PubLife1759
newbie
- Joined
- Nov 10, 2019
- Messages
- 3
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 1
Hello there! I am so thankful to have found this resource. I have spent the last few weekends researching timeshare options, and you all have provided invaluable information. We are hoping to acquire at least one of our desired units in the next few months, but I thought it was time to sign up and ask the experts.
1) Is there a vacation destination you wish to visit most of the time or on a regular basis? if so where?
Not in a useful manner - there are a few locations we make it to nearly every year, but those are all for long weekends, not week long trips.
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?
I expect to trade 90% or more of the time.
3) What are your 5 top trade destinations?
Truly difficult to say, we enjoy exploring new places. In the past few years, our week long vacations have been to Munich, Moab, West Yellowstone, San Francisco, Seattle, and a lovely week in a run down Tennessee cabin.
4) How many people do you usually travel with - total, including yourself?
Usually just my husband and myself, sometimes another couple will join us. It would be nice to occasionally book an inexpensive week at a Florida property with fun pool amenities and have some of our friends with children join us.
5) Can you travel any time, or are you locked into the school schedule?
We are completely flexible, except that we do not travel over any federal holidays.
6) Can you make firm plans 12 or more mos. in advance?
For our week-long trips, this is essential - we bid in September for the following year of travel. As long as we avoid holiday weeks, we will always get our requested weeks off. For our monthly long weekends, a handful of them are bid at the same time, but most are set 1-8 weeks out.
7) Can you vacation for a full week at a time?
Technically we can take several full weeks per year, but we tend to prefer to take two week-long trips and many long weekends. We try to get away at least once a month.
8) What level of accommodations do you prefer on a scale of 1 to 5 stars?
We enjoy the occasional luxury stay, when we find a good deal, but usually we stay in modest accommodations. If the place is clean and the bed is comfortable, we're content.
9) How much can you afford to spend upfront, without financing?
We don't intend to spend much, though that has little to do with budget. For the ownerships I am eyeing, I expect to spend less than $3000, and hope to spend considerably less.
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?
Spending about $2000 between maintenance and membership fees would be ideal. Additional costs throughout the year for last minute reservations are expected and not a problem.
11) Are you a detail oriented planner?
Yes and no. We do not tend to plan activities in advance, but for the travel components - transportation, accommodations, rental cars, and the like - I am perhaps overly organized.
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. We hope to mitigate this by not spending much up front, and choosing popular weeks so that giving them away with perhaps some prepaid fees will be a viable exit plan.
Thank you all! My current plan is to wait patiently for a high value Grandview, Woodstone, or Regal Vistas week, to get us into RCI points. We would also like to find a reasonably low MF (studio-2
br?) high season week that trades into II. That should reserve us our two scheduled weeks away annually, leave some points for a few pre-planned long weekends, and give us access to both programs' last minute cash offerings. We are happy to leave a few nights on the table if the week only cost us ~$300.
Again, I am grateful for your knowledge and advice. Do you think we have a good plan for us? Or are we crazy for thinking that timeshares could actually save us money while affording us great vacation options?
1) Is there a vacation destination you wish to visit most of the time or on a regular basis? if so where?
Not in a useful manner - there are a few locations we make it to nearly every year, but those are all for long weekends, not week long trips.
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?
I expect to trade 90% or more of the time.
3) What are your 5 top trade destinations?
Truly difficult to say, we enjoy exploring new places. In the past few years, our week long vacations have been to Munich, Moab, West Yellowstone, San Francisco, Seattle, and a lovely week in a run down Tennessee cabin.
4) How many people do you usually travel with - total, including yourself?
Usually just my husband and myself, sometimes another couple will join us. It would be nice to occasionally book an inexpensive week at a Florida property with fun pool amenities and have some of our friends with children join us.
5) Can you travel any time, or are you locked into the school schedule?
We are completely flexible, except that we do not travel over any federal holidays.
6) Can you make firm plans 12 or more mos. in advance?
For our week-long trips, this is essential - we bid in September for the following year of travel. As long as we avoid holiday weeks, we will always get our requested weeks off. For our monthly long weekends, a handful of them are bid at the same time, but most are set 1-8 weeks out.
7) Can you vacation for a full week at a time?
Technically we can take several full weeks per year, but we tend to prefer to take two week-long trips and many long weekends. We try to get away at least once a month.
8) What level of accommodations do you prefer on a scale of 1 to 5 stars?
We enjoy the occasional luxury stay, when we find a good deal, but usually we stay in modest accommodations. If the place is clean and the bed is comfortable, we're content.
9) How much can you afford to spend upfront, without financing?
We don't intend to spend much, though that has little to do with budget. For the ownerships I am eyeing, I expect to spend less than $3000, and hope to spend considerably less.
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?
Spending about $2000 between maintenance and membership fees would be ideal. Additional costs throughout the year for last minute reservations are expected and not a problem.
11) Are you a detail oriented planner?
Yes and no. We do not tend to plan activities in advance, but for the travel components - transportation, accommodations, rental cars, and the like - I am perhaps overly organized.
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. We hope to mitigate this by not spending much up front, and choosing popular weeks so that giving them away with perhaps some prepaid fees will be a viable exit plan.
Thank you all! My current plan is to wait patiently for a high value Grandview, Woodstone, or Regal Vistas week, to get us into RCI points. We would also like to find a reasonably low MF (studio-2
br?) high season week that trades into II. That should reserve us our two scheduled weeks away annually, leave some points for a few pre-planned long weekends, and give us access to both programs' last minute cash offerings. We are happy to leave a few nights on the table if the week only cost us ~$300.
Again, I am grateful for your knowledge and advice. Do you think we have a good plan for us? Or are we crazy for thinking that timeshares could actually save us money while affording us great vacation options?