Tips to help you in choosing which timeshare to buy

Seeing Red is a good thing with timeshares

Whether you are planning on exchanging your week or renting out your week, it is very important to select a very high demand week from your resort. This goes well beyond selecting any “Red” week from your home resort. Some weeks in the Red season are more”Red” than others!

For example, February and March weeks, Christmas , New Years weeks, have a greater demand in Winter resort areas like Florida, Caribbean, Hawaii, Mexico, Ski resorts, than other weeks that may be coded as “Red” by the resort or the exchange company. Summer weeks in beach resort locations would have good exchange and rental value.

In short think about the time of year and season of the resort that you are buying your timeshare from is it that areas peak travel to time or close to it?

Hanging out with the popular crowd

Just like in Real Estate you want to buy a timeshare at the lowest price in a high demand resort or location area (keep in mind season too even if in a year round area). Also buying into a point based timeshare system though major resorts or part of a large exchange management system is good.

While you might look at things such as, how many stars or if it is a Gold Crown rating this is not the only criteria to look at for judgment as there are some terrific resorts in high demand areas that are flying low below the radar so make sure that you check these out too when you are wanting to buy a timeshare.

Popular crowd timeshares considerations to ask your self are

• Is there a year round demand in this area?
• Attractions and activities: Are there major attractions or popular activities near by? Example Las Vegas, Disney World, popular golf resorts, entertainment such as Branson or beautiful beaches or is it centered around top ski resorts that also provide summer season activities as well. (golf & ski).
• If buying into a point based system or vacation club, how big is their network? Do they have resorts and affiliations to the above mentioned types of resorts? Do they have a good reputation? Do current members find it easy to get the weeks or resorts they want when they want to?

Simply by hanging out with the popular crowd (high demand timeshares and areas) you will be able to zero in on choosing the right timeshare to buy that will help you in not only exchanging but help you to maintain more of your investment. (remember buy from the timeshare resale marketplace to save and get the most for your dollars)

It’s about quality

Quality is a subjective thing because some might judge on room appointments and others on the experience factors such as close by activities. To begin assessing quality you can get an idea by the star or designations associated with the resorts through the exchange companies as well as looking at the resort yourself either online or in person.

For resort specific timeshares,

• View the room/ accommodations – do they meet your needs, if exchanging in network look at rooms in some of your other areas of interest, do you like these?
• Activities and resort amenities- are there things to do at the resort its self? Pool, game room, spa concierge, activity desk.
• Stuff to see, are there things close by to do both paid and free attractions?
• Shopping close by including grocery if you are wanting a timeshare with a kitchen for a self catering holiday.

Points and Vacation Clubs

• Look at the network of resorts and locations
• Like above review the resort accommodation descriptions, pictures and your area’s of interest.
• Read the fine print, how easy is it to exchange or trade in prime areas.
• Do they offer bonuses or access to resorts at lower cost for those weekend getaways that you don’t want to use your points or time for?

We recommend that you also visit some of the popular timeshare forums and do a search on the resort in question as you will most likely find reviews by actual owners or visitors to that resort. When assessing quality also do your due diligence and check out the resorts & clubs through the BBB, consumer review type publications such as consumer reports, the VOICE and if in Europe see if they are registered at OTE.

Major brands such as Marriott, Fairfield, Hyatt or vacation clubs such as Disney, Shell vacations and others take pride in their services, amenities and consistency in network wide quality. Note some of the smaller resorts might not be part of the clubs or resorts direct but do have affiliations with top management, networks and exchanges – these are a worth while too check out as well.

Timeshare Yoga – how flexible are you

Many timeshare owners love the ability to do, see and experience the world as well as be able to choose when they vacation.

Flexibility in when and where is another consideration you should keep in mind when buying a timeshare. Because, life is fluid and as such what might be a good time to travel for you this year might change might change next year. So being able to choose and adapt to what fits for you is a good thing.

Flexibility Indicators

• Is the timeshare part of a larger chain or club and do they allow you to bank or exchange your weeks easily within their system, and best yet do they give you preference because you are part of the network?
• Can you break up your weeks (if you bought a week based timeshare) for example 3 day trip to LV and 4 days skiing at another resort?
• Are you only allowed to exchange week for week ex: second week in march for second week in march?
• Can you bank and build up your weeks to take a longer vacation in the future? For example can you bank this years time to next year to trade for a two week vacation?
• Is the timeshare part of a larger exchange network? For example are they part of Interval, RCI or other exchange network of resorts. And if so, is the exchange network easy to trade and exchange your time or points to take the holiday that you want to in the place you want to.

Just like in life the more flexible you are and your ability to go with the flow of life the happier you will be. So, by practicing timeshare yoga your holidays will flex to your wants and needs.

Stay Tuned to We Talk Timeshares for more timeshare buying tips and information

Got Questions?

Simply register below and when you do you will be able to send us a comment or question via the comment box below.

New Starwood Vacation Resort in Maui Now on Hold

Starwood Vacation Resorts recently announced plans to develop their third timeshare resort at North beach on Ka’anapali, in Maui.

Westin Nanea Ka’anapali Ocean resort Villas will have 390 condominium units. It will consist of one, two and three bedroom units. Mostly two bedrooms and no lockouts.

Expected to open in fall of 2010. It will be LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Certified, which is a rating system for ‘green’ buildings that reduce energy in cooling ,heating and lighting.

Starwood recently announced this development is now on hold. This is most likely due to slower economic times and construction financing issues.

Cheri Cares & Volunteering To Help Felines on Maui

I would like to share the work that I do with the feral cats on Maui.

Having traveled to Maui for over 20 years prior to moving to the island one of the things that I noticed during my travels was that there were many wild cats roaming about. Read more

Are Gas Prices Freezing You Out Of Your Vacation Plans?

What’s in the news in timeshares is what is in the news across the country, “GAS PRICES”!

With the rise in gas prices it affects not only air travel with higher ticket costs but people who travel by auto. I spoke to the Manager of a resort in Southern California last week who told me that owners at that resort can’t afford to drive to their timeshare for the week because of the high cost of gas.

Most of the owners at this resort live Arizona who use summer weeks at the Coast in Southern California. When they add the cost of fuel to their travel plans many find that it has added a additional $350 plus to their travel expenses. (This was their play money of the past.)

Some TIPS on Saving Money and Stretching your vacation dollars.   Read more