Have You Heard?

Stop Paying Retail Prices For Your Vacation...

What is the Timeshare Secret?

Yes, those who are in the know have found a better way to vacation. We're talking better vacations through timeshare resales. You too can also have better vacations by purchasing a great deal on a resale timeshare ownership. These resales are pre-loved timeshare resort ownership's that you can purchase for much less than the retail prices that vacationers pay when taking a "tour" of a resort. Here at TrueShares we suggest that you skip the tour and start looking at resales or rentals. You will be amazed at the great deals that you can easily find. Furthermore your satisfaction of timeshare ownership will be much higher due to the fact that you purchased resale prices and NOT retail.

Timeshares are a life quality investment. When you buy a timeshare, you're technically purchasing a part of that building. You actually own your vacation! Ownership feels good and feels even better when you spent $10,000 to buy a timeshare property from a previous owner that paid over $40,000. Their loss is your gain! You'll also be able to trade your timeshare unit with other properties around the world through exchange companies like RCI (Resort Condos International) and II (Interval International). You usually have to pay extra fees to make a trade or exchange happen, but the additional expense is so worth it since you were smart and purchased a used pre-loved timeshare ownership at a substantial discount. As hotel rates rise every year you can lock in the cost of ownership by owning your vacation when purchasing a resale. Yes maintenance fees will go up about 3%-5% a year but this money is well spent maintaining your slice of paradise.

Here are our Top 5 Timeshare Secrets:

1) AVOID BUYING DIRECTLY FROM THE RESORT

Never, ever, under any circumstances, no matter how enticing the offer may sound, buy from the developer. To rephrase: Do not buy from the developer 99% of the time. Okay, 99% is not “ never.” So what we’re really saying is, there is a very minuscule (1%) chance that you MIGHT want to buy from the developer. There are a few very rare times that it makes sense to go this route. But for now, the mind set is “NEVER!” Save your money and buy from the TrueShare's resale market.

2) BUY IN AN AREA THAT YOU LOVE TO GO TO

Some people say that “points are points,” “it makes no difference where you own,” or “I just bought this timeshare to trade it.” In a lot of cases this is true, but we feel that you should buy a resort and a location that you would be happy going to every year. One thing that is true is that times and rules change. We have seen that in many timeshare resort plans, it DOES make a difference as to where you own. Some resorts or locations have a higher trading value, and if you want to go somewhere that is difficult to trade into, or go at a high demand time of the year, you’d better have a strong trading timeshare ownership. In some cases you might not be able to get the trade you want, or you have little choice but to go to the resort you own for your vacation. Also, if you and your family have your hearts set on going somewhere warm every spring break, you should probably buy at a resort and a location where you will have priority when making reservations.

3) BUY AT A RESORT WHERE THE MAINTENANCE FEES ARE REASONABLE

To properly maintain a resort, maintenance fees are a necessary part of owning a timeshare. We all know that when you own a piece of a resort, you can’t expect it to automatically be gorgeous and have everything work properly any more than you could expect that of your own home. However, there are some things that you can do to insure that reasonable maintenance fees are the norm, not the exception. Compare different resort maintenance cost in relation to the size (number of bedrooms) to make sure you're getting the most out of the annual maintenance expense. Typically the quality of the resort will be reflected in the price of the maintenance fee but not always. Be sure to also compare resort amenities. For example some timeshare resorts will offer a free water park on site. This is a big value to families but maybe not so for a retired couple. Make your list of pros and cons along with maintenance cost to help yourself find the best option.

4) LEARN ABOUT THE TIMESHARE SYSTEM IN WHICH YOU OWN

It seems that many people who bought timeshares bought from a developer like Marriott or Hilton or Wyndham. They made the decision during a high pressure sales presentation and usually have no idea what they bought. They don’t have a clue about how to use it to get great vacations or to turn their one week of timeshare into additional weeks. They were often told things by the salesperson that are untrue, or don’t play out the way that they were quickly explained in the presentation. If you're going to own be sure to educate yourself on how to get the most out of your timeshare vacation. Also, you need to talk to other guests when you go to your timeshare. Ask them how they use it to maximize their vacation experiences. They often can give you tips or better explain the rules of the game. Tons of good information can be found on our TrueShares website as well or go ahead and ask us!

5) MAKE GOOD USE OF THE ACCOMMODATIONS OF YOUR TIMESHARE

Most of us realize that vacationing in a timeshare unit is much more homelike than staying in a motel or hotel. In fact, probably one of the reasons that you purchased the timeshare is because you were sold on the roominess of the units and the fact that most of them had all the conveniences of home. People often do not take advantage of their deluxe timeshare accommodations. An area that many timesharing owners ignore is their kitchen. Most units have a full, or at least a partial kitchen that is well-stocked, complete with refrigerator, stove, oven, microwave, blender and toaster. We have even stayed in timeshares that have had a rice cooker! This can really save you some money when you're not dinning out, especially if you are feeding a large family or several guests.

We at TrueShares absolutely love timesharing, and firmly believe that before anyone buys a timeshare, they need to do these things:

1. Research prices, keeping in mind that you should never buy from the developer.
2. Research the system that you are buying into, and how to use it effectively to meet your needs.
3. Buy something that you can afford.
4. Use your timeshare, so that you get your money’s worth out of it.
5. Plan ahead to help make your timeshare vacations one to remember.