Looking at returning to Timesharing

[barbeyg]

We timeshared years ago, but gave our units away when we moved to the TN Smoky Mtns, for several reasons. We are now 55 and looking to begin again, so we will have some units thru retirement. We are open to weeks and/or points. Looking to buy several weeks/points over the next few years.

1) Where do you want your home resort to be? We travel to either Destin, FL, Emerald Isle, NC, or Charleston, SC every year, one of those would be preferable, and if points, would even be fine with every other year for home resort. Other units would be primarily traded and would be preferable annually.

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? Yes, at least half the time.

3) What are your 5 top trade destinations? Coastal CA/OR, Disney area, CO mountains, DC area, NYC area

4) How many people do you usually travel with? There would be 2-3 of us

5) Can you travel any time, or are you locked into the school schedule?Anytime

6) Can you make firm plans 12 or more mos. in advance? Most of the time

7) Can you vacation for a full week at a time? Yes

8) What level of accommodations do you prefer on a scale of 1 to 5 stars? 3-5

9) How much can you afford to spend upfront, without financing? $2000 per unit/week, would go up to $3000 per unit for exceptional purchase

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? Can afford more, but prefer to stay at $600ish as a high per unit, or average of all

11) Are you a detail oriented planner? Absolutely

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

Thank you in advance for any input. I really appreciate it!

 

[vacationhopeful]

We timeshared years ago, but gave our units away when we moved to the TN Smoky Mtns, for several reasons. We are now 55 and looking to begin again, so we will have some units thru retirement. We are open to weeks and/or points. Looking to buy several weeks/points over the next few years.

<snip>,.....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? Can afford more, but prefer to stay at $600ish as a high per unit, or average of all

<snip>

This might be your biggest hurdle in your list. Many POINTS systems could avoid your exchange fees but less than $100 per night ... for DC or NYC or coastal West Coast? Only at the very last minute or in the worst of seasons. LMR will cost MORE in airline fees, too.

Perhaps, look at you affordable MONTHLY payment for MFs .... $100 per week? $5200 per year?

 

[tschwa2]

For the places mentioned that you would want your home resort, I would say look at Bluegreen. For your top travel destinations I would say look at Worldmark. Both options would require some RCI exchanges with $200ish exchange fees. You are looking at smaller units and can travel during non peak times so you may end up being able to get 14 nights out of $1200 MF's.

 

[csxjohn]

If you are looking for 2br units and higher, $600 per year MFs can be found but you'll probably be spending more.

 

[barbeyg]

Thanks to all of you!

This gives me an idea of what I need to refine.

I do know we don't want an annual maintenance of more than $1000-$1200 per year on any unit. We've gotten great rentals from owners for $1500-1800 beachfront in both Emerald Isle and Destin, so spending more than that would just about outweigh the benefit (not having to be concerned about special assessments, etc).

We know we can never afford owning in the greater NYC or DC area, but would like to trade to either occasionally. The maintenance for both locations is well more than we would want to pay, when we could get rentals for much less than some of the maintenance I've seen out there.

And one bedroom with a sofa bed would work for us. Or a bunk 'room'. Our son would only travel with us occasionally.

Thanks again. I appreciate all the input I can get.

 

[sue1947]

Worldmark would work for most of your destinations. They have resorts at Destin, Anaheim, CO mtns and the west coast. They are generally 3* so nothing fancy. It trades in both II and RCI and is a strong trader. The big advantage to WM is the ability to rent in credits (points) from other owners. As a result, you can buy and pay maintenance fees on a smaller account and then rent in additional as needed for roughly the same cost as MF without the ongoing obligation. It's a pure points based system without a home resort so you can book less than a week or a combination of resorts to make up a week depending on the season. Check out wmowners.com/forum for details and especially look at the Classified section for the cost of buying an account or renting in credits from other owners.

Sue

 

[alwysonvac]

Thanks to all of you!

This gives me an idea of what I need to refine.

I do know we don't want an annual maintenance of more than $1000-$1200 per year on any unit. We've gotten great rentals from owners for $1500-1800 beachfront in both Emerald Isle and Destin, so spending more than that would just about outweigh the benefit (not having to be concerned about special assessments, etc).

We know we can never afford owning in the greater NYC or DC area, but would like to trade to either occasionally. The maintenance for both locations is well more than we would want to pay, when we could get rentals for much less than some of the maintenance I've seen out there.

And one bedroom with a sofa bed would work for us. Or a bunk 'room'. Our son would only travel with us occasionally.

Thanks again. I appreciate all the input I can get.

I would just stick with renting.
Fees will continue to increase (Maintenance fees, exchange fees, housekeeping fees, banking fees, reservation fees, resort fees, etc).

 

[silentg]

Thanks to all of you!

This gives me an idea of what I need to refine.

I do know we don't want an annual maintenance of more than $1000-$1200 per year on any unit. We've gotten great rentals from owners for $1500-1800 beachfront in both Emerald Isle and Destin, so spending more than that would just about outweigh the benefit (not having to be concerned about special assessments, etc).

We know we can never afford owning in the greater NYC or DC area, but would like to trade to either occasionally. The maintenance for both locations is well more than we would want to pay, when we could get rentals for much less than some of the maintenance I've seen out there.

And one bedroom with a sofa bed would work for us. Or a bunk 'room'. Our son would only travel with us occasionally.

Thanks again. I appreciate all the input I can get.

I sent you a private message