I am considering purchasing a timeshare affiliated with RCI for a very small amount. I understand the DVC is now affiliated with RCI and I want to know if a stay at a DVC resort ever comes available for non-DVC members on RCI.

This really depends upon the value of the timeshare that you now have. You may need to bank a few times before you’re able to exchange with the DVC resorts.

What is a timeshare? I listen people talk about that they have timeshares but i dont know what it is. How does it work?

Timeshare at its core is essentially a group of people sharing the cost of a vacation home.

The word "timeshare" has grown over the decades to include a wide variety of vacation products and plans. Also known as "vacation ownership" "holiday ownership" and "interval ownership" , its umbrella covers traditional deeded timeshare ownership, fractional ownership, private residence clubs, points clubs, and more. Some would even broaden the term further to include campground memberships and the " condo hotel" concept, in which a condo is purchased outright but the owner is only allowed to use it for a specific periods of time and it is rented by a hotel management company for the remainder of the time.

Regardless of how loosely or rigidly you choose to define the term, the basic premise of timeshare is simple. You and a group of other people share the purchase cost of a vacation accommodation, in increments of one week (or more) per year of use, thus guaranteeing your ability to use that accommodation during the period of time you choose, either for life or for a specified number of years. Accommodations range from hotel rooms to condos, from cabins to luxury houses and castles, from yachts and cruise ships to RVs and houseboats.Owning timeshare in the traditional sense means a condominium/villa/house/hotel unit, etc. is subdivided into 52 separate units of time (52 weeks in 1 year), and usually sold to a maximum of 51 owners (leaving one week each year closed down for annual renovations and/or maintenance). Each owner would own 1/51 of the unit. Each share repesents one week of vacation. Each owner is entitled to ownership rights and privileges of the shares that they purchased.

This system makes vacation home ownership possible for many people who cannot afford a second home or who otherwise would not be able to enjoy such resort facilities. It is important to remember that purchasing timeshare should never be viewed as a financial investment with the expectation of gaining a profit in either reselling it or renting it to someone else. Timeshare is an investment in lifestyle, in future holidays, in family time together, and when viewed that way it can be a good investment indeed.

I own a timeshare in Newport, Rhode Island, how can I sell this quickly and easily?

there are companies out there that sell timeshares-you pay them a fee. Or online ebay or a place like www.redweek.com- they only deal with timeshare.
good luck

I bought some timeshare in florida for 12k its next to walt disney, universal studios and sea world. I need help selling it.

There is no out, those are iron clad contracts.

You can not even give them away, no one wants to pay the yearly "maintenance" fee. You might try paying someone to take it.

We purchased our timeshare 2 years ago, and it just doesn’t fit our lifestyle.

search the web, look for a reseller that does not demand an up front listing fee and if you get close to 50% of what you paid for it, take it.

I’ve always made on-time monthly payments on my timeshare until now…I’ve filed for hardship with the timeshare company but haven’t received an answer from them. I am thinking of letting it go into foreclosure because I can’t make payments anymore. They won’t let me sign the Warranty Deed in Lieu of foreclosre and instead offered me a downgrade. I’m afraid of legal issues. What should I do?

I would say that if you have not applied for a HELOC, then you are safe. If you went and refinanced using your equity in your home, then the debt is with your home mortgage lender and not the timeshare company. You might want to look at selling for what is owed on ebay or craigslist. Visit Timeshare Advocacy International for more.

I know a lot about timeshares because I used to process contracts for a timeshare company.

What I don’t know is how one timeshare company compares to another and how to shop for what is best.

Am I looking for my favorite locations? Transferability? Number of locations? I can figure out my cost options myself, I just want to know what else other owners watch for or wish they had.

What we wished was true and what made most of us owners buy is that it’s a financial investment, that you can rent it and make money on it, that you can exchange it for anything you want and finally that you can resale it and make a profit. Not easy hu?

But here is the real deal:
Timeshare is definitely for people with NO FINANCIAL problems and when doing it for the RIGHT reasons and under the RIGHT CIRCUMSTANCES it can be a GOOD THING.

BIG "NO,NOS" IN TIMESHARE:

*If you normally spend less than $100 USD a night for accommodations then timeshare is NOT FOR YOU
*It is not a financial investment
*Don´t buy if you plan to rent it
*Don´t buy if you plan on reselling
*Don´t buy if you plan on exchanging often
*Make sure you can afford to travel at least one week a year
*NEVER BUY FROM THE DEVELOPER

THE RIGHT CIRCUMSTANCES:

*This system makes vacation home ownership possible for many people who cannot afford a second home or who otherwise would not be able to enjoy such resort facilities. Timeshare is an investment in lifestyle, in future holidays, in family time together, and when viewed that way it can be a good investment indeed.
*Get it in an area the you LOVE and that you would visit every year without a problem
*Get it in a very nice Resort (where normally people would pay at least $200 a night)
*Get it in the resale market (it would cost you less than $1000 USD) so all what you have to spend is the maintenance fee.

HERE ARE THE NUMBERS:

$200 USD a night (in a decent resort) x 6 nights = $1200 USD

Maintenance fee in a NICE RESORT x 6 nights = $700
*Maintenance in a "decent resort" x 6 nights = $400

We’re looking into getting a timeshare but there’s so many places it’s hard to know who has the best service and offers the most for your buck without breaking the bank. We’d prefer something deeded at the minimum but we’re open from there as far as point systems or scheduled weeks…etc. Any feedback on companies and info on how they work is greatly appreciated!

Hi there. You may want to try eBay. Please check this link for further details: http://pages.ebay.com/realestate/timeshares.html

I am thinking of renting a week in Hawaii. Not sure yet which island. Do all timeshare rentals go Saturday to Saturday? It looks like it’s easier to get a free airplane ticket, using miles, if I can go Sunday to Sunday.

Mine starts Friday, Saturday, or Sunday. There is much more flexibility in the off seasons especially if you want to split up your week.

If someone could please explain the point system ( ike diamond resorts uses) why it is good or bad. I have heard why the regular timeshare is bad, but the point system seems different. Anyone with personal experience would be great.

Point systems were created because the resorts where running out of things to sell. If they deed weeks they can only sell 50 weeks per unit. Obviously that puts a cap on how much the resort can make. With points there is no limit to how many points they can sell because a point is fictitious and has no value compared to a physical deeded week. Usually they do have a set amount they can sell specified in the resort docs however it is usually always stated that they can increase that amount. The nice part to points is you can use them at many resorts especially if you are talking Wyndham, Diamond, or even DVC. This gives you a lot more flexibility.

If you are looking at Timeshare points as a way to save for vacation I suggest a savings account and renting a timeshare. I rent timeshares a couple times a year and love it. I usually pay $500 to $1000 depending on what resort I am going to. I would suggest you rent a timeshare a few times and see if this is something you want to then buy into. You don’t want to buy it then never use it like most people do. Check out http://www.buyatimeshare.com that is where I get most of my rentals.