The closing nightmare

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

Josh,

No offensive is intended here but I must say having read your business website, you are in the financial services business so I'm assuming you're a rather bright guy capable of doing decent research regarding financial investments you recommend to clients. I would say that same approach would serve you well regarding timeshare ownership and the benefits. There are plenty of bulletin board type services such as this one. You may also want to go read what's posted over at Timeshare Users Group (TUG) at Timeshare Users Group - Timeshare Owners Helping Each other, Unbiased Timeshare Information for All Owners, Buy Sell Rent Timeshare. I think you'll find the amount of information and resources unmatched on the internet.

When you post such an open ended solicitation for feedback you will probably get responses that represent the polar ends of the spectrum. Take some time and research what's already been said about timeshare ownership . . . the good, the bad and the ugly. It's all be written time and again . . . no new stories to tell and new experiences novel enough to expect some earth shaking revelation.

After making that effort and taking that time, if you have specific questions that need answers, come back and ask them. But to ask such a wide open question as "What are the benefits of owning a timeshare?" is probably not going to bring about a single consensus answer. Further, what is the benefit to one can also be a negative to another.

If you really want to walk away with confusion regarding timeshare ownership, read what some of your professional peer write about timeshares. Many of the articles have been cited and challenged on various timeshare groups on the internet. I recall one in the USA Today about a year ago . . . and a few months back there was one in the Washington Post.

Happy learning

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

Timesharing has it's rats that give it a bad name. One of them is Global Resorts Network.

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

I am sorry for anyone who has come from GRN and offended you all (tonyg, especially seems bitter) and left a bad taste in your mouth.

But what do you know about GRN besides what is offered on their website? Do you even know who the parent company is?

I'd like to know how you figure that GRN is the RAT in the timeshare race. I think the real rats are the scummy sales persons getting ordinary people like you and me sold on a dream of a luxurious traveling, wordly lifestyle - oh and all for the low low price of, 13-, 15-, even $20k! OH and $700 a year in maintenance fees, that they can increase at any time.

Again, I am here to collect information, both good and bad about personal experiences with timeshares. My wife and I are thrilled with GRN and our ability to travel at thousands of locales around the globe. Just this last week, we booked a stay at a timeshare resort in Las Vegas for just $699 for seven nights (in March! ie: the busier season for us desert-folk!)

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

The more you talk the more you sound like a GRN shill. We have heard the story before from other shills. In 5 years, come back and tell us how great the GRN was before they folded things up and hid. Oh, and by the way I could probably get that Las Vegas timeshare week for less than $ 500 total cost. GRN must have seen you coming on the tractor.

Now back to the subject !

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

I think the real rats are the scummy sales persons getting ordinary people like you and me sold on a dream of a luxurious traveling, wordly lifestyle - oh and all for the low low price of, 13-, 15-, even $20k! OH and $700 a year in maintenance fees, that they can increase at any time.

Again, I am here to collect information, both good and bad about personal experiences with timeshares. My wife and I are thrilled with GRN and our ability to travel at thousands of locales around the globe. Just this last week, we booked a stay at a timeshare resort in Las Vegas for just $699 for seven nights (in March! ie: the busier season for us desert-folk!)

Josh,

I have owned TS for over 25 years, my first being a right-to-use 20 year contract. I paid around $7k for it and had 20 great years of vacations including Germany, Hawaii and Lake Tahoe (two or three times). We often used that resort or their sister resort in Bonita Springs, FL so I'd estimate that in 20 years, we exchanged probably 12-15 times. MF's and SA's were relative inexpensive for those 20 years, and we were very happy with the experience of ownership and exchanging.

As the 20 years neared the end, I started shopping around to buy a replacment TS so that I could continue to travel and enjoy high quality vacationing experiences on a relatively low budget. I now own three individual TS's, all deeded and for weeks vs points. I have a grand total invested in purchase prices of $8,000 and my current MF for all three is right about $1,300. Because one of my TS's is a 3BR lockoff, it actually works like two separate weeks, so I'm getting four weeks of vacation accommodations for $1,300 plus RCI exchange fees of around $650 for a grand total of "about" $2,000 . . . just $500/week.

My exchanges over the recent years (past five) have been very good, above average I'd say. I've traded to Hawaii for five weeks, the UK for two, Washington DC once, plus several "easy" exchanges to Orlando (probably five or six). We have also stayed in our resorts too . . . Hawaii (twice), Kingsgate (twice) and Flagstaff (once) . . . and thoroughly enjoyed that too!

I have dabbled in renting my Hawaii unit twice . . . and have it and Flagstaff up for rent in 2008 (both are Easter/Spring Break - week #12).

All in all, not much to not like about owning timeshares!!

Hope that helps to answer your question and put my point of view into some perspective.

As for vacation clubs in general, they sure like to sell folks on the 1000's of worldwide places you can go. I hope you are able to fulfill your dreams through them. Most I've talked with have been miserably disappointed in what the reality is with vacation clubs. Not to worry, though . . . a lot of the RCI & II affiliated resorts like to sell "wish list" vacations using the exchange network, only for owners to later find out that probably isn't really going to happen either.

I hope you and your family do enjoy your experience with GRN and that what you want out of it can happen for you.