The One Really Big Issue . . .

[JLB]

. . . that is standing in the way of timesharing being what it could be is no exit strategy.

We can talk forever about value, and accomodations, and econmics, and resales, and sleazey sales tactics, and trading power, and points and weeks and minisystems, and escalating fees, and the myriad of negativity associated with timesharing.

But, the one big thing, the one thing that really matters, is that when anyone is done with theirs, not only is it not worth anything . . . not only can they not give it away . . . but they either have to keep paying for something they do not need, or endure the consequences of just not paying any more.

Solve that problem, and most of the others will go away, probably including JLB.

[puppymommo]

I agree that no exit strategy is a big issue if not THE big issues for timeshare ownership. More important than whether it is cheaper to rent than buy. There can be intangibles than work into that equation.

Exit strategy is why the first timeshare I bought (resale) was a RTU in Mexico (Wyndham). I figured if I didn't like it, at least I wouldn't have it forever.

Since then I have acquired 2 more timeshares. To me that's more than enough, since I will eventually have to get rid of them. But I plan on enjoying them for at least 20 more years. By then the whole t/s industry will have changed again, maybe several times.

I would love to have more weeks once we retire, but I sincerely doubt we will ever buy or even acquire for free weeks or points again. When we need more time, we will rent.

[JWC]

I agree that the biggest issue is not being able to easily get rid of the TS when you don't want it anymore. When I bought my timeshares 20+ years ago, that really wasn't an issue like it is now. Had I known what it would be like now, we would never have purchased timeshares.

Now I can see no reason to own a timeshare. If you want to stay in a TS, there are tons of rentals at good resorts, often less than the M/F cost.

[philsfan]

I guess I am fortunate. I will be down to one timeshare in a few weeks. I have been able to find someone to take all of the others I have owned and there have been some that I thought I would really have a hard time getting rid of, like Week 51 on the beach in North Carolina and week 5 in the Poconos. The one I thought had the most value, 92K RCI points, took the longest to move, over a year.

[JWC]

I sold one of my timeshares about 4 years ago. It sold quickly and I got my asking price of $5,000. I also sold a bunch of weeks separately that I had banked at SFX. Today, it is much different.

[akparsa]

This was the first question I went to the computer to study after I walked out of the timeshare presentation on my first trip to Big Cedar.

How do I get rid of this thing if I ever buy one?

Luckily that led me to the robust resale market and I purchased that way instead of full freight.

I don't worry as much *yet* about how I'll get rid of it since we're 46 and hopefully have many years of traveling ahead of us. When we're done, I'm just going to hope that BocaBum is still alive and he can help me sell

Anita

[sbkyoshi]

This question is mainly for discussion, but why do you guys think Timeshares have such an extremely low value in the resale market? I know that with some companies the actual value of them is lower, but I've seen easily 20,000 dollar ownerships up for as little as 15 dollars on Ebay.

Also, how can it be helped?

[ace2000]

This question is mainly for discussion, but why do you guys think Timeshares have such an extremely low value in the resale market? I know that with some companies the actual value of them is lower, but I've seen easily 20,000 dollar ownerships up for as little as 15 dollars on Ebay.

Also, how can it be helped?

Maintenance fees... maintenance fees have gone up so much, that people can't rent for more than what they owe each year. Thus, they are forced to hold onto a product that has no monetary value or they choose to not pay at all.

Obviously there are exceptions to this, and I'm speaking in general terms.

[JLB]

I sold one of my timeshares about 4 years ago. It sold quickly and I got my asking price of $5,000. I also sold a bunch of weeks separately that I had banked at SFX. Today, it is much different.

Of our original 2 EOYs and 2 weeks, we were unable to sell the 2 weeks and 1 EOY. The other EOY went to the German Language School.

Yup, those days are gone.

[JLB]

This was the first question I went to the computer to study after I walked out of the timeshare presentation on my first trip to Big Cedar.

In my 5000 days, m/l, on internet timeshare forums, you are the first one who has ever said that, who actually thought about how to end it when they were beginning.

I think a lotta folks just assume they can get out, somehow, so don't think about it.

Now that I re-read stuff, puppymommo was first.