What the heck is this - "single use" timeshare? [merged]

[RX8]

An eBay item in which you can buy "single use" timeshare weeks with no commitment and no annual MF? Also says you can join RCI since you are an owner and use the TPUs elsewhere???

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Timeshare-S...831?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item45fe3b45ff

The resort that they are selling as single use weeks is in Argentina.

 

[djs]

No clue, but since the "auction price" is only a down payment and the actual price is $495 you are looking at something in the neighborhood of $750 +/- to exchange into and try a timeshare. Seems to me that there are plenty of easier and cheaper ways to try a timeshare than that (for one, the rentals section of TUG).

 

[RX8]

I am NOT placing a bid on that auction BUT I am curious how they would set up a single use timeshare. This sounds more like a RENTAL rather than "owning" a timeshare.

Some thoughts out loud: Is there a deed? What kind of proof would they show RCI that I was an "owner".

If I did bid, I would be scared to death that one year from now I would receive a MF bill in the mail and a call to the resort would tell me I am 100% owner for now and forever (I personally wouldn't have any use for a home resort in Argentina worth 7-10 TPUs, but that is just me). At that time, these people that sold the "single use" timeshare would be long gone.

 

[kaio]

I
Some thoughts out loud: Is there a deed? What kind of proof would they show RCI that I was an "owner".

Good Questions.. I am also curious to how this business plan works. Maybe you can create an RCI Weeks account without proof of a deeded ownership?? and then you use the Banked week as a guest (and incur guest fees).... ?? Not too familiar with details of RCI Weeks membership's.... but I am curious...

 

[ocdb8r]

Not sure what all the hubub is about....this is exactly the sort of thing Grupo Mayan does.

It started in the old days with a "bonus" vacation fair week that you could choose to use or not to use each year in addition to your owned week. Now they sell RTU weeks directly that have this option (pay the MF in years you want to use it....don't it years you don't want to).

This doesn't look very novel to me, save for the fact they are outright making it clear you don't really own anything (as opposed to Grupo Mayan making it seem like their product is a traditional timeshare with cool features).

 

[strandlover]

Can anyone make some sense out of this?

I saw this listing on ebay:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Timeshare-S...115?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item45fe41a7eb

What exactly is this guy auctioning? Is it 10 TPUs?

 

[nsstampqueen]

Hopefully someone with lots of knowledge will answer this, but I think I read a post with similar information to the auction on one of the forums around here. It basically said that you can buy a timeshare, sign up for an RCI membership (and pay their fee) and then sell your timeshare but keep your RCI membership and keep using it - some kind of loophole or RCI just doesn't care or something, not too sure, but with the way the ad is written - the grammar, misspellings, etc. I wouldn't trust it myself - the person posting the ad doesn't sound very intelligent if you know what I mean. Some things are just too good to be true - and I think they are trying to get around paying Ebay fees for a true auction by just having you make the "deposit" which would mean that the actual transaction isn't covered if something goes wrong (you couldn't get all your money back if it's a scam because of the way he is asking for payment).

Please note I know very little about timeshares themselves, I am just getting into them and learning along the way, but the whole ad just seems wrong.

 

[theo]

Partially correct...

... you can buy a timeshare, sign up for an RCI membership (and pay their fee) and then sell your timeshare but keep your RCI membership and keep using it - some kind of loophole or RCI just doesn't care or something.... Please note I know very little about timeshares....

Before acquiring a RCI membership, you must first have deeded ownership at a RCI-affiliated facility (...and yes, RCI will check and confirm). Thereafter however, as long as one keeps on paying RCI their annual membership fee costs, RCI does not care a whit about the status of that original (or any other) timeshare ownership; RCI is happy to keep taking your $$$, even though you may no longer actually have anything to "deposit" or "exchange". Why not? It's just "found money" for RCI and certainly no skin off their nose...

That being said, it is difficult to imagine the "one time use" (...whatever that may be) eBay ad referenced by the OP as possibly fulfilling even the basic, fundamental RCI requirement for deeded ownership anyhow...

That eBay ad doesn't sound right and makes little sense. It may just be someone attempting to rent out a week which they have acquired via RCI "exchange" (...a practice which is very clearly and very specifically prohibited by both RCI and Interval Intl. in their respective terms and conditions of membership).

 

[theo]

Nope...

Maybe you can create an RCI Weeks account without proof of a deeded ownership??

RCI confirms deeded ownership at a RCI-affiliated facility first (i.e., before issuing a RCI membership) directly with the resort, then incorporates the "RCI resort number" (usually four digits) right into the new RCI membership number.

That said, I too am curious about this odd listing, which really makes no sense at all.

 

[RX8]

RCI confirms deeded ownership at a RCI-affiliated facility first (i.e., before issuing a RCI membership) directly with the resort, then incorporates the "RCI resort number" (usually four digits) right into the new RCI membership number.

That said, I too am curious about this odd listing, which really makes no sense at all.

Does RCI confirm ownership with the resort? If so, could this resort in Argentina somehow be in on this by falsely stating that an individual is an "owner"? I know nothing about this resort but if they have a lot of foreclosures maybe this is a scheme by the resort to bring in some money???

 

[theo]

I dunno...

Does RCI confirm ownership with the resort? If so, could this resort in Argentina somehow be in on this by falsely stating that an individual is an "owner"? I know nothing about this resort but if they have a lot of foreclosures maybe this is a scheme by the resort to bring in some money???

Yes, RCI definitely confirms deeded ownership before issuing a new membership. As far as a South American resort possibly being in cahoots with a scammer, I suppose that anything is possible....

There is a 813 area code (Florida, somewhere SW of Tampa / St. Petersburg) phone number for the advertiser, reportedly named "Scott". if I get some time later today or this evening, I may just give Scott a call and ask a few pointed questions. I think that I might know and understand the overall timeshare system well enough that I might be able to reach an informed conclusion based upon his answers to my questions.

 

[ampaholic]

Before acquiring a RCI membership, you must first have deeded ownership at a RCI-affiliated facility (...and yes, RCI will check and confirm).

You can also join RCI if you are a member (not deeded) in certain "clubs" such as MROP - no deed required.

This may be just that.