Confused Newbie!

[dicar123]

I joined TUG hoping to find answers to 2 specific questions.

1) The owner of one of the TS's I am considering, and those who have placed sale ads for the same resort, all say that the property is a "great trader". I was hoping to get more specific information about what might be available with this property as a trade. I don't understand the "Trade Test" at all. Is there any way for me to find that information without being an owner?

2) I'd like to know recent sale prices (instead of asking prices), but TUG doesn't happen to have anything really recent posted. Is there any other way to find that information?

Thanks in advance! I'd love to be able to do all this research on my own because then I would understand it instead of just repeating what I've been told. I'm just not sure it's possible.

 

[DaveNV]

Every seller is going to say they have a great trader - it's good marketing, and nobody wants to buy a dog. But in reality, whether a given property really is a "great trader" depends on several factors, and it is not a perfect science.

Things such as the resort location and award status, size of the unit being exchanged, brand name or quality of the ownership company (Hilton/Marriott, etc.), the week (or other time period) being offered in the exchange, and even the exchange company being used, can all have an effect. In general, there is no way to know just exactly what a resort will pull until you actually try doing the trading. And just because something trades well one year is no guarantee it will trade as well the next year - since it's also tied to availability of what is out there to be traded into.

The rule of thumb is to buy a timeshare in an area or resort you'd actually like to visit, and not focus strictly on potential trading power.

About all I could suggest is that you post the resort name, unit size, and time period you're considering buying, and ask other Tuggers if they have experience with that specific timeshare.

Hope this helps,
Dave

 

[Makai Guy]

2) I'd like to know recent sale prices (instead of asking prices), but TUG doesn't happen to have anything really recent posted. Is there any other way to find that information?

I'd suggest a quick trip into the Buying/Selling/Renting forum and a look at the Announcement at the top of the page. There is a link or two there that I think you'll find helpful.

 

[Berea1]

Here are some of the ways

To determine if it is a great trader, do one of these things:

1.) Ask the seller making the claim to provide you with a list of the trades that he or she has made over the last three years. For example, one of my units trades so well and is so cheap, I don't even write about it, because then the owners of the resort that I trade into, complain to II that I shoudl not be able to get into that resort with my unit. But I have a list of the units going back to 1995 that I have trade for within my II history;

2.) If the resort is an II resort ( I am only talking II resorts), then name the resort here and I will tell you what the demand index is for that week and if it is a top rated resort within the relatively new II amended rating system. (As an aside3, is that a golden pineapple symbol and a silver wreath symbol?) Also, if you are a TUG member or become one, you can check the Bulletin Board to see what rating the TUG members have given the resort over many years of visits, and read each comment.

Finally, as to price, the prices are dropping. List the resort and the week, and any one can volunteer what each thinks the price should be and what some owners have actually paid. Do a ebay timeshare search for the resort and unit to see if any are presently listed! Then go to the complete listings which is on the left side column down near the botton. Any sold listing in the last 30 (or is it 60?) days will be shown, and what the last, winning bid was.

There are many more ways of answering your question and I am sure that other TUG members will be adding advice.

Patrick

 

[dicar123]

Thanks everyone! I'll do some more looking around, and when I've got as much info as I can get, I'll probably be posting on the "Buying, Selling" area.