redweek.


Yes.  It was more than the maintenance fee.  Also, I like to consider the annual value of the money that was used to purchase the timeshare.  If renting rather than purchasing, the purchase money could be earning income.  Of course with timeshares purchased at bargain prices, there would be minimal return if the money was invested.  I will only rent occasionally as needed.  Ownership is the most economical way with frequent use.  For me, renting has worked well to get dates that are difficult to obtain.  Newport Coast has many July weeks for rent, but I read that some people have struggled to get those using owned timeshares.  Yes, convenience comes at a cost.


----------



## Fredflintstone (Jul 23, 2018)

heathpack said:


> This is our problem too.
> 
> Personally I find that an AirBnB usually works out to be more expensive for me.  Maybe I’m picking “nicer” AirBnB’s or otherwise doing it wrong- I was looking for Sedona last Thanksgiving, for example, wanted a pet friendly place.  It was easily 2x to stay in a pretty unappealing AirBnB vs $800ish all in for my timeshare exchange.  I’m considering Bend, OR next summer.  Found a pet-friendly AirBnB house right on the river- great place!  But $2200 all in for the week.  Hmm.  That’s a lot.
> 
> Definitely renting TS weeks makes sense.  But somehow if I’m paying cash, I’d rather find a pet friendly place.  Not terribly logical, I’m the same way with credit card rewards.  If I earn a cash perk, I just use the money on everyday stuff.  If I earn a travel perk, I figure out ways to travel really well...



I must say I really scour to get the deals. Yes, there are some Airbnb’s that are very expensive. I do a filter from low to high in the area I want. Then, I ️ the ones I like to sniff and voila....sweet place in nice locale for about 100 a night. 
My method does take some time but it works and I find sniffing the deals fun. 
I suppose it would be fun to to find that sweet timeshare that someone is giving away with an awesome MF. Never know, could happen for me 


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


----------



## bogey21 (Jul 23, 2018)

Back when I was active in TimeSharing I thought about renting but ended up owning Fixed Week/Fixed Unit Weeks at 6 Resorts in 6 different cities.  Two reasons - First, most of my Weeks were tied to events.  An example was the Quarter Horse All American Futurity in Ruidoso, NM.  And Second, at other Resorts I owned the type unit and view I wanted.  An example was a corner 2nd floor Unit with a large balcony overlooking the beach in Deerfield Beach, FL.  It was well worth the cost of Ownership (resale naturally) vs the hassle of trying to find what I wanted in the Rental Market year after year...

George


----------



## CalGalTraveler (Jul 23, 2018)

I also enjoy the hunt of the deal. I don't mind renting timeshares if the price is right, and I trade TS and have had no problems getting what I want during peak season because I book at midnight when the reservation window opens.

However AirBnB/VRBO makes my head explode in two ways:

1) Every property is unique and it takes a lot of research time to compare apples to apples in a given area.
2) The quality of the properties varies. We've had some nice AirBnB rentals and we have had some disasters which had declined markedly since the photos were taken and were dirty.

With timeshares, no matter whether renting or owning - you pretty much know what you are going to get.


----------



## Fredflintstone (Jul 23, 2018)

CalGalTraveler said:


> I also enjoy the hunt of the deal. I don't mind renting timeshares if the price is right, and I trade TS and have had no problems getting what I want during peak season because I book at midnight when the reservation window opens.
> 
> However AirBnB/VRBO makes my head explode in two ways:
> 
> ...



I agree that accomodations vary on Airbnb but they vary with timeshares too. For example, a Marriott quality is normally different than a legacy resort. Also I have stayed in dirty unmaintained timeshares too. So really I have noticed the same issues for airbnb and timeshares. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## Egret1986 (Jul 24, 2018)

CalGalTraveler said:


> If you are fortunate to be retired, flexible with your vacation, have time to dig for deals, can fit in a studio, and can travel at the last minute that certainly works.
> 
> For those of us who adhere to work schedules, need larger units, and/or peak times at premium locations, or need to book in advance to coordinate with family member schedules, then owning (with an occasional rental) seems be more cost effective.



Agree totally.  Our 34 years of owning timeshares was the best thing for our family.  Like everything else, things change.  Yes, I believe it's still a cost effective way to travel for families and others.  Our sons are now 24 and don't travel with us.  We have more flexibility now and just want to try other vacation options.  We've almost exclusively used timeshares for our vacations since we bought our first one in 1984.  

I'm not arguing with your posting.  I fully agree with it. 

Talk to me when you've been into timeshares for 34 years, kiddo.   Things may have changed up by then for you.


----------



## CalGalTraveler (Jul 24, 2018)

I am not disagreeing that renting can make sense. What I am pointing out is that different segments have different needs and those for which renting makes sense have different characteristics e.g. retired/flexible schedule, not needing to travel with family so a studio/hotel works, willing to take on risks of AirBnB uncertainty.

Perhaps there are life stages:

Young - rent (no money)

Family - need large units - timeshare

College kids/partial empty nest - timeshare (family)/ rent (couple)

Empty nest/early retiree travel years - rent / cruise etc.

Late retiree - timeshare (I could envision hanging out in waikiki, Maui or other place for a few weeks in a 1 bedroom or studio).


----------



## heathpack (Jul 24, 2018)

Fredflintstone said:


> I agree that accomodations vary on Airbnb but they vary with timeshares too. For example, a Marriott quality is normally different than a legacy resort. Also I have stayed in dirty unmaintained timeshares too. So really I have noticed the same issues for airbnb and timeshares.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk



The thing with timeshares is that all the research you do to find good places is part of a cumulative learning process.  I can study up on my various timeshare options and be able to apply that info to not just my current but to future trades.  For example, I can learn that Marriott, Hyatt, Westin, Grand Luxxe, Disney, and Hilton timeshares will work for me.  I can read on TUG about smaller or independent resorts that are good.  I can go to a timeshare and like it and try to trade in to another property of that timeshare group in a different locale.  I can develop a sense for which timeshares will help me out if something is wrong with the unit, or the property.  Or say I arrive in a snowstorm- I can be pretty sure in a timeshare my first order of business is going to be making myself a cup of tea rather than shoveling the driveway so I can get into the place...

For AirBnB’s I have to do de novo research every time I go anywhere (and then also look at VRBO, HomeAway, rental agencies).  If I like a place and want to go there again and someone else books it, I start my research process all over again looking for some other unit.  I have to research dozens of specific locations rather than a handful.  If I book early to get the great place and then I need to cancel, I may be out 50% or 75% of the costs of my rental.  Vs a timeshare where I can retrade.

Don’t get me wrong, I’ll do the AirBnB thing when it makes sense.  And of course you have to keep up with the nuances of TSing too.  If there was a TUG-like board for AirBnB rentals, maybe that would help, we could develop some cumulative wisdom.  But for me, just doing AirBnB travel would be too much work.  It’s great if it works for you but it’s definitely not for everyone.


----------



## klpca (Jul 24, 2018)

heathpack said:


> The thing with timeshares is that all the research you do to find good places is part of a cumulative learning process.  I can study up on my various timeshare options and be able to apply that info to not just my current but to future trades.  For example, I can learn that Marriott, Hyatt, Westin, Grand Luxxe, Disney, and Hilton timeshares will work for me.  I can read on TUG about smaller or independent resorts that are good.  I can go to a timeshare and like it and try to trade in to another property of that timeshare group in a different locale.  I can develop a sense for which timeshares will help me out if something is wrong with the unit, or the property.  Or say I arrive in a snowstorm- I can be pretty sure in a timeshare my first order of business is going to be making myself a cup of tea rather than shoveling the driveway so I can get into the place...
> 
> For AirBnB’s I have to do de novo research every time I go anywhere (and then also look at VRBO, HomeAway, rental agencies).  If I like a place and want to go there again and someone else books it, I start my research process all over again looking for some other unit.  I have to research dozens of specific locations rather than a handful.  If I book early to get the great place and then I need to cancel, I may be out 50% or 75% of the costs of my rental.  Vs a timeshare where I can retrade.
> 
> Don’t get me wrong, I’ll do the AirBnB thing when it makes sense.  And of course you have to keep up with the nuances of TSing too.  If there was a TUG-like board for AirBnB rentals, maybe that would help, we could develop some cumulative wisdom.  But for me, just doing AirBnB travel would be too much work.  It’s great if it works for you but it’s definitely not for everyone.


Many good points here. Not to mention that the Airbnb world is changing too. Cities are starting to push back. It started out as a way to rent out a room in your home but has morphed into people permanently renting out homes as vacation rentals. The city of San Diego just limited short term rentals to one's own residence, not homes owned by non-residents. It is going to take a lot of inventory out of the short term rental market. I still think that timeshares are a great solution - sited like a hotel (i.e. not in a residential neighborhood) and run like a hotel (offering services and amenities) but like a home with kitchens/laundry. Own them if it works for you, rent them if that works out better.


----------



## Panina (Jul 24, 2018)

heathpack said:


> The thing with timeshares is that all the research you do to find good places is part of a cumulative learning process.  I can study up on my various timeshare options and be able to apply that info to not just my current but to future trades.  For example, I can learn that Marriott, Hyatt, Westin, Grand Luxxe, Disney, and Hilton timeshares will work for me.  I can read on TUG about smaller or independent resorts that are good.  I can go to a timeshare and like it and try to trade in to another property of that timeshare group in a different locale.  I can develop a sense for which timeshares will help me out if something is wrong with the unit, or the property.  Or say I arrive in a snowstorm- I can be pretty sure in a timeshare my first order of business is going to be making myself a cup of tea rather than shoveling the driveway so I can get into the place...
> 
> For AirBnB’s I have to do de novo research every time I go anywhere (and then also look at VRBO, HomeAway, rental agencies).  If I like a place and want to go there again and someone else books it, I start my research process all over again looking for some other unit.  I have to research dozens of specific locations rather than a handful.  If I book early to get the great place and then I need to cancel, I may be out 50% or 75% of the costs of my rental.  Vs a timeshare where I can retrade.
> 
> Don’t get me wrong, I’ll do the AirBnB thing when it makes sense.  And of course you have to keep up with the nuances of TSing too.  If there was a TUG-like board for AirBnB rentals, maybe that would help, we could develop some cumulative wisdom.  But for me, just doing AirBnB travel would be too much work.  It’s great if it works for you but it’s definitely not for everyone.



The alternative versus renting sometimes are the getaways.  At times they are priced so low, that they are better then using ones timeshare, better then privately renting and not too much work.


----------



## CalGalTraveler (Jul 24, 2018)

klpca said:


> Many good points here. Not to mention that the Airbnb world is changing too. Cities are starting to push back. It started out as a way to rent out a room in your home but has morphed into people permanently renting out homes as vacation rentals. The city of San Diego just limited short term rentals to one's own residence, not homes owned by non-residents. It is going to take a lot of inventory out of the short term rental market. I still think that timeshares are a great solution - sited like a hotel (i.e. not in a residential neighborhood) and run like a hotel (offering services and amenities) but like a home with kitchens/laundry. Own them if it works for you, rent them if that works out better.



I agree that inventory is going to reduce due to cities cracking down.The county just added regulations based on the strict regulations that South Lake Tahoe adopted. Some neighbors in South Lake Tahoe are so against having anyone in "their forest" that they lodge complaints just to make it difficult for the landlords to rent.  If the landlord is issued 3 fines then they cannot rent for 2 years. The neighbors want this to happen so renters cannot be in the neighborhood.

The fines in our area are not as steep but South Lake Tahoe's fines hit national news because renters could end up with a $2000 parking ticket.  Owners are also assessed $1000 and will pass any fees to the renter as damages.  

That great deal on an AirBnB may not be so great after all...

https://www.rgj.com/story/money/bus...rbnb-lake-tahoe-vhr-fine-ordinance/460517002/


----------



## klpca (Jul 24, 2018)

CalGalTraveler said:


> I agree that inventory is going to reduce due to cities cracking down.The county just added regulations based on the strict regulations that South Lake Tahoe adopted. Some neighbors in South Lake Tahoe are so against having anyone in "their forest" that they lodge complaints just to make it difficult for the landlords to rent.  If the landlord is issued 3 fines then they cannot rent for 2 years. The neighbors want this to happen so renters cannot be in the neighborhood.
> 
> The fines in our area are not as steep but South Lake Tahoe's fines hit national news because renters could end up with a $2000 parking ticket.  Owners are also assessed $1000 and will pass any fees to the renter as damages.
> 
> ...



I was talking to a guy (at the dog park, lol) who was a retired city planner. He was telling me about a small city a bit north of us that does not have a police force, so no real way to enforce noise/parking complaints by short term renters. (And we are talking about typical suburban neighborhoods with kids riding bikes and folks getting up at 6:00am to get ready for work - nothing particularly vacation-like) So instead of banning them outright they instituted some policies: 1. Charge a fee to register your property as a short term rental. 2. Post the owners phone number in a conspicuous place on the front of the rental that can be used to report issues 24 hours per day. 3. Allow neighbor complaints to be made to the city council - one complaint = a warning, two complaints = a fine, three complaints - lose your license. He indicated that it was working well for everyone involved.

Anyway, my only point is that Airbnb/VRBO/Home Away (all of which I have used - with varying amounts of satisfaction) isn't a perfect answer and the short term rental industry is going to be changing. The cheap rentals may not be so cheap any more - and maybe not any cheaper than timeshares. And timeshares are much easier on the neighbors.


----------

