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Re: sELLING MY TIMESHARE (by R P.):

I agree that Redweek's forums need work with organization. They are supposedly in the process of starting a search feature and they could certainly take some tips from Tug's forums as to the different timeshare topics listed.

Too many posts here are in the wrong forum and some posts don't seem to be related to the thread topic at all. There should be added topics related to the many different aspects of timesharing. That would certainly help with organization.

However, you must remember that Tug uses non-paid volunteers to do all the work there, post reviews, ads and keep all threads in order. As far as I know Redweek has no volunteers to do all this work.

Redweek's forums are in their infancy and I hope that they continue to upgrade and for easier reading/searching as is the ease in finding particular ads/locations on this site (it's the best). I believe one day that Redweek's forums will be the top timeshare discussion site on the internet if they can just get their act together. This takes time as it did with Tug.

I have all the respect in the world for DaveM at Tug. He has worked very hard for that site for free.

However, I would never recommend Tug to anyone here at Redweek simply because of the business model the owner upholds. He USES non-paid volunteers (I know they aren't hogtied, but I still find this unethical) to run the site and he uses Tug members to post reviews while all he does in take in the money. It seems the members and volunteers do ALL the work there.

He has never posted a financial statement on Tug concerning where all the money goes and I have never seen him contribute anything to the forums concerning his knowledge of timesharing. I think his son his doing a better job, but I still can't condone Tug's business model of using non-paid volunteers. Without all those volunteers Tug wouldn't exist at all.

jennie wrote:

The big problem here at the Redweek forums is that excellent information is spread out all over the place. For instance, many excellent recommendations are posted in "Selling my Timeshare" while other similar excellent recs are posted in "How to get rid of a timeshare". It is a daunting task to wade through a lot of repetitve info to find the exact topic or answer the reader is looking for. Heck, I've even had major difficulty finding my own posts. I see a "new" question and know I have answered it previously in great detail "somewhere" here at Redweek. It can take me a long time to find it even though I know what I'm looking for.

At TUG, one can post a question and check back subsequently and see many answers posted in one place. It's just a better, more efficient way to obtain desired information.

In addition, TUG has organized key information about frequently asked questions in the "stickys" at the top of each forum/bulletin board. There is a wealth of great information at the top of TUG's "Buying, Selling, Renting" board re: Selling a Timeshare and Renting a Timeshare. Under the "sticky"topic of recommended resale and rental web sites, Redweek is listed as the #1 resource to use. http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=13

Jay jay, you are absolutely correct in saying that "The majority of renters and prospective buyers have never even heard of Tug". But if you and I refer the people reading these Redweek forums to TUG, maybe some of them will get the information they need to prevent them from buying the "wrong" timeshare at the "wrong" price. And those who have already made the big mistake will at least gain some knowledge that can help them make the best of a bad situation.

I was recommending TUG for information, NOT as a better place to place rental or sale ads. I have posted many of my rental ads here at Redweek and at TUG. I have received far greater response and positive results from the Redweek ads.

I do like the fact that TUG has a "Last Minute Rental Board." Ads can be placed on it for FREE if it is within 45 days of the check-in date. The maximum asking price is restricted to $100. per night or $700. per week, which many TUG members think is too low. But it's a good way to recoup some of the mainitenance fees on a week that has not rented on Redweek. It would be great if Redweek would establish the same type of Last Minute section (not necessarily for free).