The Orlando Sentinel ran a story this week painting a grim picture for timeshare company employees nationwide, but especially in Central Florida. Workers in Orlando stand to be hit extra hard because the city’s 125 timeshare resorts, and approximately 28,000 timeshare units, qualify Orlando as the top timesharing city in the world.

Reductions at Wyndham Timeshare

According to the OrlandoSentinel.com (and other sources), Wyndham Vacation Ownership (Wyndham timeshare) is cutting a quarter of its companywide workforce, many of whom will be lost from the Orlando offices. Some 4,000 layoffs are anticipated for Wyndham timeshares overall.

Wyndham plans to gear down from annual sales of about $2 billion to approximately $1.2 billion in 2009. The Orlando Sentinel quoted Franz Hanning, chief executive officer of Wyndham timeshare, as saying, “We really don’t see those markets (the credit markets) reappearing for the foreseeable future … We want to take a proactive approach.”

Layoffs at Westgate Resorts Timeshare

At Orlando’s Westgate Resorts, rumors are circulating that the timeshare company stands on the brink of bankruptcy. David Siegel, founder and CEO of Westgate timeshares, insists there is no truth to the rumors, but does confirm that another 1,000 jobs will be cut at Westgate, following layoffs of more than 3,000 workers already this year.

Changes in timeshare sales will not necessarily hurt or help the timeshare resale market. While more people may be looking to resell their timeshare, putting more properties on the market, there may be equally as many people who recognize the value in timeshare resales over new timeshare, creating a strong demand in the resale market.

As with many things that are happening now … time will tell.

Already a success as an e-magazine, Owners Perspective Magazine will be available in print format starting with the January edition. The publication brings consumers, particularly timeshare owners and prospective owners, the latest information about the timeshare industry while creating a platform for businesses to build brand awareness within their target market.

Yesterday’s post on The Timeshare Authority gave you some overall information about Owners Perspective Magazine, but today’s information will give you a much closer look.

Owners Perspective Magazine is carving out their rightful place in the timeshare and vacation ownership industry:

Sell My Timeshare NOW is proud to be a partner with Owners Perspective Magazine as they continue to grow their readership.

After a successful launch last July of the online edition of Owners Perspective Magazine, Perspective International Ltd, is ready to take their timeshare owners’ e-publication to print.

Starting in January, Owners Perspective Magazine will be available both as a free online edition in easy-to read, high quality, page-turn format and as a paid, print subscription version. Subscriptions to the timeshare publication, have already reached more than 9,600, and, when including exhibitions and other distribution channels, the circulation for the first January edition will exceed 20,000.

Targeting Timeshare Owners, Timeshare Buyers, and Prospective Buyers

Paul and Sharon Mattimoe, at Perspective International Ltd., already have a successful business-to-business timeshare publication in Perspective Magazine. Yet, rather than attempt to adapt Perspective Magazine to fill the needs of timeshare owners and prospective owners, they decided to launch a second publication to target the timeshare consumer and all the industries that support consumer timeshare and vacation needs.

Tomorrow’s The Timeshare Authority will include more information about the marketing outreach of Owners Perspective Magazine. Follow this link to read Sell My Timeshare NOW’s media release about our partnership with this fast growing timeshare publication.

Anyone interested in a free subscription to Owners Perspective Magazine (the online versions) can subscribe at: http://www.ownersperspective.com/free/. Pre ordering of print subscriptions is now available for the first print edition in January 2009.

Here on The Timeshare Authority, we have a number of posts about problems buying timeshare, so it might be a good time to offer a few simple tips to help you take advantage of the great deals in timeshare resales while avoiding the type of missteps that lead to dissatisfaction with your timeshare purchase.

First, be knowledgeable. Learn about points systems, benefits, and maintenance fees at any timeshare resort where you are considering buying property. Read reviews by current owners and visit online discussion boards.

Second, when you go to closing, use a reliable and knowledgeable timeshare closing company. You want to make sure that you are really getting what you think you are getting, including an estoppel letter from the resort. The best way to do this is by using a timeshare closing company that specializes in timeshare resales transactions.

A good timeshare resales closing company will essentially walk the timeshare buyer and the timeshare seller through the entire closing process, so that neither party is met with surprises. In addition to an estoppel certificate or resort disclosure packet, your timeshare transfer company should prepare necessary transaction documents, establish a timeshare escrow fund, handle recording fees and deed recording (for timeshares in most US states), and provide the timeshare resort with notice that the ownership has changed.

Buy Timeshare Safely

Timeshare and timeshare resales continue to offer the best deals available in vacation accommodations. You can take advantage of these great deals, without becoming a timeshare scam victim or unhappy owner, by taking a little extra time to make sure you know what you are buying, and by dealing only with a reputable timeshare company.

To learn more about avoiding timeshare scams, watch this short YouTube video: