Newbie in the market

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

We recently started looking at timesharing since we know what time of year and really, what date we'd like to go every year (our anniversary). I'm not sure how we even get started though. We have not been to a presentation or anything. I am interested in all aspects, and we're wondering about experiences of other people. We would probably like exchanging locations but probably the date would have to stay the same due to the nature of my fiance's work. His busy season is during the summer & winter, and at least one month on either side of that. We are in our early forties and like to think we are active but really we just like to eat out a lot. ;-)

Any suggestions or experiences welcome.

[Carol C Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Carol C]

Wow! First welcome to your newest addiction!

Your post brought back memories. Hubby and I bought our first timeshare on our anniversary visit to Cozumel, in 1993. Hey, don't do that! (I mean don't buy from a Mexican developer!)

Since you want to go during your anniversary week, if it's during a holiday or prime season, you're going to have to shop around a bit for a *fixed week* that is priced well on the resale market. Prime places to shop for a resale are ebay, redweeks.com, myresortnetwork.com, bidshares, and also established resellers like Holiday Group during their sales.

Believe it or not there's also a book "Timeshares for Dummies" or something, I actually found it at the library. I have some problems with some of it, but it's a basically good overview of the "game" if you're so new to it all. Many of us here and on TUG could probably write articles and books...we've got so much collective experience.

Bottom line is...don't be shy about asking questions. And don't buy from a developer when you can buy resale!

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

Is March high season in Vegas?

We are getting married St. Patrick's Day in Vegas. We will definitely be back, with what is nearby (Grand Canyon, etc.). I don't know what is considered high season, isn't it different depending on where you are?

[Carol C Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Carol C]

We are getting married St. Patrick's Day in Vegas. We will definitely be back, with what is nearby (Grand Canyon, etc.). I don't know what is considered high season, isn't it different depending on where you are?

OH, OK...I missed the part that you're not married yet. So your date is St Patrick's Day...that will be spring break in some parts of the country. Our anniversary is Feb 16 which was Prez Day weekend when we got married. Some years it falls during week 7, a highly coveted timeshare week in warm climates (due to the holiday some govt employees and all school students get). St Paddy's Day is a great time of year though, because spring break weeks generally change year to year or according to school system. You can research the school system near you by googling. But it's not at all critical...you can buy a fixed week that included St Paddy's day, say, next year. And stay at your resort that year, then if St Paddy's day isn't included in your fixed week the next year, you can exchange for your anniversary week. Or you can do it up big at home and bank your week to use the following year or so. Believe me, we thought we'd be back to Cozumel during week 7 ever year but we only did it the first year or two, then we wanted to go different places...and at different times of years.

But my suggestion to you is...St Paddy's Day being in March, you'll want to buy a week in a tropical or warm climate (FL Keys, Sanibel) or a prime ski week in CO or Utah, if that's still ski season (and I think it should be). That will give you the best bang for the buck with trading power, when you decide to trade.

Oh yeah...the two major trading companies are RCI and Interval International. You might want to look at their websites in advance to explore their "resort directories" online to get an idea of what kinds of resorts are out there for sale in the resale market. Me, I'm in both exchange companies...and I really can't personally recommend one over the other. Both companies have their + and - factors.

Have fun...and congrats on your upcoming wedding!

P.S. Savannah GA is a great place for an East Coast St Paddy's Day anniversary. Closest and densest timeshare resort area is Hilton Head Island SC, one of my fave places to go any time of year! Highly recommend you exchange there one year during St Paddy's Day week!

[Jya-Ning Silver Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close Jya-Ning]

Welcome. Another possiblity is to consider to buy into a mini system. Like Fairfield, Marriott, Hilton, Starwood, Worldmark, Bluegreen, Silverleaf, VRI, Sunterra, ... Most of them has resort(s) there, and a lot of them allow you split rent more and growth your family with them. You will not need to worry about exchange for a while but still can go different places. ANd you will not need to worry that the date fall on different week.

You can go to referal in this forum if you want to take some tour to check different mini system. But make sure don't buy in the spot.

Jya-Ning

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

Sounds like a start

Thank you for all your info. What about Vacation clubs? Are they too risky? I don't want to lose money. I have been on the RCI site and I was impressed by the resorts I saw. I was thinking of going to a presentation at Tahiti Village while on a recon mission for the wedding, but also to see what we're looking at. I also like Peace Canyon as well. Speaking of which, we are getting married at Bonnie Springs Ranch (western wedding). Does anyone know if Peace Canyon is near there? I can't quite place it on a map.

[Jya-Ning Silver Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close Jya-Ning]

Don't know the answer about your regional specific question, you may want try to post it on the SW region in this forum.

For Vacation Club, which one? Marriott is calling themselves Marriott Vacation Club. Disney is one, Shell has one, Worldmark is one. Those are the clubs setup by various developers to help sell their TS, as soon as you buy their deeded property (resell or repurchase) and transfer the ownership, you will be in.

I could be wrong, I believe VRI is management company formed. But I don't think they call themselves a vacation club.

I did see some other vacation clubs that build on purchase a set of seperate properties and give club member usage rights. They don't actually manage the property, so their cost will be higher.

I perfer to have a deeded property, and a developer backed club, and the more internal selections the better. But each person is different. Some like smaller company so you have family type feeling, some don't like developer bacaked club since you feel you have more control when developer is not involved, some like RTU, so they can buy from resell more cheaper and knowing it will be out from their hand after a certain year. You need to figure out what your worry will be, what is the worse case situation, and you will find out what you want to buy. As long as you buy resell and at the level close or lower to today's market and pick the one that either is very low to purchase or backed by a very reputable company, you should be O.K.

Jya-Ning

[T. R. Oglodyte Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close T. R. Oglodyte]

I could be wrong, I believe VRI is management company formed. But I don't think they call themselves a vacation club.

VRI is a management company, not a mini.

In a mini, an owner in the mini can reserve at any of the units that are part of the mini. For example, with our Raintree Vacation Club we can book our usage at any resort that is part of Raintree (and assuming availability).

With VRI that is not the case; i.e., yoiu cannot book your week directly at another VRI resort. To go to other VRI resorts, you need to do an exchange (either through an exchange company or directly with an owner).

***

And just to complicate things a bit, Vacation Internationale is a mini, but is managed by VRI. So VI owners can book at any other VI resort, but can't book directly at VRI resorts that are not part of VI.

[Jya-Ning Silver Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close Jya-Ning]

And just to complicate things a bit, Vacation Internationale is a mini, but is managed by VRI. So VI owners can book at any other VI resort, but can't book directly at VRI resorts that are not part of VI.

And people think FF is a complex system.

Jya-Ning

[T. R. Oglodyte Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close T. R. Oglodyte]

And people think FF is a complex system.

Jya-Ning

Well, then, let me try to explain Club Regina/Raintree Vacation Club/Whiski Jack.

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

Well, then, let me try to explain Club Regina/Raintree Vacation Club/Whiski Jack.

[Carol C Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Carol C]

Back to the original poster's questions, would you recommend weeks programs versus points programs to a brand new newbie? That's a very basic consideration, methinks. Has anybody on TS4Ms owned both for long enough to be able to compare and contrast costs, versatility and flexibility, and luck of the draw getting sweet exchanges?

[Jya-Ning Silver Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close Jya-Ning]

My first TS presentation was with fixed week. After signed the contract, I realize 2 things 1) I have no idea about traveling, season, thus, if I got a week, it very likely is a bad week, In other word, if I can not use that week later, I will very likely loss more money just to rent it out. And to figure this part may take a while to learn. It means I have no idea how to value something like this. 2) My life will change, what I like to do today may not be able to do tomorrow.

So I cancel that contract. After talk to some of my friends, I pick the point system. Because it gives me a tool to play with the timeshare with less risk. I could take short term, I could learn the travel pattern and get a schedule I want as long as I call at certain time. I actually bought retail. I got enough points for 1 BR at prime week.

Since then, I got married, have 2 kids now. I often travel with my own family or DW's family. So it is 2 BR at least. I still use my first purchase to get a vacation. With point, I can use them to get only 4 to 5 weekdays 2 BR in a desireable time. Or 2 to 3 days in weekend. I only be to my home resort once. I only need to rent points once, and that is like a very small amount of points (can remember the exact number). I also split the point and has take 3 vacations in one year when I was dating.

The reservation rule for all point mini system is simple (exclude RCI point). You just need to figure out when you want to go, find out how many points you need in the system, then call at the 1st opportunity. You make yourselves as flexible as possible, the process is really no brainer.

Only when I feel comfortable on this, knowing a little bit about the renting market, the season, the supply and demand, I then go to exchange. Exchange introduce so many risk, thus it will sometime give you a reward. But here is what I see, no matter what you do, even if you find a way not to pay your MF, there still will be a big part of expense relate to actual travel, the entertainment. If I start with a week system, I will be in great risk.

Now, I do purchase fix week on the place I know now, and the time slot I like. I still has problem on floating week. A resort if they have both floating and fixed week, I will be extreme worry, because very likely a fix week is the best ones, and there is no way or very less chance a floating owner can get the week they want.

This is what a point system can do to help especially during the stage where you don't have to take vacation at certain time. You can deposit a certain ratio of point to experience the exchange. For example, my 1st 1 BR can be use to 3 RCI blue week deposit. If I bought a fix week 1 BR, there will be impossible to just deposit 1/2 of that week to RCI exchange. I have to be smart enough to buy a 2BD lock out. Then there are stage where I can go any time, a prime week 2BR deposit to exchange is more likely return a bad exchange especially when I have no idea about the true value of a TS.

So for a new comer, IMHO is just find a mini system with a company that have several resorts around them so they can try to take advantage with the system. Then find the cheapest entry (buy resell) then they can use it to play. A point system, once you know when the inventory will open is the fairest game for all owner in that resort, which will reduce majority of the risk you own a TS. You can use it for exchange. Then when you know yourselves enough you can go to purchase a fixed week, and you need to be very expert on TS to try floating week.


Jya-Ning

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

This sounds interesting. I am new to this and don't need risk, and the points system seems the least risky. I looked at Raintree and I liked all of their resorts but it might be a little high for our first foray into this, at least judging by the beauty of the photographs. I requested information from their main site just the same.

Thank you for the in-depth comparison!

[Sydney Contributor - Bronze Find all posts View Profile Close Sydney]

So for a new comer, IMHO is just find a mini system with a company that have several resorts around them so they can try to take advantage with the system. Then find the cheapest entry (buy resell) then they can use it to play. A point system, once you know when the inventory will open is the fairest game for all owner in that resort, which will reduce majority of the risk you own a TS. You can use it for exchange. Then when you know yourselves enough you can go to purchase a fixed week, and you need to be very expert on TS to try floating week.


Jya-Ning

I agree with this. That way, you can join an exchange company like RCI if you want to exchange (this will involve fees and uncertainty as to availability), or just reserve in the mini system which is a lot less stressful. Now you just have to choose one that you like. No small task.

The other thing I'm sure you already know is not to purchase from a developer/timeshare presentation but on the resale market.

If you decided that you have one place you definately wanted to return to time and again, then it's best to buy a timeshare there or a mini system that has a timeshare there. Saves you all the suspense and disappointments.

Good luck.