Has timeshare vacation led to you moving to a resort destination?

[Carol C]

I just had the idea of starting a thread about where folks have stayed in timeshares often enough to fall in love with the area and then decided to move there. I am just curious, because this keeps happening to me! First, the SC coast...and now transitioning to NC mountains. Without quality time...a week or more at timeshares...I would never have "discovered" wonderful destinations that might then turn into a permanent place to call home.

Has anyone else on TUG had this happen to them? TIA for any sharing you are willing to do! (You probably don't want to see more traffic and tourists...even though you've been, or are now, a tourist, wink wink..."loose lips sink ships", so if you don't want to share specifics you can just post a general comment.)

 

[moonstone]

We purchased our first timeshare in St Augustine Beach Florida in 1982. For about 5 years prior to that we had been camping near the beach but not right at the beach. We fell in love with sitting in the living room or on the balcony at the timeshare unit and looking at the ocean. We decided that someday we would love to spend more time, or even the winters, in St Augustine. We have stayed at many other beachfront timeshares since then but St Augustine still has our hearts. We bought a condo for an investment just up the road from our timeshare in 2010 in hopes of spending the winters there when it was paid off and we were retired. The condo has been rented out full time since we purchased it but we were able to put together 5 weeks of timeshare stays for our first winter of retirement. DH decided Kissimmee, St Augustine & Daytona Beach were too cool for him and we now do a non-timeshare stay for 3 mos. further south, in Belize. We may end up spending the fall and spring in St Augustine and Jan., Feb. & March in Belize in the future.

Unfortunately for us, being Canadians, we can not just up and move to the USA or another country and warmer winter weather. There is a lot of paperwork and red tape involved despite what people see and do on those HGTV shows like House Hunters International, Caribbean Life and others to move to any country.


~Diane

 

[Jan M.]

Yes this happened to us. Coming from Pennsylvania with the near to and below zero temperatures and the wind chill factor even lower in January that made our stays at Sea Gardens wonderful. I always booked us back in the Ocean Palms building so we would have to walk through the garden, waterfall and tiki bar area when we walked over to the beach. I loved seeing the palms, tropical plants, flowers blooming. When my husband got downsized from his job and needed a few more years before he retired I suggested he look for a job in Florida since we had wanted to move somewhere warmer in the winter once he retired anyhow. He found a job and we now live depending on traffic 15-25 minutes from Palm-Aire, Sea Gardens, Santa Barbara and Royal Vista.

 

[PamMo]

We're house hunting in Sedona. Our first visit was through an exchange into an older resort (Los Abrigados) many years ago, and we've been going back several weeks a year ever since. We like off season, so have been able to get inexpensive Getaways, Extra Vacations, and exchanges to most of the resorts in the area. Now we'd like to make it full time.

 

[VacationForever]

We're house hunting in Sedona. Our first visit was through an exchange into an older resort (Los Abrigados) many years ago, and we've been going back several weeks a year ever since. We like off season, so have been able to get inexpensive Getaways, Extra Vacations, and exchanges to most of the resorts in the area. Now we'd like to make it full time.

Wow. I like Sedona but I don't think I can live there full time. My worry is always about medical care and having medical facilities that are equipped for major medical issues. I haven't researched but Sedona seems a bit remote from major medical facilities.

 

[WinniWoman]

YUP! Actually always wanted to move to Vermont. Owned our timeshare there for 20+ years, though I preferred the Lake Champlain Valley- not where the timeshare is located- though we like it there also- we love the whole state!

But after learning that they tax social security and retirement income there, we sadly took it off the table.

This brought us to consider the neighboring state of New Hampshire where we had vacationed on exchanges and also acquired a free timeshare in 2015, and where our son (only child) went to college and has lived ever since.

Fast forward to now and we are looking on closing on a retirement home there on 12/30 and moving sometime in February! It is in a very touristy lakes area and an hour from where our timeshare is, which is in the White Mountains. We have always been attracted to mountains, but I also like to be near the water.

People are always surprised that we are not moving to a warmer environment. We love warmer weather, but not really hot weather, and we also like the changes in seasons. And we like green, not brown or red. We don't get people's total aversion to snow and cold weather, though we understand the trouble with driving and clearing it and having to cancel plans due to it and so forth. But it is really not THAT bad! You just dress for it. It only lasts a few months and then there is glorious spring, summer and fall!. LOL!

We also like the history and the vibe of New England.

In the past, exchanges that brought us to Hawaii and to Wyoming/Montana/Idaho and a timeshare rental in Colorado had us thinking of moving to those places, but in the end we still felt we really wanted to be closer to our son and we really are partial to New England where at least we feel a connection.

Other places we have been we really liked also, but knew we would not want to live there.

 

[Rolltydr]

The TS life has made me want to live in a condo on the beach. Sitting on the balcony in the morning and drinking coffee while listening to the waves crash is nirvana for me! I am sick and tired of maintaining a house and a yard. My wife has finally agreed to a condo if we can find one that is truly oceanfront. Our problems now will be, a) finding a state that we can agree to live in. We both would prefer to move from Alabama but DW has strong family ties so I’m not sure how it will go when we get down to decision time; b) finding a condo we can agree on. I like high rises on an upper floor. She likes smaller complexes so there isn’t much “elevator time”; and c) finding a condo we can afford. We don’t want a big mortgage so it’s going to depend a lot on how much we can get for our current house.

We’re hoping to get our house ready to put on the market in the next year or two. Hopefully, by then we will have come to an agreement on a and b and will keep our fingers crossed that c will work out.

 

[geist1223]

We have been to many locations at which we could live. If we did not like them we do not go back. But we love Salem Oregon. It is near the Beach, Portland, and the mountains. Also we like being able to walk to our favorite restaurants, coffee houses, and Bars. When I mention Hawaii or San Diego Patti reminds me of her fair Scot/Irish skin. Every time we travel to Portland and it's traffic we thank our luck stars we do not live in Portland.

 

[VacationForever]

We love where we now live, which is a resort environment where people live, and cannot imagine living anywhere else in the world. There have been many places where we have visited and love but never to live, so the answer has to be no.

 

[slip]

Yes, definitely happened to us. Although we made a few trips to Hawaii before we owned timeshares, we really didn’t start thinking about living there until we stayed in our timeshares. Actually after our first timeshares stay is when my wife and I said we could live here.

My wife knew we could downsize but she didn’t really think she could do a one bedroom condo. But after a few years she knew it was possible. Now since we’ve been on Oahu she has been surprised how easy the downsizing has been and she really likes it. She would love a condo here on Oahu the same size of ours on Molokai but she is happy not paying an extra $1,000 a month. She keeps telling me I did a good job picking our condo here on Oahu so I’m happy. Finding this one here on Oahu wasn’t like shopping for the one on Molokai, I had to act quickly and my wife wasn’t involved too much. So that’s why I don’t get tired of her telling me I picked well.

While I do like the change of seasons, I am done driving in and clearing snow. I have been shoveling and dealing with snow for 50 years and I will not miss that at all. I’ll miss the seasons changing a little but I’ll take my weather in Hawaii now.

 

[Panina]

Timesharing made me realize I wanted to live in a warmer climate, not the NYC or PA areas I lived in most of my life.

 

[Krteczech]

YES, it happened to us. We both grew up surrounded by mountains and missed it dearly after we moved to Minnesota 37 years ago. We finally made our first trip to Colorado about 20 years ago and I knew right away I want to come back ASAP. Bought summer fixed week TS in Estes Park, visited many times, and finally in 2015 bought our second home (townhouse condo) with plans to renovate it and use it full time in retirement. Hard to believe, but we have been here over two years now. Winters are wonderful, ski resorts are driving distance, last call TS weeks plentiful. We go to Europe for 2-3 months in Spring, spent summer and early Fall at home and take late Fall trips to warm ocean destinations. LG!

 

[taterhed]

The TS life has made me want to live in a condo on the beach. Sitting on the balcony in the morning and drinking coffee while listening to the waves crash is nirvana for me! I am sick and tired of maintaining a house and a yard. My wife has finally agreed to a condo if we can find one that is truly oceanfront. Our problems now will be, a) finding a state that we can agree to live in. We both would prefer to move from Alabama but DW has strong family ties so I’m not sure how it will go when we get down to decision time; b) finding a condo we can agree on. I like high rises on an upper floor. She likes smaller complexes so there isn’t much “elevator time”; and c) finding a condo we can afford. We don’t want a big mortgage so it’s going to depend a lot on how much we can get for our current house.

We’re hoping to get our house ready to put on the market in the next year or two. Hopefully, by then we will have come to an agreement on a and b and will keep our fingers crossed that c will work out.

Here here....

Go look at Perdido Key......

 

[taterhed]

We stayed on the Big Island last year.

Fell in love with the shore, the space the differences north/south/east/west. We are dreaming of a way to live part-year on the island.
Not sure if it'll happen, but could definitely spend a few retirement nights with 'my toes in the sand' watching the sunset from Lava Lava....

 

[pagosajim]

As my TUG name suggests...

Bought into Wyndham (then Fairfield) Pagosa in 1989. Been taking the family there for years in all seasons.

Opportunities arose in 2009 allowing us to purchase a 2nd home in Pagosa and we've never looked back. Maybe part time retirement there in the near future?

Now, what to do with all those Wyndham points I'm not using to stay there anymore .

 

[Patri]

What a fun thread. We can't/won't move again bc we want to be near kids, but it is fascinating how people love different climates and landscapes. America offers just about everything!

 

[WinniWoman]

Yes, definitely happened to us. Although we made a few trips to Hawaii before we owned timeshares, we really didn’t start thinking about living there until we stayed in our timeshares. Actually after our first timeshares stay is when my wife and I said we could live here.

My wife knew we could downsize but she didn’t really think she could do a one bedroom condo. But after a few years she knew it was possible. Now since we’ve been on Oahu she has been surprised how easy the downsizing has been and she really likes it. She would love a condo here on Oahu the same size of ours on Molokai but she is happy not paying an extra $1,000 a month. She keeps telling me I did a good job picking our condo here on Oahu so I’m happy. Finding this one here on Oahu wasn’t like shopping for the one on Molokai, I had to act quickly and my wife wasn’t involved too much. So that’s why I don’t get tired of her telling me I picked well.

While I do like the change of seasons, I am done driving in and clearing snow. I have been shoveling and dealing with snow for 50 years and I will not miss that at all. I’ll miss the seasons changing a little but I’ll take my weather in Hawaii now.

Wait! You have 2 condos now?! How Awesome!

There is nothing not to like about Hawaii (except maybe the distance from the mainland- especially the east coast). Plus it is green and it has mountains! One thing I like is that when you are there you know you are in the USA and you feel at home. Ever since visiting Hawaii I have not been interested in going to the Caribbean at all. Just can't compare.

 

[bogey21]

My worry is always about medical care and having medical facilities that are equipped for major medical issues.

Being only 5 minutes from 3 major hospitals is one of the things that has kept me here in Fort Worth...

George

 

[Glynda]

We're house hunting in Sedona. Our first visit was through an exchange into an older resort (Los Abrigados) many years ago, and we've been going back several weeks a year ever since. We like off season, so have been able to get inexpensive Getaways, Extra Vacations, and exchanges to most of the resorts in the area. Now we'd like to make it full time.

Which month do you like best in Sedona?

 

[Glynda]

Through time-sharing, we discovered that we love Cape Cod and wouldn’t mind living there part of the year. I doubt that we will act on that by owning, however. I picture us someday selling the larger of our two homes in Charleston and moving into the smaller for the Winter and Spring months and traveling in Europe for the remainder.

 

[SmithOp]

It wasn’t mainly due to staying in a timeshare, our son went away from Sacramento to college in Orange County. We visited often his first year, staying at Marriott NCV three times. I had a major medical event while there in Jan 2015 and decided to retire, so we moved here. The Dr that treated me is now my cardiologist.

We live 20 min from Crystal Cove, my wifes favorite beach, 15 minutes from HB bike path, and 5 minutes from a municipal golf course where resident senior cost is $15 Mon-Thur. Retired Life is good!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

 

[DaveNV]

Wait! You have 2 condos now?! How Awesome!

No, they’re renting on Oahu while he’s still working.

Dave

 

[pittle]

We visited The Lake of the Ozarks with friends in 1992 and really liked it. They had just bought a resale timeshare there. We bought a condo with an awesome view there in 1993. We put it on the Lodge of the Four Seasons rental program until the end of 2001 when I retired. We went several times a year as did our friends and family. It was a 4 hour drive from Topeka where we worked. When I retired, we did a few renovations to spiff it up from the years on the rental program, sold our house in Topeka, and moved to Central Missouri.

We liked the Lake area and made friends through church, but somewhere along the line, we decided that we preferred being closer to airports, medical facilities, warehouse stores and really nice grocery stores. I had never been a Walmart shopper, but that became my only place within 10 miles to buy anything. It was a 2 hour drive to Springfield and 3 hours to Kansas City or St. Louis. In late January 2007, we had someone staying at the condo complex ask my husband if there were any condos in the complex with no stairs. He was looking to buy a condo at the Lake. Hubby said we had no stairs and had been thinking about selling our place and moving to a larger city. The guy & his wife looked at our place and bought it and our boat! They did not want possession until April, so that worked out great for us! We considered moving to KC, but decided on the Phoenix are because our younger son was getting married and thought we might have more grandchildren. We rented a house in Goodyear and after a year we decided we liked it well enough to buy a house. Once we bought a house, the other son and his wife and son said that since we were out here, they would come too, they had always liked Phoenix. This son works from home, but had been flying to the office in CA one week each month. If he lived in PHX area, he could just go in one day a week. So, they moved to Goodyear too and live in our neighborhood about 3 blocks away.

We love it here and have access to anything we need. We are 30 minutes from the airport, lots of shopping choices, medical facilities, and entertainment. It is really hot in the summer, but it was in Kansas too, and that is what A/C is for! For 8 months of the year the weather is nice. We live in a cul-de-sac with 4 young families and we join in on the bi-monthly "sac" parties. With 9 kids under 11, I have plenty of surrogate grand kids. We had a Christmas event just last weekend where the kids decorated gingerbread houses and did gift exchanges. We like having full-time neighbors.

 

[DaveNV]

Yes, at least as a conversation. Every timeshare trip anywhere that we enjoy brings the question, “Could we live here?” We usually look around at things with that in mind. I’ve been lucky enough in my life and Navy career to have traveled to and through a lot of places, so the question of relocating is one I keep revisiting. My spouse is a Seattle kid, born and raised, whose travel experience is mostly due to me dragging us around for the last twenty-some years.

Living between Seattle and the Canadian Border is pretty good, for the two of us. But the lure of warmer weather is never far from our thoughts. I’m retiring in a few months, but spouse has to work another few years. That’s keeping us here for now.

We’re spending three weeks in Hawaii next Summer, and I know at least part of the time will be spent looking again into that “Could we...” question.

Dave

 

[AnnaS]

This is definitely an interesting thread. There are so many wonderful places in the US and outside. Not sure we have visited enough places or frequented one place enough to "know" this is where we would love to retire to.

But having said that, we would never move away from our kids/grandchildren. Two sons live in the same city as I do and my daughter is two hours away. Becoming a snowbird is a great alternative but since we do help with babysitting........it's not happening in the immediate future. We might be able to get a way for a month - but many places require a 3 month minimum.

Love reading all the stories.