If I had it to do all over again....

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

I bought my first timeshare 15 years ago based on the fact that it was managed by a name brand hotel - Wyndham. My second timeshare was purchased based a large part on the fact that it was on-site of a Doral resort. I am still happy with these purchases, although neither Wyndham or Doral are affiliated and they are no longer classifed by II as 5 star.

So, if I had to do it over again, I should have realized that name-brand management can be temporary. Even Marriott has dropped some of their resorts. In other words, buy for location and not solely for internal trading perks.

Maria

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

I would have bought were I bought.
I just would not have bought the first one from a developer.

[barndweller Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close barndweller]

I wouldn't have bought the 2 studio units at San Luis Bay. Not that I don't love them, I do very much. But I should have held out for at least a 1 bedroom. I shouldn't have bought that 3rd week in Sedona last month off ebay. I should have put the money toward another Hawaii week instead I should have listened to my oldest son who bought Worldmark 10 years ago (I thought he was nuts.) I don't beat myself up over my first purchase at developer prices 'cause it was the 3rd time I had sat through a salesman's spiel & it sounded sooo much better than the first 2 & it's my own fault I didn't check into resale first 'cause I knew about it. I shouldn't have gotten hooked on the forums because then I wouldn't have bought 10 weeks of timeshare and I would have a new hardware floor installed by now. So I'll have to live with my ratty old carpeting during the brief periods of time I am home between fabulous trips to luxury condos with nice flooring
Julie

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

barndweller

So I'll have to live with my ratty old carpeting during the brief periods of time I am home between fabulous trips to luxury condos with nice flooring

That's the spirit.....I couldn't agree more. I doubt that on your death bed, you're last thoughts will be....I should have put in that hardwood floor. Life is too short, Enjoy!!!!

[m61376 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close m61376]

I wouldn't have bought directly from the developer. I probably wouldn't have bought where I bought. And, in at least one case, I wouldn't have bought the type of unit, that I bought.

Other than that, I wouldn't change a thing.

So, you piqued my curiosity- what would you have bought (resale, of course)?

[riverdees05 Platinum Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close riverdees05]

If I had it to do over again, I would

1. Do more research on the front end - TimeshareForums, if it had been around, TUG, Redweek, etc. before purchasing.
2. Make out a Master Plan on the front end - decide where I wanted to purchase and what kind of units (studio, one bedroom, two bedroom, three bedroom, four bedroom, lockouts, etc.), what kind of resorts, what kind of systems - weeks, points, etc. Also, do I want to purchase units that I will use most of the time or exchange most of the time. Do I want high end units, if I am going to stay there most of the time. Am I willing to pay more for purchase and yearly fees for high end units, like Marriott, Hilton, etc.? Do I want a large resorts or small resorts? How much am I willing to pay yearly for Maintenance and Taxes? Will I use all 7 days on fixed week or floating week or would I be better off with points, where I could reserve partial weeks.
3. After the Master Plan is complete, then start looking for good deals that fit the plan - ebay, classified ads, realtors, etc.
4. Take trips and look at the areas and resorts that I might be interested in buying. Of the 11 timeshares we have, we only visited 1 of the resorts and 7 of the general areas. The rest of the purchases were based on reviews and what we heard from other timeshares. As it turned out, this worked for us, but probably wouldn't have purchased couple of them, if we had done our homework better. Remember our taste is not always the same as others - beauty is in the eye of the beholder/
5. Also, look at your total vacation planning - do you like to plan out things or do them at the spur of the moment? Timesharing at it best, is a planned approached with flexible to jump on a good exchange. I can't count the times that I missed out on a good unit because I waited. Do you want to spend all your time timesharing, or do you want to do other types of vacations?
6. Decide the number of units you want to buy, but factor in AC, Last Calls, Extra Vacation, etc.
7. Decide what you want to do, if you end up with to many units? Rent them out, give them to relatives and friend, when you can't use them in a certain year.
8. And finally, what are you going to do with the units when you are finished - to old to use them or worst. Do your kids want them, if not have you purchased units that you can get rid of by selling one way or another or giving away.

[Vanessa Member Find all posts View Profile Close Vanessa]

I'm a fairly newby too, I've only had mine a couple years. I did ok buying where I want to go, Florida, even though it is overbuilt, and bought a foreclosure (not as good as resale, but not as bad as developer prices).

I think if I had to do it over again, I would have bought somewhere closer to home and traded in - resale of course. But again, seeing what is offered in Michigan, I'm not too keen on the MF's, and I can still get some decent trades with Florida, and I really like having to think about a vacation every year!!!!

I love the timeshare concept and hope to enjoy it for many, many years.

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

If I had it to do over again...I wouldn't have been so afraid of timesharing and of eBay. But we bought our t/s resale (after many years of resisting sales pitches) and got a pretty good deal on it, even by eBay standards (okay, we paid more than we would have on eBay) (but less than we were going to pay from the developer). And it's in Williamsburg. But we love Williamsburg and would be happy just to go there year after year. And we can drive there.

One thing I'm really glad about is never going to a really bad sales pitch. I read about these horror shows at Mexican resorts, Westgate, Massanutten, and they just sound soooo bad. Almost frightening. We went to pitches at Marriott Fairway, Smugglers Notch, Shawnee, a couple of others, all quite pleasant and even educational. The salespeople were all really nice and took no for an answer without major arm-twisting or threats.

And one other thing I'm glad about...finding TUG and TimeshareForums. And all of you! Group hug!

[philsfan Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close philsfan]

woulda coulda shoulda

I woulda bought the 2 bdr summer week at BIS-Duck for $5K instead of the 3 bdr week 51 for $3400!

I woulda bought a pc two years earlier so I could have found Tug two years earlier so I woulda bought the 2 bdr summer week at BIS-Duck for $5K instead of the 3 bdr woofer week 51 for $3400!

I woulda made my wife handle the TS purchases after that so it would be her fault we have 8 weeks of timeshare and only 3 weeks of vacation! My name is Len and it's been 6 weeks since I bought a timeshare.....must not buy more, must not buy more...

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

I'm sure that there were resale deals and loopholes to take advantage of 20 years ago, but the Internet has allowed all of us to dramatically collapse time. No way could you have built what you have today in two years without the Internet. However, still would have been a great hobby!

I don't think so. Twenty years is a long time and with no internet back then and only RCI and II to rely upon in getting exchanges, the entire timeshare experience was VERY different from today.

Since we have owned timeshare for 25 years, I can say unequivocably that even our BocaBum could not get around the system without the internet and without the knowledge he has found here and on TUG. He is pretty new to timeshare compared to us, but as a long-time owner who tried everything to get into the best units and sometimes accomplished it, I can say that points (very new concept), the internet and online exchanges are the reason that many of us can take advantage of the best timeshare has to offer.

I would also have to add that our blue week was better back then because I could call at RCI's opening hour and get the newest, best stuff within a 90-day window. We stayed at several Central California and Southern California resorts that were a reasonable distance from Disneyland, before we could afford to go to Disneyworld. The last-minute availability for those areas, even in summer, was awesome back then and we never had to worry about getting our exchange to California. Now, it is very difficult to get the great resorts last minute because so many people know about the internet.

RCI also had me completely fooled (before the internet again) because they told me back in 1991 that Orlando had very limited exchanges available for summer and that we could only go every four years. It wasn't even true back then because the next year I was able to exchange back in through II, then every two years after that, every time we wanted to go.

We were basically at the mercy of the exchange companies back then and they pretty much gave us whatever resorts and we took the exchanges because we couldn't see for ourselves. It was long after the internet hit big that RCI and II even offered online availability to us. All the crappy units stay out there forever, while the newest and best get taken. Heaven help those who still have to rely on an exchange counselor for the best out there.
So you basically had to wonder, every time you called, if that nice RCI rep really gave you the unit size too small for you and your three children as the only one there, or if they gave you that small unit with the intention of keeping the bigger unit FROM YOU. I like that the mystery is now gone. VEP was probably put into place at the time we received access to the database.

I still wonder what II keeps back until the last minute, especially in Hawaii. We have always been able to see a lot of Hawaii in RCI but cannot see much of anything more sixty days out with II. Does anyone know?

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

We have been owners since 1985 -- SXM. 3 units (2 l/o and a 1b), or 5 weeks total. This works fine for us. We purchased to use. We spend 3 weeks each year in SXM -- when we do not take anyone with us, we bank the other 2 weeks. (Our children often use them).

Anyway, SXM has become too touristy and too crowded with lotsa new timeshares, lotsa new hotels, and lotsa new restaurants (the island flavor is slowing evaporating). How did I know this was going to happen, when I purchased? So, how would I have done things differently? Don't know, but that is my main gripe. Folk call this progress, but it has not happened in St. Bart, Tortolla, or Anguilla (I guess timeshares messed up SXM -- there are none on the other islands )

We also purchased at a resort that grew and grew and grew, and is still growing. Now, I personally prefer smaller "inn-type" resorts versus mega or hi-rise hotels. So, I guess I would search for a smallish resort that has no room for growth, yet is maintained in such a way the mf does not skyrocket. (yeah, right)

And, btw., we did purchase resale back in 1985.

[VacationPro Member Find all posts View Profile Close VacationPro]

If I had it to do over again...I wouldn't have been so afraid of timesharing and of eBay. But we bought our t/s resale (after many years of resisting sales pitches) and got a pretty good deal on it, even by eBay standards (okay, we paid more than we would have on eBay) (but less than we were going to pay from the developer). And it's in Williamsburg. But we love Williamsburg and would be happy just to go there year after year. And we can drive there.

Is Williamsburg not a good place to own for trading? I was under the impression the MMC traded well.

I would assume that holdiay weeks there and Orlando would be good traders--is that not the case?

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

I woulda made my wife handle the TS purchases after that so it would be her fault we have 8 weeks of timeshare and only 3 weeks of vacation! My name is Len and it's been 6 weeks since I bought a timeshare.....must not buy more, must not buy more...

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

Is Williamsburg not a good place to own for trading? I was under the impression the MMC traded well.

I would assume that holdiay weeks there and Orlando would be good traders--is that not the case?

As Spence, who is the Williamsburg guru, warned me, Williamsburg is a mediocre trader, even with a high-summer week. We don't own Marriott, we own at King's Creek, which is a nice resort, but I can only rarely see the great sightings that people with strong traders kindly post. (The Morritt's sighting was a rare exception.)

I don't know if the Marriott Manor Club trades better than Williamsburg in general--probably it does, and you can trade for other Marriotts. The Marriott Manor Club is certainly the most desired trade in Wburg!

[VacationPro Member Find all posts View Profile Close VacationPro]

As Spence, who is the Williamsburg guru, warned me, Williamsburg is a mediocre trader, even with a high-summer week. We don't own Marriott, we own at King's Creek, which is a nice resort, but I can only rarely see the great sightings that people with strong traders kindly post. (The Morritt's sighting was a rare exception.)

I don't know if the Marriott Manor Club trades better than Williamsburg in general--probably it does, and you can trade for other Marriotts. The Marriott Manor Club is certainly the most desired trade in Wburg!

Okay, thanks. I think I have another I wouldn't do that again. Bought a WPN 4 BR Wk 47 LO for $1,000. Thought I would have a good trader, but I guess not.