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

[bnoble Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close bnoble]

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)?

There are two things that timeshare can potentially save you. One is money. The other is time.

My first purchase was a Wyndham resale to use for Bonnet Creek stays in Orlando---in the Age of Google. Even resale, the carrying costs of that purchase were actually a little more than I can expect to rent 2-3BR units for at, say, Windsor Hills (a whole-ownership resort zoned for short-term rentals). But, finding "the right" rental always seemed to take time and effort, whereas I figured I could just book Bonnet each year and be done with it.

Naturally, I then went and learned a bunch about exchanging, etc. to leverage even more value out of it, spending even more time in the process.

But, if I had just bought to use, it would have been a lot easier than playing the rental whack-a-mole game. And, only a little more expensive. To my thinking at the time, that seemed like a fair trade.

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

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!

Being born in New York, it doesn't have the appeal to me that others find.
I love it at Christmas time but that's about it.
So many cities, so little time left.

Now JLB, TS's are still a great deal today even if you only own one. Just having access to RCI, DAE, SFX and II is great value to me. If I were to recommend to someone how to get great vacations I'd probably recommend they find one with multiple affiliations and just own one of two good ones that they'd use and then buy the getaways. Maybe you can join these exchange companies without owning a TS but I don't know how that is done. You just gotta be flexible in travelling off season and they are hugely a great value.
Stop snowbirding and you'll save a ton of money.

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

Missing what I'm saying.

If you were doing fine without TS, getting deep-discount vacations where and when you want, without any upfront or ongoing obligation, why would you even be looking at anything else, not to mention something with an upfront and ongoing obligation?

Would it be because one day on one of your deep discount luxury vacations you got on the Internet, you said to the Mrs./Mr./yourself, "There surely must be a more expensive, unreliable way we/I could do this?"

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

Buy my points

I am selling my Bluegreen points if you are interested. 21,000 points for only $21,000. You could never get this deal from the corporation and I won't make you sit through a sales pitch either. We are deeded out of Boyne Michigan, but obviously with points you can go where ever you want, whenever you want. Please let me know if you are intrested.

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

Guess Tina didn't read my posts.

Or maybe she did.

[Hobbitess Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Hobbitess]

If you were doing fine without TS, getting deep-discount vacations where and when you want, without any upfront or ongoing obligation, why would you even be looking at anything else, not to mention something with an upfront and ongoing obligation?

In our case, we weren't doing fine without TS. We'd talk about vacationing, but it never happened. Paying the yearly fees gives us a needed boot to get us going. Although technically we do both -- we rent about as many weeks as our points get us.

Owning in a points system also gives us some direction - one of the reasons we didn't vacation is there wasn't anywhere we particularly wanted to go. We've lived a lot of places and moved where we're at in the first place because it's our favorite place. We live near a terrific beach, we're not that big on mountains, it's a day's trip to Chicago or Detroit or Toledo or Indianapolis, neither one of us is that into traveling the world and we did that while hubby was in the military anyhow. We vacation because it gets us out of our everyday headspace, rather than because we're dying to travel per se.

We aren't much for vacationing the same place every year, but we do like going back to places we've been before, doing what we loved there and checking out some new stuff, so a points system is perfect for us. Our ownership also gives us a membership in RCI and opportunities to trade into other systems. And when we do rent, we're going to places in our system and renting from people we "know" through the Internet, rather than from strangers. I think renting is a great deal, but I like that added level of security.

I've heard more renting horror stories than I have horror stories within my points system -- and I actively go looking for horror stories regarding Bluegreen. We don't always get the best deal available through our TS, but sometimes we get tremendous discounts so it balances out to a low per-night cost. We're paying a bit more for security and the opportunity to reserve way ahead of time, and thus far it's worth it for us. YMMV.

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

Guess Tina didn't read my posts.

Or maybe she did.

She probably did, but figured that you were trying to discourage people from discovering what you obviously know. I mean afterall if you really hated TS's then why would you be so active on this forum?

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

why would you be so active on this forum?

Why does the sun go on shining?

Why does the sea rush to shore?

Why do the birds go on singing?

Why do the stars glow above?

Why does my heart go on beating?

Why do these eyes of mine cry?

I wake up in the morning and I wonder

Why ev'rything is the same as it was

I can't understand, no, I can't understand

How life goes on the way it does!

[susieq Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close susieq]

Why does the sun go on shining?

Why does the sea rush to shore?

Why do the birds go on singing?

Why do the stars glow above?

Why does my heart go on beating?

Why do these eyes of mine cry?

I wake up in the morning and I wonder

Why ev'rything is the same as it was

I can't understand, no, I can't understand

How life goes on the way it does!

Good answer!!!....Good answer!!!

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

Being born in New York, it doesn't have the appeal to me that others find.
I love it at Christmas time but that's about it.
So many cities, so little time left.

Now JLB, TS's are still a great deal today even if you only own one. Just having access to RCI, DAE, SFX and II is great value to me. If I were to recommend to someone how to get great vacations I'd probably recommend they find one with multiple affiliations and just own one of two good ones that they'd use and then buy the getaways. Maybe you can join these exchange companies without owning a TS but I don't know how that is done. You just gotta be flexible in travelling off season and they are hugely a great value.
Stop snowbirding and you'll save a ton of money.

Maybe you can join these exchange companies without owning a TS but I don't know how that is done. You just gotta be flexible in travelling off season and they are hugely a great value.


I thought you had to own one too, but you don't! At RCI you can buy a membership on a yearly or multi yearly basis that comes to about $65/yr depending on how many years you buy! And you are correct as to there great value, especially in travelling "off" season! Again, to each his own and being retired buying off season is great when there are less people. Easier to get around, cheaper pricing, getting into shows or restaurants is so much easier, and the weather is usually just as great! Not much different between May 24th or June 1st, or Sept 1st or Sept 8th! RCI just had a big sale where you could pick up a 1 bdrm for under $200/wk at many destintations and use until 4/17/2011! Another thing that bothers me is that I hear that BG and others don't buy back there timeshares because they are behind these places that offer to get you out of your timeshare for a cost, and then get it back and charge big bucks when they resell with their choice sales group! Boy, I hope that's no really true!

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

If I could start over, I would not buy the freaking time share!
So much hassle, too many restrictions... and it's not even that cheap...

I'd rather have the flexibility and pay a little more and just book a trip whenever I want to.

I want to make the most of my small budget...

Hoping for some helpful strategy to enjoy vacationing on the cheap.

I know that alot of you wish you did it differently, so how should I do it?

I want to enjoy different resorts around the U.S. and also have a dream of Europe some day in the future...

I have noticed alot of points listed for the cost of maintanence fees...

What is the smart way to go????

JimmyD

Know this stretch of beach????

[Hobbitess Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Hobbitess]

Another thing that bothers me is that I hear that BG and others don't buy back there timeshares because they are behind these places that offer to get you out of your timeshare for a cost, and then get it back and charge big bucks when they resell with their choice sales group! Boy, I hope that's no really true!

I don't see how that would profit Bluegreen. They don't lack for units to sell right now, and in this economy I expect they're having a hard time moving those. My guess is that they need people paying their maintenance fees more than they need more units. And if they did need more units, why not snap up all the cheap ones on the market, rather than risk their reputation by signing on with a shady operation?

I am no fan of Bluegreen salespeople as a group, but there are honest BG salespeople and the corporation puts buyers through a multi-level routine of both hearing and reading the hard facts before a sale in order to limit the dishonest ones. There may be dishonest individuals working for Bluegreen, but Bluegreen per se obeys the law. Corporate Bluegreen is also responsive to owners and makes a fair percentage of its sales "in house", to people who already own. They know what BG owners think of those kinds of companies, and they'd be idiots to do such a thing.

OTOH, companies that send out "fishing" e-mails or calls have a long record of dishonestly claiming to be affiliated with a credit card company, a reputable diabetic association, my doctor, etc. They may claim to be affiliated with Bluegreen, but I'm not going to believe them until Bluegreen says they are, anymore than I believe the diabetic guys offering me free stuff until they can get me concrete proof they're affiliated with someone I trust. If they don't offer me the name and number of a specific BG employee I can call and verify them with, then I don't believe they're actually telling the truth about being affiliated with Bluegreen.

Why trust the dishonest guys who make their living running a scam over a company that's dealt honestly with me?

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

I'd rather have the flexibility and pay a little more and just book a trip whenever I want to.

More?

You must not be shopping very hard.

[Hostelling Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Hostelling]

Start by renting from timeshare owners.

Ebay is the default price setter for rent and purchase of time shares. (search word: timeshare)

There will be plenty of inventory to rent. Look at all the ads to get an idea of what is a good price to pay for the time period & vacation type you want.

For mixing it up points are more flexible. For a guaranteed week at your favorite location every year fixed weeks are best. The fixed week that has been converted to a point system (while retaining the right to use the fixed week) is like frosting on the cake. Once you have a better feel for what works for you look at the timeshare resales. Never buy from the Developer.

Remember purchase price is just once, maintenance fees come every year, so search for a listing with low fees that will also meet your other desires.

Enjoy.

[Hobbitess Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Hobbitess]

The fixed week that has been converted to a point system (while retaining the right to use the fixed week) is like frosting on the cake.

Some points systems (Bluegreen is one) also give you the right to your owned week if you reserve it 12 months out (it's put in the common pool at eleven months). People who want to stay at Big Cedar in the summer will buy points there and then use that week to be sure of getting the unit and time they want (of course then the challenge is finding the unit for sale).