If you can get a recommendation, that's great. // I've done about a dozen timeshare rentals from owners over the past 10 years (great places at great prices) and have typcially used sites like TUG2.net and Redweek.com. Only one time did I have the luxury of using an owner I had rented from before (fun when you can). There is a risk involved (much more than doing a retail rental), but it has been a risk I've been willing to take to be able to get such nice properties at such great prices. To date, everything has worked out great for me. I usually get the phone number and address of the renter and talk to them over the phone. Usually the person just seem so nice, competent, and friendly and that makes me think it's legit. We usually talk and agree on price, date, and terms. Sometimes if people have lots of timeshare weeks and do lots of rentals and you ask, they will give you people you can contact who can tell you positive things about having rented from your renter. // Terms have usually been for me 1) Pay 1/2 the rental up front, renter gets rental certificate in my name, I call resort (just for my own peace of mind) and see that I have a reservation for such and such a date in my name., 30 days before I pay remaining balance, day or so before I leave for peace of mind, I call resort and see that they still have a reservation in my name. Then I have a great trip with owner privilages, usually email the owner when I get back about how much I liked the trip, and file their name in case I want to rent from the same resort again.
I love Cypress Pointe and Cypress Pointe Grand Villas. We have stayed there three different times (twice my parents did an RCI trade, and once I did a rental from the TUG2.net site.) // Let me know if you want me to send you that owner's name. I think though she usually reserves Christmas week vs. advertising a floating week that you can choose (finds that to be a week she can usually rent pretty easily and maybe get $100 more than some other weeks). When we rented from her we were looking for Christmas week.
