Do you think Timeshare is really a good deal for users ??? or only for the companies

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

chriskre, thanks .. will be great to take some tips from your experiences..
I will open another thread, about "Tips to maximize use of the timeshare: with POINTS"
see you there.

I've started answering in your new thread.
RCI is down right now so I can't really dig in deep but I started you off.
I'm headed to Orlando for a week so will try to check in during my stay and update if I think of anything.
Thanks to timeshare trading I got a 3 bedroom Marriott grande vista.

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

Can anybody help me to understand why to pay $10K in front and then yearly $750... if you can go anywhere and
pay $100 to $200 per night .. the days you want .. the time of the year you want ??

No, I can't help you understand that thinking, and, especially, when you can rent the very same timeshare units for not $100 or $200 an day, but more like $70-$100.

But, to give a nod to those still thrilled with them, "anywhere" or "any time", is not the case. In a very few instances, in a very few high demand times in not-overbuilt areas, owning might make sense, if you intend to never change your vacation habits, never die, etc.

There are also a few instances where owning a local timeshare gives year-round access to golf or the beach, or other amenities. We own one for golf (which we are not using right now), and are actually considering another one for the beach, because it would be less costly than the beach club we are eligible for. What has stopped me on that one is knowing we can get in the pontoon and go to any beach or deserted island we want, and that resort ends their owners' "day privileges" at 5:00 PM, so no sunsets and no Chickee Hut BBQs. That's even posted prominently.

In the great scheme of things, timesharewise, it was not supposed to go that way, but the industry failed to factor in what the Internet would do to the vacation rental marketplace. To the industry, though it does not matter, because you will never hear from them anything mentioned in this post.

I cannot think of a more despicable profession than to lie constantly in order to get money from others.

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

No, I can't help you understand that thinking, and, especially, when you can rent the very same timeshare units for not $100 or $200 an day, but more like $70-$100.

But, to give a nod to those still thrilled with them, "anywhere" or "any time", is not the case. In a very few instances, in a very few high demand times in not-overbuilt areas, owning might make sense, if you intend to never change your vacation habits, never die, etc.

There are also a few instances where owning a local timeshare gives year-round access to golf or the beach, or other amenities. We own one for golf (which we are not using right now), and are actually considering another one for the beach, because it would be less costly than the beach club we are eligible for. What has stopped me on that one is knowing we can get in the pontoon and go to any beach or deserted island we want, and that resort ends their owners' "day privileges" at 5:00 PM, so no sunsets and no Chickee Hut BBQs. That's even posted prominently.

In the great scheme of things, timesharewise, it was not supposed to go that way, but the industry failed to factor in what the Internet would do to the vacation rental marketplace. To the industry, though it does not matter, because you will never hear from them anything mentioned in this post.

I cannot think of a more despicable profession than to lie constantly in order to get money from others.

What about those of us who can get two weeks for the price of one. I can go to Hawaii every year and stay two weeks in my timeshare. I have a lock off. My daily rate at the Marriott Ko Olina property is around $125 per night if I look at my maintenance fees. I plan on using that unit for a long time. Also, since I enrolled in Marriott's points program, I will also be able to get more than a week out of my unit, particularly when I retire and can go off season more, I will get even more mileage out of it. I believe it all depends on knowing the rules of the game and being able to maximize your opportunities within the timeshare system.

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

What about those of us who can get two weeks for the price of one. I can go to Hawaii every year and stay two weeks in my timeshare. I have a lock off. My daily rate at the Marriott Ko Olina property is around $125 per night if I look at my maintenance fees. I plan on using that unit for a long time. Also, since I enrolled in Marriott's points program, I will also be able to get more than a week out of my unit, particularly when I retire and can go off season more, I will get even more mileage out of it. I believe it all depends on knowing the rules of the game and being able to maximize your opportunities within the timeshare system.

We have timeshared for more than 25 years and been on more than 120 exchanges, and that was all dine and fandy, in the day.

but

what about when you no longer want to use it at all?

Everyone here knows there is no exit strategy.

[gandalf252002 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close gandalf252002]

Everyone here knows there is no exit strategy.

It has been pointed out before that this is not true.

As many here have reiterated before, there are exit strategies some better than others. You not liking them do not constitute not having one. Even though some developers do not provide exit solutions, does not mean there are no other solutions. You choose not to use them, which is your option and choice. Telecommunication companies offer exit solutions that involve costs just the same as some timeshare companies. You may have to take some ownership and have your OWN exit strategy and not rely on others to do it for you.


A squeaky wheel gets the grease, a whining one gets replaced.

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

Everyone here knows there is no exit strategy.

There's no guaranteed exit strategy. Depending on the ownership and the local economy, selling for nothing or offering to pay transfer fees can be pretty effective. With five kids who love their BG vacations, there's also the option that one of the kids will want to buy it. Except they'll probably be ready to buy before we're ready to sell, so that may not work out.

Life is risk; that's the peculiar risk of Timesharing! Some of us go in knowing that risk, and still thinking it's worth it.

[GrayFal Silver Contributor and supermoderator Find all posts View Profile Close GrayFal]

What about those of us who can get two weeks for the price of one. I can go to Hawaii every year and stay two weeks in my timeshare. I have a lock off. My daily rate at the Marriott Ko Olina property is around $125 per night if I look at my maintenance fees. I plan on using that unit for a long time. Also, since I enrolled in Marriott's points program, I will also be able to get more than a week out of my unit, particularly when I retire and can go off season more, I will get even more mileage out of it. I believe it all depends on knowing the rules of the game and being able to maximize your opportunities within the timeshare system.

Exactly....when we purchased at Marriott Aruba 10 years ago, we knew after 2.2 years that we would make back out purchase price compared to renting on Marriott.com. The time of year we go rents for $660 per night for a 1BR and $500 for the studio.
As you said, we can go for two weeks for a little more then $100 per night.

What and when and where you buy greatly influences your happiness with the product.

[GrayFal Silver Contributor and supermoderator Find all posts View Profile Close GrayFal]

I bought most of my timeshares resale on ebay, paying an average of $500-$2,000 for each. They were a great deal for me in the beginning. Nowadays, now that I am married and my wife works in a school with a limited vacation schedule, they are more of a hassle. Also, she doesn't like me using them all unless she is going, as well, so I often wind up not using them and they can be a bit of a hassle.

As others have pointed out, life changes, jobs change, second homes are bought and what we like/want to do changes.
Even if you end up giving them away, you have had a lot of enjoyment out of these ownerships.

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

What used to be true of timesharing and is no longer is stability, and that is largely the impact of actions by RCI. I have already mentioned how RCI going massively into renting renting out exchange deposits to the general public has massively impacted timeshare owners and resorts in a hugely negative way.

Their trying to churn the product by introducing GPN, subsequently RCI Points, was another disruption. Its goal was a fruit basket turnover to try to force owners who exchanged to buy their week all over again by paying a big fee to ''convert'' to points. This made big money for developers and a fair amount for RCI. Even with the highly unfair (to Weeks) crossover grids allowing Points members to get Weeks inventory, this strongarm tactic did not move nearly as many members into the churn as they thought it would.

Still, instead of a stable product, timesharers now have something on which one never knows what is around the next turn. I suspect a medium term move by RCI will be to merge Points and Points Lite (Weeks), probably with negative impacts to both.

Changes by RCI have also impacted the own-to-use timesharers, as they have led exchanger owners to bail out, which translates to higher maintenance fees for those remaining.

The one bit of stability out there is with the independent exchange companies, and to a lesser degree, II. The difficulty is educating enough timesharers to get them to vote with their feet rather than just bail out.

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

We have timeshared for more than 25 years and been on more than 120 exchanges, and that was all dine and fandy, in the day.

but

what about when you no longer want to use it at all?

Everyone here knows there is no exit strategy.

Sure there is. Once you die. Game over.

Sent from my Kindle Fire using Tapatalk 2

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

Exit strategy? That depends a lot on what you own. I have never had a problem selling weeks when I wanted to change my portfolio. I presently own at three resorts, all with member-controlled associations, and all of them will take a deedback if I need to. I would be a fool to do that on my summer OBX week, as I can sell that for a pretty penny if I wanted to, plus it rents like a charm for a nice profit. One European resort that I owned at which was member controlled voted to close down, sell the resort, and divide the money. I hated that as it had great trading power and a low maintenance fee.

The changes that RCI has foisted upon timesharing are unfortunately changing things. They have so many who have been happy for years with off season exchanging now wanting to get out of timesharing, I wonder how long the HOA's will be able to keep taking deedbacks.

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

So, in summary, if a problem is not a personal problem, or a current problem, but, someone else's problem, it is not a problem,

[tonyg Goomba & Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close tonyg]

Or perhaps- your big problem is not shared by most others.

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

So, in summary, if a problem is not a personal problem, or a current problem, but, someone else's problem, it is not a problem,

Well someone else's personal problem is only still a problem cause they got nothing better to do than complain and cry "woe is me" than actually work on solving their own problems. They are expecting someone with super powers to poof away their personal problems.
Ain't gonna happen.

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

15 yards

piling on