Original Message:
Clarification... (by KC):
johnc1143 wrote:===============================================Ken ... considering you said, "I can't think of very many worse financial investments than a timeshare purchase, quite frankly)." Does this mean you don't own a timeshare? Are you here as a renter? Experiences?
Actually, I own a total of SIX weeks of timeshare, located at several different coastal facilities. Three of the six have been owned for over 25 years now. The others were slowly acquired, one by one, after I retired. One is "every other year". I use them all and I thoroughly enjoy them. I don't "exchange" and I very rarely "rent out" my weeks, except in exigent or highly unusual circumstances (such as unexpected medical and / or other family situations or crises, for example).
What I meant by my "poor financial investment" comment is that most timeshare weeks do NOT increase in monetary / market value (even if purchased resale). An "increase in value" is the customary and usual objective of a strictly "financial" investment. Most timeshare "values", however, remain relatively static (...or even decrease), while the annual maintenance fees can be expected to consistently increase by an average of least 5 or 6% per year. That's certainly not a good "financial" investment return by any possible standard or measure.
For me, ownership of timeshare weeks simply constitutes guaranteed access to prime vacation spots during "tough to book" dates at some high demand locations of my own pre-selection. There is, for me anyhow, great intrinsic value from the standpoint of enjoying guaranteed, annual, quality vacations at places I know and enjoy. Nonetheless, that ownership hardly qualifies as a good "financial investment" by the benchmark of "increasing in value". I harbor no delusions whatsoever that any of my ownerships are increasing in market value. If they are, that increase is minimal and surely less than the percentage of annual maintenance fee increases (not to even mention the occasional unwelcome but often unavoidable "special assessment" charges imposed upon timeshare owners).
I hope this clearly explains exactly what I meant by my comment portraying timeshares as a poor "financial" investment. That statement is certainly true, BUT...."financial" is not the only (or even the primary) value inherent in a (good) timeshare ownership. Different strokes for different folks....