When you want to sell timeshare and you put your vacation property on the market as a timeshare resale, it may surprise you which features make it most attractive to people looking to buy timeshare. The rule is the same for timeshare real estate, as it is for residential homes, commercial property, and vacation housing: location-location-location.

Timeshare at highly sought vacation destinations is attractive to people interested in timeshare condo resales and vacation club memberships. But timeshare resales have one huge advantage over other types of real estate when it comes to the subject of location because so many timeshare resorts offer exchange privileges at other resorts, or through timeshare exchange memberships like Interval International and RCI timeshare. In fact, frequently, when people buy timeshare, they look for properties – not at the destination they want – but at a destination where they think other people will want to make a timeshare exchange.

The second factor that strongly affects salability of timeshare resales is the dates or time of the year you own. Many people who buy timeshare must plan their travel and vacation dates around school calendars. However, despite the fact that timeshare sales are increasing rapidly among younger buyers, the largest market for the purchase of timeshare weeks is still among Baby Boomers – the demographic that is the least likely to be concerned about school holiday schedules.

Of course, the features and amenities that your timeshare resort offers, also makes a big difference with attracting people to buy your timeshare resale. Beachside access always attracts buyers, as does a location near popular ski sites. But also attractive are what is known as “drive to” destinations, which may not be on the beach or near the slopes, but do offer the advantage of being geographically located within easy driving distances for large populations of people.

At the resort, it has long been the standard that location at a golf course or with golf access makes timeshare resales more desirable. But according to recent information released by M.I.C.E, (an acronym for MEETING – INCENTIVE – CONFERENCE – EXHIBITION , a professional organization for meeting and event planners) interest in tennis between the years 2000 and 2005 increased by more than 12 percent. According to the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association, tennis is experiencing the highest growth rate of the 114 traditional sports tracked in the United States. So if your timeshare resale offers tennis courts on property or nearby, be sure to make that point known to potential buyers. In these tighter economic times, the cost of playing tennis as compared to the cost of playing golf, is bound to be a consideration by some vacationers.

For more information about the easiest and most effective way to sell timeshare, visit the timeshare resales experts at Sell My Timeshare NOW.

These days, when every evening’s nightly news seems to always bring us new warnings of unrest, terrorism, and political disruption around the world, you might think people who buy timeshare abroad risk being stuck with timeshare condos or condo resales that they cannot use and cannot rent or sell – but that is generally not the case.

First, as a timeshare owner, you may have the option to bank your timeshare weeks for future use, or to turn them over to a timeshare exchange. Many timeshare exchange programs do not require your timeshare weeks to be picked up by someone else in order for you to enjoy a timeshare vacation at a different resort.

The next thing to remember is that many times, while it may not be safe for people of your particular nationality to travel to a foreign country, people who live in that country may be able to travel freely and vacation without incident. Although this is not currently the case in Kenya, as I wrote about in yesterday’s Timeshare Owners Blog, when this does apply, you may want to use your timeshare weeks as a timeshare rental. To successfully rent timeshare to people from other countries you must advertise and market it through a timeshare company like Sell My Timeshare NOW that has a global marketplace and the expertise to bring timeshare rentals to the attention of interested renters or even buyers around the world.

The problems in one part of a country do not always affect vacationing and timeshare resorts in other areas of the same country. Don’t immediately assume that an entire region or country is dangerous just because you hear about one incident, in one location. In fact, isolated events in one part of a country can sometimes have an upside for travelers in other areas, making tourist dollars especially appreciated in an area where other parts of the country have recently received bad publicity. Attractions, restaurants, and other tourist areas are less crowded and sometimes offer discounted prices in efforts to attract business once again.

Kenya Timeshare Resales, In the Future

I am not in any way making light of recent tragic events in Kenya or any other part of the world that has suffered adversity. But I am suggesting that if you own timeshare weeks in a locale that has experienced problems, whether it is weather-related, incidences of terrorism, or other types of crime or civil unrest, don’t immediately assume that all is lost for utilizing your timeshare unit or timeshare weeks. You have options and Sell My Timeshare NOW can help you assess those options and make the choice that is right for you.

Here’s a You-Tube video that reminds us of the natural beauty of Kenya.

India is a growing market for timeshares resorts. Not only does the magic of India attract multitudes of tourists, but there are also large populations with Indian heritage who live around the world and who make regular trips to visit family and friends in India. For many people with Indian ancestry, owning an India timeshare is the perfect solution to annual or biannual visits to their homeland.

Two India timeshare resorts recently to receive recognition for their amenities and quality are Ffort Radisson Holiday Klub and Orange County. Ffort Radisson Holiday Klub (note the resort name often appears with both the traditional “Ffort” spelling and the Americanized version, “Fort”) is designed with a historic theme and is built on 160 acres along the Hoogly River. Orange County is located in Western Ghats on a coffee and spice plantation.

Both Ffort Radisson and Orange County are Resorts of International Distinction and recipients of the AIRDA (All India Resort Development Association) Gold Crown Award for consistently surpassing international standards of excellence in timeshare resort quality and hospitality. AIRDA is a member of ARDA – the American Resort Development Association – and works to further the development of timeshare resorts and timeshare vacationing in India, addressing both the interests of the timeshare industry and of the timeshare owner or timeshare renter.

But just how serious is India about the timeshare industry?

Anand Mahindra, chief of India’s $6 billion Mahindra Group was recently quoted in Newsweek as saying, “We’re the largest time-share operators in India. Club Mahindra, part of our real-estate division – with 22 resorts worldwide – will list in 2008. With the currency factor and the rising affluence and leisure time in India, it is the fastest-growing company in our group. Indian tourism is No 2 in the world after China.”

Mahindra’s point is that the weakened US dollar makes America a prime market for a company such as his with widely diversified interests and that is interested in buying into US manufacturing while the dollar is soft in the international market. Mahindra and Mahindra’s businesses go far beyond timeshare resorts and include automobile manufacturing, tractors, financial services, insurance, retail, and a number of other products and niche markets.

Look for this timeshare company and others to be making advances in the timeshare industry, seeking to build on the heightened interest in India timeshares and the weakened value of the US dollar. And if you are interested in keeping US dollars in the United States and still owning India timeshare, look at timeshare resales and timeshare rentals advertised at Sell My Timeshare NOW. When you buy timeshare resales, you are bypassing the middleman, and dealing directly with the person who currently owns the timeshare weeks. In this troubled economy, timeshare resales are the true win-win for people who want to sell timeshare and for people who want to buy timeshare.

Be sure to visit our timeshare blog again on Monday, when I will be sharing a really interesting account of timesharing in India.

It is probably fair to say that people don’t often get the best of Donald Trump.

But if you have been following the saga of Trump’s attempt to build world class golf courses, a hotel and timeshare resort near Aberdeen, Scotland, you know Trump has faced a number of delays in getting approval for the project. Among them has been a Scottish farmer, Michael Forbes, who refuses to sell his farmland to the Trump Organization. Forbes’ land is centrally located in the planned golf and timeshare resort area and while Trump says he could and would build around the Forbes’ property if necessary, it has been obvious that Trump has been somewhat stumped by Forbes’ resistance to sell his family farm.

So last week when radio DJ Robin Galloway telephoned Donald Trump, pretending to be a real estate agent representing Michael Forbes, the Trump Organization was eager to talk to the man, who they thought might be bringing them a solution to the stalemate.

According to The Daily Record, Galloway told Donald Trump, “Forbes was willing to ‘stand aside’ and give up his land in return for an annual, two-week trip to New York for two.

Galloway went on to ask, “Is there any chance of doing a timeshare?”

Trump’s reply was, “I could do something like that. I’d look after him.”

Before hanging up, Galloway confessed to Trump that the call was a prank. Reportedly, even Donald Trump saw the humor in the hoax, recognizing the irony in the idea that a Scottish farmer who refuses to sell his land so that a timeshare resort can be built, would ever be offering to trade that land for two weeks in a New York timeshare.

Use this link to Scotland Real Radio to hear the entire phone call with Donald Trump.

The newest issue of TimeSharing Today Magazine, includes a letter from Lori Card-King, who is the vice president of Quality Assurance for Interval International timeshare exchange. Ms. Card-King is responding to a letter TimeSharing Today received from a reader who had questions about Interval International’s exchange policy.

My summary of both letters may give you more insight into the thinking behind policies at timeshare exchange companies and the viewpoint of timeshare owners who question the policies.

The timeshare owner’s position was that when she needed to cancel her timeshare vacation within seven days of the travel date, it was unfair for Interval International timeshare exchange to refuse to let her select another timeshare interval at a future date against her banked timeshare week. The timeshare owner acknowledged that Interval International not only kept her banked week and refused to let her make a future exchange but also charged her a fee for the cancellation. While the timeshare owner had no objection to paying the fee, she did object to having to forfeit all possible exchange against her banked week.

Interval International timeshare exchange’s explanation was that last minute cancellations often result in unused timeshare weeks because no one else is able to make travel arrangements fast enough to use the timeshare interval. II pointed out that they try to protect their members by refusing to accept banked or deposited timeshare for dates that are less than two weeks in the future, and not permitting exchanges with less than 7 days notice.

When you hear both sides, you can see that the timeshare owner and the timeshare exchange company each raise good points and TimeSharing Today did a good job of showing both sides of the issue when they printed the two letters side by side.

One option that was recommended was for the timeshare owner to purchase insurance from Interval International for just this reason. The timeshare owner also pointed out that two other timeshare exchange companies with which she had dealt, do allow you to still exchange for another week, even if you make a last minute cancellation. These two companies are: RCI and Donita’s Dial An Exchange.

In the past, I have listed the names of several timeshare exchange companies here on the Timeshare Owners Blog, but maybe it is time to do it again. The Timeshare Owners Blog does not endorse or recommend any particular timeshare exchange company, because different ones are best suited for different vacation patterns and individual needs.

Keep the waggle in your routine. It is great advice for golf, but have you ever thought about how it applies to everyday life?

Many golfers have a problem they develop, usually because of tension, which causes them to freeze up over the ball before they hit their golf shots. To keep them loose and allow them to execute a fluid swing with good rhythm, they often use the ‘waggle’. A waggle in golf is simply a little shake or wiggle incorporated into the pre shot routine that prevents golfers from being too tense in their movements.

As stressful as life is today, most of us need a little waggle in our routines. And nothing makes it easier to shake loose and relax than using a timeshare resale to enjoy some downtime at vacation lodging you have already prepaid to enjoy.

Gone are the days when timeshare intervals are locked in to one or two week increments. Now most timeshares can be enjoyed in two, three, or four night blocks, and some you can even use one day at a time.

Your hectic schedule may not allow time for you to take 7 days away from your responsibilities, but even the busiest people can usually manage to squeeze in short stays at their favorite timeshare resort.

So to help you get your mini vacation started and create a little waggle in your routine, here’s a video from Sell My Timeshare NOW’s favorite PGA Tour player, Bobby Cole. On the course at Doral Golf Resort and Spa, (an excellent timeshare vacation destination) Bobby tells you why and how to put some waggle in your pre shot routine.

If you start talking to people about “Week 53″ you can expect to be met with strange stares as if you just crossed over from an episode of Rod Serling’s classic The Twilight Zone. That is, unless the people to whom you are talking happen to be timeshare owners.

While most of us accept that there are 52 weeks in a year, there are actually only 51 or 52 complete weeks in most years along with either one or two partial weeks. Once every 28 years, there are even 54 weeks. The last time there was a 54-week year was in the year 2000, which is ironic when you consider how many other time-related issues there were that year.

Many people simplify the matter of the 53-week year by saying it occurs once every seven years, but this is an over simplification. Actually, because of leap year, the 53 week year rolls around at five, six, or seven year intervals. When it happens in timesharing, it has nothing to do with crossing over into another dimension, where your next stop is The Twilight Zone.

Week 53 usually belongs to the timeshare association or the timeshare resort. It is typically not sold or rented, although it may be. Sometimes week 53 is used as a time to perform routine repairs and maintenance at the resort.

To learn more about week 53, spacebanking, and the lingo of timeshares, you may want to visit the “Glossary of Terms” on the Sell My Timeshare NOW website.

And just for the fun of it, enjoy this You Tube video of the old TV intro to The Twilight Zone.

Timeshares are a blended industry that has brought together concepts from the hotel and hospitality industries as well as principles from the real estate profession. As a result, the timeshare industry uses language from these professions, but has also developed an industry specific vocabulary all its own.

When you want to rent or buy timeshare or just make the most of a timeshare you already own, you’ll find that it is easier if you understand the timeshare industry language and learn to “talk the talk”.

One of the more interesting words in the timeshare industry is, “spacebanking,” a term that seems to be used exclusively in the world of timeshares. When a timeshare owner spacebanks his or her timeshare unit or timeshare interval, he or she is simply saving the timeshare for use in the future. Generally, in order to space bank, you have to place or deposit your timeshare interval in a pool with other spacebanked timeshares. Other owners, who are looking to exchange timeshare, will be able to swap their unit or interval with the one you have spacebanked. Rarely are such exchanges direct swaps, meaning that just because someone selects the time you have banked, does not mean that you have to accept the timeshare or interval that person added to the bank.

Timeshare exchanging is one of the most attractive options to many timeshare owners. When you can’t use your timeshare, it is always nice to be able to bank it for use in the future. Another option, when your schedule makes it impossible to use and enjoy your timeshare, is to advertise it as a timeshare rental.

For more information about spacebanking your timeshare unit, contact your resort or your exchange company. To learn more about renting your timeshare, contact Sell My Timeshare NOW at 877-815-4227 or go online to the Sell My Timeshare NOW website to learn more about your options to buy, sell, or rent timeshare.

The publishers of The Old Farmer’s Almanac have been predicting the weather since 1818. Despite writing their weather predictions not months but years in advance, the Almanac is one of the most reliable sources available for weather forecasting. Although their formula is a well-kept secret, their forecasts have a legendary 80-85 percent accuracy rate. So what does the 2007 Old Farmer’s Almanac, released this past August, predict for the upcoming winter?

One very long, very cold season.

Which leads me to predict that this will be a great winter for a timeshare vacation!

According to Almanac predictions, Montana, North and South Dakota and parts of Wyoming can expect temperatures as much as 20 degrees below their seasonal norms. The mountain regions of the Pacific Northwest should plan for heavy snowfalls, and residents of the New England states should brace themselves for both atypical cold and unusually heavy snow.

Now, if you love to hit the ski slopes, this forecast is all good news to you. Those who enjoy winter sports should start waxing their skis and scheduling their timeshare vacations. You may want to head to the northeast and enjoy a great timeshare deal at resorts like Stowe and Sugarbush. You can buy or rent Vermont timeshares there. And a timeshare condo in Vail, Telluride, Snowmass or Grand Junction will be a perfect Colorado timeshare ski getaway.

On the other hand, if the news of an unusually cold and snowy season makes you shiver, then start today planning a Caribbean timeshare vacation that includes sun baked sands and warm tropical waters, perhaps in Aruba, Barbados or Cozumel. That’s the great thing about timesharing. When you make a smart timeshare deal and buy a timeshare resale, you are not only buying vacation ownership at the right price, but you are guaranteeing yourself the ultimate in vacation flexibility.

Special terms apply when canceling bonus timeshare

Earlier this week I mentioned the incredible values offered by RCI through bonus time. The same types of great timeshare deals can be had from Interval International, and in many cases, through your resort itself. Timeshare bonus time represents some of the best-priced vacation opportunities available on any terms and with timeshare vacation pricing this good, you can’t complain about the cancellation fees. You do, however, need to realize that cancellation penalties exist and that the rules are different for changing last minute timeshare (bonus time) than they are for changing your regular timeshare weeks or points.

As an example, look at the cancellation policies for Resort Condominium International. RCI’s current policy is: cancel within 24 hours of confirming the reservation and as long as the start date of the reservation is fifteen days or more in the future, you receive a full refund on your payment. You receive 50 percent refund if you cancel between 15 and 60 days of your start date and 70 percent refund if you cancel 61 days or more before the first day of your confirmed start date. However, if you cancel after 24 hours of making your timeshare reservation, and it is within two weeks of your scheduled reservation start date, you receive zero refund.

Know the policy before you buy and then take advantage of incredible vacation pricing as often as you can.