| Timeshares currently appear to be the deal of the | | | | $20,000, you are getting a good deal and maybe even |
| century. With the fallout of the recent economic crisis, | | | | an awesome deal. But did you get the best deal? |
| timeshare owners who cannot afford their annual | | | | Have you basically taken on someone else's liability? |
| maintenance fees, never mind the actual cost of | | | | Don't forget, you still have to pay that annual |
| traveling, have been selling their timeshares at fire-sale | | | | maintenance fee whether you use your week or not. |
| prices. Many are being sold for literally $1, just to relieve | | | | Think about it, why did the original owner sell it to you? |
| the owner of the ongoing annual maintenance fee. | | | | They wanted to get away from the liability. |
| And bargain hunters have been snatching them up. But | | | | Let me provide you arguably a better option. You can |
| are these really awesome deals? | | | | join a private resort vacation membership, pay a one |
| Timeshares, which entitle you to a specific week at a | | | | time lifetime membership fee of $2,995, and have |
| condo in a specific resort, normally sell in the tens of | | | | access to 5,000 plus resorts around the world at |
| thousands of dollars. If you check the current listings on | | | | prices starting at $298 per week (8 days and 7 nights) |
| eBay, many timeshares are being listed with no | | | | and up to $799 per week. And with this membership, |
| reserve with a starting bid at $1. This means that if no | | | | you can use it for as many weeks as you would like in |
| one else bids on that particular listing, you can bid $1 | | | | a year, with no blackout periods, and ultimate flexibility |
| and win the auction. With closing costs such as legal | | | | to choose your destination. You only pay for the |
| fees and resort transfer costs, your end cost will be | | | | weeks you require and the weekly fee is often less |
| roughly $1,000. | | | | than the annual maintenance fee of a timeshare. |
| Now what is going on is, because timeshare owners | | | | There are no annual maintenance fees. And the |
| can trade their week at their property with other | | | | membership is transferable. |
| timeshare owners either directly or through an | | | | To sum it up, if you are going to vacation every year |
| exchange, the bargain hunters out there are buying up | | | | at your particular timeshare resort for the same week |
| these weeks so they can trade them for more | | | | every year (or go through the hassle of exchanging |
| desirable locations at more desirable times of the year. | | | | your week), buying a timeshare at a distress sale may |
| The key is to find a property that has good trade | | | | make sense to you. But if you want the flexibility of |
| value, low purchase price and low maintenance fees. | | | | being able to stay at a different resort every year, at |
| Maintenance fees can range from about $400 per | | | | any time of year, and for as many weeks in a year |
| year to over $1,000 per year, depending upon location | | | | that you would like, and for a weekly cost that is often |
| and the particular resort property. | | | | lower than the annual timeshare maintenance fee, you |
| If you run the numbers, obviously, if you are paying, for | | | | should consider a private resort vacation membership. |
| example, $1,000 for a timeshare that originally sold for | | | | |