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There is no short and easy "checklist"...

[Q=ken1193] [Q=ronaldr86] reading through this forum there seems to be a general feeling that if you are going to purchase a timeshare you want to ask the the right questions before you buy. And it seems there has been a lot of (wish I new that before I purchased this timeshare). So who has a list of the right questions to ask? Ron[/Q] ============================================== Short answer is --- NOBODY! In truth, there are FAR too many very different timeshare products and too many different questions which should precede any purchase (varying and depending on the type of timeshare product involved) for there to be any sort of "one size fits all list". Some (certainly not all) questions which might be on any such pre-purchase list might well include (but not be limited to): Deeded ownership, or right to use (RTU)? If RTU, expiration date of the right to use? Points? (if so, whose? How many? How often assigned? What are the specifics of "carry over" of unused points? (There are many different flavors and "currencies" of points out there...) Corporate "chain" purchase? (e.g. Hilton, Marriott, Wyndham, etc.). If so, what exactly are the terms, conditions and limitations regarding the use of purchased product within (and / or outside) this corporate system? If resale of a "corporate" product (such as the above examples cited), what benefits available to those purchasing directly from the developer are NOT subsequently available to purchasers of the same product if bought on the resale market? Fixed or floating week? If floating, what time period restrictions or "blackout periods" (if any) exist on reservations made by float owners at this particular resort? Annual maintenance fee amount? Pattern of increases in said fees in each one of the several consecutive recent years? Any current (or imminent) "special assessments"? Pattern of occurence of such special assessments in the past five years? Any exisiting mortgages, liens or other encumbrances of any kind on this particular ownership, which need to be resolved prior to actual transfer of ownership? Copy of the current recorded deed readily available? Closing company to be used in a purchase / sale transaction? Who pays the closing costs? Resort transfer fee imposed upon change of ownership? If yes, how much is the transfer fee? The list goes on. Moral of the story; know how to swim BEFORE jumping into the timeshare waters...[/Q]