Author: Stan Deatherage | Published: November 13th, 2009

Time Share is Not for Everyone, But You Gotta Stay Somewhere

  "Weekend getaway; two days and three nights, and a gift worth 100.00 in show tickets or food out. Of course, to hold your place, you need to send us a small fee of 99.00, and to just keep it exciting, you must sit for a short 45 minute presentation of our new project." You check in Friday evening, you meet for the presentation at 9:00 am, and by 12:00 pm, they've either signed you up, while preaching to you about the need to take extensive vacations, or you're frantically searching for the door. Sunday you check out by 11:00 am, and you've just had the weekend from hell. Sound familiar?

  For many of us, who have sought the low hanging fruit of a weekend away with the young wife, we have fallen prey to the time share hard sell, and if you're like me, you never wanted to have anything to do with another one of these freebies, unless however; you have discovered the intestinal fortitude to effectively say no to the hard selling salesman. And it is tough to say no to a good thing. Thant's right ... you heard me. Timeshare can be a good investment.

  The concept for timeshare is a good idea: timeshare is selling air space for a definite or flexible time period. It is the same real estate concept as it is for condominiums, except you purchase a specified or floating time to use it. The accommodations in most timeshares are good to luxurious, and is a step up or down from your home, depending upon the individual. Regardless of what you are use to, the theme is you need some place to relax when you take a holiday (in the British vernacular), and whether you work your vacation to thoroughly experience the visited area or just hang out at the resort and relax, you want to be comfortable. The Question is at what cost.

  If you purchase a timeshare on your getaway weekend (and I have once), you are definitely paying retail. If you think it is an investment, think again. It is an investment in the certainty that you have purchased your vacation, so you might as well use it. If you tire of your vacation locale, you can join one of the various vacation database exchanges, like RCI or Dial and Exchange to secure a new location for your vacation. This costs you a fee, that is larger with RCI and less with others, such as Dial and Exchange, but you pay for RCI's larger selection. Another point to consider when you invest in time share is that you will be required, by lien, to pay a maintenance fee for your home timeshare.

  Considering all the costs involved in timeshare, and the benefits, purchasing timeshare is a good investment; however, only if you make most of your purchases of the time share on the secondary market. Finding the secondary market is as simple trading a timeshare for cash with a friend or neighbor, dealing with a real estate agent, or finding an internet platform that allows people the opportunity to talk with each other, by posts or sponsored email, and they can then effect a deal between themselves.

  If you are tired of camping on vacation to save money, rather than to enjoy the great outdoors, or you are tired of cramped hotel rooms with your family, time share may be a suitable option. If becoming an owner of time share will suit your needs, please consider you alternatives wisely and remember the time share secondary market. In the future, Better Travelers Now will be able to aid you in this direction.