If you could start over...what would you do?

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Nitram
Here's my advice:

Don't buy directly from a developer (like I did).

Buy a resort that's easy to travel by car within a day.

Buy a resort that is well maintained and you believe will stay that way.

Buy somewhere that you would not mind staying often.

Buy a fixed week, not a floating week.

Buy a unit with a reasonable maintenance fee.

Buy a locked unit if possible, e.g. two locked one bedrooms rather than a two bedroom.

Normally, buy the week you want to use the unit, but if you plan to exchange often, buy during the prime season, e.g. winter for a ski resort, or summer for the beach.

Decide what resort you want to buy, the timeframe, e.g. week 25-30, and the price you're willing to pay. Then contact owners directly who have ads on internet sites, and give offers. Don't passively be an ebay watcher and wait for your dream week unless you are very flexible with resort and week.
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Then never change your mind.
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Your present preferences will almost surely change over time but your timeshare obligation will not.

Very little about timeshare is static, or forever, except for the obligation part.

Why buy the cow when the milk is avaiblable for less, and the cow is likely to go dry (buy you still have to feed it . . . or take it for a ride )?

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

Let me put it this way . . .

I will let you go where you (now) want to go, free, once a year. All you have to do is pay $1000 a year forever.

It will wind up being a worse deal than that, but if that sounds good, go ahead.
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I googled Vacation Rentals on craigslist.org: About 300,000 results

That's better than any exchange company!

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

I almost always see it in my daily searches, and have considered it, even with being on the wrong coast.

Oyster Bay (#0211) 28 available units

Oyster Pointe (#0775) 25 available units

Both are available a week we need:

Oyster Bay (#0211) 2 available units
Sebastian
FL, 32958
USA
map resort Available Unit Size
2 BR
Check-In Date Range
14-Jan-2012 -
28-Jan-2012


Oyster Pointe (#0775) 2 available units
Sebastian
FL, 32958
USA
map resort Available Unit Size
2 BR
Check-In Date Range
06-Jan-2012 -
27-Jan-2012

[chriskre Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close chriskre]

.
Oh, I did not see where you said Parkway.

The original Wastgate is called Wastegate Vacation Village.

BTW, googling OPC I stumbled onto a WasteGate Vegas OPC whistleblower thread OY. Interesting read.

Sorry, my bad.

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

Sorry, my bad.

That's OK, it was simpler in the old days.

There was Orange Lake, Vistana, and Westgate. That's all.

[chriskre Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close chriskre]

That's OK, it was simpler in the old days.

There was Orange Lake, Vistana, and Westgate. That's all.

Simpler I'm sure but I'm enjoying playing with points.

I've got so many options now that I'm all stressed out trying to fit in
all these vacations.

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

I've got so many options now that I'm all stressed out trying to fit in all these vacations.

Yeah, if we did not mind going where we don't wanna go, that would be a problem.

[chriskre Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close chriskre]

Yeah, if we did not mind going where we don't wanna go, that would be a problem.

I guess I'm more of an opportunistic traveller. If it's a deal, I'm there.
You should try it, you might just like it.

For me, anywhere, is better than being at work.

[JWC Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close JWC]

I guess I'm more of an opportunistic traveller. If it's a deal, I'm there.
You should try it, you might just like it.

For me, anywhere, is better than being at work.

I don't care how good of a deal it is. If we don't have any desire to go then we are not going. We love where we live so it has to be something very special and there are not that many places that meet that criteria for us. I am always on vacation.

[chriskre Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close chriskre]

I don't care how good of a deal it is. If we don't have any desire to go then we are not going. We love where we live so it has to be something very special and there are not that many places that meet that criteria for us. I am always on vacation.

Oh no not me.
Sometimes you don't know you want to go someplace until you go.
...........Like Branson.

[JWC Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close JWC]

Oh no not me.
Sometimes you don't know you want to go someplace until you go.
...........Like Branson.

We spent a timeshare week in Branson. Have no desire to return. We have been to a lot of places from coast to coast, Canada, Hawaii, and Mexico. New York City is the only place that we really love going to. We have also lived in Mexico, Canada, Venezuela, Oregon, Arizona, Florida, and all over California.

[chriskre Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close chriskre]

We have been to a lot of places from coast to coast

Me too.

Now that I've been to all the usual tourist places I'm working on the untourist places too. Branson was charming. I don't like country music much but still found it charming and would even go back if the opportunity arose again. Maybe I'll even go see JLB while I'm there.

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

I don't really like going to Branson either.

I haven't been to a country music show since my Uncle was living, cuz he & Gilley were tight.

I went to Branson today to golf with my buddies. It's a nice place to live near, but I wouldn't want to visit there.

[ROGKAR Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close ROGKAR]

Branson,

Me too.

Now that I've been to all the usual tourist places I'm working on the untourist places too. Branson was charming. I don't like country music much but still found it charming and would even go back if the opportunity arose again. Maybe I'll even go see JLB while I'm there.

Also have used my timeshares for many, many places since 1977. Tried Branson around 5 years ago reluctantly because I too dislike country music! To my surprise, they have so many other types of great shows and friendly people at great prices,that I usually buy a week each year from RCI and get that "Big Bear" two bedroom villa for less than $300/wk! I guess different people like different things! I have been to New York twice, and hated it!

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

Back to the OP. What would you do if . . . ?

Well, let's say this was not a timeshare forum, you had never heard of timesharing, and never considered it.

But, let's say you know how to google and use craigslist, and all the other places to find timeshare-or-better quality vacations at low prices, when you want, where you want it, only when you need.

If that was the case, why would anyone even consider timeshare, and the forever ongoing financial obligation, in today's world? Is not the concept itself an anachronism (my big word for the day)?