What did you learn in the process of becoming a timeshare expert? How to maximize your investment....

[Clifbell]

By expert I mean achieving your goal.... Maybe that was being able to take two weeks of vacation a year. For me, that meant being able to live full time in a timeshare. I did that for 7 months in 2021 and will do it for shorter periods in 2022.

But what really happened? Well... I learned how to use every point to its most efficient. I added points by buying used.... I am learning to rent out my timeshares so I can vacation for "free" (it takes some work to rent out timeshares). I became a member of TUG to learn from other experts. I learned how to earn free hotel stays as an option to stay in hotels for free or hotels with Kitchens.

Ok ... ok... yes... I obsessed. But I think you need to be obsessed to be excellent at anything... Remember how hard you studied in school?? Will I continue to obsessed? Well maybe for awhile. But obsession has a diminishing return at some point. In 2021 I stayed in timeshares for about 9 months total and I earned 71 free nights in a hotel stay (Video to explain this coming soon). I think that qualifies as obsession... But I loved every minute of it... Trying to learn as much as possible (and continue to do so). I made lots of mistakes, but that is just part of the process. I learned from my mistakes. And in the end I have a really lucky life that continues to make me happy. Isn't that the point?

My top 3 mistakes;
1) Buying too much from the developer... I could have done so much better with more used purchases.
2) Deciding if any elite benefits were important ... I am happy with my two Elite memberships but I got lucky (or have made the best use of them)
3) Not joining TUG soon enough... It is just so hard to learn about timeshares by weeding through what the sales people say and what is true. It is like learning about cars by talking to used car sales people (nothing against the timeshare sales people or used car people - some are helpful some are not).

 

[DaveNV]

I approached timeshares as something that had to prove to me they were worth the investment. I attended sales pitch presentations in the 80s when I was on Active Duty in the Navy, mostly for the free gifts. Because of my frequent deployments overseas, I never felt like I'd vacation regularly enough to want the commitment of owning anything - especially at Developer prices.

After military retirement and my life settled down, I knew I could plan ahead better. After vacationing with my brother and his wife in Mexico in their timeshare, I felt like maybe there was something to it, and I started exploring things more seriously. Along came Tug, my education grew exponentially, and I eventually bought my first timeshare. Others followed, slowly, affordably, as I felt I wanted to take on the commitment of owning something more. As I was done with owning anything, I sold it inexpensively, or gave it away. Everything I've bought and sold was all resale. I still can't justify the Developer costs. I've had some amazing vacations, but all of it was what I'd consider affordable, since it was planned and executed on my terms, because I wanted to, and never because I felt I had to.

Unlike those who buy in without researching, I felt my best experience was to "learn by owning." I'd look into a certain resort group, mini-system, or independent resort. and if it felt like the right fit, I'd buy it resale. But then it was my goal to learn how to maximize what I owned. I'd use the ownership for awhile, learn the most I could about how it worked, and then decide whether to keep it. I bought only Weeks timeshares for a long time, never buying more than I could use in the timeframe allowed by whatever it was I'd purchased. As things were less useful to me, or if they didn't fit, I passed them along to new owners. That process worked well for a long time, until I found I was growing tired of the whole Weeks way of vacationing.

When I realized I didn't fit the Weeks vacation model any longer, it was time for a change. Owning Weeks meant I'd have only one week every year or two, depending on the ownership, but once the one week was booked, exchanged, or used, I was done with that ownership until the next time a week's usage rolled around. After a time, I realized I often dislike staying a week in the same place, and I felt a Points ownership might better fit the way I liked to travel, especially if it wasn't a destination vacation. If it involved a road trip, or exploring a wider area than the resort covered, then the Week just didn't fit anymore.

But which Points would be the best fit for me? Currently, that's been WorldMark, as all I own right now. But I'm probably going to be selling this WM contract after my anniversary rolls around next Summer. When I was living in the Pacific Northwest, where there were many WorldMark resorts around me, even a destination trip to a WM resort in Las Vegas or Utah was great, for how we liked to vacation. But since I retired and moved to Southern Nevada, it makes no sense to book more than a night or two in any local WM resorts, if at all. I still can't book anything on the East Coast I want to visit, because there are no WM locations there. If we travel back to the PNW, we stay with family. I'm not getting my money's worth of owning WM anymore, so I think it's time to pass it along to someone else.

I'm thinking after the WM contract is gone, I'll either buy into HGVC or Marriott, if I decide to buy anything. And it may just be time to give things a rest, and just rent. As everyone agrees, there is no shortage of timeshares available to purchase, and someone is always looking to get out of what they own. So time will tell.

(I didn't reply to your survey, since most of your options fit how I approach timeshare ownership, at one time or another over the last 20-odd years. It didn't seem helpful to check every box.)

Dave

 

[PcflEZFlng]

+1 @DaveNV. Really liked your summary of your experiences, and you're one of the many on TUG I've followed since joining a few short years ago. At the time I joined, we owned two Vistana points contracts (both voluntary) and one DVC. We bought all of them retail (ouch). During the years we owned, DW and I were still working, and ensured that we at least used the contracts regularly and not let points expire or lapse.

After being on this forum for awhile, I realized that the way were using our TS was not optimal, and it made more sense to rent for the season and locations we preferred. We are also retired now, and can thus be more flexible in our travels. So, I divested all three contracts pretty quickly. Gave away one of the Vistana contracts, sold the other one for a small sum of money, and sold the DVC one for nearly twice what we paid.

 

[Eric B]

I voted for "other" to reflect learning how the various different exchanges, mini-systems, and resorts interact, resulting in "exchange rates" that can be used to reduce the costs of some great vacations. For example, I was able to Exchange Plus a couple of Vacation Village weeks into WorldMark, use the resulting credits, housekeeping tokens and guest certificates, to make a good reservation to deposit in ThirdHome with an HK and GC left over, and use the resulting keys to exchange into Ritz Carlton St Thomas with some left over. Gave me a great story to tell the salesman at my last update at Massanutten and shortened my time with them considerably as an additional benefit. It won't be my least expensive vacation, but way below the cost of owning there or renting and you generally can't get there using a VV week directly; plus I've still got 1 WM HK, 1 WM GC, 2,000 WM credits, and 3 ThirdHome keys to use elsewhere.

 

[chellej]

Since I started timesharing in 1999 and was fortunate to find tug before I bought anything, What I have learned overall is that as the years have come and gone, my needs and exchanging have changed. At my highest point, I owned 26 weeks of timeshare... all resale. I now own 4 and would like to get it down to 3.

I have exchanged with most all of the timeshare exchange companies, have done direct exchanges with other tuggers for both weeks and deeds. I have made money on almost all of my timeshares with the exception of one (raintree) and several that I have given away.

And I can credit it all to TUG and helpful Tuggers

 

[Clifbell]

I approached timeshares as something that had to prove to me they were worth the investment. I attended sales pitch presentations in the 80s when I was on Active Duty in the Navy, mostly for the free gifts. Because of my frequent deployments overseas, I never felt like I'd vacation regularly enough to want the commitment of owning anything - especially at Developer prices.

After military retirement and my life settled down, I knew I could plan ahead better. After vacationing with my brother and his wife in Mexico in their timeshare, I felt like maybe there was something to it, and I started exploring things more seriously. Along came Tug, my education grew exponentially, and I eventually bought my first timeshare. Others followed, slowly, affordably, as I felt I wanted to take on the commitment of owning something more. As I was done with owning anything, I sold it inexpensively, or gave it away. Everything I've bought and sold was all resale. I still can't justify the Developer costs. I've had some amazing vacations, but all of it was what I'd consider affordable, since it was planned and executed on my terms, because I wanted to, and never because I felt I had to.

Unlike those who buy in without researching, I felt my best experience was to "learn by owning." I'd look into a certain resort group, mini-system, or independent resort. and if it felt like the right fit, I'd buy it resale. But then it was my goal to learn how to maximize what I owned. I'd use the ownership for awhile, learn the most I could about how it worked, and then decide whether to keep it. I bought only Weeks timeshares for a long time, never buying more than I could use in the timeframe allowed by whatever it was I'd purchased. As things were less useful to me, or if they didn't fit, I passed them along to new owners. That process worked well for a long time, until I found I was growing tired of the whole Weeks way of vacationing.

When I realized I didn't fit the Weeks vacation model any longer, it was time for a change. Owning Weeks meant I'd have only one week every year or two, depending on the ownership, but once the one week was booked, exchanged, or used, I was done with that ownership until the next time a week's usage rolled around. After a time, I realized I often dislike staying a week in the same place, and I felt a Points ownership might better fit the way I liked to travel, especially if it wasn't a destination vacation. If it involved a road trip, or exploring a wider area than the resort covered, then the Week just didn't fit anymore.

But which Points would be the best fit for me? Currently, that's been WorldMark, as all I own right now. But I'm probably going to be selling this WM contract after my anniversary rolls around next Summer. When I was living in the Pacific Northwest, where there were many WorldMark resorts around me, even a destination trip to a WM resort in Las Vegas or Utah was great, for how we liked to vacation. But since I retired and moved to Southern Nevada, it makes no sense to book more than a night or two in any local WM resorts, if at all. I still can't book anything on the East Coast I want to visit, because there are no WM locations there. If we travel back to the PNW, we stay with family. I'm not getting my money's worth of owning WM anymore, so I think it's time to pass it along to someone else.

I'm thinking after the WM contract is gone, I'll either buy into HGVC or Marriott, if I decide to buy anything. And it may just be time to give things a rest, and just rent. As everyone agrees, there is no shortage of timeshares available to purchase, and someone is always looking to get out of what they own. So time will tell.

(I didn't reply to your survey, since most of your options fit how I approach timeshare ownership, at one time or another over the last 20-odd years. It didn't seem helpful to check every box.)

Dave

What an amazing and inspirational journey. It seems like with each decision you made the situation fit with what you needed. My journey was different but I feel I reached a happy conclusion just as yours seems.

 

[Clifbell]

I voted for "other" to reflect learning how the various different exchanges, mini-systems, and resorts interact, resulting in "exchange rates" that can be used to reduce the costs of some great vacations. For example, I was able to Exchange Plus a couple of Vacation Village weeks into WorldMark, use the resulting credits, housekeeping tokens and guest certificates, to make a good reservation to deposit in ThirdHome with an HK and GC left over, and use the resulting keys to exchange into Ritz Carlton St Thomas with some left over. Gave me a great story to tell the salesman at my last update at Massanutten and shortened my time with them considerably as an additional benefit. It won't be my least expensive vacation, but way below the cost of owning there or renting and you generally can't get there using a VV week directly; plus I've still got 1 WM HK, 1 WM GC, 2,000 WM credits, and 3 ThirdHome keys to use elsewhere.

I do find that when you explain your knowledge to the timeshare sales people, they pretty much know not to push you. It becomes a polite conversation. I haven't been berated and badgered in a long time.... Your comment made me smile.

 

[Clifbell]

Since I started timesharing in 1999 and was fortunate to find tug before I bought anything, What I have learned overall is that as the years have come and gone, my needs and exchanging have changed. At my highest point, I owned 26 weeks of timeshare... all resale. I now own 4 and would like to get it down to 3.

I have exchanged with most all of the timeshare exchange companies, have done direct exchanges with other tuggers for both weeks and deeds. I have made many on almost all of my timeshares with the exception of one (raintree) and several that I have given away.

And I can credit it all to TUG and helpful Tuggers

TUG is a must if you own timeshares. Thanks for the comment

 

[goaliedave]

Location is more important than amenities.
Most ts owners are happy.
Raintree has the best customer service. Diamond has the best sales & tricks available to maximize points.
When the big 3 buy smaller ts competitors, nothing much changes.
Twitter gets the best problem resolution.

 

[Luvtoride]

Clif, I can’t see the survey on Tapatalk app on my phone.
Clif, why would you want to stay in TS for 7 months of the year? To prove that it could be done? Obsessed sounds like putting it mildly.

Hopefully we all use TS to meet our vacation needs. I still use it/ view it as “pre-paying” for vacation accommodations I will stay in during the year. Nothing more.

Yes, we must learn how to get the most benefit from our ownership and spend. That takes a couple of years and some knowledge from places like TUG and persistence to figure out.

Happy New Year all.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Clifbell]

Clif, I can’t see the survey on Tapatalk app on my phone.
Clif, why would you want to stay in TS for 7 months of the year? To prove that it could be done? Obsessed sounds like putting it mildly.

Hopefully we all use TS to meet our vacation needs. I still use it/ view it as “pre-paying” for vacation accommodations I will stay in during the year. Nothing more.

Yes, we must learn how to get the most benefit from our ownership and spend. That takes a couple of years and some knowledge from places like TUG and persistence to figure out.

Happy New Year all.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I was staying in a timeshare for 7 months for two reasons... I had just retired and wanted to travel. The second reason was I was between houses. in 2022 I have two different trips to Hawaii that are each two months. And then one additional trip to my family and high school reunion. I took advantage of the two years of points that had occurred because of covid lockdown on my part.

But yes... Probably beyond obsession. I have to say that I learned so much about timeshares in the process.

 

[Eric B]

Who amongst us didn’t buy timeshares resale or retail because they like to stay in them?

 

[Clifbell]

Who amongst us didn’t buy timeshares resale or retail because they like to stay in them?

That is funny ... Duh... Actually some people buy timeshares and never learn how to use them.. Those are the angry people who are upset with the whole industry. But probably for the average TUG user this is a ridiculously obvious point.... Thank you for pointing it out... The best laughter is the kind you can do at yourself.

 

[Rascalsmom]

Timesharing has impacted our family in a major way. I slipped into timeshare ownership while on vacation in Cancun with a friend who negotiated a $10K deal with no maintenance fees ever for an all-inclusive resort. I said, "I'll have what she's having." Then I got home and got to work learning how to use it. Ultimately the Mexican TS is a lemon that we've only used one other time, but there's no maintenance fees, so easy come easy go.

Everything I know now, I learned on the TUG message boards. I picked up a couple of weeks with extremely high TPU's in RCI and very successfully used them in that system. Now I deposit into II and have had great trades. For me it's a fun game to get what I want, so I work it hard. Unforgettable recent scores were two scuba trips to Maui for the whole family. Each time I combined one exchange and one AC to get two rooms to accommodate the whole family. Experiencing an uncrowded Maui will probably never happen again. We are smart about credit card points, too, and use cards that let us use points to cancel travel expenditures. My extended family is just bewildered. It's not for everybody, but wow it works for us.

 

[bogey21]

This isn't necessarily what did I learn, more what did I do. In the early 80s we bought 4 Weeks at Marriotts we planned to use every year and sold them when they no longer fit our plans. After my divorce I then bought 6 el cheapo resale Fixed Weeks at a series of Independents and later divested them as son as they no longer fit my vacation plans. I found out that the quicker you sell in a market that is moving South the better off you are...

George

 

[AwayWeGo]

I do find that when you explain your knowledge to the timeshare sales people, they pretty much know not to push you. It becomes a polite conversation. I haven't been berated and badgered in a long time.

We don't go on many timeshare sales presentations now that we're hard-core sr. citz. For 1 thing, now that we're old & look it, we don't get invited any more. The last 3-4 times we checked in at Vacation Village At Parkway (Kissimmee FL), we were not even asked. For another thing, our patience with all the sales-talk folderol & palaver has thinned, meaning we're less inclined to accept a sales pitch invitation unless the freebies are substantial.

Maybe once or twice across those little tables, the timeshare sellers caught on quick that their time would be better spent on some other prospects & sent us over to the freebies desk relatively fast. More often, however, the timeshare sellers dug in & ramped up their pitch.

We learned not to correct misstatements or counterfactual pronouncements by the timeshare sellers, because (in our experience) the timeshare sellers are not much interested in facts & not much inclined to regard people like us as knowing what we're talking about. Calling out the timeshare sellers on erroneous statements thus only serves to prolong the encounter & delay our absorption of timeshare tour freebies. While sitting there attentively, we've taken to listening politely, responding as concisely as possible to questions, & nodding our heads occasionally while adding just a slight rolling motion.

We have three -- 3 -- timeshare reservations lined up for later this month. I rate the chance as low that we'll take a sales presentation at any of the timeshares we'll be going to.

As to timeshare expertise, I won't claim that we have any. Our timeshare knowledge & experience don't make us experts in any true sense. What we do have is a certain level of know-how & savvy in those aspects of timeshares & timesharing that apply to us, & possibly to others with similar timeshare aims.

What we like most about timeshares is staying in spacious & semi-luxurious vacation condos at Motel 6 & Super 8 rates. It would hurt our feelings to pay big bux for a timeshare deed. Ditto if we had to pay going rates for timeshare reservations.

Starting with a resale timeshare we bought for peanuts on eBay, we follow through with low-cost off-season & last-minute reservations at bargain rates & for minimal points -- also, taking advantage of special deals when those pop up.

In recent years, all that has worked well enough that we trimmed our timeshare ownership to the bare minimum -- a triennial 1BR points unit good for 16,333 points per year in the RCI Points exchange system.

Most recently we reserved a week at WorldMark Orlando Kingstown Reef (2BR), checking in Jan. 15th, for 7,500 points + exchange fee.

For check-in Jan. 22, we reserved a week in a 1BR unit at Vacation Village At Parkway for $159 (+ no points) on a special deal offered to owners of timeshare resorts in the Vacation Village chain. Even though no points were involved, for some reason the reservation counts as an RCI points exchange, so we requested Platinum unit upgrade. If that comes through (not guaranteed but not out of the question), we'll get a 2BR unit instead of the 1BR unit we reserved.

After 2 weeks in Florida, we'll be checking in at Club Wyndham Ocean Boulevard, North Myrtle Beach SC. For that, we made a Bonus Week reservation that cost us $290.08 (including tax) for 7 nights in a 2BR unit.

Is this a great country or what ?

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​

 

[Clifbell]

Timesharing has impacted our family in a major way. I slipped into timeshare ownership while on vacation in Cancun with a friend who negotiated a $10K deal with no maintenance fees ever for an all-inclusive resort. I said, "I'll have what she's having." Then I got home and got to work learning how to use it. Ultimately the Mexican TS is a lemon that we've only used one other time, but there's no maintenance fees, so easy come easy go.

Everything I know now, I learned on the TUG message boards. I picked up a couple of weeks with extremely high TPU's in RCI and very successfully used them in that system. Now I deposit into II and have had great trades. For me it's a fun game to get what I want, so I work it hard. Unforgettable recent scores were two scuba trips to Maui for the whole family. Each time I combined one exchange and one AC to get two rooms to accommodate the whole family. Experiencing an uncrowded Maui will probably never happen again. We are smart about credit card points, too, and use cards that let us use points to cancel travel expenditures. My extended family is just bewildered. It's not for everybody, but wow it works for us.

I think learning is the key. Many people don't invest the energy and as a result don't get the benefits. Obviously, I went a little beyond obsession. But I am passionate about getting the most out so I don't mind obsessing... 2022 will be less intense because I am at a lever that works for me... I still will be active, but not like 2021. Thank you and all the others for their comments. So very helpful.

 

[Clifbell]

We don't go on many timeshare sales presentations now that we're hard-core sr. citz. For 1 thing, now that we're old & look it, we don't get invited any more. The last 3-4 times we checked in at Vacation Village At Parkway (Kissimmee FL), we were not even asked. For another thing, our patience with all the sales-talk folderol & palaver has thinned, meaning we're less inclined to accept a sales pitch invitation unless the freebies are substantial.

Maybe once or twice across those little tables, the timeshare sellers caught on quick that their time would be better spent on some other prospects & sent us over to the freebies desk relatively fast. More often, however, the timeshare sellers dug in & ramped up their pitch.

We learned not to correct misstatements or counterfactual pronouncements by the timeshare sellers, because (in our experience) the timeshare sellers are not much interested in facts & not much inclined to regard people like us as knowing what we're talking about. Calling out the timeshare sellers on erroneous statements thus only serves to prolong the encounter & delay our absorption of timeshare tour freebies. While sitting there politely, we've taken to listening politely, responding as concisely as possible to questions, & nodding our heads occasionally while adding just a slight rolling motion.

We have three -- 3 -- timeshare reservations lined up for later this month. I rate the chance as low that we'll take a sales presentation at any of the timeshares we'll be going to.

As to timeshare expertise, I won't claim that we have any. Our timeshare knowledge & experience don't make experts in any true sense. What we do have is a certain level of know-how & savvy in those aspects of timeshares & timesharing that apply to us, & possibly to others with similar timeshare aims.

What we like most about timeshares is staying in spacious & semi-luxurious vacation condos at Motel 6 & Super 8 rates. It would hurt our feelings to pay big bux for a timeshare deed. Ditto if we had to pay going rates for timeshare reservations.

Starting with a resale timeshare we bought for peanuts on eBay, we follow through with low-cost off-season & last-minute reservations at bargain rates & for minimal points -- also, taking advantage of special deals when those pop up.

In recent years, all that has worked well enough that we trimmed our timeshare ownership to the bare minimum -- a triennial 1BR points unit good for 16,333 points per year in the RCI Points exchange system.

Most recently we reserved a week at WorldMark Orlando Kingstown Reef (2BR), checking in Jan. 15th, for 7,500 points + exchange fee.

For check-in Jan. 22, we reserved a week in a 1BR unit at Vacation Village At Parkway for $159 (+ no points) on a special deal offered to owners of timeshare resorts in the Vacation Village chain. Even though no points were involved, for some reason the reservation counts as an RCI points exchange, so we requested Platinum unit upgrade. If that comes through (not guaranteed but not out of the question), we'll get a 2BR unit instead of the 1BR unit we reserved.

After 2 weeks in Florida, we'll be checking in at Club Wyndham Ocean Boulevard, North Myrtle Beach SC. For that, we made a Bonus Week reservation that cost us $290.08 (including tax) for 7 nights in a 2BR unit.

Is this a great country or what ?

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​

I love this whole story because you seem to have found all that you need (isn't that the point?). And you block out the noise which is both great.... And comical in the way you tell the story. A fun comment to read for sure.

 

[SmithOp]

I learned that you can get a free timeshare here on the bargain forum, use it a few years for great trades, join RCI and II with it, then pass it on and still enjoy the exchange memberships. I still get ACs in II with a unit I no longer own. I finally gave up RCI due to all the resort fees.

Thank you @Rascalsmom


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

 

[geist1223]

When we first bought into Worldmark the Developer was known as Trendwest. The Sales People on Staff at the time were very helpful and did not tell as many lies. Several of them gave us their direct line so we could call for help. We actually knew many of the Seaside Sales Staff and Sales Staff at Coral Baja. Later as Wyndhm took hold and got rid of most of the Sales Staff and put in thier trained liers updates were no longer fun. Currently it is pretty standard that we know more about Worldmark than the Sales Person.

 

[JulieAB]

I chose "other." Learning how to maximize my ownership from actual owners here on TUG was integral. We bought from the developer before I found TUG, believed all the lies, and had a terrible time trying to use it even though we wanted to. Once I found TUG, we learned how to play the game and extract its max value, which lessened the sting of paying retail. We've since parted ways with that original unit and happily bought/sold several others along the way as our vacation wants changed, thanks to TUG!

 

[Clifbell]

I chose "other." Learning how to maximize my ownership from actual owners here on TUG was integral. We bought from the developer before I found TUG, believed all the lies, and had a terrible time trying to use it even though we wanted to. Once I found TUG, we learned how to play the game and extract its max value, which lessened the sting of paying retail. We've since parted ways with that original unit and happily bought/sold several others along the way as our vacation wants changed, thanks to TUG!

Glad to hear that I am not the only one who bought the developers words until I discovered TUG. Love my timeshares.

 

[The Colorado Kid]

Glad to hear that I am not the only one who bought the developers words until I discovered TUG. Love my timeshares.

Same

 

[JulieAB]

Someone once said on here to consider that retail price the "cost" of our timeshare education. That feels a lot better when I look at it that way since I've taken many luxurious vacations worth way more than what I paid the developer 20 years ago!

 

[Clifbell]

Someone once said on here to consider that retail price the "cost" of our timeshare education. That feels a lot better when I look at it that way since I've taken many luxurious vacations worth way more than what I paid the developer 20 years ago!

I like this perspective. You don't know what you don't know. I also have taken enough vacations to justify having paid developer pricing... Of course it would be better to have bought used. And that is what I learned and have since put into practice.