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Post card companies are popularly regarded as slimey, sleazy bottom-feeders, I guess because there is a dislike for those who capitalize on the misfortune of others.
But, they do serve a purpose. They provide an out for folks caught in the Timeshare Trap, something the industry chooses to ignore.
They could not exist without some truth to their position.
Here is the jist of a solictation I recently received:
What We Are Told: You buy a prepaid vacation for the rest of your life.
Fact: You must pay rising maintenance fees forever. (I will add: making your vacations increasingly more expensive, even when technology makes them less expensive for the general public.)
What We Are Told: When you don't want your timeshare any more, you can easily sell it. It has increasing value and will appreciate.
Fact: Listing companies will list or advertise your timeshare for a fee, but will not likely sell it.
What We Are Told: If you don't want to go to the same place every year, you can easily trade to where you do want to go.
Fact: If you decide to trade, there is an additional cost, also continuously rising, and no guarantee of getting what you want, when you want it. (I might add that those entrusted to facilitate those exchanges cannot be, because they have created a conflict in that regard.)
What We Are Told: Timeshare resorts are exclusive to Timeshare owners.
Fact: Timeshares are rented to non-owners, in some cases for less than the maintenance fees that owners are paying.
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For me, it is the last item that sticks in my craw the most.
If timeshare accomodations remained exclusive, and better, than the general public had available to them, it would justify the expense. To me, there is nothing that can justify being forced to pay more for something others can get for less, especially knowing that that situation came about because of intentional decisions made by those in the timeshare industry.
The timeshare industry has failed the owners, and it is that is the breach of faith that nags at me the most.
But, they do serve a purpose. They provide an out for folks caught in the Timeshare Trap, something the industry chooses to ignore.
They could not exist without some truth to their position.
Here is the jist of a solictation I recently received:
What We Are Told: You buy a prepaid vacation for the rest of your life.
Fact: You must pay rising maintenance fees forever. (I will add: making your vacations increasingly more expensive, even when technology makes them less expensive for the general public.)
What We Are Told: When you don't want your timeshare any more, you can easily sell it. It has increasing value and will appreciate.
Fact: Listing companies will list or advertise your timeshare for a fee, but will not likely sell it.
What We Are Told: If you don't want to go to the same place every year, you can easily trade to where you do want to go.
Fact: If you decide to trade, there is an additional cost, also continuously rising, and no guarantee of getting what you want, when you want it. (I might add that those entrusted to facilitate those exchanges cannot be, because they have created a conflict in that regard.)
What We Are Told: Timeshare resorts are exclusive to Timeshare owners.
Fact: Timeshares are rented to non-owners, in some cases for less than the maintenance fees that owners are paying.
- - - - - -
For me, it is the last item that sticks in my craw the most.
If timeshare accomodations remained exclusive, and better, than the general public had available to them, it would justify the expense. To me, there is nothing that can justify being forced to pay more for something others can get for less, especially knowing that that situation came about because of intentional decisions made by those in the timeshare industry.
The timeshare industry has failed the owners, and it is that is the breach of faith that nags at me the most.
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