The thing that really bothers me is the MAINTENANCE FEE. This is the hidden killer. TS developers will tell you,once you spend one-time cost, $10, 000, you will have a vacation home for your whole life. Even more, your off-spring can continue use it for free forever. You pay your all vacations right now, once and for all. Well, while you are thinking about $700 2b luxry condon in a resort(pretty good deal), the real cost could be $1450. The worse thing is that you are under the risk of being forced to pay even more, wheather or not you want a vacation. Why? Because of the MAINTENANCE FEE and RCI FEE/CHARGE. The scarey thing is that there is no cap for the MAINTENANCE FEE. I know a resort whose MF doubled in 2 years. The developers down play the MAINTENANCE FEE. They don’t even mention it while they are trying to compare the costs of regular vacation with the TS. They’ll mention it when they have to. This give you an impression that MAINTENANCE FEE is nothing comparing with the money you spend. But the real truth is that when the MF is added, you’ll see your cost doubled or more than doubled, and nobody knows how fast the MF will grow in next few years. It all depends on inflation in general. But the oil price and natural gas price could really double or even triple the the MF.

So far none of resort has a cap on MF. During the time of volatile energy market, you have to take that risk. My guess is that this is how TS company actually make money(through MF). So if they want improve the company’s profit, they’ll increase the MF. You, the ower, have to pay it, otherwise you loose your condos.

Think about it twice before you buy a time share.

-Wang

to us, it’s a good price.

plus, being able to use Interval to buy extra weeks is a bonus. Got a second week at the same resort through Interval for 400.00

Excellant article, well writtena and extremely thourough.

Our family has attended several timeshare presentations to take advantage of the benefits, in the end we found it more economical to purchase a TS on the resale market $5.85 through an auction with low maintenace and tax <$300.00

rcifamily

http://www.rcitimeshare.blogspot.com

As a former timeshare salesperson who owns two deeded weeks, one gifted to my family and another purchased on the re-sale market, we have had great vacations.

To begin with, both weeks are 5 Star resorts in the Interval International system.

The maintenance fees between the two resorts come to less than $900 per year. We budget $75 per month total between both resorts, paying those funds monthly. We figure it is hard to find a decent motel for less than that, so figure the monthly fee for two weeks vacation is well worth it.

We purchase the 2nd timeshare week via the internet for $3,000. It was at a resort in Missouri and a prime summer week. That same week at the 5 star resort I was selling at sold for $24,000.

We have never been disappointed in our 5 star vacation exchanges. We do plan ahead and usually do the exchange directly on the Internet.

Shop around. There are plenty of deals on the re-sale market that can be picked up a reasonable prices.

It certainly might make sense. Total your expenses for maintenance fees + taxes (if applicable), and if the rate you pay per night is lower than comparable hotel rooms, then you definitely have a good deal.