Renting TS vs. Buying TS

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

As I continue to look at ebay and what the annual dues for various TS are, I am wondering if it when it will be more feasible to buy TS again. Right now, it seems like that ones I am interested in are cheaper to rent than to buy for $1.00 when looking at rental prices vs. paying the annual dues.

I guess I am looking for guidance, or a crystal ball, to tell me if the resale TS prices and nightly rental fees will go up a lot in the next few years. If not, I think I am usually better off just paying the nightly rental fee for the places that I am interested in.

Those of you who own several TS, do you think you are getting your money's worth? I am just talking about the use for the annual fees, not buy in amount.

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

We have had many similar discussions.

Some people like their timeshares and $$$ seems to be now object.

Some people wish they did not have them any more.

Some people fall in between.

We have six weeks, none of which we have any need for, nor do we have any present plans to add to our 120 exchanges.

When we rent our weeks, if we can, we are lucky to get $300. Even for peak weeks. Too many other rentals available.

If the conditions in the 1980s were the same as they are now, we never woulda bought.

So, there's my answer.

[timeos2 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close timeos2]

As I continue to look at ebay and what the annual dues for various TS are, I am wondering if it when it will be more feasible to buy TS again. Right now, it seems like that ones I am interested in are cheaper to rent than to buy for $1.00 when looking at rental prices vs. paying the annual dues.

I guess I am looking for guidance, or a crystal ball, to tell me if the resale TS prices and nightly rental fees will go up a lot in the next few years. If not, I think I am usually better off just paying the nightly rental fee for the places that I am interested in.

Those of you who own several TS, do you think you are getting your money's worth? I am just talking about the use for the annual fees, not buy in amount.

Right now it is very hard to make a viable case to buy any timeshare vs renting unless you absolutely LOVE it & plan to use it 99% of the time while nothing else would make you equally happy. Virtually every timeshare, no matter where it's located, what the brand, what the view, the use dates, etc can be rented at or at worst slightly above the annual fees (actually most are BELOW the annual fees and of course you have no obligation for future fees and no up front purchase costs.

Again if you really want to own your little slice of paradise and must have unit / view/ week XXX than maybe you can justify a purchase. But the vast majority are far better rented. It's cheaper, you can get exactly what you want (make the owners get it for you!) and you have no ongoing ties to anything. You may have already realized the best way to timeshare right now isn't to own. We sold 6 of our 8 ownerships in favor of renting and we're still getting the resorts/units/dates we desire but saving big money. We are holding on to two where the Owners are in control which was not the case in the other 6. That alone is reason to sell & rent rather than own as developer control usually means fees out of line with product delivered.

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

mentioned to my wife about maybe buying one. we went to a few of the presentations in the last decade but never bought.

Orlando Florida during july or august at a nice resort like Marriott grande vista looks like a good deal.

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

Orlando Florida during july or august at a nice resort like Marriott grande vista looks like a good deal.

Good deal for what?

http://orlando.craigslist.org/search...Ask=&bedrooms=

http://orlando.craigslist.org/vac/

[JoshA Member Find all posts View Profile Close JoshA]

Considering all those deals you can buy online (expedia,travelocity etc) most timeshares don't make much financial sence anymore...

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

Suddenly that message has become very consistent.

(and those are the expensive sites)

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

Orlando Florida during july or august at a nice resort like Marriott grande vista looks like a good deal.

Orlando's overbuilt. It shouldn't be too tough to get a good rental price there, especially in August.

Florida in August. *shudder*

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

The argument for owning has always been the desire to "own" your little slice.

But I submit the biggest downside to owning a timeshare is there is no good exit strategy for the day when you no longer need/desire/can afford to own. Seems like once in, your in for life.

Unlike the developer/large investor, who is praised by stock holders, for cutting losses and walking away from a poorly returning investment (deed back). We the timeshare owner/small time investor are stigmatized for the same effort to cut losses.

Your no benefactor leaving deeded property to descendants, you just saddle them with unexpected maintenance fees.

There becomes a new truism: death, taxes, and maintenance fees.

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

We own 3 TSs in Puerto Vallarta during the winter. We go every year, and hope to for the foreseeable future. They are RTUs with an expiration date in 5 years. I would not buy anything now unless it expired in the timeframe I expect to use it.

We also have some deeded TSs in Orlando, during holiday weeks, that get us 2-4 trades per MF under RCIs new system (plus exchange fees). These are definitely cheaper than renting, but I still don't think I would buy nowadays.

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

Wow!

Suddenly everyone sounds like me!!!

Is someone pulling my chain?

[bjones9942 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close bjones9942]

The maintenance fees for my TS in Mazatlan is less than what I'd pay in any of the resorts (no matter what anyone has to say, I have yet to find a [decent] resort less than $53 a night).

As far as my deeded TS, my first use year is 2012. It's with WWVC, so I have 8 locations I can book into. I *might* be able to find something a tad less, but the convenience of not having to do the detective work is worth a couple of dollars (I'd have to find something less than $61/night).

I'm very happy with my purchases and would do it again in a flash. Without the timeshares, I find myself running off to NYC for 3 days every three or four years. With the timeshares I'm a much more relaxed person (ok, not so much right now ... I leave this Sat for Mazatlan, so it's been a year since my last vacation and I'm stressed)!

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

The maintenance fees for my TS in Mazatlan is less than what I'd pay in any of the resorts (no matter what anyone has to say, I have yet to find a [decent] resort less than $53 a night).

As far as my deeded TS, my first use year is 2012. (I'd have to find something less than $61/night).

Keep convincing yourself

St LUCIA RENTAL Windjammer Landing TIMESHARE RENT 1 BR $350.00/7 nights

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

We have been timeshare owners for 24 years. I sold one of them 3 years ago and will sell my other one in the next year or so. I strongly recommend renting instead of buying. The only exception would be if you have to have a certain fixed week at a particular resort.

It is very rare that I can't find a rental that costs less than the maintenance fees. This includes NYC and Hawaii.

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

We have been timeshare owners for 24 years. I sold one of them 3 years ago and will sell my other one in the next year or so. I strongly recommend renting instead of buying. The only exception would be if you have to have a certain fixed week at a particular resort.

It is very rare that I can't find a rental that costs less than the maintenance fees. This includes NYC and Hawaii.

Another one I could have written myself.

I am jacked sideways today, however, because I cashed the $300 check I got for renting our $625 annual fee week.

I have a $250 offer on another week later this month. My cutoff date for it is 2 days, so $250's probably gonna be it.

Such a deal!