Timesharing near Texas Panhandle?

[bellepepper]

So I am located in the Texas Panhandle. Reading from all your advises and posts, it is not really a great area for time sharing. But still I want to go to one yearly. So for the TS that I will rent or someday buy, it has to be drivable. For us, driveable is 8h average and 12h is doable in 1 day. I looked at the timeshare map (which is very helpful, thank you) and I could see we could go to New Mexico, Southern Texas (San Antonio area) or Colorado. I have been looking at the ads here in the marketplace as well as in Redweek (I am just a guest though, haven’t paid anything) and I could not see a lot of for rent for the places that I can or want to go. I know you guys advised me that I should plan ahead for a vacation if I want to do timesharing and to rent first, but looking at what is available, I can’t seem to find available rentals.


Someone has reached out to me about trying World Mark too, and it seems I have read good things about World Mark in this forum. If I go buy, where do I buy WorldMark?

Thank you very much everyone!

 

[geist1223]

You can buy Worldmark in EBAY or you can go to www.wmowners.com/forum.

 

[puppymommo]

I suggest you go to tripbeat.com and see what resorts you can "rent" in many locations for less than what maintenance fees might be. Especially if you can travel off season. These are RCI Last Call and Extra Vacations and you don't have to own a timeshare or be a member of RCI. You do have to be a member of AAA or AARP.

 

[taloa]

i checked with rci

one must be a member and own a timeshare to qualify for last call--extra vacations aaa of aarp does not make one eligible

 

[ronandjoan]

Extra posting, sorry

 

[ronandjoan]

Branson would also be available within your driving range, or Hot Springs, AR. Both of these cities have multiple resorts.

Would you possibly consider a two day drive? When we bought, we lived in Ohio and bought St Augustine and northern WI resorts, both which we could trade with but find out now they are actually our favorite places to go so the 2-day drive is acceptable.

 

[puppymommo]

i checked with rci

one must be a member and own a timeshare to qualify for last call--extra vacations aaa of aarp does not make one eligible

You are correct that you have to be a member and own a timeshare to go through RCI. Tripbeat is different. It has some (or all) of the same RCI inventory but you don't have to go through RCI. Take a look at their website. I think they are affiliated with Endless Vacations. You can search without signing up. I have signed up but I haven't used it yet. It is like AFVClub (for which you have to be a veteran). RCI prices are the lowest, then Tripbeat, then AFVClub but essentially the same inventory. Given this it doesn't make any sense for me for someone to buy a timeshare just to access Last Calls and Extra Vacations.

Just an example:
Villas De Santa Fe, Santa Fe, New Mexico
Checking in March 9, 2018 1 bedroom
RCI $499 Tripbeat $499 AFVClub $499

 

[ronandjoan]

You are correct that you have to be a member and own a timeshare to go through RCI. Tripbeat is different. It has some (or all) of the same RCI inventory but you don't have to go through RCI. Take a look at their website. I think they are affiliated with Endless Vacations. You can search without signing up. I have signed up but I haven't used it yet. It is like AFVClub (for which you have to be a veteran). RCI prices are the lowest, then Tripbeat, then AFVClub but essentially the same inventory. Given this it doesn't make any sense for me for someone to buy a timeshare just to access Last Calls and Extra Vacations.

Just an example:
Villas De Santa Fe, Santa Fe, New Mexico
Checking in March 9, 2018 1 bedroom
RCI $499 Tripbeat $499 AFVClub $499

Thanks Puppymomma, I didn't know about Tripbeat. My DH is a veteran and it always seemed like there was less inventory there than RCI Extra Vacations, I feel Endless Vacations, RCI 'a rental site is higher.

That said , we have several friends who join RCI and just use the Extra Vacation specials , and they timeshare quite a bit. Often it's cheaper to use a Extra Vacations than to deposit and exchange and some of the specials at $249/week are really great

This would be a nice rental Bell-pepper, and it's cheaper than the unit there offered on TUG marketplace.

It might be nice to try that resort.