Juanita... do you mind if I ask approximately how much you paid for your Marriott Ko' OLino timeshare last year? What about the yearly maintenance fee?

Kennedy3 -- In March 2003 we bought a 2 bedroom oceanview unit, 1 week every year, for $32,500. (Well, hey, it's cheaper than Maui! lol) I occupied it in February with a girlfriend (on a package deal I had previously purchased before we had to go to Oahu anyway for a wedding, it was during the wedding trip that we saw the place and bought; I used up the package deal almost a year later). So, my husband and I are going to occupy the unit for the first time this week. It is gorgeous and we love it. We have friends coming with us who are interested in buying and, in fact, are staying at the resort on a package deal. However, we've told them that if they decide they want to buy, to NOT buy directly from the Marriott, as we did, but to check for a resale. When I went in February, 2004, the current price for our unit was $39K. Right now at www.redweek.com you can buy a 2-BD unit for $23-30K. The $23K is for a mountain view, however. Unclear if the $30K is an ocean view, but I assume so. I'm sure there are many other resale websites you can check for a cheaper price than retail if you look around.

Kennedy3 -- oops, forgot to answer the maintenance fee question. Almost $900 per year. The unit is a lock-off, so we can use it for 2 weeks per year if we want to, as others have referred to above.

If you pay $32,500 for one week, then the vendor can sell that one timeshare unit for $1,690,000 for the whole year (52 weeks x $32,500). Is the timeshare unit you bought equal in quality to a condo costing $1,690,000? If not it would appear that you overpaid.

Rusty; Only Juanita can truly answer your question, but my guess is that a two bedroom, ocean front home in Hawaii probably IS worth over a million dollars. Have you priced ocean front property lately?

Rusty -- The seller might be receiving $1.6 mil for the unit, but it didn't come out of my pocket, so I don't have any regrets. Sure TS are overpriced and don't hold their value, but we didn't buy it as an investment to make $$ from. We bought it for our own enjoyment and all the wonderful memories we'll have while there. We have a large, beautiful oceanview room with a full kitchen in paradise that forces my husband to get away from bhis stressful police job to relax and vacation each year. Believe me, with his job, the price is well worth getting him to get away from the pressure. TS are not for everyone, as has been said, but for us, it's great and we're very happy with our decision.

Thanks Juanita for the information. Did Marriott offer one bedroom units, or where there only two bedroom units for sale? Just curious. I'm glad to hear that you are enjoying your purchase. I hear that that particular resort is beautiful.

Hi, Kennedy3. Yes, they do have 1-BD units. You can also buy a unit for use every other year, which cuts the price considerably. I'll be there tomorrow and can't wait!!

I love our timeshare. We've traded to Spain, France, and next year to Italy. Plus, it forces my workaloholic husband to take vacations. But we bought a Marriott resale and I suggest if you're interested in timeshare, you do the same. Also, check out the website tug2.net--lots of information here.

To the OP: We have been to several time share presentations and not one was polite in any way. Personally if it is anywhere near a hard sell forget it. They're trying to fleece you.
To Juanita: FYI Rusty loves to put people on the defensive. Its his MO.

Jackie, old buddy I think my information was well supported with figures and represented a valid opinion. It was much more informative and valuable than "they are trying to fleece you", with no support.

Rusty,

The problem with your figures and valuing the worth is that you are multiplying one week x52 and asking if this is proper value for a year. Those figures are accurate for a developers return but inaccurate for a buyer's investment. A person is only buying one week, not 52 so you can't compare the numbers like that. There is more demand for only one week because of people's limited vacation time and $ - so the price can reflect supply and demand, there is a whole infrastructure which is more involved when only selling a week per year per unit and accomondating 52 different people per year (year after year). If the condo was sold for it's entirity and not pieced out per week, the price would probably reflect the simplicity of this transaction. Many people want the convenience of a timeshare for their once a year vacation but would not want the headache and financial burden of actually buying a condo outright for their once a week vacation. Now talk about a potential to be a huge finacial drain, recreational properties do not usually reflect a good investment value $$ wise.

Another way to look at this is that anyone who buys in bulk usually pays a different price then buying smaller bundles, ie, Costco. So, your figures do not reflect what the cost of a purchase of all the time would be vs. 1 week.

Also, the timeshare in question is in Hawaii in a 5 star property on the ocean, which means this is probably easily a million dollar property.

I would also like to add that timeshares don't always lose value. I bought mine in Oahu for $4,500 only a few years ago, since all the units are sold out they have an on-site re-sale office which is sells (they are all re-sales) these units for $4,800. They sell very well, I wouldn't have a problem selling mine. The problem is that you do have to pay a commission out if you were to sell it through a broker. But, I would like to add, not all timeshares are created equal. The one with great value are just that, they may not all have great value.

hmm..Every timeshare establishment I have been in(3)were all less than stellar...I would never consider staying there otherwise nor buying into one. If Im going to "buy"then I would prefer to do it tangibly...Im also not familiar with any connection between Four Seasons and any type of timeshare affiliation...must be a different type of "timeshare". Im sure the concept of timeshare ownership suits some people..Im just not one of them.

You could take a lot of trips for $32,000! Thanks for explaining the amenities. However, I would still be bored stiff staying in the same place - I switched hotels 3x my last trip to Vegas. I guess this is one where we agree to disagree -some people love em, some people hate em.

Thanks to the last several posters who have illuminated the cost figure. Very good, detailed and knowledgable info!

Four Season Aviara in San Diego which has been rated as one of the top spas in the U.S. has timeshares and the Four Season in Scottsdale at Troon North, ditto. There are probably others but those two come to mind. The website www.intervalworld.com is an exchange company and thus will show these and others.

You are right that some timeshares are less than stellar, hence my $4,500 one is not stellar. But, I have never stayed it in, we have only exchanged and have stayed in very nice properties. In Hawaii, all things exchange equally whether you own at the Westin or a dump. Properties in Hawaii are in great demand in the exchange because many people want to exchange their properties to go to Hawaii. I've stayed at Marriots and other places because I have been picky with what I'm willing to accept for my exchange. Right now I have a request in to stay at the Atlantis in the Bahamas in exchange for my Oahu property. On the flip side, my other property in Maui is very nice, on the ocean and the price has refected this (it was around the $20,000 range) - still a good value though, we were drumming between $550 and $650 a night to stay at similiar properties before our purchase (and some of these were just hotel rooms). I don't exchange this because I think it's one of the nicest properties in the exchange and I'm not willing to forfiet my place for another property. I love this property and bought it to use it, not exchange it. If we decide one year that we aren't going to use it, for instance next year we are not, than I have many friends who have asked to rent it from us. I have already rented out my next years week to a good friend. They get a good deal and it pays the bills. I like how both of my timeshare have worked out.

There is a whole science behind this timeshare stuff. All timeshares are not equal and can work for you in different ways.

Good point Vicky. Timeshares are generally for a week, you can't break it up. At least that's how mine are. However, there is something new out where you buy "points" and then you trade them in for whatever days and size of unit so you have flexiblity. The secretary at my kids school has this and went done for a long weekend to Las Vegas. I don't quite understand how this works. Of course she thinks it's wonderful but since I am not too familiar with the application I'm a little leary of it.

Capri. i just looked up the Four Seasons timeshare website, it's www.fourseason.com\residenceclubs. Again, timeshares aren't for everyone, for some they are not a good deal. I just like to point out some misconceptions.

Gotta go, I spent entirely too much time today on the computer.

oop, www.fourseasons.com/residenceclubs

A friend has T/S at the Embassy on Maui but is now exploring the swap options due to new baby and desire to go somewhere else on occasion. I think they paid full price.

Another colleague bought a sight unseen T/S in Honolulu (for under $10K) that he's never seen but trades very well for other locations.

Depends what you want, your choices, is this a great country or what :)