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Now is the time to buy you first timeshare on EBAY

mamiecarter

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Prices are at their lowest ever this year so If you can buy something you will USE now is the time to start watching EBAY.

Some of the weeks going for $1 or for bid price only no closing costs are good weeks at places I would want to stay if I lived within driving distance.
 

yumdrey

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Well...

I have been watching ebay almost everyday for major TS resales, and you are right, the prices are drastically fallen these days. However, most favorable TS like HGVC, Starwood, Marriott, Worldmark are maintaining the average price steadily. And there are not many resales (no great bargains) for these TS either. Seems like owners are not selling during this depressed market.
I found many good deals on other TS, WG, RCI points, FS, etc... And there are many buyers who want these good prices, and they make big competition for most favorable TS on ebay.
 

DaveNV

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mamiecarter

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How to find your timeshare on EBAY

Search by state or by week.

If you are buying your first time share read the TUG reviews first and buy something you can drive to.

Decide what you like and narrow in on several resorts. You can put in a search request with EBAY and get an EMail every time that resort or that week gets listed for sale.

I don't like the fancy resorts like Marriott and Hilton because they cost too much and they are creepy and pretentious in my book.Give me a well run smaller independent resort any day. But everyone has their own preferences.


For your first few timeshare purchases buy a week you can drive to at a time you will use it ( or be able to rent it or get a good trade if you can not use it).July and August weeks are hard to beat.

Always call and talk to the resort before you bid. Most resort staff will answer your questions honestly. Read tug BBS a lot to figure out what the big questions are.
 

mimi67

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small independent well run timeshare company

i live in California Bay Area. does anyone know of small indepdendent well run timeshare company?

Thanks
 

DeniseM

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i live in California Bay Area. does anyone know of small indepdendent well run timeshare company?

Thanks

In what area?
 

Cathyb

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Try San Francisco Exchange at sfx-resorts.com, they may have your local information. They are an exchange company but have been doing business there for about 10 years and may know some independent resorts.
 

Liz Wolf-Spada

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If you mean an ownership group, I would suggest Worldmark. They seem to have a lot of Northern California timeshares (as compared to anyone else) and they are a points program. Anything you buy in San Francisco will trade well.
Liz
 

yumdrey

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Yes, worldmark has most of their resorts in westcoast. Also it trades well with RCI and II. These days worldmark is sold for $0.60/point on ebay.
 

Talent312

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I don't like the fancy resorts like Marriott and Hilton because they cost too much and they are creepy and pretentious in my book.

"Creepy and pretentious?" No, just snobbish and snooty... as they should be.
 

e.bram

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Mostly dogs available. Don't see many prime red week, within driving distance to a major metropolitan area.
If you can buy for $1.00 including closing and transfer costs, be ready to hold on or call a PCC to get rid of.
 

Patri

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I don't like the fancy resorts like Marriott and Hilton because they cost too much and they are creepy and pretentious in my book.Give me a well run smaller independent resort any day. But everyone has their own preferences.




Too funny. I'm with you Mamie. I'm not pretentious, high falutin, hoity toity, snobbish or snooty in real life (and certainly not creepy) so that's not my first choice of how to spend a vacation. If I could snag such a place occasionally with my standard trader, I would do it. But I'm happy not to pay the accompanying high maintenance fees and am very satisfied with my independent resort.

I have been to elegant hotels in these chains on business trips. That was enough to get the spoiled feeling. But I don't need that for a great vacation.

I, too, am watching eBay to get a deal on a second timeshare. It will be within driving distance (the first is not). Some good deals have gone just one bid higher than my limit.
 

funtime

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Back to subject - great time to buy

I agree it is a great time to buy on ebay. Many are even offering this year for free - in other words you get the week but do not have to pay 2008 maintenance. One thing to watch out for however with the independent or older resorts that are well run. Watch out for maintenance fees. The Marriotts can get away with 1,000 a year maintenance fees but for the smaller resorts, I suggest no more than 550. Less is even better. Do a search on ebay for timeshare bonus week or timeshare free week or timeshare no closing costs and you might find some real deals. A timeshare does not have to be a perfect fit when with closing costs it ads up to 300 to 500 dollars but it should have something going for it that you like. If you travel in the swing season - you can get some really great deals on September/October weeks or April May weeks. Watch out for weeks later in the year like weeks 48-50 however as they are usually low demand weeks. Good luck. Funtime
 

mamiecarter

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Yeah but I like to go barefoot to feel the mud between my toes

Some of us are just too Huck Finn to appreciate the new gilded age. Hope all of you Tuggers who have gotten civilized enjoy your high fallutin hoitty toity Marriots. Me, If I could ,would have a back front yard
with free range chickens and an ornamental pond for the ducks.
 
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Steve

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does anyone know of small indepdendent well run timeshare company?

Thanks

The only problems with the suggestion of WorldMark in answer to this poster's questions are:

1) WorldMark is not small

2) WorldMark is not independent

3) WorldMark is not well run (increasing fees, reduced bonus time, reduced availability in general, dramatically increasing credits required for new resorts, etc, etc, etc)

It's certainly true that WorldMark may be a good option for someone living in Northern California, but it does not fit any of the three criteria that this person said they were looking for in a resort. I'm not knowledgeable enough about Northern California to suggest a resort in that area, but there must be a few that might fit the poster's request.

Steve
 

ace2000

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And WorldMark is not cheap! I'd rather own Fairfield/Wyndham points for the money. :)
 

icydog

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I don't like the fancy resorts like Marriott and Hilton because they cost too much and they are creepy and pretentious in my book.Give me a well run smaller independent resort any day. But everyone has their own preferences.

I owned a really good independent timeshare, July 4, Port O'Call on HH Island. It was a dog to sell. You have to convince people to buy from you and unless they have been there they think it is another run of the mill timeshare no matter if it is Gold Crown or not.

When I sold my Marriotts I had no problem, even though they were Silver season. People know the name and respect it. I like to know when I'm checking in that where I'm staying will be an excellent value no matter where we go. I don't like surprises when I am checking in. I like to know that the accommodations are 5* and that I won't have to worry about dirty furnishings or bugs or the like. I guess, since the first timeshare we purchased was DVC 17 years ago, we became Jaded. For the most part, with a few exceptions, I will pick a Marriott or DVC or HGVC or Westin, any day over an independent.
 
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DeniseM

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Yeah but I like to go barefoot to feel the mud between my toes...

Me, If I could ,would have a back front yard with free range chickens and an ornamental pond for the ducks.

If you did, you would have to stop going barefoot, because it wouldn't be mud between your toes! :D
 

icydog

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Some of us are just too Huck Finn to appreciate the new gilded age. Hope all of you Tuggers who have gotten civilized enjoy your high fallutin hoitty toity Marriots. Me, If I could ,would have a back front yard
with free range chickens and an ornamental pond for the ducks.


If you go out your door and walk over to the Hudson you can view all the ducks and mud your heart desires. But chickens, that would be another story. I'm pretty sure there are no chicken farms in Jersey City. :wave:
 

icydog

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I agree it is a great time to buy on ebay. Many are even offering this year for free - in other words you get the week but do not have to pay 2008 maintenance. One thing to watch out for however with the independent or older resorts that are well run. Watch out for maintenance fees. The Marriotts can get away with 1,000 a year maintenance fees but for the smaller resorts, I suggest no more than 550. Less is even better. Do a search on ebay for timeshare bonus week or timeshare free week or timeshare no closing costs and you might find some real deals. A timeshare does not have to be a perfect fit when with closing costs it ads up to 300 to 500 dollars but it should have something going for it that you like. If you travel in the swing season - you can get some really great deals on September/October weeks or April May weeks. Watch out for weeks later in the year like weeks 48-50 however as they are usually low demand weeks. Good luck. Funtime


I've noticed that the Marriott chain, albeit hoity toity, and other big names as well, are going for a lot less now than they did last year. If you like Marriotts, and the other big named brands, this is the time to buy.
 

RIMike

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Yes, worldmark has most of their resorts in westcoast. Also it trades well with RCI and II. These days worldmark is sold for $0.60/point on ebay.

I have been searching on Ebay...but I can not find out what points buys on Worldmark as compared say with Wyndham Points, which often a chart is published. Can you give me any idea what 2br high season would take on points or is there a chart somewhere?
 
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