Buying a timeshare is a big decision. It is a lifetime investment that you will enjoy immensely or regret the day that you bought it. It is like buying a second home for vacations. If you buy it on a whim and you can not afford it, it will be your biggest nightmare!

I am lucky to be in the first category! I would never sell mine and I am glad that I have a paid for timeshare to pass to my children!

So what would be the difference between buying a timeshare and a second home?

If you buy a home you will be paying a huge mortgage and you alone will be responsible for all maintenance and repairs. You are also locked into going to one place forever! Some people like that, but it is not for me. I like variety!

If you buy a timeshare you are only buying a percentage of the home. So you are just paying for the part that you use. You never have to worry about maintenance or repairs. You pay a maintenance fee and EVERYTHING is taken care of for you. If you join RCI, you can trade your vacation with someone else at a different location, anywhere in the world!

SIZE!

This is one of my biggest reasons. I HATE HOTELS! One small room. And usually on a busy highway or street. At a timeshare I have a living room, kitchen, dining room, and one or more bedrooms. I have been to some timeshares that are bigger than some houses I have owned! And they also stock them with pots, pans, dishes and everything else you may need. Some people save money by cooking meals in the timeshare. Or you can eat out. But the choice is yours!

Cost!

Much cheaper than buying a whole house. But again, it is an investment not to be taken lightly! A timeshare is hard to sell once you have bought it. So make sure that you know what you are doing!

Variety!

My personal favorite. I can go anywhere in the world that I want! Or I can give it as a gift or rent it if I can not use it. I had a friend that was getting married and could not afford a honeymoon. I sent him on vacation at a timeshare. He loved it! We sent another couple to Mexico for a wedding gift. They could not believe how nice the resort was.

You can join RCI.

No need for this if you are going to buy a timeshare and go to it every year. But if you like variety and excitement, join! We have been to many places since we joined. There are many other advantages. They have nightly stays. We made many trips to North Carolina when our son was in the Marines. We could have stayed in hotels, but we stayed at resorts for around the same money! And they were huge units right on the water! We had a place for the whole family to stay and relax! RCI also has extra vacation opportunities. Last minute deals or extra vacations for a rate less that you would pay for a hotel. RCI also has a travel agency to help with all of your vacation needs.

Buyers Beware!

There are many bad people in the world, and the timeshare world is no different. Some companies make a living selling timeshares for people that can not afford them. And if you are a buyer, make sure that you know what you are getting into. They are not held to the same set of standards as the original sellers! I have heard a lot of nightmare stories about these type of sales. They are sometimes referred to as “resales”.

Some timeshares are deeded property. In other words you have a deed. You can sell it or pass it down to your family. But it is yours forever! There are timeshares where  you just buy a certain amount of time and you are done. For instance, your purchase may be forty weeks only. After you use them you have nothing!

Make sure that your timeshare is tradeable! If you are planning to go to your timeshare 100% of the time, this is not an issue. But if you want to see the world, your timeshare must have to power to get you there!

Look at all of the costs before you purchase. A timeshare is not the easiest thing to get rid of if you find that you have made a mistake. After the purchase price you will still have maintenance fees and travel expenses.

The Bottom Line!

Over 8 million people, or about 7 percent of people own timeshares. So it is a huge industry. I have seen massive growth at my resort at Massanutten. The latest addition is houses with garages. You can actually park your car in the garage and unload it right at your timeshare! Pretty impressive! The massive ownership of timeshares also translates into more resorts, which gives me a greater selection!

So the industry has seen many changes. The resorts are fighting for higher ratings, which gives them more trading power. And we seem to be the winners in that battle!

Me? I love my timeshare and would never get rid of it. I use it twice a year at many different places. I get excited about choosing where I will go, or if I will stay at my home resort, Massanutten. But I have heard some sad stories of people who got in by mistake and are hating them.

No one can tell you what to do with your money. But if you can pay all of your bills and have money left over, a timeshare might be something that you could consider. Just make sure that you have all of the facts before you make a such a huge decision

People buy timeshares for a lot of different reasons. They also choose the locations for a variety of reasons. Lets take a look at some.

Get the facts!

The very first piece of advice that I would give to you would be to choose wisely. A timeshare is a lifetime decision. Do not make it in haste without knowing the facts. You need to know the trading power. Talk with friends and ask your salesperson. You will be disappointed if you find out later that you can not trade to go anywhere else! Some resorts have different levels of ownership designed to be different things to different people. Massanutten has many different types of ownership at different price levels. They also have upgrade programs if you decide later that your needs change. All timeshare programs do not have this.

Travel Expense!

I had a salesperson say something to me that made a ton of sense. He said to always buy something within driving distance. If the economy goes south, you may not want the expense of airline travel. If you could drive, you would be more likely to use it!

Amenities!

I have been doing this since 1991 and I can tell you that all resorts are not created equal. I would go so far as to say that there are not many resorts that can compare to Massanutten. It is truly a four season resort. I like to go in the fall, because of the beauty of the mountains. Here is a photo I took in the fall of 2011:

Another unique feature is that you never have to leave the resort. Restaurants, entertainment, activities, and anything else you desire are right on the resort! You will definitely need your car because Massanuuten owns over 7,000 acres of property! Plenty of room to spread out!

There is no way that I could tell you about everything at Massanutten. There is just too much! Visit their web site for more information at Massanuuten Resort.

Space!

With over 7,000 acres of property you will not be crowded. Take a ride to the top of the mountain. You may be the only one there. Go fishing. You may find that you have the place to yourself! If you like action and crowds you may be able to find that as well!

Peace!

I met a man one time that owns on the mountain, just as I do. He told me that he comes there every year and stays right at his room. He brings food and reading material. We saw him many times just sitting out on his porch reading and drinking coffee.

I am glad that I purchased at Massanutten. We have a great resort to visit, but we also have the trading power to go anywhere we like.

Massanutten Timeshare Tours

What are the tours really like?

Well let’s start at the beginning. What are you doing there in the first place? You agreed to tour the facility and listen to a presentation in exchange for a room for 2 nights, and a $100 Visa Gift Card. This is the main reason that Massanutten has this program.

I have heard some people complain about the tours. Don’t sign up if you don’t want to take the tour! But if Massanutten wants to give you a $400 gift, then you owe them that much.

Timeshare sales people are rude and pushy.

I have been doing this since 1991. I have seen my share of rude and nasty. But this was hurting the timeshare industry and people were complaining. The industry listened and made some serious changes!

But let’s look at this from the sales persons perspective. This is their job. The more sales they make, the more money they make. So just as with anything there will be some people who are more aggressive. But that does not mean that they will be rude. And if they are you should complain to the management.

How long does the tour at Massanutten take?

They say 90 minutes. They have saying that for a long time. That was before massive expansions and the addition of the water park. I would say that it depends on several factors.

• You. If you ask a lot of questions and spend time looking around, it will take longer.
• Sales Person. You sales person may sense that you are or are not interested and may adjust accordingly.
• Number of tours. If there are a lot of tours you may have to wait to get in to some places.

I would say that 2 hours would be closer. That comes out to about $200 an hour that they are paying you to listen. In my book that is a pretty good rate!

Who takes these tours?

I do! I have owned since 1991 and I still take the tour every time I go. I get $100 just like you. I get a breakfast. I get to see what is new, what is planned, and I can ask my sales person any questions.

I actually took my first tour with no intention of buying. And you are under no obligation. I bought one, and I have upgraded 2 times. I am very happy with my purchase! I have been to a lot of different places, and I always know that I will be getting a nice place to stay!

The Bottom Line?

Timeshares are a BIG business. They are willing to give you a huge gift just for taking a look at what they have to offer. You have absolutely no obligation to buy anything! The only thing that you have to do is take the tour and listen to a presentation. All timeshares that I have been to have a similar program, with the exception of the ones that don’t have any more units to sell.

The gift is what you make of it. Take it in the spirit that it is offered. Massanutten is very proud of the resort that they have built. They enjoy showing it off!

It is enjoyable. But you can make it go either way. There are not too many places where you can get a nice gift like this with such a small requirement on your part. There will be a lot of things to see, do and enjoy. Both on and off of the resort.

Stainless INOX Model. Excellent condition. Have all papers, boxes, etc. Includes 133 rounds of assorted ammo. See their web site for a full description: Beretta Tomcat.

I can only sell this to a Delaware resident. I will require your name, your word of clean background and a copy of your drivers license. The only exception I would consider would be to go through a FFL holder of your choice at your expense.

A bargain at $375! Retails at $555.

Actually not too bad looking. Nice flowers. Looks like a professional job. $10

I used these for display in my office and for on the road shows when I was a wedding photographer. There are 3 and they will hold a photo that is 16″ X 20″. They cost $40 new. Yours for $10 a piece.

This set is new and was never used. Each knife has the Ducks Unlimited logo on it.

I bought it at a Ducks Unlimited function. $20.00

I am pretty sure that this is real brass. The magnet does not stick to it. Needs a good cleaning. Could have many other uses. Trash can or planter for grasses or peacock feathers.  About 18″ x 8″. $10.00

3 soap holders and 2 toothbrush holders. Looks like very good quality. $1.00 for the lot.

$1.00 About 16″ x 8″. Excellent condition.