Director of Communications Steve Luba gives a wrap-up of the latest happenings in the industry.

 

 Standard Podcast [3:26m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Ed Hastry discusses the role of the NTOA in educating timeshare owners about the use of their timeshares and important issues facing the industry.

 

 Interview with Ed Hastry, President of the National Timeshare Owners Association [4:22m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

This week we released our statistical analysis for the 4th quarter, 2008.

It has been absolutely amazing that during a time when business looked its bleakest for many industries, including some timeshare developers and hoteliers, here at Sell My Timeshare NOW, we saw remarkable growth.

Because we are a privately held company, Sell My Timeshare NOW is not required to release quarterly reports to our stockholders. However, we believe that everyone who buys timeshare, sells timeshares or rents timeshare with us, is entitled to an update on how things are going. For this reason, we publish quarterly statistical synopses of our business growth and development.

You can download the full 4th Quarter 2008 business synopsis here.

And follow this link to read our press release about the report:

Despite the Economy, Consumers are Buying and Renting Timeshare Resales and Sell My Timeshare NOW Has the Numbers to Prove It

Here are some of the facts you will learn about Sell My Timeshare NOW:

• From 2007 to 2008, the overall number of offers to buy or rent timeshares advertised and marketed by the company increased by 85 percent.
• Totaling $461,470,158, we averaged over $1 million per day in offers.
• During the fourth quarter of 2008, the number of offers to buy or rent timeshare increased by 73 percent, quarter-over-quarter from 2007 to 2008, and increased by 43 percent in the dollar amount during this period.

You can also find copies of past reports archived on our website at www.sellmytimesharenow.com

Grand Timber Lodge Timeshare Resort is so much more than a timeshare vacation destination; it is a life style. And while owning and maintaining a year-round ski retreat in Breckenridge, Colorado may not be within your budget, owning a week or two of timeshare at Grand Timber Lodge can be very affordable, especially if you take advantage of reasonably priced timeshare resales.

Grand Timber Lodge timeshare is HOT 100 list timeshare property number 54 at Sell My Timeshare NOW. Of course timeshare owners at Grand Timber Lodge love the resort because of its ski-in and ski-out convenience. But there is also the Grand Victorian Day Spa, the swimming pools, hot tubs, athletic center, children’s playground and the arcade to love as well.

While many timeshare resorts offer excellent retreats for you and your family, the Grand Timber Lodge has units large enough to accommodate family groups of all sizes or you and your 9 best friends.

Timeshare Units to Accommodate Up to 10 People

The Grand Timber Lodge timeshare resort offers studio timeshare units, 2-room suites with kitchenettes, and one, two, and three-bedroom timeshare condos. The largest condos at the Grand Timber Lodge are 1,500 square feet and designed to accommodate up to 10 people. They include fully equipped kitchens with granite countertops, a washer and dryer, a private deck, gas fireplace, and complete dining service for 10 people. These timeshare units have 3 full bathrooms, (one with a jetted bathtub) and an entertainment center in the living area.

But you don’t necessarily have to go for the largest timeshare to enjoy luxury and comfort in a Grand Timber Lodge timeshare. Even the 2-room suites with kitchenettes are designed to sleep up to 6 people, and include one king size bed, 1 queen size bed, and 1 sleeper sofa. The kitchenette includes a mini fridge, a mini dishwasher, a microwave oven and a two-burner stove. These timeshare units also include an entertainment center and 2 full bathrooms.

If you are interesting in learning more about becoming a vacation property owner, paying for only the days and nights you schedule to enjoy at the Grand Timber Lodge timeshare, visit Sell My Timeshare NOW and learn more about the timeshare resales and timeshare rentals waiting for you.

Already thinking about fresh powder on the slopes at Breckenridge? Follow this link to check the Breckenridge snow report.

Club Casa Dorada Beach and Golf Resort timeshare in San Jose del Cabo, Mexico is as beautiful as any beachside resort you have ever dreamed of visiting. Located on El Medano beach, which is one of Cabo San Lucas’ best beaches for swimming, Club Casa Dorada Beach and Golf Resort offers guests a relaxing Mexico timeshare vacation destination, featuring access to an amazing range of amenities.

Timeshare owners and vacationers who rent timeshare at Club Casa Dorada Beach and Golf resort timeshare can enjoy their days with time on the beach or at the four health spas, the equestrian center, or teeing it up at one of the two oceanfront championship golf courses at the resort. Adjacent to Cabo Real Desert Park Reserve’s 3000 acres of protected land, your timeshare vacation can include ATV trail riding, mountain biking or hiking. There are perfect places for swimming as well as for personal watercraft use, kayaking, fishing, and snorkeling. But you might prefer to simply relax by the timeshare resort’s pool, shop the boutiques of Cabo San Lucas, and dine at one of the resort’s many fine dining or casual restaurants.

Club Casa Dorada Beach Timeshare is an RCI Golf Crown Resort

This exquisite Mexico timeshare resort is part of the exclusive 3500 acre Cabo Real Master Plan Community, which offers more than three and a half miles of some of Cabo’s best and most beautiful beaches. Club Casa Dorada Beach timeshare resort is an RCI Gold Crown property and is part of Melia Los Cabos Hotels in Los Cabos Mexico.

Offering timeshare owners and guests one, two, and three bedroom vacation ownership suites, most timeshare condos at Club Casa Dorada Beach Timeshare have private terraces, ocean views, kitchens or kitchenettes, and rooms with an elegant, clean-line décor. Jetted tubs, flat-screen televisions, and wireless internet provide you the comforts of home, with an upscale touch.

Buy Timeshare Resales at Club Casa Dorado Beach Timeshare

If you are reading this on the day this blog posts to The Timeshare Authority, then it’s Labor Day weekend, a traditional ‘long-week’ holiday in the US. And chances are, you are not on vacation. Because as much as I like to think of this timeshare blog as ‘gripping’ reading, it’s not the kind of thing most people read during their vacations…The Timeshare Authority is what you read when you are dreaming about a vacation.

So if you set aside a little time during your busy Labor Day weekend and peruse the incredible opportunities in Mexico timeshare resales and Mexico timeshare rentals, (timeshare resales and timeshare rentals available anywhere else in the world) advertised at www.sellmytimesharenow.com, then next time a holiday rolls around, you can be doing instead of dreaming; enjoying vacation ownership with your own affordable and luxurious timeshare.

Royal Sands Cancun timeshare is part of the Royal Resorts family of timeshares, with over 60,000 Caribbean timeshare and Mexico timeshare vacation ownership members. This beautiful Cancun timeshare is number 79 on the SellMyTimeshareNOW.com HOT 100 List.

The Royal Sands Cancun timeshare opened in 2000 and it is located on the site of the former Fonatur’s Casa de Visitas, also known as the Casa Maya or Mayan House. The Mayan House had a distinguished tradition of hosting Presidents and other dignitaries, and in keeping with this, many of the historic furnishings from the original resort have been used in the current property.

The timeshare villas at Royal Sands resort are known as “flexivillas” describing the way the units can be subdivided as a 2-bedroom lockout or used as a 1-bedroom timeshare lockout. As a 2-bedroom, 2- bath unit, the timeshare has over 1,448 square feet of living space and accommodates up to 6 people. Each timeshare villas has a fully equipped, American-style kitchen, dining area, televisions, DVD player, and a furnished balcony off the living area, as well as a second balcony off the bedroom.

On property amenities include a night club, 2 gourmet restaurants, and a spa. Two golf courses and a marina are nearby, as well as shopping at KuKulcan Plaza. Royal Sands timeshare owners and timeshare renters can enjoy tennis, snorkel gear, bicycles, volleyball, or a sailboat at no additional charge.

In 2005, the Royal Sands timeshare, like other resorts and Cancun timeshares on the beautiful Mexican Rivera, took a powerful hit from Hurricane Wilma, the most intense hurricane ever recorded in the Atlantic Basin. Posted below is a YouTube video from a young couple who have just returned from a Royal Sands timeshare vacation last month. Besides the video showing that these two had a wonderful vacation, it also shows that the Royal Sands Cancun timeshare is fully resorted and in excellent shape for your next timeshare vacation.

King’s Creek Plantation timeshare resort in Williamsburg, VA makes the HOT 100 List as #96, ranked by the number of Sell My Timeshare NOW offers to rent or buy timeshare resales at this wonderful family resort. There is a reason King’s Creek Plantation timeshare is a Gold Crown, 5-Star Resort, and you will recognize it in both the facilities and the service you receive when you vacation there.

The Right Time for a Drive-To Timeshare Vacation

A Williamsburg timeshare vacation is truly a trip to the heart and history of America. And in a year when many people are planning a drive-to vacation, King’s Creek Plantation timeshare is less than a day away from millions of Americans.

Driving Distances to King’s Creek Plantation Timeshare in Williamsburg, VA:

• New York City – 390 miles
• Wilmington – 300 miles
• Philadelphia – 295 miles
• Raleigh – 200 miles
• Baltimore – 195 miles
• Washington D.C. – 150 miles
• Richmond – 50 miles
• Norfolk – 45 miles

Not only is King’s Creek Plantation timeshare resort close to you, it’s close to many activities and attractions. In addition to the restoration and charm of Colonial Williamsburg, there’s mini-golf, boating, and canoeing. Next door to King’s Creek Plantation are the parks at Busch Gardens and Water Country USA, and nearby you’ll find historic Yorktown and Jamestown. Within convenient driving distance, is the Boardwalk at Virginia Beach. A King’s Creek Plantation timeshare could easily be your home base for enjoying both the attractions located there in Williamsburg, and day trips to the beach and to our nation’s capital.

Discovering King’s Creek Plantation Timeshare Resort

King’s Creek Plantation includes two outdoor pools, tennis courts, jogging trails, picnic areas, and a playground for the kids. This family-first timeshare resort also offers areas for basketball, volleyball, and board games. The Aquatic Center has a fitness complex, sauna, steam room, and an Olympic pool.

Timeshare condos range in size for studios that accommodate 2 people, to larger 4-bedroom timeshare units that sleep up to 14 people.

Imagine the fun of vacationing with your family, and your best friend’s family, in a comfortable timeshare condo with plenty of bathrooms, televisions, and relaxation areas to keep everybody happy. Now imagine the value of this vacation, if you and your friends share the cost on a timeshare resale.

What’s the Right Price for a Timeshare Vacation?

Sell My Timeshare NOW has Kings Creek Plantation timeshare resales starting at under $3000 and timeshare rentals at “make-an-offer” pricing. When you buy timeshare resales, you own your vacation property. You can enjoy its use for years to come, paying only annual maintenance fees and taxes. Compare this to renting Kings Creek Plantation timeshares from the resort, and paying in-season rates that start at $200 per night and go to $630 per night, depending upon the size of the timeshare unit you select.

This year is a perfect time to take your family to a historic destination, and get a firsthand look at how America got its start. And with the excellent deals on timeshare resales and timeshare rentals, it is the right time to put your American ingenuity to work to help you pull off a great family vacation. Why not let the money you save on a timeshare resale take some of the sting out of the cost of living while enjoying that leisure time you and your family have earned?

Enjoy this YouTube video of the fife and drum corps at Colonial Williamsburg.

Gary May of the Ottawa Citizen has written an excellent article with advice for buying timeshare and timeshare resales. The article was printed in last week’s The Vancouver Sun, and covers 10 things to consider when you are ready to buy timeshare.

Here are a few of the reasons his timeshare advice is exemplary:

Gary May does not start or end his article with warnings about why it is a bad investment to buy timeshare. He seems to have a solid (and correct) grasp of the concept, that buying timeshare is no more about investment potential than buying a new car. You buy it to use it, not as a replacement, or even a supplement, to your financial investments.

He identifies that timeshare buyers have choices and options and that time is on their side. He counsels you to shop around and seriously evaluate your needs. How do you and your family vacation? Do you like to visit the same vacation destination every year, or do you like to explore new locations? He talks about maintenance fees, taxes, and timeshare exchange. All of which are very important to consider when you buy timeshare.

And on May’s list are two points, that are very important and resonate with great truth:

“Don’t be railroaded into buying something you aren’t sure about. If you go to a special promotion, you will be required to attend a demonstration. Consider this an education on the merits of timeshare. Don’t buy on a whim. Ask questions. Think it over. If you like what you see, bargain the price down. Never buy at the first price they offer.”

“Consider buying a timeshare from an owner: resales are everywhere since people’s lifestyles change. Resales can usually be purchased for far less than the original price and are listed on timeshare websites and in newspaper want ads.”

Answer to Your Questions about Buying Timeshare

On Sell My Timeshare NOW’s website we have a page – a long page – devoted to answering frequently asked questions about buying timeshare resales. We explain the difference in types of timeshare ownership, discuss banking timeshare weeks, and help you understand why timeshare purchased directly from a timeshare resort developer costs so much more than timeshare resales purchased from their current owners.

Timeshare ownership can be a great opportunity for you and your family to enjoy a lifetime of vacations. But like anything else, it should not be purchased in haste, nor should it be bought during a high-pressure sales pitch.

And for more on the subject of timeshares sold by high-pressure tactics, read the Timeshare Owners Blog tomorrow when we will be looking at a Mexico timeshares company that has been making headlines for all the wrong reasons.

J. W. Marriott Jr, the chairman and CEO of Marriott International Inc, in conjunction with Omar Al Futtaim, CEO of Al-Futtaim Group, has announced a joint venture agreement that will result in the building of Marriott Vacation Club Festival City timeshare resort in the United Arab Emeritus.

The new Marriott timeshare represents, according to ArabianBusiness.com, the first significant equity investment in a hospitality development in Dubai by a US-base global hospitality brand. It is the only equity based joint venture entered into by Al-Futtaim with a hospitality group at Dubai Festival City.

Al-Futtaim was quoted as saying, “We believe Marriott Vacation Club will singularly raise the bar and change the landscape of the hospitality sector in Dubai.”

Plans are for the Marriott timeshare resort to be constructed in four phases, and will include over 3500 timeshare units and timeshare suites when completed. The Marriott Vacation Club Festival City will be the largest timeshare resort connected to a regional shopping center in the United Arab Emirates. As the resort area develops, in addition to the Marriott timeshare, there will be 8 major luxury hotels, 2 boutique hotels, and over 100 restaurants, cafes, and bistros located within the residential and retail area along Dubai Creek and near the Festival Marina. The development is described as an, “elegantly chic, bustling waterfront urban community.”

Own Marriott Timeshare Today

Timeshare owners at Marriott Vacation Club Festival City will have exchange privileges within the worldwide network of Marriott timeshares. You can buy Marriott timeshare from the Marriott corporation, or you can take advantage of the excellent prices available on Marriott timeshare resales advertised by Sell My Timeshare NOW.

Currently Sell My Timeshare NOW has timeshare resales available at nearly 40 Marriott timeshare resorts in the US alone as well as the following international destinations:

• Marriott’s Aruba Ocean Club Timeshare Resales – Palm Beach, Aruba
• Marriott’s Aruba Surf Club Timeshare Resales – Palm Beach, Aruba
• Marriott’s Village d’Ile de France Timeshare Resales – Bailly Romainvilliers, France
• Marriott’s Club Son Antem Timeshare Resales – Mallorca, Spain
• Marriott’s Marbella Beach Resort Timeshare Resales – Marbella, Spain
• Marriott’s Playa Andaluza Timeshare Resales – Marbella, Spain
• Marriott’s Phuket Beach Club Timeshare Resales – Phuket, Thailand
• 47 Park Street by Marriott Grand Residence Club Timeshare Resales – Mayfair, London, England

A Texas-based timeshare resales brokerage, that is a division of Stroman Realty, Inc., has released an interesting study on timeshare resales buying trends for transactions handled within their company. The study looked at timeshare sales based on the size of the timeshare unit, the location, and other factors that influence a consumer’s decision to buy timeshare. It also reported on trends that affect timeshare resales across the industry, such as why people resell timeshare or what marketing media best reaches potential timeshare buyers.

Like the research Sell My Timeshare NOW released earlier this year, both studies found that people don’t typically resell timeshare because they are unhappy with it, but more often because it no longer suits their lifestyle, needs, or the way they vacation.

One observation that came from this timeshare resales study is this, “As consumer internet usage has increased, the Timeshare Resale Industry has benefited significantly from the use of the Internet to advertise units for sale. This is because timeshare owners/sellers have never been able to use signage to help with their marketing due to resort restrictions. Since about 1995, the Internet has created an interactive growing conduit for timeshare property information utilized by buyers, wholesalers, brokers, and sellers. The Internet is the single largest factor that has improved the market for timeshare resales.”

Above all else, the study, like research developed for ARDA and research by timeshare developers, reinforces the idea that timeshare sales – both of new timeshare and timeshare resales – are on a very positive upward trend, and that consumer’s confidence in the timeshare or vacation ownership industry increases every year.

In other words, it is a good time to buy timeshare. And it is a good time to sell timeshare. Whatever your needs, at this point in your life, find a reliable, highly rated company to assist you and then move forward confidently with your timeshare transaction.