According to industry stats, it is estimated that three million USA citizens sit through a timeshare sales show every year. It is also estimated that Two hundred and fifty thousand actually buy their own timeshare each calendar year. But is a timeshare actually a fair deal for the average holidaying family? .
In any discourse of timeshares, many of us may be reminded of the South Park episode where the boys ‘ folks went to a timeshare weekend. The thoughts of others may wonder to the episode of Family Guy, where the area attended a timeshare sales display and Peter took the empty box instead of the valuable awards offered to him.
Let’s face it, the timeshare industry has been the target of many jokes over the years, and has had more than its proper share of bad press over the years. But, are the feedback fair?
Industry Feedback
When this industry was younger, the feedback were more than fair. In the early days of this industry, underhand corporations would sell timeshares on resorts that had yet to be built. After a successful sales season ( yes, this industry is seasonal, closing most sales from June to August ), the sales company would abscond with the cash and purchasers would be out their investment.
Recently, the resort industry has been made to clean up its sales practices by both government and consumers. But even today, some timeshare selling corporations are still getting into trouble.
In October of 2008, Pennsylvania’s Lawyer General filed a suit against a Florida timeshare selling company for deceptive advertising practices. It must be emphasized this suit was not against the industry, nor its sales offering, but rather against individual selling corporations for fraudulent sales practices.
But Are Timeshares A Quality investment For Most Holiday makers?
Honestly, the solution to that particular question is that it depends on the goals of the buyer and the precise details of the individual timeshare exchange.
“Purchasing timeshare may be the neatest thing a vacationer has ever done, but it can also be a massive mistake,” asserted Lisa Ann Schreier, owner of ( timeshareinsights.com ). As a previous timeshare salesman, she has great insight into this industry. Schreier continued, “With the median cost of a timeshare in the States being approximately $13,000, it’s crucial that people understand precisely what timeshare is and whether or not it’s right for them before they make a purchase decision.”
On the one hand, a timeshare is attractive in that you can obtain access to a half-a-million dollar apartment ( $13,000 x 52 weeks ), for a standard buying cost of $13,000. But the cheap price isn’t a deal purchase for every buyer.
What it boils down to is this : if you can take the same week for vacation each year, and you need to go to the same destination year-after-year then a timeshare might be a great holiday investment package for you.
However if you cannot be certain that you’ll have the same week each year, or if you like the destination, but wouldn’t wish to be tied to a particular vacation location, then you should not buy a timeshare.
Of course, there are resorts that offer variations on the straight same week, same location offer ( some resorts have multiple locations ), but you’ll need to ensure that your timeshare plan makes that kind of offer, and get it in writing before putting a signature on the check.
Give Transfer America a call if you wish to get rid of your timeshare. They have helped thousands of timeshare owners and they are just waiting to hear from you too!