Advertisement
|
|
Viewing Beware the Timeshare! Discover a Better AlternativeBeware the Timeshare! Discover a Better Alternative
|
Picture yourself strolling along the beach, filled with anticipation. Someone suddenly offers you a free dinner for two. All you need to do is spend an enjoyable 90 minutes touring a resort. At first, things seem great. The resort is gorgeous ... By Mike McCoy Timeshares lurk at every destination worth visiting. Picture yourself strolling along the beach or hurrying toward the theme park, filled with anticipation. Suddenly someone accosts you offering free a dinner for two or discounted theme park tickets. All you need to do is spend an enjoyable 90 minutes touring a resort. At first, things seem great. The resort is drop-dead gorgeous. Colorful brochures show enticing pictures of places where you can trade your resort time, IF you pay the extra fee to transfer it. You picture family reunions in the beautiful two-bedroom suite, complete with a full kitchen, and a verandah. You envision grandchildren frolicking in the pool and at the recreation center. Blame it on the heady state of mind induced by this idyllic place, but ... three hours later you find yourself clutching the promised bonus - plus a bundle of legal papers, including a twenty-something thousand-dollar promissory note at 16.9% interest. About now, you realize that you live hundreds of miles from here. Work schedules and airfare costs make that family reunion a dim possibility. You return your spouse's glazed expression and wonder what just happened. Recognize it? If you have not experienced this, someone you know has. Do not take this the wrong way; I am not suggesting that no one should buy a timeshare. Many people are very happy with theirs and are able to make good use of them. However, timeshares are not right for everyone, and being sold a timeshare while you are on vacation is ALWAYS a bad idea: 1. Your mind is not focused on serious business, like this major real estate transaction. 2. You do not have time to read the fine print. 3. You are pressured to buy immediately, and cannot research the company or compare options. 4. A narrow 3- to 5-day right of cancellation means you must choose between vacationing and scrutinizing the contract. Watch out for these vacation hijackers! Tour the resort if you like, but keep a tight hold on your wallet until you give careful consideration to your vacationing future. Consider some issues that may make a timeshare an unwise purchase for you. This information can prevent expensive buyer's remorse: Owning a Timeshare The very expensive initial cost ties up thousands of dollars, and annual fees never stop. As investments, timeshares have virtually no resale value, and renting them out requires complicated arrangements. Maintenance dues and property taxes increase yearly. Major repairs for any reason, including natural disasters, result in extra assessments. Whoever inherits your timeshare must continue paying annual dues, even if they do not want it or cannot use it. Not paying causes a damaged credit rating and possibly being sued for a damage claim. Using a Timeshare You lose your weeks, if they are not used in time. You are locked into using only one resort, unless you pay to join an exchange company and pay a fee for each exchange (IF one you want is available). Your vacations may be marred by obligatory presentations that pressure you to buy more. If you decide a timeshare is your best vacation option, there are thousands of people who found it was NOT right for them. The resale market is flooded with timeshares About the Author: We are affiliated with four network marketing companies - two for travel and two for nutrition, weight loss, personal care, and home care products: www.4homebusiness4u.com. Article source: 111 Travel Directory: Triple1.com (triple one dot com) |
|