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Found TUG after Timeshare presentation, help me buy resale!

smmatrix

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Hello Gang,
I just returned back to home in Oregon after spending a week at Myrtle Beach. I had a biz meeting there, but took the wife and two kids since it was our first time on the East Coast. The rain kept us indoors most of the time, but we still enjoyed ourselves. I had booked through Hotwire a room at the Westgate and I was offered an upgrade to a suite if I sat through their 90 min presentation which actually took over three hours. I've sat through other presentations previously over the past 30 years, but have never bought. Figured it was too expensive and the cost of the annual fees alone could fund the majority of a weeks vacation lodging through regular deals with direct owners or possible online lost leaders.

After the presentation, I went back to our hotel room and starting exploring eBay where I had previously knew of resale deals. I have a handful I'm looking at currently. I then found this forum and spent several hours enjoying threads of several interesting topics. Kudos to you members here for compiling such an interesting resource of timeshare information.

So I am here soliciting advice on whether to take the plunge into fractional vacation ownership. One thing for sure, I was NOT impressed with the accommodations at Westgate. I believe vacation should be a more luxury experience than what you are accustomed to at home and honestly I couldn't wait to get back home to my own bed which was far more comfortable, my couch, television, views or the everyday trinkets at home. Therefore I learned on this forum that Ritz Carlton, Four Seasons and Mandarin were all top of the line, however, I could find very little resale of these on eBay if any. Perhaps they are out of price range anyway and Marriott or Disney would have to suffice.

A little about myself: 50 years old, semi-retired and vacations several weeks per year. Owns three vacation homes: Vegas, Phoenix and Cebu. Wife 30 years old, housewife & mother of two toddlers. We typically prefer vacations off the beaten path. For example, we wouldn't go to Hawaii, but would stay at more exciting and exotic destinations such as in Palawan or Coron instead... and probably at a cheaper costs. I like the idea of timeshare ownership because of the variety of vacation spots in swapping and/or being able to spend a week at DisneyWorld each year for the next 10-12 years with the children.

I assume the greater the annual fees, the greater or nicer the property? My next step is to visit the classifieds on this site and explore some of those deals. With eBay, I narrow my search using parameters of lots of bidding action, or looking at those that are mostly watched and interesting by other eBay members. This way it helps to narrow down some possible good deals methinks.

1) Where do you want your home resort to be? Orlando, preferably Disney. Want to take the kids, currently 1 and 2 years old, to Disney each year for the next 10-12 years. I also figure Disney would be easier to unload when that day comes.

2) Do you want to visit your home resort at least half the time, or do you want to trade more than half the time? Will visit home resort most of the years.

3) What are your 5 top trade destinations? San Diego, Mexico, Caribbean, Alaska, Tahiti.

4) How many people do you usually travel with? Four

5) Can you travel any time, or are you locked into the school schedule? Will be locked into the school schedule for the most part.

6) Can you make firm plans 12 or more mos. in advance? Yes, but usually more spontaneous.

7) Can you vacation for a full week at a time? minimum one week, preferably 2+ weeks.

8) What level of accommodations do you prefer on a scale of 1 to 5 stars? 4-5 stars

9) How much can you afford to spend upfront, without financing? $10,000-$15,000.

10) How much can you afford to spend every year for a maintenance fee that will come due right after Christmas, and increase each year? Up to $2000

11) Are you a detail oriented planner? Not really.

12) Do you understand that once you buy a timeshare, it may be very difficult to sell or give away, and you are responsible for all fees, until you do? Yes
 

WinniWoman

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What does Lockoff mean?

A lock-off is a unit that is essentially 2 units in one. One side has a full kitchen, bedroom(s) living room, bathroom, etc. Then- there is a small privacy type hallway that connects another unit- usually another bedroom (s), a kitchenette (with a full fridge, small stovetop, microwave, etc.), a bathroom, living room, etc.

You could basically use just one side if you want and then rent the other- or save it to trade elsewhere.

Like having 2 timeshares in one!

However, I don't recommend it myself for people with small children because you don't want to have small kids sleeping across the hall from you and your spouse and have access to a kitchenette obviously for safety reasons.

It is great for older kids you are travelling with or another couple as there is plenty of privacy.
 

DeniseM

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There are lots of different configurations of lock-offs at different resorts.

In addition to studio + 1 bdm., there are also 1 bdm. + 1 bdm., and also 3 bdm. configurations.

Some units are connected by a foyer, but many have an interior door, and feel like one unit, and would be fine for families with small children.

Here are two examples of many:

This one is a studio + 1 bdm. connected by a foyer:

FlrPlnWKROV-S.jpg


This one is a studio + 1 bdm. connected by an internal door:

2floorplan_2bedlo.jpg
 
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smmatrix

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Should I not purchase?

A couple questions in the above survey are concerning:

6) Can you make firm plans 12 or more mos. in advance?
No, usually make plans maximum 60 days out. Often times, we're spontaneous such as "Let's get on a plane and go to Japan in two weeks".

11) Are you a detail oriented planner?
No, but usually plan as I go.

My question: Does my answer to the above two questions disqualify me or make me NOT the optimal candidate to purchase a timeshare?
 

LannyPC

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My question: Does my answer to the above two questions disqualify me or make me NOT the optimal candidate to purchase a timeshare?

Not necessarily but keep these points in mind. First, if you own a fixed week in say, Mid-May and you had that week each year, could you make plans in January to vacation in Mid-may? It might work well for you if you decide to exchange because you could deposit early. Then, as booking travel dates get closer, the exchange companies might lower the requirements to acquire such an exchange.

OTOH, if you own a floating week, in many cases you would have to quickly snap up a prime week the day it becomes available for booking which can be, in some cases, as far as two years out. If you wait until 2-3 weeks before you want to travel to book, you could be up the creek because all the good weeks will have been scooped up. We have seen posts on these boards from owners of floating weeks who waited until early autumn to book a week in that same calendar year only to have no weeks available.
 

Jason245

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A couple questions in the above survey are concerning:

6) Can you make firm plans 12 or more mos. in advance?
No, usually make plans maximum 60 days out. Often times, we're spontaneous such as "Let's get on a plane and go to Japan in two weeks".

11) Are you a detail oriented planner?
No, but usually plan as I go.

My question: Does my answer to the above two questions disqualify me or make me NOT the optimal candidate to purchase a timeshare?

I think you need to ask yourself a better question, does it really make sense for you to buy a timeshare.

Orlando is by far the least expensive location to Rent high quality TS units from owners (or maybe it is vegas).

If you are going to Orlando regularly, and can't make solid plans in advance, you may be better of renting. While not Guaranteed, there are often units available for ~$100/Night.

See marketplace ads below

http://tug2.com/MarketplaceClassifi...Area&ResortArea=4&ResortGroup=12&ForRent=True


It looks like you can rent many options for under $1k.

There are also last minute travel deals in the rentals forum where you can get units for $100/night or less (although nothing is guaranteed).

You can take your 10-15k, put it in the bank earning 2% (~$2-300/year), and add that to the ~$7-800 MF you would have had to pay, and possibly be better off. And when you stop wanting to travel in 10-12 years, you still have your 10-12k sitting in the bank and have nothing to unload.
 

WinniWoman

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A couple questions in the above survey are concerning:

6) Can you make firm plans 12 or more mos. in advance?
No, usually make plans maximum 60 days out. Often times, we're spontaneous such as "Let's get on a plane and go to Japan in two weeks".

11) Are you a detail oriented planner?
No, but usually plan as I go.

My question: Does my answer to the above two questions disqualify me or make me NOT the optimal candidate to purchase a timeshare?

Honestly, the more in advance you plan the happier you will be with a timeshare. A lot of people are unhappy with their timeshares because they never can get the exchange they want and so forth. Upon learning more, you find out they do not know how to best use their timeshare and they do not plan ahead.

If you are buying a fixed week to use that same week every year at your home resort, then that is probably best for someone who doesn't like to plan ahead. The dates and place are already set for you-- nothing to think about except maybe airfare if it is not within driving distance (which it would also be a lot better if it was within driving distance)..


I own fixed deeded week timeshares. I essentially just show up the same weeks every year. For one of them, I just have to send a form in to the resort in early spring (for summer) to let them know I intend on showing up and I am not exchanging it or renting it out to someone else.

I also have a floater at one of my home resorts that is pre assigned every year for a different offseason week. I usually use it- whenever it is- I just go. If for some reason I do not want to use it, I exchange it-but way ahead of time- months maybe a year in advance I schedule it. I always keep an eye on the calendar - again a year ahead- to see what the week will be for next year and start thinking about what I will want to do. If I want to exchange- I quickly come up with where I might want to go and immediately start my search.

With most of the point systems, you need to plan, although you can get some good stays last minute. Floating weeks you definitely need to plan- often times years in advance. Same if you want to exchange your fixed week for somewhere else.
 
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WinniWoman

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QUOTE:"3) What are your 5 top trade destinations? San Diego, Mexico, Caribbean, Alaska, Tahiti"

LOL! How did Alaska get in there amongst the warm climates? No timeshares in Alaska that I know of.
 

Jason245

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presley

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A couple questions in the above survey are concerning:

6) Can you make firm plans 12 or more mos. in advance?
No, usually make plans maximum 60 days out. Often times, we're spontaneous such as "Let's get on a plane and go to Japan in two weeks".

11) Are you a detail oriented planner?
No, but usually plan as I go.

My question: Does my answer to the above two questions disqualify me or make me NOT the optimal candidate to purchase a timeshare?

My quick answer is that you should not buy a timeshare. There are many last minute rentals available, not only here, but other places, too. You can also rent homes/condos on sites like VRBO if you don't mind being on your own without resort staff.
 

Jason245

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Interesting location. That is one of the rainiest cities in the world. I think it would be fun for a few days, but not a week.

Interstingly enough, I went on an Alaska cruise about 10 years ago, and it Rained everywhere in Alaska I went except there....
 

DeniseM

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You are not a good candidate to own a timeshare - they work best when you can plan well in advance.

You are an excellent candidate to rent on the TUG Last Minute Rental Forum for $100 per night or less: http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=45
 

Passepartout

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While he OP might not be the best candidate for timeshare ownership as it applies to exchanging and multiple globe-trotting luxury digs, but actually, timeshare is more than that.

We had a TUG poll a while ago, and found that many TUGgers enjoy their fixed resort, fixed week timeshare ownerships. The key is to own where you want to go year-in, year-out. You don't need to go there every year, but it's nice to know that say, the 3rd week in June you will be in (name favorite place). TS offers great luxury accommodations, and a much lower price than a second home, onsite maintenance, and no 'what do I do with it when I can't be there' worries.

That said, I like having a nice fixed week where I like to go and some 'traders'. For the OP, you might skip the 'traders'.

Jim
 
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