Original Message:
We are thinking about a Timeshare Purchase, what's your honest opinion??? (by Helen S.):
I would suggest you do the following:
Get an attorney to read your contract. Consider - do you want to go to the same place every year? Do you want the commitment of paying maintenance fees every year if you do Not use your week? Do you have to pay maintenance fees if you do not go to the resort?
Talk to other owners of the resort - check Facebook for ratings and contacts and reviews of this place.
Find out what you need to do to sell the property if you are no longer interested in it. Make sure your contract states you can rent it, sell it, your kids inherit it, and check to see how easy it is to make reservations at this place at "high" time. Be sure to ask if they rent the resort to weddings etc. which impacts the weeks available to you to use.
How young are you? If you buy a lease or "time" period for how many years is it? Will your kids be responsible for it when you pass? do they want it? Have you typed in the name of the resort and add the words COMPLAINTS to it - i.e. pueblo bonito emerald bay and complaints....and checked those/ Go to the BBB and check the resort. does it have an HOA? If so are there power hungry members on the board who make it miserable for all who own?
One of the problems of NOT having a "fixed time" is that you compete with thousands of others trying to get the time period they want. Even at low season this can be tough.
Hope this helps!
Helen Sabin