Timeshare. Should I do it? It is worth it? What company? Give me all your advice!

[swilshire]

even if we have to watch our money during retirement - all we have to do is get there.

And pay the annual maintenance fees. I always dread seeing my bills come in at the first of the year.

Sheila

 

[ralphd]

The Orlando area is one of the top areas for number of timeshare units. It is very easy to exchange into the Orlando area.
Timeshare salepeople will tell you Orlando is a top exchange spot, but don't tell you about the number of timeshare units available.
If you want to consider a Orlando timeshare, buy into one of the top timeshare companies like Disney or Marriott.
As someone already said, it is best to ' buy where you want to spend your vacation '.

 

[spiceycat]

if you are planning on buying in Orlando only buy DVC.

Even Marriott in Orlando is under valued.

Now I have heard the HGVC is a good buy too - they paid less in maintence costs than the other HGVC.

DVC, Marriott and HGVC do not (on the whole - RCI exceptions) allow their rates to be easily undercut.

when condodirect first was listed - it had some Marriott - Marriott complained and they were taken off. for some reasons it has never listed DVC - but DVC don't even make it to the getaways on II. II tries to place each DVC. they member request DVC more than any of the others.

now there are some nice resorts that can trade into Disney - Foxrun, SC - my Landmark Holiday Beach in PCB, FL - these don't cost a fortune. the maintence fees are reasonable.

I can actually own my Landmark for less than I could renting it.

a 2-bedroom condo on the beach in Panama City Beach for spring break.

well I won't go then - but my nephew is going.

However - if you are real Disney nut and it certainly sounds like you are - then DVC is the only way to go. Staying on property is different. Hard to put into words - but it is different.

I like both - but I love my DVC.

I would try to find a resale on OKW - it is the cheapest on site property. It also has the biggest rooms and all the benefits on staying on-site at WDW.

skyauction is wonderful - I do love it too!!!

It is great for last minute trips - but it you have children forget it.

summer weeks are last minute. Off seasons are much easier to get and generally cheaper since less people are bidding for them.

I also use my RCI last call vacations. these are only for RCI members $99 for a studio, $149 for a 1-bedroom, and $199 for a 2-bedroom.

I also own a South Africia that can trade into all the RCI resorts in Florida. It was cheap and I mean cheap $1,000 - for resort and 5 years of RCI and commission. the maintence fees are running $125 to $175 per year.

 

[doubletrouble_vb]

If you've just bought a Westgate Orlando from CFI to stay in Gatlinburg my advice is to rescind immediately and buy in Gatlinburg...if that's where you want to stay. I've been looking for Tennessee trades for a while now and I'm not finding them. It COULD be that you can trade more easily directly through CFI...I don't know because I haven't tried it yet. I've got three weeks banked with II as it is so I'll start banking with CFI next year.

CFI will easily find you accomodations in Orlando or if you've got II you'll also be able to get a trade easily to anywhere not just a Westgate affiliated resort...if you so choose...right now I'm "stuck" with Westgate affiliated resorts. Fortunately I like Westgate resorts so that's not really a problem.

CFI = Central Florida Investments...the people who own the Westgates and other timeshares.

PS. Normally I'd say look for a re-sale unit in Gatlinburg but I don't know what deals Westgate is offering.

 

[spiceycat]

doubletrouble_vb - if you aren't a member of tug go join it.

there are several timeshare listed in the sales classified for tennesee.

you don't have to agree to their asking price - say you pay whatever and see if they take it.

 

[spiceycat]

here are some Tennessee ones on the resale market - yes they are overprices - but as I say offer less

http://www.timeshareprofessionals.com/search.asp

 

[swilshire]

doubletrouble_vb,

Many owners use their Gatlinburg weeks every year, so exchanges in can be tough. If you're looking for 2006 or beyond, drop me an email. We might be able to work out a trade for a future exchange. I've been renting my two weeks there because I have more weeks than I can use, but am always open to a trade. I'm trying to sell one of them to get down to a managable number, but I'm not in any hurry since they seem to be renting out pretty easily. Both are gone for 2005.

Sheila

 

[jeff968]

Keep in mind with DVC, they are not deeded so Disney gets to take them back in a few years. The marriotts and Hiltons are deeded so you can pass them down to your family.

99% of the time, I don't think timeshares work. The maintenance fees are too high, especially in Orlando, and you can rent a time share week for the same maintenance fee money or sometimes less.

Also, there are fees everywhere, join RCI, annual fee, trade at RCI, another fee. The final cost is just not that good.

That being said, i own a timeshare in Cape cod. We visit that resort on our summer week every year. We pay our $400 maintenance fee (cheap compared to most) every year and I never trade. To stay a week at the cape it costs $1000+ due to its short season. We picked up our unit on eBay and it will pay for itself in just a few years so the math works in that specific case.

My two cents.

 

[Brian Noble]

The maintenance fees are too high, especially in Orlando, and you can rent a time share week for the same maintenance fee money or sometimes less.

As a pure financial decision, this seems to be the case to me, too. Every time I look into it, I think about all the houses/condos available on VRBO, skyauction weeks, and even reasonably-priced condo rentals from Orbit One and friends, and I just can't justify pulling the trigger; maintenance alone is more than comparable (though not necessarily identical) rental alternatives.

There's just too much vacation housing stock in Orlando.

I think if you are an on-site fan, typically stay in a deluxe or better, have a flexible schedule, and go frequently (at least every other year) than DVC can work out pretty well. But, we aren't yet flexible (tied to school vacations), and to stay in a 1BR or better for the weeks we are abl eto go requires a big big number of points----too big to justify it for us. We would rather save the money, stay offsite via skyauction or vrbo, and use that toward admission.