Sell My Timeshare NOW not only rents and resales timeshare, we resell the longer-term vacation property known as Fractionals.

It is not a market we started out purposefully to be in, but we found our company, advertising and marketing more and more fractionals for owners who wanted a way to resell their fractional ownership vacation home. Soon we found that our “accidental” business, was a strong and successful niche and that we were able to help more and more fractional owners sell their property on the secondary market.

Fractionals are an exciting part of the vacation and real estate markets. And they are a business about which we have become very purpose driven.

Fractional Summit USA 2011

Last week, I had the opportunity to speak at the Fractional Summit USA 2011, in Miami, Florida. I am sharing with you my presentation, in case you wondered, as the presentation points out, “What’s a timeshare resale guy doing at a fractional conference?”

Please view this presentation to learn more about why the fractional industry needs a plan and how Sell My Timeshare NOW is perfectly positioned to help with that plan.

On Tuesday, August 30, at the Fractional Summit USA, held in Miami, Florida, Sell My Timeshare NOW was pleased to sponsor the evening’s Tikki Beach Boat Cruise.

The Tikki Beach is a floating party boat that allowed Fractional Summit USA attendees to cruise along the Miami coastline, relax, interact, forge new business relationships, and enjoys a party atmosphere. The unique boat accommodates 150 guests and includes two large bars, a DJ booth, cabana beds, a dance floor, seating for over 100, cabana beds, palm trees, along with faux grass and real sand.

We embarked on our cruise around 7PM. Attire for the evening was “Your best tropical wear,” which mean we all looked cruise-ready.

Fractional Summit USA event manager Tracey Carter explained, “We are always looking for value-added experiences to make our conferences special, and to ensure our delegates remember them.”

In general, the Tikki Beach Cruises offered a great way for people to relax, get to know each other better, and for fractional and timeshare real estate professionals to make new contacts and build new relationships.

After all, work doesn’t always have to feel like, “work,” does it?

Special Monday Afternoon edition of The Timeshare Authority Blog

For anyone considering attending the Fractional Summit USA 2011 in Miami this week, don’t let Hurricane Irene’s disruption interfere with your plans!

The event organizers have announced that they will make tickets to the Fractional Summit USA available at the door at no extra cost. Your registration can be as simple as emailing info@fractionalsummitusa.com to let them know you’re planning to attend.

Make the trip; lack of preplanning doesn’t have to stop you from being part of the informational sessions and powerful networking opportunities that are inherent in the Fractional Summit USA.

Miami was unaffected by Hurricane Irene. I am headed there myself, and I invite you to join in; this is a fractional and timeshare industry event you do not want to miss. But you have to act now because the conference gets started tomorrow, Tuesday, August 30 and runs through Wednesday, August 31 at the InterContinental Hotel in downtown Miami.

Follow this link for full conference information about the Fractional Summit USA

Countries that will have delegate representation at the Fractional Summit USA include: Brazil, Costa Rica, Turks & Caicos, St Lucia, Mexico, Barbados, Bahamas, Bermuda, United States, Europe and more.What about you??

Be part of the Fractional Summit USA 2011!

Jason Tremblay of Sell My Timeshare NOW will be a guest panelist at next week’s Fractional Summit USA 2011 conference.

The conference will be held at the InterContinental Hotel in Miami, Florida and is organized by Fractional Life, the number one consumer lifestyle brand dedicated to growing the fractional ownership marketplace. Dr. Jim Taylor of the Harrison Group, the author of Selling to the New Elite, will be among the featured speakers. He will present recent findings from American Express Publishing’s leading research on affluence and wealth in America, focusing on recent trends in real estate and fractional ownership. Jason Tremblay will be speaking on a conference panel covering fractional exchange, resales and rentals. Other panel members include representatives from RCI and LaTour Hotels and Resorts.

Second Year for the Fractional Conference in the US

In 2010, the Fractional Summit Conference was hosted in the USA for the first time and was highly successful for both attendees and sponsors. As Piers Brown, Founder of Fractional Life, explains, “Fractional real estate now operates in a completely new market paradigm where many of the ‘old rules’ no longer apply. Our US conference is an event which our delegates, speakers and sponsors can be truly proud of.”

Follow this link to read the Sell My Timeshare NOW media release about the Fractional Summit USA and be sure to follow us on @jasontremblay_ and @vacationhotdeal on Twitter and Sell My Timeshare NOW on Facebook, where we will be updating you during the conference.

For the second year in a row, the Fractional Summit USA takes us back to Miami. Scheduled for August 30 and 31, at the InterContinental Hotel, the event will present new ideas and alternatives that deal with how, as the real estate industry and developers are finding they can no longer rely on whole ownership sales, alternative real estate business models —such as fractionals—become relevant than ever before.

This event promises to recharge and reinvigorate all who attend.

I’ll be there as part of a panel discussing: Fractional Exchange, Resales and Rentals, along with Tim McLaughlin from RCI and Peter Gust from LaTour Hotels and Resorts. We will be looking at, in this down economy, the ability to exchange, resell or rent one’s fractional assets and how it becomes more important for potential new buyers and existing owners, along with what organizations are doing to address these issues.

Here is a partial list of the featured speakers at Fractional Summit USA 2011:

• Michael Gerrity, the World Property Channel
• Nick Copley, Shepa Report
• Peter Gust LaTour Hotels and Resorts
• Piers Brown, Fractional Life
• Roy West, The Roy West Companies
• Sarah Rezak, Rezak Resort Consulting
• Scott Kauffman, Aloha Media
• Scott Ritter, Dahlgren Duck
• Seth Rutman, UBS Financial Services
• Tim McLaughlin, RCI
• Tom Goetschius, Tom Goetschius Associates
• Tom LaTour, LaTour Hotels and Resorts
• Wayne Dedrick, UBS Financial Services
• Adam Wegner, Exclusive Resorts
• Alana Morris, VOCA PR
• Anne Barker, Barker & Associates
• Bill Guthrie. Foley & Lardner LLP
• Chris Payne, Ballard Spahr
• Dan Bachrach, Foley and Lardner LLP
• Dan Debenham, LENZ-works Productions
• David Disick, The Fractional Consultant
• Dustin Carfield, NextStar Funding
• Elaine Joli, Vacation Nation
• Frank Ingrande, LaTour Hotels and Resorts
• Franklin Mira, Odebrecht Realizações Imobiliárias
• George Sell, Fractional Trade
• Gregg Anderson, The Registry Collection
• Howard Nusbaum, ARDA
• Jim Taylor, The Harrison Group
• John Verity, The Harbour Residences at Marigot Bay
• Joshua Erskine, CalCon Mutual Mortgage
• Kathy Hernandez, Kathy Hernandez & Associates
• Michael Butler, Midlan International

If you hurry, you can still register and attend. Click here for a direct link to fractional conference tickets. Or you can email info@fractionalsummitusa.com or call +1 646 452 9500 / +44 208 340 7989

Fractional Life, the global fractional ownership brand and fractional real estate conference organizer, will once again host the timeshare and fractional industry at the Fractional Summit USA 2011.

To be held at the InterContinental Hotel, Miami, on August 30 and 31, the event brings together thought leaders in the fractional industry to help, “define the ‘new rules’ and future opportunity within an ever changing market landscape.”

Last year’s Fractional Summit USA, also held in Miami, was an inspiring event that left attendees talking about it long afterward.

Fractional Trade members are entitled to a 10 percent discount, a saving of $75, on tickets for Fractional Summit USA. This discount is available through August 20. Fractional Trade membership is a great way to benefit from networking and information opportunities and to take advantage of this attendee discount. You can find out more about this free membership at: www.fractionaltrade.com

Event organizer Piers Brown explains, “With the uncertainty surrounding the world’s economy, our Fractional Summit USA offers serve two purposes — to ensure that we are providing delegates with value for money, and, vitally, to get the right people to attend the event. Our Fractional Trade members are the ‘backbone’ of the industry, while attracting new developers and lenders is essential for the health and growth of the fractional sector.”

For speaker and sponsorship opportunities at the conference, please contact Piers Brown at piers@fractionallife.com or +44 020 8340 7989.

The Residence Club at El Corazon de Santa Fe, a fractional ownership residence property, has announced it will come under the management of Fairmont Heritage Place, joining Fairmont’s collection of exclusive properties.

Property developer Rob Harper of the Dallas, Texas-based, Unity Hunt, Inc., says, “This is a wonderful opportunity for both the current and future owners at the Residence Club at El Corazon de Santa Fe. We’re very excited about becoming part of Fairmont’s prestigious Heritage Place collection.”

Located in historic and culturally rich downtown Santa Fe, New Mexico, fractional ownership at the Residence Club at El Corazon starts in the mid-$100,000′s and includes deeded one-eight undivided interest in the property.

Fairmont is owned by FRHI Holdings Limited, a leading global hotel company with 100 hotels under the Fairmont, Swissôtel, and Raffles brands. The Company also manages Fairmont, Raffles and Swissôtel branded Residences, Estates, luxury private residence club properties, and serviced residences.

Many families have found that fractional ownership affords them the luxury of a second home, without the on-going responsibilities typically associated with sole ownership of a vacation home. Other desirable Fairmont Heritage Place fractional ownership properties can be found in San Francisco, Telluride and Acapulco. Follow this link to learn more about fractional ownership opportunities at exciting Fairmont Heritage Place destinations.

Executive Quest Inc. has released the results of its annual study of salaries within the timeshare and vacation ownership, fractional, and hospitality industry.

Keith W. Trowbridge, Ph.D., President of Executive Quest, Inc says the research is based on survey data from more than 20,000 contacts. This year’s survey included an increase from the previous 25 categories to 30 and covered topics including salary, bonus, non-cash perks, commission and total annual compensation.

Likewise, the survey also considers factors related to the participant, such as: years in the industry, resort locations, units and total annual company revenue.

Results of Timeshare Jobs Survey

The survey shows that the timeshare and fractional industries continue to feel effects of the economy, but for the most part, to a lesser degree than in the previous year. Results from the one industry area that showed the hardest hit were in the category of realtor, real estate developer, timeshare sales and timeshare broker, which for some companies, showed a drop in income. Timeshare sales representatives showed a slight increase while sales managers and directors showed a, “minor cut in compensation.”

The report does show, “Many executives received non-cash perks including a company automobile, health and life insurance, contributions to a 401(k), housing for family/visitors. Relocation expenses and housing for an initial period are also a part of the non-cash perks enjoyed by many. The non-cash perks were converted to a dollar amount and are included in the Total Compensation figures.”

You can learn more about the survey at: http://www.execq.com/index.htm

Tom Goetschius, RRP, a consultant and trainer for the timeshare and vacation ownership industry, has been named Senior Advisor and sales and marketing coordinator for the Tamarack Lodge Resort in Traverse City, Michigan.

To this position, Goetschius brings 25 years of timeshare industry experience that includes working with Hilton Grand Vacations; Fairfield Communities (now Wyndham); and Orange Lake Country Club.

Tamarack Lodge Fractional Ownership Opportunities

The Tamarack Lodge, located in the resort destination of Traverse City, is a luxury 29-unit property, situated on the beaches of East Grand Traverse Bay. Ownership is sold as a fractional property with one-eight shares (six weeks) for each owner, as well as more traditional timeshare sales with fixed ownership in two-week intervals.

Build and decorated in a style reminiscent of the grand lodges of yesterday, owners can select 1-, 2-, and 3-bedroom spacious units; with water views of the lake; private balconies; full gourmet kitchens with granite countertops; and much more.

This peaceful retreat offers water sports, championship golf, and downhill and cross-country skiing as well as other winter sports. The Tamarack Lodge, like other Michigan timeshare resorts is within convenient travel distance from many major metropolitan areas and affords many urbanites a venue for enjoying fresh air and a relaxing vacation with an emphasis on outdoor activities and recreation.

In yesterday’s The Timeshare Authority blog I shared how impressed I was that a Forbes Magazine interview between magazine publisher, Rich Karlgaard and IBM CEO Sam Palmisano, that reads as if it is written as a business plan for the timeshare industry.

If you haven’t read yesterday’s post, you’ll want to because I looked at three points that IBM has seen as critical to helping it reach its 100-year /$100 billion milestone. Now let me share a couple other takeaways I had from the interview, which to me, is a road map that the timeshare industry should be following

Timeshares and Learning from Mistakes

In the early 1990s IBM almost went bankrupt. Yet here they are today, twenty years later, going strong. How did this happen?

IBM invented a PC, but according to Palmisano, the company viewed it as, “a gadget”. Because the company did not see the PC as a platform, it “missed the shift”. And as Palmisano goes on to explain, “So the lesson to me is you cannot miss the shifts. You have to move to the future.”

The way people buy, sell, and use timeshare has clearly shifted. No one wants to be “sold to” anymore. Consumers want to read reviews, comparison shop, and negotiate a deal that includes the features that are best for them and the way they like to vacation. Buying online, whether it is timeshare, timeshare resales, or timeshare rentals, is a way of shopping that most people are very comfortable doing. People already book hotels and air travel online; it is a logical step to them to also engage in timeshare transactions the same way.

What consumers are not comfortable with is a vacation ownership product that lacks options and lacks flexibility, both in the way they buy and sell it and the ways they can use it.

More Wisdom for Vacation Ownership

When asked how IBM was dealing with the current economic climate, Palmisano said, “To me it’s no different than post World War II. Then the world was restoring itself economically after the great wars. Now the world is rebalancing itself after a big financial crisis. Then, as now, IBM is aggressively moving into new countries, new markets.”

But in the same interview, Palmisano also reminded us, “But you can’t push everywhere. You have to focus.”

This isn’t contradictory advice; this is rock solid business planning. Timeshares, which didn’t get their start until the early 1970s, didn’t weather the great Depression or need to bounce back after two world wars, as IBM has done. When the economy faltered in the last few years, the timeshare industry had no previous learning experience from which to draw. We could not look at our business history and ask, “What did we do to drop back and punt the last time this happened?”

With no history to draw from, some timeshare companies did not recognize what steps to take next. At Sell My Timeshare NOW, the changing economy caused us to do our own rebalancing. We changed where and how we spend money; we tightened our belt; and most importantly, we looked for ways to serve our market better.

We elected to place more emphasis on giving timeshare owners a choice between a timeshare broker assisted sale and a sale by owner. We’ve ramped up our skills to make sure we offer top notch service for both types of timeshare sales. Among other things, we are doing, we’ve rebuilt much of our website to make it easier and more efficient for buyers and renters to find the properties that fit their budgets and their vacation needs.

In short, we have both rebalanced and sharpened our focus and as a result, despite the economy, Sell My Timeshare NOW is a stronger company than ever before. With only an eight-year history of business, Sell My Timeshare NOW is certainly no IBM. But we can proudly say that we share a few values and strategies with the business behemoth; we focus on our clients, we work smart; and we try very hard to be relevant to today’s consumer’s demands.

And who knows where the next 92 years will take us …