Buy Timeshare

At SellMyTimeshareNOW, we hear a lot of questions about free timeshare vacations. And as all of us in colder climates begin to feel winter’s one-two punch, it is only natural that thoughts turn to white sand beaches, tall cool drinks beside a sparkling blue pool and the sound of balmy breezes rustling through the palm trees.

Which inspires many people to wonder if “free” timeshare vacations are worth it. My answer is a qualified “maybe.”

Most of us have had the experience of receiving a brochure about a timeshare promotion or a sales call from a timeshare company promising us three or four days at a luxurious resort. Are these legitimate? Will you really get a free timeshare vacation?

Let’s start with what we all already know: nothing in life is ever truly free. You may be offered free lodging, but more than likely, you will be offered discounted accommodations. Say a $200-a-night room for only $75. And occasionally the timeshare promotion actually will be a free room—just not necessarily a room at one of the luxury resorts where the timeshare company wants you to buy.

Before you pack your swim trunks and your snorkeling gear, here are some things to watch out for when it comes to a “free” timeshare vacation:

• Even if your lodging actually is free, you may still be expected to pay taxes on your accommodations and perhaps taxes on the full value of the room despite the fact that you are paying a discounted rate. Hotel or room taxes (sometimes called tourist taxes) added on top of state sales taxes can be more than 20 percent of the room’s nightly rate. You could be looking at $20-$30 per night, for every night you stay at the resort.
• Many free timeshare deals will still require you to provide your credit card for incidental expenses such as long distance phone use. Others will require you provide them a deposit, which they will not typically refund if you cancel. However, they may permit you to transfer your deposit to a future stay, provided you canceled in advance of your scheduled vacation date.
• No free timeshare vacation will let you off the hook without you and your spouse (if you are married) attending a timeshare sales presentation together. The presentation may last a few hours or it may take up four to six hours of one day of your vacation. During the sales presentation, the timeshare agent will most likely do everything he or she can to convince you to buy a timeshare—right then—on the spot!
• Your free timeshare vacation may or may not include transportation to the resort. Also your lodging may be at the resort where you will be buying, but it could also be at a less-than-desirable hotel or motel near the resort.

A free timeshare vacation can be a great way to enjoy a discounted holiday and at the same time learn a little more about a timeshare condo that interests you. On the other hand, it can be an unpleasant experience, that not only costs you more than you meant to spend on your vacation, but costs you dearly if you succumb to a timeshare developer’s pitch for a new timeshare at an inflated price. Do your research before you agree to go. And remember, you are under no obligation to buy anything from the resort!

The smart shopper’s way to buy timeshare is to buy it resale, from the owner who is a regular person just like you, not someone who is shelling out freebies to reel you in. Enjoy the freebies a resort offers you, investigate the resort, decide whether you and your family would like to vacation there, and then buy at the best price. Another option which may even be easier than “working” a “free” deal, is to rent timeshare at a resort you are interested in. This gives you much more control and freedom during your vacation.

Typically many people who buy timeshares deal with a big timeshare company that sells new property owned by a developer. But by-owner timeshare promotion companies, like SellMyTimeshareNOW, are using the internet to redefine the ways people buy, sell or rent timeshare vacation homes and condos.

David Koenig, a business writer with Associated Press/Dallas, recently interviewed Elizabeth and Robin Wood, owners of a second home in Florida. The Woods were in the market to rent out their Vero Beach property during the months they were not using it themselves. Their first step was to hire a local real estate agent to look for renters. They also paid $300 to list their home on various specialized websites. The arrangement with the real estate agent included a 25 percent commission to the agent on any rentals, even the ones the Woods found online.

According to Elizabeth Wood, who recently parted ways with her realtor, “every tenant came through my listings on the web.” Of course, this meant that the property owners were still paying the realtor the commission even though he or she had actually played no part at all in the transaction.

The Woods’ story is not unusual; instead, it is a perfect example of how the internet is changing the way people make a vacation home or timeshare deal. More and more satisfied timeshare vacation property owners are bypassing the heavy handed timeshare promotion done by development companies. They are buying or renting their timeshare vacation property directly from the owner through a company that specializes in timeshare promotion and advertising of by-owner timeshare resales and rentals.

When you are interested in renting or buying timeshare, deal directly with the person who owns the property. There is no reason for a vacation home owner or timeshare vacation property owner to pay commission to a third party real estate or timeshare company.

On the world wide web, companies like eHarmony, Monster Job and eBay have already changed so many of the ways we interact and conduct business. It really is no surprise that well-informed vacationers recognize the benefits of an online vacation home or timeshare deal that eliminates the need for commissions paid to a middleman.

If you are considering buying a timeshare vacation property, but can’t decide if timesharing is right for you, here are some interesting new facts that may help you with your decision.

According to industry statistics recently released by ARDA, the American Resort Development Association, 80.3 percent of all timeshare owners express satisfaction with their purchase. Even more significant is the fact that among those who have purchased a timeshare, only 4.4 percent say they are highly dissatisfied with their timeshare deal. When you consider how difficult it is to please all of the people, all of the time, the timeshare vacation industry is creating some amazing success.

One in four owners of Interval timeshare or a timeshare vacation club membership indicate they are interested in purchasing additional timeshares. Nearly 76 percent of current owners also say that timesharing has enhanced their anticipation of vacation time. Among those who own timeshare, only 9.5 percent of all properties went unused during the last twelve months, with over 83 percent of owners either personally enjoying their timeshare or banking it for future use.

While you can’t gauge your personal satisfaction on the happiness of others, the low incidence of dissatisfaction among timeshare vacation property owners is worth noting. And of course, the most cost-effective way to become a timeshare vacation owner is to purchase your timeshare directly from the current owner. Timeshare resales offer the best values and the most hassle-free way to join the more than four million people in the US alone who own and enjoy timeshares.

Presentations take forever. Or at least it feels that way, if what you’re primarily doing is waiting for the freebies to kick in. And you can get some very good ones from attending a timeshare presentation — a weekend stay, dinner, tickets to a local attraction, car rental. But I once heard about a couple who spent 5 hours being hammered by sales people and dragged (well, not literally) around a resort they weren’t interested in because they had been promised a boat in exchange for their attendance. What type of boat was it? Turned out to be a blow-up rubber dinghy, with leaks. And then there’s the guy in New Zealand who just didn’t like being pressured to spend about what he would on a car without having a chance to read the fine print. Caveat emptor.

While I recommend going to presentations in order to research a particular resort, you can most definitely buy or rent a fabulous timeshare easily, from the comfort of your own home.

How? Buy resale timeshare online!

Resale by-owner timeshares are available at dramatically lower prices than timeshares bought through a resort or developer, and you’ll save far more by buying resale. Dinner, tickets or a boat won’t come close to making up the difference. Well, depending on the boat. Trying to deal with a large resort and their highpressure salespeople can be quite a hassle. But when you buy timeshare resale by-owner, you work directly with the person who owns the timeshare, which is much easier.

Look over the short, easy-to-understand contracts at your own pace. There’s no pressure: make your buying decision on the schedule that is comfortable for you. And, although it’s not necessary, you have the time and flexibility to run things by your lawyer or financial advisor.

It’s about doing what works for you.

Where? Check out our website www.SellMyTimeshareNOW.com for thousands of listings. New ones come in every day and they’re updated regularly.