Timeshares For Sale!

I’ve always been curious about this. I’ve been to just one timeshare presentation (when I was in fresh out of college, and I didn’t know that my coworker lured me to attend a timeshare presentation). I’m curious to go to another, as 8 years have lapsed since then.

Now, I’ve been to many car dealerships (because I have been interested in buying a used car), but haven’t really been subjected to such high pressure sales tactics–at least not the ones described to me that timeshare people use. For instance, no car sales person has ever said to me "well, you can always gift your car to your heirs when you’re done using it" or "buying cars are a great investment instrument!"

I’ve been to many blogs and websites on timeshares (Tug2.net, saveoneresorts, igougo.com, tripadvisor, stayhereplayhere.com, consumeraffairs.com, complaints.com, bbb.org, to name just a few) to get both sides of the story. I’ve seen some standard responses (I can’t afford it, it’s not for me, I don’t want to make a decision now, let me ask my wife, I don’t have kids) but those are easily answered by most timeshare salespeople. What other excuses have worked for you in the past that are truly ingenious?
Thanks Steph, for your answer!
Actually, I also read somewhere that the salespeople say that you can avoid your yearly maintenance fees by referring *just* 20 people to come and take a tour. I think that is how my coworker got me to go in the first place. She made no mention of a timeshare presentation–she basically had an ad in our work intranet bulletin board of a free vacation. I guess that’s how she paid for her maintenance fees, and I guess she also got to keep any of the extra perks, since I wasn’t offered any money or tickets after the presentation either! All of that for a 3 day/2 night stay in Charleston, SC.
To NCCMSS: Excellent post! That is one of the sites I’ve never been to myself. Thanks for the info.

I always say, "My mother-in-law just sold her timeshare. She said that the company was constantly raising the maintenance fees. Can you guarantee that won’t happen?" Usually they start freaking out when I say the first sentence (I usually say it loudly too) and go a head and give me whatever incentive they were offering (some places it’s 50 bucks or tickets to a dinner show).

It’s not a lie either, my MIL really did sell hers because every year that she had it, they raised the maintenance fees by 100 dollars.

I know how you feel, it took us 5 years to get ours sold. The developer bought it back for 10 cents on the dollar.

You might try Vacation Rentals By Owner: http://www.vrbo.com/

I have heard of some being sold that way. If I am correct there are web sites that sell time shares: http://www.sellmytimesharenow.com/buy-sell-rent.php?OVRAW=Sell%20my%20timeshare&OVKEY=sell%20my%20time%20share&OVMTC=standard&OVADID=5878440022&OVKWID=51534097022

I can’t say one way or the other since I sold mine before the internet became popular.

God Luck and don’t fall for any phoneys.

If you love going on vacations so much then purchasing a timeshare is the best way for you to have the grandest vacations. Having a timeshare is a convenient way to go on yearly vacations without the hassles of having to book for reservation in hotels.

Timeshare is definitely for people with NO FINANCIAL problems and when doing it for the RIGHT reasons and under the RIGHT CIRCUMSTANCES it can be a GOOD THING.

BIG "NO,NOS" IN TIMESHARE:

*If you normally spend less than $100 USD a night for accommodations then timeshare is NOT FOR YOU
*It is not a financial investment
*Don´t buy if you plan to rent it
*Don´t buy if you plan on reselling
*Don´t buy if you plan on exchanging often
*Make sure you can afford to travel at least one week a year
*NEVER BUY FROM THE DEVELOPER

THE RIGHT CIRCUMSTANCES:

*This system makes vacation home ownership possible for many people who cannot afford a second home or who otherwise would not be able to enjoy such resort facilities. Timeshare is an investment in lifestyle, in future holidays, in family time together, and when viewed that way it can be a good investment indeed.
*Get it in an area the you LOVE and that you would visit every year without a problem
*Get it in a very nice Resort (where normally people would pay at least $200 a night)
*Get it in the resale market (it would cost you less than $1000 USD) so all what you have to spend is the maintenance fee.

HERE ARE THE NUMBERS:

$200 USD a night (in a decent resort) x 6 nights = $1200 USD

Maintenance fee in a NICE RESORT x 6 nights = $700
*Maintenance in a "decent resort" x 6 nights = $400

The timeshare is a 2-bedroom, Sheraton Vistana Villages condo that can be used for a week any time of the year. I bought with 2 other families and it’s not working with our busy schedules. Or we can rent it for a week at $1,000… it’s a gorgeous 2 bedroom (sleeps condo near all the resorts.

I had a timeshare I tried reselling through Century 21 timeshares; they charged us $400 to appraise the property and then it sat for two years without a single offer. I finally took matters into my own hands and sold the timeshare myself on eBay. It went fast, but I did have to take a substantial loss to get it off my hands. Reselling timeshares isn’t easy to do; unless you’re willing to cut the price really low, you’re not likely to get a bid. Vistana is a very nice resort, though, so you might have more interest than some. Its proximity to Disney is a BIG selling point.

I live in Los Angeles and I know that some of the best "free prizes" and travel deals are to be had by sitting through timeshare presentations. I’m looking for a way to locate the best ones nearby.

JUST http://www.google.com/ IT!!!

I have a timeshare that my friend wanted to use in Florida. We booked four nights for it, I pay into this every month, but let’s say conservatively it was 400 total (way more really) in value. Then we needed a car rental which was 100 so that’s 500. I told her to cover the car and when she booked our airfare for us I attempted to give her the cash right there which was 160 flight. She said don’t worry about it. I took it as she was covering the flight and the rental that = 260 instead of just splitting the cost of the hotel and car with me which would’ve been 250 anyway. Well the night before the flight she was flip flopping about weather she can go or not and then contacted me two hours before the flight and backed out cause she was "sick". So I went alone and had to cover the rental, etc otherwise I would have lost everything.

This was two weeks ago, now she is texting me saying I owe her for the flight of 160 all of a sudden. If I don’t pay her she is going to file for fraud? I don’t owe her as far as I’m concerned, I shouldn’t have to be sticked with all the bills because she backed out. Not to mention I don’t have that money anymore anyway. Does she have a leg to stand on?

You don’t have to pay her back. I assume the airfare was nonrefundable. She cancelled far too late to get refunds from anyone.
There’s no fraud here so let her try to "file for fraud"…she’ll get laughed at.

I bought a timeshare in 2006 which entitles me to get any hotel within USA or international for a week in a given year. I have not used my 2006 week, and soon my 2007 will expire. Id like to sell my timeshare but I don’t have any idea and I have not asked anyone yet on how to do it. Any advise?

Low price. Whya would they buy from you, if others are available? Remember when you bought yours, they invited you to a free meal and gave you lots of potential gifts just for showing up? Then, they high-pressured the people in the room to try and sell the inventory. It was a whole organized sales machine that had been running for some time and had no end in sight. The salespeople made lots of money for each sale in commission because it is a tough sale.

This should show anyone that this product is overpriced to begin with, otherwise they could sell them without all the hoopla, freebies, and glorious slideshows of vacations in exotic places. Drop the price and ask some friends, relatives, and use the internet.

If it was a good investment, what will the place you bought it from buy it back for? Half? Will they buy it at all? After all, tehy have the machinery in place to sell them one after another, right.

Sorry, I am cynical on timeshares – but really , start with a greatly reduced price

Hi,

We purchased a timeshare almost a year ago, and were promised by the sales associate a lifetime price if we ever wanted to upgrade. We assumed that this was true, until we went to a "owners update meeting", and found out it wasn’t. At the owners meeting, the sales manager who took our "case" said the associate would be fired…but then wouldn’t do anything about the actual situation. I’ve now spent almost 7 months of phone calls, certified letters, and meetings trying to dispute this matter. Up until 2 weeks ago I was just getting passed around. Today I called, and they stated unless it is written in our original contract they cannot honor the deal, or except a return of the time share for a refund.

We are really kicking ourselves now for now checking the contract (which is about 100 pages long) more thoroughly. We had other family members with us at the time of the purchase who could verify the deal we were offered. But we have nothing in writing. Doesn’t a verbal agreement count for anything?

We are really considering getting a lawyer and pressing the matter further to get our money refunded. What kind of lawyer do we look for? And do you think we even have a chance?

I have all my paperwork, and certified letter receipts. The dates of who I talked to and what they said. What we were asking for is the company to either honor the deal we were told about, or refund us our money. They simply said they would not do either.

Any advice would be appreciated, its costing us almost $300 a month for something we didn’t think we were buying.
When looking for a lawyer, what do I look for? I’m not sure where to start with that.

Was that timeshare salesman’s lips moving? If so, he definitely lied to you.

Unfortunately, timeshare salesmen have a reputation of being slimy, dirty scumbags who will lie and whatever else to get the deal signed.

I do not have any advice for your situation.

I would recommend taking your question to Timeshare Users Group (TUG) www.tug2.net or http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/ which is a free forum to discuss everything about timeshares. Some users there may be able to point you in the right direction on what to do. I bet many that have been in similar situations.

I want one that gives flexticket and not just one individual park

IDK

Would you buy a 60” Pioneer LCD TV for 423.00 a month?

Times are tough for many people, but they still want to enjoy life’s little luxuries, but are having a hard time affording it. My idea is basically a timeshare for high priced electronics like TV’s, blue ray players, and game consoles.

The retail price is divided by 52 and thats the cost of one "share" for a 1 week term. So a Pioneer 60” that goes for 5499.99, could be yours for 105.76 a week, or 423.04 a month. I think consumers would like that kind of value especially if they’re skeptical about spending over 5k for a TV. I would even "bundle" things together for better value like a TV / blue ray combination.

Um it’s called Rent-A-Center Rentway Aarons etc.