Tuesday, April 27, 2010

The Good Things About Timeshare Rentals

Everyone wants to spend a nice getaway on a foreign place and experience the adventures and excitement. However, because of the high cost on travelling and accommodations, not all people can have that kind of vacation. Timeshare rentals are good options to achieve such deserving break. People can enjoy the luxury of an amazing accommodation while only paying a minimal cost. Timeshare is basically sharing the total price with other parties over a period of time. This is one practical option to dive in into your dream escapade, without thinking much on the expense.

As the name suggests, timeshare is sharing of a property over a specific interval of time. Cost sharing is not really new to us. A lot of people have already been enjoying this kind of accommodations. From time to time, the property is used from individual to another individual, thus cost of the property’s maintenance minimizes. A person may own the property for a couple of weeks or for years. This is like your home away from home but with exciting perks.

However, no matter how appealing this can be, as an investor, you have to take heed for some problems that might arise upon purchasing such timeshare investments. With all those wonderful benefits for these rentals, you have to take consideration the security of such asset. Since some of these timeshares are located miles away, it would be hard to assess the physical area of the units you want to assume. Payment is also another factor you need to consider. Just to resolve all these doubts, it is better to visit online timeshare caretakers over the net. There are a lot of credible sites on the net that caters such concerns. A lot of these websites offer timeshare assistance and referencing homeowners, potential buyers and sellers. These sites are private and secure. However, to ensure your defence, certify first if the services offered are genuine and dependable. You can do this by reading reviews of the site and some have testimonials.

Monday, April 19, 2010

Luxury St. Lucia resort Cap Maison Now Open to Timeshare Owners

Luxury-loving timeshare owners, rejoice: Cap Maison, the award-winning luxury resort on the Caribbean island of St. Lucia, has partnered with timeshare exchange giant Interval International.

Interval is a recognized worldwide provider of vacation exchange ownership membership programs and services. Based in Florida, the timeshare company operates in 16 countries and has an exchange network of 2,500 resorts in over 75 nations.

Cap Maison was awarded the Condé Nast Johansens 2010 Most Excellent Hotel Award, and also made the Condé Nast Traveler Hot List last year.

The heavenly timeshare haven is located on a former sugar plantation in Cap Estate. It has its own yacht for private tours around the island.

“We are thrilled to add this tranquil hideaway to our resort network, so that our members will have the opportunity to enjoy an unforgettable Caribbean holiday,” said David Gilbert, Interval’s executive vice president of resort sales and marketing.

Influenced by Spanish Caribbean architecture, the resort has colonial-style courtyards, fountains, terracotta roof tiles, and spacious balconies and terraces.

Timeshare owners can stroll along the five acres of lush landscaped gardens that encircle the bedroom units bedecked with designer furniture and plush fabrics. The units offer breathtaking views of nearby Pigeon Island and Martinique.

Adam Gobat, CEO of Cap Maison Limited said, “It was our hope to create an exceptional resort that would be sought-after by the most discriminating travelers and enjoyed by others, as it has been by us. Now, our owners will have the best of both worlds – they can come home to Cap Maison or travel the globe when they trade their time for a vacation at one of Interval’s high-quality properties.”

Timeshare owners can savor the selections at the gourmet restaurant, wine cellar, and three bars, invigorate themselves at the cliff-top infinity pool, fitness center, and at the beauty spa, or simply enjoy good reads at the library.

There are also numerous water sports, including kite surfing, snorkelling, windsurfing, sailing, and kayaking. Others can opt for trail running, hiking, or taking a tour of the island on the resort’s yacht. The timeshare resort is just a few minutes away from St. Lucia Golf and Country Club, and Rodney Bay, the island’s nightlife center.

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

The Miami Herald Warns Against Timeshare Resale Scams

The state of Florida, filled to the brim with resorts, is home to one-third of all the timeshares in the United States. With the current state of the economy, thousands of troubled shared vacation property owners are anxious to resell their properties, which is why more and more timeshare resale companies are now entering the field.

The Miami Herald is advising property sellers to be wary of companies that claim to already have timeshare buyers waiting for the property.

These bogus resale companies usually contact timeshare owners and inform them that they have a buyer lined up. However, the owner will only have access to the buyer upon payment of a processing fee.

The article quotes the creator and operator of a legitimate timeshare listing website, who says counterfeit companies convince desperate sellers to give out their credit card number or send a check, to pay for the processing fee.

Companies usually promise that in case the property cannot be sold within a few months, they will refund the fee. But once the said fee is paid, the resale company vanishes, and the owner realizes there was never any real prospective buyer. The owner is then still left with the vacation property and has also been duped out of hundreds or thousands of dollars.

Worse, the article says, there are also companies offering to help sellers who have been previously scammed, only to scam the seller a second time. When a bogus resale company closes, it usually resurfaces under a different name, but with the same customer list.

The Florida Attorney General, the newspaper says, has investigated the practices of about 17 resale companies, and has sued three and reached settlements with seven more. The settlements have reportedly reached $1.6 million in customer refunds.

The Herald also said the attorneys general in Arkansas, Massachusetts, North Carolina, and Oklahoma have issued their own warnings regarding timeshare resales.

To ensure you don’t fall for these scams, never pay a substantial processing fee in advance when dealing with a timeshare resale company. Pay only after the resale has been completed.

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Tips for Relief from Timeshare Resale Company Scams

Where resale scams do came from? As a matter of fact, there are a lot of resale scams circulating today. Usual victims would be those in a hurry to be free from the burden they get from their timeshare. Like those timeshare owners who would like to have timeshare relief, not realizing they fall as victims of timeshare scams.

Follow the simple eight tips to make yourself be aware:

1. The infamous buyer waiting – don’t believe when a sales representative tells you that a buyer or renter is waiting unless you have the only timeshare for sale.

2. The crystal ball – don’t believe that your property can be sold at a specific or estimated time since they don’t have crystal balls that will predict when a piece of vacation property will sell.

3. Sales representatives don’t sell timeshares – they are not brokers or agents, all they do is simply include your properties in listings. They either wait for another seller or some buyer/renter.

4. Inventory manager close – this is where you are being handed to an inventory manager and quotes how much they need to have your property included in the listings.

5. Over valued scam – don’t believe if you’re told that your timeshare is worth thousands more, because chances are they are already worthless.

6. Unregulated fee scam – make sure you will not be paying more for your advertisement, if possible ask for a discount and not let the sales representative know you’re capable of paying much

7. The open house scam – this is one of the sales tactics that sales reps would use, saying there would be an open house during the weekend which is an ideal time for you to place your ad.

8. The deferred payment – this is where you’d be offered to pay your fees in installment if you sign up with them today. This is just a usual tactic to hurry you into the sale.

Don’t let anybody fool you, be vigilant enough to protect your interest. Even if you already want to get rid of your timeshare, make sure that you’ll be doing it right.

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Taking Part in Choosing your Timeshare for Your Own Relief

Timeshare buyers today are much more acquainted with the important factors to consider before buying a timeshare. They are giving much attention on their decision because nobody wants to end up seeking timeshare relief. The next few details can be added to their checklist on what to do before buying a timeshare package.

1) After getting in close contact with the broker, check thoroughly the necessary information regarding the company that is offering the timeshare. You need to know the reputation of the firm since you will be making a big purchase from them. Who wouldn’t want to be in good hands, right?

2) Try to request information about the point system if they have any since some reputable firms sell timeshares at higher value if they have point system. This is needed so you will know if it’s much of an advantage to buy or it’s better for you to go for resale instead.

3) Its a must to see the actual unit; if you can’t do it personally ask a member of the family or a friend. Especially someone who lives nearby. In many cases, the descriptions given like the location and sizes are misleading, so better to check it out for yourself.

4) Then try to get references the moment your at the site by asking the neighbors what they can say about the management and amenities. Sometimes, it’s more convincing if you can hear details based on experience.

5) Lastly, make it your homework to figure out the prices in the area. Remember that resale units should cost cheaper for as low as half the developers price with no past dues on maintenance fees or property taxes. For new timeshares, take time to read everything in print before signing the contract.

With all these things taken-cared of, you will be doing a smart decision in buying a timeshare. A plus factor would be to minimize if not control the increasing number of timeshare owners who want to get rid of their timeshares.

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Know Your Timeshare’s Worth for Your Own Relief

Timeshares are sometimes mistaken as investments. Most timeshare owners seeking for timeshare relief once thought of the vacation package that way but then later on realized that such is not true. Timeshare is not an investment because its worth continues to decrease in time.

Timeshares are bought at a high cost. The acquisition rate is high especially if it is a new package from a timeshare company. The cost of marketing of the property makes it more expensive than its supposed amount. But aside from that fact, the amount of a timeshare does not increase much after purchase.

A timeshare continues to decrease in worth the moment it is bought. It loses 40 percent to 75 percent of its market value the moment a contract is signed for its ownership. This is mainly because the salesperson and the company automatically receive their expected commissions.

The value of the property is all the more lost with time because improvements and renovations become minimal as years go by. Timeshare companies transfer the responsibility of up-keeping the units to the timeshare owners once they are sold. These units are already considered responsibility of the timeshare owners with the contracts they signed into and so they are bind to take care of the units. With such case, the property does not increase in value.

Timeshares seem a good buy especially for vacationers who regularly go on vacation. But timeshares do not increase in value and they never will. So it might be better if you get rid of your timeshare if you find it expensive to keep.

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

A Gym that Provides Timeshare Relief to Health Buffs

Timesharing has gone a long way since its inception in the French Alps. Several service providers have adopted the timesharing system to be able to entice more people to avail of their services. And this is despite the fact that other timeshare owners are seeking for timeshare relief after a while of maintaining their timeshares.

After the establishment of a timeshare healthcare center, another service provider offers its facility in a timesharing system. This time, it is a gym. A Diss – based gym offers its equipment in a timeshare manner. Heywood Sports and Racquet Club found it a good thing to offer its services through timesharing.

Chris Burnard, one of the club partners said they studied the system well and found that offering their gym through timesharing will be the first of its kind for the gym industry. He added that, "We have a 650 sq.ft. space with everything you would expect in a fitness gym in a comfortable and attractive environment. Clients can rent it for themselves or they might like to get together a group of two to four people. He pointed out that, “It costs £60 per month and that gets you one set hour per week, which if you share with friends is a very good rate."

Having a gym that offers some of the features of a timeshare is surely beneficial. It can spell convenience and savings especially for big groups. However, getting rid of a timeshare gym package is still yet to be established. If it won’t be necessary, it sure will be a relief to health buffs.