How could you refrain from shopping?

[free4now]

I'm not a timeshare person myself, but from what I have read it can make sense if you buy on the secondary market (e.g. ebay) rather than buying from the salesguys that want to give you a free vacation for listening to their come on.

[justin]

Quote:

Originally Posted by IHateCNBC I pay 52 maintenance fee per year and the 69 exchange fee so it works out to 17.29 per day. I have two weeks or a total of 14 days of lodging per year. I stayed at place in Paris that was 368 per day if you walked in off the street for a night. I stayed at another place in Capetown that was 299 per day.

Oh, ok. You bought the timeshare weeks for the place in Tennessee on ebay for a couple grand or so, then pay the $52 maintenance fee on the place in tennessee each year. But you trade the weeks in Tennessee for other locations. Do you usually get 14 nights in good places in exchange for 14 nights in TN?

[IHateCNBC]

Quote:

Originally Posted by free4now I'm not a timeshare person myself, but from what I have read it can make sense if you buy on the secondary market (e.g. ebay) rather than buying from the salesguys that want to give you a free vacation for listening to their come on.

Either was I but if you travel overseas you got to get creative. *

$15USD equivalent for a Subway sandwich in the UK (and that is not the meal deal) or $7USD equivalent for a double cheeseburger in Tokyo at McD's opened my eyes to I can not afford $200 plus a night for a 10x10 room and a single bed. *The timeshares I stay at normally have a bedroom and a full kitchen and most importantly a washer and dryer. *

[justin]

I looked at a few dozen timeshares on Ebay a few minutes ago. All the maintenance fees were at least a few hundred per year for each week you buy. I guess you just have to keep looking for something with a maintenance fee of under $100?

[IHateCNBC]

Quote:

Originally Posted by justin Oh, ok.* You bought the timeshare weeks for the place in Tennessee on ebay for a couple grand or so, then pay the $52 maintenance fee on the place in tennessee each year.* But you trade the weeks in Tennessee for other locations.* Do you usually get 14 nights in good places in exchange for 14 nights in TN?

They were $125 per week but *I bargained and got two weeks for $225.

Once you get your RCI account you bank your weeks and then in a day or two you can go searching for what is available. *Or you can call the 1-800 and talk to them. *What I do is get one week at a country or place I really want and then try to work the other week into the mix somehow. *I stayed at the same place two weeks in a row in Panama with no problems. *It was a very nice golf course resort with free green fees. *I played 396 holes and needed a break after being on vacation. *

[IHateCNBC]

Quote:

Originally Posted by justin I looked at a few dozen timeshares on Ebay a few minutes ago.* All the maintenance fees were at least a few hundred per year for each week you buy.* I guess you just have to keep looking for something with a maintenance fee of under $100?

I purchased mine in 1999.* I am sure a lot of people are figuring this trick out.* My maintenance fee is fixed until I sell it and then the next person gets the higher fee.* I am sure not all places are like this since each timeshare place has their own rules.

[justin]

I kept searching and never saw a place with maint. fees under $400 or so. Darn!

[IHateCNBC]

Quote:

Originally Posted by justin I kept searching and never saw a place with maint. fees under $400 or so.* Darn!* *

Do a google search on timeshare resales. You have to make sure you are buying a RCI week and not a week at that specific resort. I looked on Ebay also and it appears they are using the terms like floating week and red week but it is just at that resort.

I guess it is to hard. Never mind.

[justin]

Quote:

Originally Posted by IHateCNBC Do a google search on timeshare resales. You have to make sure you are buying a RCI week and not a week at that specific resort. I looked on Ebay also and it appears they are using the terms like floating week and red week but it is just at that resort. I guess it is to hard. Never mind.

I guess this is a subject that requires a good bit of "due diligence" before jumping in. Maybe I'll give it a try some day.

[IHateCNBC]

When I bought I did not have to do all this stuff?

In addition to the winning bid amount will be the 2006 maintenance fee of $330, plus the closing cost of $395, plus the resort transfer fee of $75 due seller at close of auction..

I only had to pay the 52 x 2 maintenance fee up front and of course the $225 for the title.

Looks like the scammers have found this out now since I bought 7 years ago.

I am sorry I brought it up. *

[IHateCNBC]

Quote:

Originally Posted by justin I guess this is a subject that requires a good bit of "due diligence" before jumping in.* Maybe I'll give it a try some day.

PM if you need any pointers. I am glad I am not trying to go through this maze now. Looks like the "selling a week" is big business now.

I guess in 1999 (height of the internet bubble) no one was looking for cheapo deals like me.