Can I trust these e-bay sales??

From "qualityvacations"?????

I have been looking at several ,with as low as $1 down just pay maintenance fee some as low as $400. I know very litle about all these companies and point systems. Very, very confusing. Adrian

Post a link?

If the price is $1.00 it is most likely a PCC (post card company) disposing on another unit they took $3500 for from the owner to take it off their hands....

However, one condition for the PCC to take a unit off someones hands after they also pay the $3500 IS THAT ALL FEES ARE PAID UP.

So, did you read the auction correctly? Was it maintance fees or was it a closing, and title search cost?

After several attempts at trying to sell these units for $1.00 with no success, the PCCs will start bids at $1.00 - no reserve- and THEY WILL PAY ALL costs.

Please read all the timeshare sites you can about any T/S you see for $1.00 or up to $400. Also check to see if the time is some shade of RED....bright is best, assessments are not pending, and the reviews are generally good.

Don't buy a mud season week unless you plan on using it yourself....they trade terrible.

Just saw a Wyndham 189,000 point unit go for less than 1/8th of a cent. See www.tugbbs.com under Wyndham. Fairfield Wyndham used to resale for 1 cent to about 3 cents each.

Please do your homework. Ask about units here, on the tug site, forumns site, or even tripadvisor....read there (on TA) with the understanding that many posters are used to the full services offered at a hotel, and will not receive that service in a T/S rental....even though there is 10 times the room.

kekouri wrote:

Post a link?

If the price is $1.00 it is most likely a PCC (post card company) disposing on another unit they took $3500 for from the owner to take it off their hands....

However, one condition for the PCC to take a unit off someones hands after they also pay the $3500 IS THAT ALL FEES ARE PAID UP.

So, did you read the auction correctly? Was it maintance fees or was it a closing, and title search cost?

After several attempts at trying to sell these units for $1.00 with no success, the PCCs will start bids at $1.00 - no reserve- and THEY WILL PAY ALL costs.

Please read all the timeshare sites you can about any T/S you see for $1.00 or up to $400. Also check to see if the time is some shade of RED....bright is best, assessments are not pending, and the reviews are generally good.

Don't buy a mud season week unless you plan on using it yourself....they trade terrible.

Just saw a Wyndham 189,000 point unit go for less than 1/8th of a cent. See www.tugbbs.com under Wyndham. Fairfield Wyndham used to resale for 1 cent to about 3 cents each.

Please do your homework. Ask about units here, on the tug site, forumns site, or even tripadvisor....read there (on TA) with the understanding that many posters are used to the full services offered at a hotel, and will not receive that service in a T/S rental....even though there is 10 times the room.

All of the above is sound and well informed input and advice.

I'd also point out that PostCard Companies (and yes, qualityvacations is indeed one of the PCC's) have many ads going at any given time and they routinely "cut and paste" material from one ad to another. In so doing, info which may well be correct in one ad can (and does) become inaccurate in the next ad if the "cut and paste" work is carelessly done (as it often is, frankly).

I don't do business with any PostCard Company as a matter of principle --- knowing as I do how they have obtained the weeks in the first place. However, if you choose to do business with a PCC, as is certainly your prerogative, at least make absolutely certain that every detail and claim seen in a (maybe hastily) prepared auction ad is reflected exactly the same within the subsequent contract documents after you "win" the auction. Often, that's simply not the case (which is, of course, grounds to back out of the "win" if the product turns out not to be exactly as originally advertised) . Proceed with caution and careful attention to detail.

CAVEAT EMPTOR (Buyer Beware).

Concerning postcard companies and their $1 deals on Ebay ... the vast majority of timeshare shoppers on Ebay don't know anything about postcard companies and how they operate ... they're just looking for a good deal and a $1 timeshare is about as good a deal as you can get. Even though I don't condone how the pcc's do business, they do have some fantastic deals. Even many Tuggers (who don't necessarily condone how the postcard companies operate) buy these deals. It's a cheap way to get into timesharing. I have seen many gold crown resorts for $1 from the pcc's on Ebay

There is evidently a huge market for their services going by the number of $1 timeshares on Ebay. I suppose most people that pay these companies in the 3K range would do most anything to get out from under their timeshare obligations and continually rising yearly maintenance fees and possible special assessments.

This has been very helpfull people . Thank you so............... much!! Adrian

jayjay wrote:

Concerning postcard companies and their $1 deals on Ebay ... the vast majority of timeshare shoppers on Ebay don't know anything about postcard companies and how they operate ... they're just looking for a good deal and a $1 timeshare is about as good a deal as you can get. Even though I don't condone how the pcc's do business, they do have some fantastic deals. Even many Tuggers (who don't necessarily condone how the postcard companies operate) buy these deals. It's a cheap way to get into timesharing. I have seen many gold crown resorts for $1 from the pcc's on Ebay

There is evidently a huge market for their services going by the number of $1 timeshares on Ebay. I suppose most people that pay these companies in the 3K range would do most anything to get out from under their timeshare obligations and continually rising yearly maintenance fees and possible special assessments.

Most of the EBay timeshare listings with no reserve that start bidding at $1 do not mention the amount of maintenance fees and/or pending special assessments. I suggest it is not a "fantastic deal" to buy even a gold crown timeshare if the fees exceed the rental value of comparable property. I am afraid some of the buyers will find themselves with an albatross around their neck and that they "would do most anything to get out from under the obligation" what with the "continually rising yearly maintenance fees and possible special assessments".

After some failed attempts to sell, give away or donate to charity they may decide that $3,500 to a "Post Card Company" is a small price to pay to maintain their good credit rating. I loathe these PCC as much as anyone and will have nothing to do with them BUT maybe they do provide a service to some unfortunate souls out there. Hopefully many of the PCC acquisitions remain unsold on EBay and elsewhere and they end up eating the high maintenance fees and special assessments. Yet I suspect that when that happens they simply walk away from the obligation and the corporate shield protects the credit rating of the principals involved.

carvana wrote:

Most of the EBay timeshare listings with no reserve that start bidding at $1 do not mention the amount of maintenance fees and/or pending special assessments.

The overwhelming majority of timeshares on Ebay list the maintenance fees ... now whether they are correct or not is another matter.

There is a Marriott Monarch for $1.00 on e bay right now.

It lists the week as trades as RED. When you look up the RCI or II trading power, it is not a RED WEEK. So you really need to be careful.

As for maint fees & taxes, this particular ad seems to have it near correct. ( Most Marriott weeks are pushing toward $1000 a week with taxes.

But think....you will pay $887 maint for a week that is not red time. ( Forget the purchase price). You can rent out that same week for less than $500 on Redweek, and many other sites.

There is another possible reason to perhaps jump here. That is the day pass use. Marriotts HOAs of the HHI units allow day pass use....which means an owner can use the facilities ( except the apartment) anytime. If you lived close to the Marriott, even the Monarch has 3 pools, ocean waterfront, but of course, using day pass at the Grand Ocean or Barony might be a step upward.

I don't know if <$1000 maint is worth the Marriott option of reserving out 13 months instead of 12.

To Ken 1192. and others Wrote" I don't deal with them out of principle" . One hand I agree on the other hand it's supply and demand some people signed under EMOTIONAL pressure a deal others found them self later in a financial bind and have to sell no mater what. Same as many U.S Couples find them selfs in right now regarding their own house bought for $500.000 with $100.000 down, market dropped ,house worth $400.000. And now what? Personal I hate to take advantage of somebodies bad luck/ So I am torn as to what road to take. Times might get worse before they get better. I could just rent from one of you good people before I buy. Thanks for all your respondses Adrian