How many weeks do you own?

[lawren2 Malibu Beach Barbie & A Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close lawren2]

I must say I'm impressed by how many weeks some of you own. I think that even if I had unlimited time off, and finances were not a concern, I'd never own more than maybe 4 or 5 weeks. I just don't like all of the pre-planning of timesharing, I suppose. I don't get how some of you guys do it.

Jim

Jim,

The planning is half the fun (throwing in the loopholes and learning how the system can be taken advantage of included).

L

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

Jim,

The planning is half the fun (throwing in the loopholes and learning how the system can be taken advantage of included).

L

I know, I keep reading that, but I just can't get into it like you guys do. I typically like to plan things and have a reputation of being able to analyze things to death, but I guess when it comes to fun (inc vacations) I prefer to be a bit more spontaneous, and like to go places where there aren't timeshares. As I said, hat's off to you guys that can get into TS'ing to the extent of owning/planning multiple weeks. I guess playing the TS "game" is just not that interesting to me. But I'm certainly glad you ultra-enthusiasts are around to keep me educated!

Jim

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

... I prefer to be a bit more spontaneous, and like to go places where there aren't timeshares.

Jim

TSing only represents a small portion of our vacations. We still like to do lots of camping (not RVs) and go to less developed places. But like Lawren said, it's all in the fun of seeing where you could go and going to places you didn't know you wanted to.

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

I must say I'm impressed by how many weeks some of you own. I think that even if I had unlimited time off, and finances were not a concern, I'd never own more than maybe 4 or 5 weeks. I just don't like all of the pre-planning of timesharing, I suppose. I don't get how some of you guys do it.

Jim

I don't know how they do it either but it must become a game as it is fun to be smarter than the developers are with all their restrictions so some try to outsmart them.

It has to be time consuming but the savings are great and the vacations are very nice too. You can't beat staying at a nice resort that you bought for peanuts and then ending up in a bigger unit too or at a very nice location. Not a bad game to pursue.

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

TSing only represents a small portion of our vacations. We still like to do lots of camping (not RVs) and go to less developed places. But like Lawren said, it's all in the fun of seeing where you could go and going to places you didn't know you wanted to.

Yeah, that's the thing. I'd just as soon go backpacking in the mountains, or drag our little trailer to a nearby alpine lake. Also, since I live in the NW, there aren't TS's everywhere. I'd love to have a motor home, so I could spend a couple of nights here and a couple of nights there. And when I found a spot I really liked, I'd stay there longer. That's more my style.

Don't get me wrong, I love going to TS's once or twice a year. I just am not into it for multiple weeks a year. But more power to those of you that are. To each their own, I suppose.

[BocaBum99 Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close BocaBum99]

How does a week get devalued? Just curious.

Look at the examples that Katiemack cited and others that were cited on this thread. First it was the limit converting RCI Points to Airline tickets and theme park tickets and such products. The second one was related to Marriott reward points for staying in Marriott hotels. Both of these examples are a method of exchange where you trade your points or your timeshare for products not timeshare. This so called devaluation is nothing more than the issue that your timeshare week doesn't get you as much in exchange as it did in the past.

The same is true if you try to rent your timeshare week and then use it for the equivalent product. You get less for your timeshare.

In addition, timeshare point systems and week systems both increase fees higher than the rate of inflation. And, a weeks based system must use an exchange company whose fees also increase thereby increasing the cost of travel.

So, all we are talking about is increasing fees for using your timeshare and decreasing what you get in exchange for it. Those are common features of all timeshare sytems whether they be weeks or points.

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

Look at the examples that Katiemack cited and others that were cited on this thread. First it was the limit converting RCI Points to Airline tickets and theme park tickets and such products. The second one was related to Marriott reward points for staying in Marriott hotels. Both of these examples are a method of exchange where you trade your points or your timeshare for products not timeshare. This so called devaluation is nothing more than the issue that your timeshare week doesn't get you as much in exchange as it did in the past.

The same is true if you try to rent your timeshare week and then use it for the equivalent product. You get less for your timeshare.

In addition, timeshare point systems and week systems both increase fees higher than the rate of inflation. And, a weeks based system must use an exchange company whose fees also increase thereby increasing the cost of travel.

So, all we are talking about is increasing fees for using your timeshare and decreasing what you get in exchange for it. Those are common features of all timeshare sytems whether they be weeks or points.

Unless you buy a timeshare for use mainly. I still believe that it is best to buy a timeshare at a location where you like to visit at least once a year. If you do that, your timeshare will not devaluate much but the maintenance fees will go higher but so do hotel rooms or renting a condo from a private party. The good thing about a timeshare is that you will take a vacation because you already paid for it. So many people have vacation time but never go away. They miss so much.

[BocaBum99 Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close BocaBum99]

Unless you buy a timeshare for use mainly. I still believe that it is best to buy a timeshare at a location where you like to visit at least once a year. If you do that, your timeshare will not devaluate much but the maintenance fees will go higher but so do hotel rooms or renting a condo from a private party. The good thing about a timeshare is that you will take a vacation because you already paid for it. So many people have vacation time but never go away. They miss so much.

If you purchase a timeshare to use, the situation is the same in weeks and points. You can buy a timeshare points package to use as well. Most timeshare points systems give you priority over the week or resort you own. Then, there is NO devaluation in the exchange value for airline tickets and such because they will never be used. But, there is still devaluation in the ownership due mostly to fee increases and a focus on newer sections of the resort making the older sections less attractive.

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

If you purchase a timeshare to use, the situation is the same in weeks and points. You can buy a timeshare points package to use as well. Most timeshare points systems give you priority over the week or resort you own. Then, there is NO devaluation in the exchange value for airline tickets and such because they will never be used. But, there is still devaluation in the ownership due mostly to fee increases and a focus on newer sections of the resort making the older sections less attractive.

Jim, what fees are there if you use your timeshare week or points besides maintenance fees? It is all that extra stuff that makes it more expensive. It started out as a good deal but not anymore or it isn't even available anymore.

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

Jim,

The planning is half the fun (throwing in the loopholes and learning how the system can be taken advantage of included).

L

Lawren, I like your style. Thanks for all your tips.

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

TSing only represents a small portion of our vacations. We still like to do lots of camping (not RVs) and go to less developed places. But like Lawren said, it's all in the fun of seeing where you could go and going to places you didn't know you wanted to.

Wow! I just looked at your site. Pretty impressive how you have made your hobby into a little business. After seeing that maybe I can keep buying my 99cent units and do the same. That way I can feed my habit and make some moolah too.
I also agree with you about going to places you never know you wanted to. That happened to me with Alpine Bay in Alabama. What a beautiful area yet I would have never known about it if it wasn't for RCI. Probably won't go back but sure did enjoy that cheap relaxing beautiful area.

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

Those are common features of all timeshare sytems whether they be weeks or points.

I know you are a Bluegreen expert so I was wondering why Bluegreen is a better points system than others.
Maybe you can give me a link to where you have already answered this question. I ask because I am considering adding a Wyndham points to my collection but I also like Bluegreen and have stayed at some that I liked. But I want one that has Big cities in it's collection like Wyndham.
I agree with you about Marriott. They just raised the points for a nights stay so I am using 80,000 points just to stay 2 nights in Bostons Custom House. (ouch).

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

I don't know how they do it either but it must become a game as it is fun to be smarter than the developers are with all their restrictions so some try to outsmart them.

It has to be time consuming but the savings are great and the vacations are very nice too. You can't beat staying at a nice resort that you bought for peanuts and then ending up in a bigger unit too or at a very nice location. Not a bad game to pursue.

I like this too. I bought in a little timeshare in Florida on the beach and the staff knows me there so when I get an exchange into the resort in a studio, they are nice enough to upgrade me to my unit size which is a 2 bedroom if it is available or a 1 bedroom if not. So far I've been lucky. Maybe this is one of the benefits of buying in an older smaller resort with friendly staff. Also I try to be nice to the staff by sharing our BBQ and tipping the housekeeper nicely etc.

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

How many weeks do we own?

We currently own 9 weeks and waiting to close on 2 more weeks. We rented out six of our weeks this year and took 4 weeks vacation so even with all those weeks I have nothing to trade with in RCI and just booked a getaway week for next year. All of our weeks are fixed and all of our maintenance fees were covered by our rentals.

I have 1 week which we will trade in II for somewhere this summer, and thinking of Colorado. We have London confirmed at Allen House for Thanksgiving and first week of December and we will probably use 2 of our weeks for January 2010 at home resorts in Aruba and going to Florida at the end of March for our annual 2 week family vacation with married kids and grandkids.

I am retiring this year so will be using more weeks next year and renting out less weeks.

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

We currently own 9 weeks and waiting to close on 2 more weeks. We rented out six of our weeks this year and took 4 weeks vacation so even with all those weeks I have nothing to trade with in RCI and just booked a getaway week for next year. All of our weeks are fixed and all of our maintenance fees were covered by our rentals.

I have 1 week which we will trade in II for somewhere this summer, and thinking of Colorado. We have London confirmed at Allen House for Thanksgiving and first week of December and we will probably use 2 of our weeks for January 2010 at home resorts in Aruba and going to Florida at the end of March for our annual 2 week family vacation with married kids and grandkids.

I am retiring this year so will be using more weeks next year and renting out less weeks.

Wow Larry. How do you rent out your weeks that you are not using? I have a unit that I'd like to rent out instead of depositing with RCI but don't know how to go about it. I am an ebay seller (not travel but jewelry) but you have to go thru a few hoops to sell travel on ebay that I'm not sure it's worth my while to do with just 1 week to rent.
Any suggestions for a newbie to the rental business?
Thanks.