New Members - Please Introduce Yourself!

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

New here!

[I tried posting this, but got an error, so hopefully this doesn't post twice!]

Hello everyone! I am new here, and am hoping to get more insight on timeshare stuff. I purchased a timeshare with Grand Pacific Palisades in 2001 with my boyfriend, and we purchased odd years. Since then, I got laid off in 2002, found a job that pays less but am still keeping up with payments. My boyfriend is paying the maintenance fees, but has recently purchased a new home and we may not be able to continue paying for this.

But I'm hoping to be able to keep the timeshare and maybe rent out our weeks that we can't use, then use that money to pay for the fees?? Other options that I'm thinking of is working with my siblings (I have 6) so they can use it on their vacations. But I don't know exactly how all this works.

We have 2 weeks banked with RCI and it's tough to plan ahead. When we do decide to take a vacation, it's usually within a few months and there are no resorts available in the area we want to go to. We tried exchanging for a cruise this summer, but was warned against doing so by cruisecritic members, and we ended up saving money by not doing the exchange.

Anyway, I'm hoping to get a lot of info from experienced t/s'ers like you and in the end, if we decide that selling is the best option for us, then hopefully we can do it without losing out on a lot.

-Jeannette

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

Hi, I'm Linda. Riverside on both tug and here because we live (guess where??) on a river! From our house in Northern Michigan we could boat to anywhere in the world by going out the waterway to the Great Lakes and then to wherever!

I have been teaching for 32 years and could retire, but still love it too much. I am also the Alternative Education Director for our school. Ed is a supervisor for the Department of Natural Resources.

Ed and I have been married 29 years and have traveled many of them, taking our two boys to 47 states, mostly with our pop up camper. But as we got older we preferred a softer bed and wanted to expand our horizens internationally.

Our first timeshare purchase was at the Royal Solaris in Cancun. Yes, from a developer. Didn't really regret it although now I realize we paid too much. But we had some great trades with it. Our second purchase was also from the developer at Windjammer Landing in St. Lucia even though we read over and over on tug to NEVER buy from the developer. However we fell in love with a certain unit and wanted a certain week. Not one bit sorry. It's paradise on earth and worth every bit of what we paid.

We've always traded to the Caribbean until our first trade to the beach in Florida last June. We also like to cruise so probably won't buy more timeshares, but then who knows! I envy all of you with your many timeshare weeks. But luckily since the last timeshare we bought was in points, we are able to trade more than a week for a week. And maybe when we retire we'll expand our portfolio.

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

Finally got 'round to-it'

Hi All,
My name is Noelle, (nadonahoe here and on TUG). I'm from New Jersey and my husband and I are in transition (or should I say ALWAYS in transition!). Our youngest son is in his senior year in high school and moving on to college in the fall. So, we are already transitioning to an empty nest and full steam ahead into the Grandparent experience (Livi 3, Jake 6 m).

We began timesharing about 3 years ago - weeks in areas we like to visit ('grands' are in Virginia) but also purchased with an eye to demand so these have also been pretty good traders: Week 26 (often 4th of July included) at Williamsburg in Kingsgate and Nob Hill Inn floating 1 Bd. I also bought and subsequently sold an Ocean City Pointe on the Bay unit, but never stayed there.

I'm a member of SFX and of II and based on exchanges have almost more bonus weeks than we can use! We've really enjoyed every resort we've stayed at (e.g. Nob Hill Inn, Fairfield Kingsgate, Mariott Grande Vista, Sunterra Golf, Weston Vacation Village ...) and anticipate excellent experiences in the future.

I'm in the process of acquiring RCI Points because I'd like to be able to take advantage of partial weeks vacations. My husband is a retired Navy officer who now runs a tight ship (well ...... the mutinies are a little disruptive) full of 8th grade science students and so his days off during the school year tend not to follow the 7 day - weekend checkin pattern. With RCI points and SFX, I may drop my II membership.

I've really enjoyed having access to 2 great timeshare groups - I'm not a prolific poster, still feel very inexperienced, but absolutely rely on you all to discuss and disclose all sides to every timeshare issue. I've learned so very much and am happy with the decisions made based on the distillation of your knowledge and suggestions.

Happy Vacations to all ........ Noelle

[CMF Member Find all posts View Profile Close CMF]

Charles Here

I'm not one for long notes.

Usually travel with wife, mom in law, and my three kids. Go to Orlando at least once a year. Very picky, so I like Marriotts. Want to visit a national park a year. Love good uncrowded beaches. Bought a Foxrun summer week to trade and now looking to buy a 2 or 3 bedroom platinum/gold east coast Marriott that's either on the beach or in Orlando.

That is all . . .

Charles

[Linda VH Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Linda VH]

Hi, We have been timesharing since the mid-80's. Own 3 weeks at Bluebeard's Castle (down with Fairfield!), 3 weeks at Costa Linda, Aruba and 1 week at Vistana in Orlando. We moved to Florida from the northeast about 12 years ago and love it here. DH and I are avid golfers and he's a tournament bridge player. He is semi-retired and I'm retired. Linda

[copperpenny22 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close copperpenny22]

Hello:

We have been time sharing since the 1980's. Since retirement in 1997, we have bought several resales online--both weeks and points--fixed and floating. Our time share experiences in the U.S., Canada, Bahamas, Australia, Turkey and Greece have all been good.

Penny and Doug

[blr666 Member Find all posts View Profile Close blr666]

Introduction

Hi, my name is Betty and I've been married to my husband,German, for approximately 9 1/2 years. We have two sons (5 and 1 1/2). We love to travel and we have been through Europe, Asia, Central and South America. We purchased our 1st timeshare from a developer - Suites at Fisherman's Wharf. We've never stayed there as we live in San Francisco. We thought it would be great to use timeshare when we have kids and we thought SF would be a great trade. So far, we have gotten really great trades with it. So, yesterday, I bought another week (at the same place) through resale. Much much cheaper.

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

Hello From NUTS ("NU" time sharer)

Just a hello from a new member.

I'm trying this site out as well as the "other" one for size.

I'm new to timesharing, but like what I bought.

I used to peruse the site and enjoyed the nice posts from the folks. Looks like you have a lot of experience here. I'm going to read about exchanging and along those lines.

I enjoy my older "children", my home by the water, baseball, traveling and
trying scuba now.

Well, thank you.

NUTS (NU time sharer)

[taffy19 Gold Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close taffy19]

Welcome aboard, NUTS. Where did you buy? Are you planning your first visit there or are you going to make an exchange?

PS. You may want to answer in the proper forum as I should not have asked you here. Sorry.

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

Welcome aboard, NUTS. Where did you buy? Are you planning your first visit there or are you going to make an exchange?

PS. You may want to answer in the proper forum as I should not have asked you here. Sorry.

Thank you. Not sure about which forum to pick, so I'll answer here until I learn to navigate this site.

I bought from my brother-in-law his Hyatt in Puerto Rico. I've only seen it in their videos, but he says that it swaps for other & nice timeshares. I'm learning IntervalInternational. I own it, but am waiting for the paperwork to clear. I understand that this can be a long process on the island. But, I have use of it and just paid the high end of year fee. I have 1800 points which, by looking at the "points grid", seems to be more than adequate.
Thank you.

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

Hello

I am new,new,new...new here...new to timesharing. Very excited. I am closing on a summer week in Maui-just waiting for the deed. I bought it resale (E-bay) and am very happy with the price I paid. I bought it with the intent to use (I am in Calif) but I have to tell ya-I am already addicted. I overload myself every night with information and this looks like a very nice forum. I think I found it somehow through TUG. Who knows? I am very intrigued with trading-so my next post may be to Mark/SFX to see if they would accept my week-in the off chance I don't want to go to Maui one year. I have read so much I already feel like I know some of you. I especially like looking at your pics of the resorts you have stayed. Iconections-I love your album-especially Laguna. It's looks like Hawaii to me-I told my DH-that's in our backyard (so to speak) and we never take advantage of it. I would love to own a So cal coastal week-see,look at me-already looking. Somebody stop me!!!

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

New to the Group

My name is Sylvia(Sylcro) and my husband and I have been timesharing since 1998. We first bought developer on a trip to Orlando, had buyer's remorse and then discovered that we really enjoyed being forced to travel and make use of our ts. Fortunately we had purchased a L/O so were able to get 2 wks to trade or use and since then did it again

Our ultimate goal is to be able to spend 6-8 wks each year in FL as we are Canadian and it's so nice to escape the winters here in the Maritimes. We have a 2 bdm L/O at Vac Village at Parkway and a 4 bdm Grand Villa L/O at Westgate.(the westgate was purchased preconstruction on the TownCenter and we did a roll up for it; we can use this for up to 4 wks each year)

I have been a member of Tug2 for some time and wanted to get into Fairfield plus so thought I'd purchase resale if possible. Bought a fixed wk 52 with the mistaken idea that I could then just pay a conversion fee to the home resort and get into their points system. I soon found out differently and have always banked the week and traded. It is a great trader, but I still wanted to try points; was looking to purchase resale but that would not solve my fixed week dilemma. Finally I have again spoken with FF and am in the process of converting my wk to FairShare Plus points and will only have to pay the conversion fee. This will solve my problem and get me into the points system; guess I have not made great decisions but we are learning to make the best of them.

I hope to learn a great deal from your group here and am looking forward to getting to know everyone

Sylvia

[davhu1 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close davhu1]

Hello from Dav

Dav from Virgina. Wife and 2 boys (14 & 16). Bought 1st timeshare 1992 in Myrtle Beach. Added Shawnee the following year for skiing and a year later Atlantic City. All resale and within driving distance. In the first few years we did not exchange and did not join any exchange company, until kids school schedule changed. The last 3 years we bought 2 more in Myrtle Beach (one still at escrow) and 1 in Vermont thru eBay. First we join II and later RCI. With 4 weeks vacation and 6 timeshares, we converted one of the Myrtle Beach weeks to RCI points and take advantage of weekend trips.

Learned of timeshare from a collegue who bought a resale week in Orlando. I was going to get one in Orlando also but I was convinced by the resale person that Orlando would not be right for me and that I would not be happy with it based on my intended use. "Where would you a honest salesperson and actually passed up a sale?!!!"

[ira g Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close ira g]

Glad to be here

My name is Ira and my wife is Betty. We have 2 sons 27 and 25 who are on their own. We got into timesharing in 2000 by buying 2 weeks resale sight unseen. They are located in Cocoa Beach, Florida. We have since seen the resort but have never stayed there and within the last month bought an additional 2 weeks at the same resort, making 4 weeks at Cocoa Beach. All were bought resale. We also own 4 weeks in South Africa and have been relatively happy with our trades as we are flexible and are willing to travel during the side seasons. Last month we bought our first points resort to try RCI points. We have been playing with points but haven't booked anything as yet. Our trades have been to Las Vegas (4 times), Ft. Lauderdale, Pompano, Weston, Orlando (5 times), Myrtle Beach, Hilton Head, Sedona, Scottsdale,Carlsbad, Escondido, Atlantic City, Cape Cod,and Williamsburg.

We currently live in a northern suburb of New York but will be moving to the Ocala area of Florida within the next 18 months when I retire.

I just found this site as I have been a TUG member for over a year.

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

Hi!

I'm Sharon from Utah. My husband and I bought our first timeshare in 1998 (Marriott Mountainside, pre-construction). In 1999 we visited Marriott's Kauai Beach Club and fell in love with it; we bought an EOY there (we've since sold that week). In 2000 I found TUG, started reading every day, and then started to build our timeshare "portfolio." We now own Pueblo Bonito at Sunset Beach, Maui Embassy, Worldmark, a fractional at Eagle Crest, Westin Kierland, and RCI Points. We also own 3 weeks at VCI which will expire in 2007. We use some and rent some, so timesharing is a pretty time consuming "hobby"; but I enjoy it (most of the time).

Thanks to TUG we've been on many wonderful exchanges in the last 5 years. We've put a lot of time and money into timesharing but I wouldn't have missed those experiences for the world! Our most exciting upcoming exchange is to the Marriott in Phuket, Thailand.

We are hoping to semi-retire sometime in the next few years, depending how my husband's job goes, and travel until we get tired of it. Then, no more renting, we'll be using our weeks!