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Non-Buyers Remorse

Cathy Rosen

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RENT at different resorts/areas YOU & your family might like going to. Renting can be cheaper than owning when doing it inside the 45/60 days before checkin. Follow the Last Minute Rentals thread here; request areas via the Last Minute Wanted thread...both have a $100 per day cap on rent asked for. Look at eBay for TS rentals.

Thanks! I'll look at that.
 

Cathy Rosen

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Be aware many who want to give away their timeshares for free have no takers. The way to avoid this is to get a timeshare prime location, prime time when most people want to go, that units are not flooding the resale market, that are harder to find. I just patiently wait, watching tug, eBay, etc. Another way I acquired some was I called/emailed many self managed resorts to see if the HOA was selling anything. I acquired a few of my timeshares this way.

Yes, I'm suspicious of timeshares that are given away for free. My thoughts are that they are desperate to get out of MF.

How do you know which resorts are prime? Do you get most of your information from this website? What are self managed resorts?
 

Cathy Rosen

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I own in Vegas (Hilton), however when I visit Vegas, I don't use my timeshare. I either rent a timeshare, get a hotel room or trade via RCI or RCI getaways (cash). Why? Because it is cheaper to stay in Vegas this way. Westgate is far from the only option in town. Next spring we are staying at the Grandview for an entire week in a one bedroom for only $499 cash. That's half the price of my maintenance fee. (we trade our Vegas for Hawaii)

That's not bad. I always get a 2 bedroom for 500.00 a week, whenever I stay at Westgate through my vacation club. Thats why I always go with WG. I haven't even used the getaways from Westgate Cruise and travel yet.
 

jules54

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Don't buy from developer period. They can offer you nothing you can't in a few years resale. These are timeshares we are talking about not full time homes or vacation homes. There is always a way to get rid of timeshare. I understand how emotion and want can drive someone to make a purchase.
Consider everyone giving you advice has made a similar purchase from developer or have rescinded on a purchase. I have owned timeshare for 23 years. I still get caught up when I tour new resorts or hear about new programs. I still purchase and then have to rescind when I read the contracts more carefully once I return to a sane state of mind.
West gate has a terrible reputation.
A great way to find the perfect resort for you is to go to every presentation and timeshare tour you possibly can. Never buy from developer, just take the tours and the gifts then look for the timeshare resale. You must developer a tough skin and assume most things sales people tell you are lies.
You can take a lot of cheap trips, just by answering the phone and buying the 3 or 4 nite stays for next to nothing. Or the ads in RCI or Interval International magazines. You can join DAE and it costs nothing and you can get bonus weeks cheaply. Also you can join SFX or buy off eBay or sky auctions. So many less expensive ways to travel to gorgeous locations without investing any long term monies.

On closing I once again want to thank everyone who answers questions on these boards. The time research and detail you all put into your answers is so amazing. Your an awesome group of people who are not afraid to explain your own mistakes and victories to help total strangers make a very hard choice.
 

Panina

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Yes, I'm suspicious of timeshares that are given away for free. My thoughts are that they are desperate to get out of MF.

How do you know which resorts are prime? Do you get most of your information from this website? What are self managed resorts?
Self managed resorts are not owned by major companies, they are owned by the owners and the HOA board consists only of owners. They hire a management company to run the property.

No need to be suspicious of timeshares that are given away for free. I just gave two great ones away for free because of life changes for weeks I could not use at the times I owned. I was not desperate to get out the of my MF. They were good traders.

You just need to educate yourself on timeshares to learn what will work for you. Keep reading everything on tug and within in time you will learn a lot. When you go on vacation visit timeshare, do not go to presentations, just visit to see if you like them. This way you will start knowing what you like. Watch eBay listings. Many resorts you will see over and over again. You will see what sells and for how much.

The more you learn the more you will feel comfortable when you buy.
 

CalGalTraveler

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That's not bad. I always get a 2 bedroom for 500.00 a week, whenever I stay at Westgate through my vacation club. Thats why I always go with WG. I haven't even used the getaways from Westgate Cruise and travel yet.

If you can already get this via your no-obligation vacation club, then why on earth do you want to buy this timeshare?
 

Cathy Rosen

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    • Legacy Program offers Westgate Resorts owners the ONLY Developer-guaranteed release option.
      • Guaranteed to generate revenue for Westgate
      • Guaranteed to prevent new owners from cheaply getting out of the deal they are now chained to.
      • Guaranteed to cost big $$$$$ for the poor owner who can no longer use or afford their timeshare
        • By working directly with Westgate Resorts, owners who chose to relinquish their timeshare have been able to do so with very little effort and have been able to relieve themselves of all future maintenance fee obligations. There are no hidden fees in our program and all steps in the process are clearly detailed upfront.
          • Very little effort: translated, very much cash or a new 'sucker' to inherit the timeshare and the financial obligation that goes with it
          • Relieve themselves : Yes, I'm sure that most owners 'relieve themselves' immediately when they hear the cost of the surrender option for most Westgate timeshares; purported to be above $2000. No real data, but that's a good guess.
          • No hidden fees : Indeed, there is NO hiding from the fees. They exist. You will be told. They are too big to easily hide; unlike the rescission instructions hidden in the secret Velcro pouch inside your owner's documents. THESE are very well hidden.

  • Is this in reference to what they told me about "working with owners on MF due to hardships? They were pretty vague about that when I asked. They only said they have something in place for hardship cases.
  • Do you really need to finance a luxury purchase? Ask yourself again. DO YOU REALLY NEED TO FINANCE A LUXURY PURCHASE? Only you can decide.

No, I really don't, LOL. I'm just dazzled.

Oh, BTW: if you didn't notice in the terms and conditions of your Westgate Travel Club documents, you can not opt out of your club for greater than 3 years consecutively, and they have the right to change the renewal/program fees at any time. Oh, and the program might or might not terminate in 5 years.

No, I don't recall seeing or hearing about an opting out clause for more than three years consecutively. I was told when I signed up that they could terminate anytime. I was also told that it expires in 15 to 17 years.
 

Cathy Rosen

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No need to be suspicious of timeshares that are given away for free. I just gave two great ones away for free because of life changes for weeks I could not use at the times I owned. I was not desperate to get out the of my MF. They were good traders.

But did you trade with people from Tug who were at least familiar with your reputation? Or were they complete strangers?
 

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If you can already get this via your no-obligation vacation club, then why on earth do you want to buy this timeshare?
Yeah, when I vacillate towards leaving the cancellation in place, I think of that. When I think I want it (haven't had any of those moments today yet) I think about what an awesome suite it is and how I could trade it in for another awesome suite anywhere in the world. Taterhead's mention in his post above about how awkward partial weeks are to trade with on Interval gives me pause, and I find myself pausing more and more.
 

CalGalTraveler

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Yeah, when I vacillate towards leaving the cancellation in place, I think of that. When I think I want it (haven't had any of those moments today yet) I think about what an awesome suite it is and how I could trade it in for another awesome suite anywhere in the world. Taterhead's mention in his post above about how awkward partial weeks are to trade with on Interval gives me pause, and I find myself pausing more and more.

I am skeptical that you can trade 4 days for other awesome suites in the world...perhaps during low season but trading during prime season is next to impossible in most systems. Trades get last priority for views, suites, and often overlook the parking lot (or worse the dumpster). @taterhed is right because most exchange networks are based on trading weeks.
 

Passepartout

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I am increasingly getting the feeling that we are being trolled by a Wastegate provocateur. There is an answer to any negative statement. If this 'travel club' is the be-all, do it all for a bargain, so be it. Keep it. Use it. But know that we have never seen a travel club that, in the long run, is worth what people have paid for the membership.

Jim
 

Panina

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But did you trade with people from Tug who were at least familiar with your reputation? Or were they complete strangers?
Only they can say what you they thought of my reputation. One was with of tug for 7 years, the other only a month. Both were great to deal with.
 

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I am skeptical that you can trade 4 days for other awesome suites in the world...perhaps during low season but trading during prime season is next to impossible in most systems. Trades get last priority for views, suites, and often overlook the parking lot (or worse the dumpster). @taterhed is right because most exchange networks are based on trading weeks.

Ahh! I spoke with Interval, but I don't have a membership number yet, so I kept it general and just told them I have an Elite timeshare and they said I could trade it for other Elite timeshares. I thought it was that simple, but I failed to mention to them that I only had a partial timeshare. I was told by WG that I could trade it for one full week with Interval, so I didn't think that piece of information was important.
 

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  • Is this in reference to what they told me about "working with owners on MF due to hardships? They were pretty vague about that when I asked. They only said they have something in place for hardship cases.
No, I really don't, LOL. I'm just dazzled.

No, I don't recall seeing or hearing about an opting out clause for more than three years consecutively. I was told when I signed up that they could terminate anytime. I was also told that it expires in 15 to 17 years.

Timeshare sales are vague about everything....except the perceived/claimed benefits There is no charity or 'easy' way out of a timeshare purchase. This is likely what they were referring to. Believe me, all corporations are only interested in the bottom line and setting a bad precedent. This means: minimize losses but do not allow buyers to break contracts without a great deal of blood and or tears (or money).

The cited Westgate Travel club link (in the earlier post; directly from the Westgate website) says different. Be funny if they posted an outdate T&C on their own website, but it would not be the first time for Westgate: they forgot to post the updated T&C that required $400 exchange fees for resale purchase buyers.....

Sponsor shall have the right, in its sole and absolute discretion, to modify the amount of any Renewal Fees, Reinstatement Fees and Usage Fees associated with the reservation of any Resort Weeks; provided that Sponsor shall notify you of any such modification prior to the expiration of the current Plan Term; and (ii) Commencing on January first, two thousand and twenty-three (01/01/2023), Sponsor reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to terminate the Plan and not allow further renewals thereof, in which case the termination date shall be the last day of the then current Plan Term

Of course, they'll extend if it benefits the corp. They'll terminate if not.

Too many loopholes for me.
 

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tschwa2

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vacationhopeful

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<snip>, but I failed to mention to them that I only had a partial timeshare. I was told by WG that I could trade it for one full week with Interval, so I didn't think that piece of information was important.

Newbie ... that is YOU, Cathy ... any thing you do in life, THE DETAILS is WHERE the nuances are.

RCI Points can be used to book short stays. RCI Points is not RCI TPU numbers. Again, the details. Interval International .. which is where Westgate trades, does NOT have a large 'block' of resorts or even units at those participating resorts trading for SHORT STAYS or by the day. Your partial timeshare is an ODDBALL ... sort of like telling the rental car company, you only drive LINE GREEN colored cars.

If you brought into a POINTS based timeshare system which is not a 'cover' for the older FIXED WEEK system ... you would/could expect to check in ANY DAY of the week in any size unit. The only timeshare system CLOSE to that level of points, is Disney Vacation Club ... but is does impose a 7 night requirement for their members to deposit into RCI for exchanges.

Westgate (when they deposit a unit representing YOUR SHORT STAY OWNERSHIP) is most likely depositing a FULL WEEK to II for trading. And you are getting a FULL WEEK trade, because THAT is due to the contract relationship Westgate has with II .. full week deposits and trades to its partial week members.

DVC requires FULL 7 night point values stays to be deposited into RCI ... DVC picks resorts, seasons and unit sizes deposited into RCI .. along with mostly tradition checkin days of the weeks (Fri, Sat, Sun). ... while DVC owners can booked checkin any day and for up to 14 nights or as few a 1 night.

Wyndham points have full week "values of points" .. numbers due to season and units size ... deposited into RCI .... unless you brought from the developer.. then, you can deposit & book RCI Points inventory for short stays (under 7 nights).
 

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Ahh! I spoke with Interval, but I don't have a membership number yet, so I kept it general and just told them I have an Elite timeshare and they said I could trade it for other Elite timeshares. I thought it was that simple, but I failed to mention to them that I only had a partial timeshare. I was told by WG that I could trade it for one full week with Interval, so I didn't think that piece of information was important.

The devil lies in the details.

Yes, if you have an elite timeshare (NOT FLAMINGO--it's not considered Elite by Interval...) you can trade for Elite, mudweek 1 star or anything else. If you have a low-TDI mudweek resort, you can trade for a Hawaii during peak season...but, the odds are infinitesimally small. Do you buy lottery tickets? Maybe this is good for you.

I find it hard to believe that Wastegate Weasels would try to sell you on II exchanges if such a thing does not exist. However, there are owners posts purporting exactly that. All I can say is this: be very wary of the concept and figure out exactly what the details are. I think it's a bait and switch or slight of hand. You might get an II deposit, but I'm guessing it's a long and difficult road that has numerous pitfalls that weren't explained to you. I could care less, so I'm not going to research any more. Call interval. Ask them to explain.
 

CalGalTraveler

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It's very nice but looks like many other Vegas timeshares. Shop around. In fact the unit looks like a unit in the Elara that is partly owned by Westgate. The Westgate units in the Elara run $1000 - $3000 for 1 bedrooms and the Hilton Grand Elara units run $7000+ per redweek for similar units. The difference in resale value is because of the differing reputations of the system providers.
 

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Westgate (when they deposit a unit representing YOUR SHORT STAY OWNERSHIP) is most likely depositing a FULL WEEK to II for trading. And you are getting a FULL WEEK trade, because THAT is due to the contract relationship Westgate has with II .. full week deposits and trades to its partial week members.
So then what they told me was true. Don't understand what the problem is supposed to be with doing an exchange with my partial membership.
 

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If what tschwa2 linked to is what you are dazzled by, me thinks you dazzle too easily.
3/5 ratings across the board, not on the Strip, at the low end section of the Strip, you need to see and experience more of LV offerings.
 

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It's very nice but looks like many other Vegas timeshares. Shop around. In fact the unit looks like a unit in the Elara that is partly owned by Westgate. The Westgate units in the Elara run $1000 - $3000 for 1 bedrooms and the Hilton Grand Elara units run $7000+ per redweek for similar units. The difference in resale value is because of the differing reputations of the system providers.

I'll have to check out the Elara, and also start reading up on the articles because I'm not familiar with the lingo such as "redweek" and I know nothing about points.
 

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If what tschwa2 linked to is what you are dazzled by, me thinks you dazzle too easily.
3/5 ratings across the board, not on the Strip, at the low end section of the Strip, you need to see and experience more of LV offerings.

I probably am. LOL.
 

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I currently have a vacation club membership which is different from a timeshare. I purchased it for $5,000.00 while in Vegas back in 2013. I can rent up to two 2BR Westgate resorts per year for $500.00 each. I have no maintenance fees, only membership fees that are not mandatory if I don't plan on traveling that year. The membership fees are 199.00 per year or 300.00 for 2 years. I have the use of Interval without the exchanges, so I can use their getaways. I also have the use of Westgate Cruise and Travel that also has getaways. I have really enjoyed my membership and I feel I've gotten my money's worth.

I just came back from a trip to Vegas again where I stayed at the Flamingo Bay. I attended a timeshare presentation and purchased a partial Elite membership to the casino, and then I sent a cancellation letter when I returned home. Now I'm regretting not going through with it.

So, I'd like opinions on the deal they gave me, because I'm tempted to call them and tell them I want it after all.

The $5000.00 I dropped on my vacation club is considered equity so it goes towards the purchase price of a new timeshare. My additional out of pocket expense is just under 7,000.00, with a deposit of $100.00. My plan was to pay around 2,000 to 3,000 when the payments are due so that I could pay off the rest without finance charges. That way my monthly payments would be 112.00/ month for 3 years.

Under the partial Elite membership, I get 4 nights and 5 days for a 1 bedroom at the Westgate Casino every other year at no cost other than the $400.00 maintenance fee I pay every other year. If I go to another Westgate property, I can get a 2BR for 1 week at $159.00. If I do an exchange through Interval, I get a 1 BR Elite for $189.00. I was told I can borrow against future years if I want to go both years. There are no restrictions as to when I can book my vacation. I am totally dazzled by the suite they showed me. Its gorgeous!

I agonized the first time when I bought the vacation club. I vacillated back and forth for 3 days before deciding to go through with it. I haven't regretted it. Now I'm agonizing again. Its horrible having to make this decision when given no time. My kids are against it, as they were the first time. But they like going on the vacays with me. They don't want to hear any of the details or try to understand how it works. They know one thing and one thing only. Timeshares are bad! They don't want to be saddled with the HOA fees if I pass it on to them. I think I could give it to my cousin's daughter when I'm too old to travel, or maybe even my granddaughter if she wants it. I'm divorced, so its entirely my decision and I want to do a lot of traveling before I get too old (I'm 60).

Thoughts?

I think vacation clubs are great. We own two and we paid A LOT more than you did and our usage fees are in the thousands. We love them both. You do not need to pass them on to anyone. You are still young enough to enjoy it. If your kids do not want them, then just enjoy them as long as you live. Don't worry about the afterlife. Have fun now!
 
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