" I understand people have different options it's like investing in real estate vs buying stocks or just paying off debt."

But buying a timeshare is better compared to putting your money into a coffee can where it can't increase and having several other people who have access to taking money out of that coffee can. The money can't grow but guaranteed the "investment" can only decrease.

We've owned some single family home rentals. Renters paid the taxes and maintenance while the properties appreciated, but some tenants were difficult.

We've owned *one* vacation rental condo on Maui for a dozen years. We use it for two months during High Season, thus saving about $12K we'd spend to rent from someone else. We have a local full service agency take care of the condo and our guests. Yes, there are fees to the agency and HOA fees (as there are with almost every condos. There are RE taxes. It very nearly pays for itself -- would pay more if we rented it out instead of living in it in High Season. Like all real estate, it went up during the boom (double what we'd paid). It's started going up again now after the bust. It's always been worth more than our purchase price plus improvements we've made. We've had problems with only two guests -- sorted by our management agents.

As owners, *we* control dates when we want to use the condo, and we know we are getting quality when we visit Maui. There are also tax perks for owners -- only expenses for timeshares.

Some people create their own 'timeshare' with others, all investing in the property and paying expenses, just using it at different times. It wouldn't even need to be zoned or licensed as a vacation rental. Families have done this forever, sharing time at some "Lakeside Cabin".

Ownership of a physical property, even shared ownership, is very different from time shares.

Oh, and don't forget the cost of air fare getting to the time share. There are ways to "work" one if it is of sufficient good location/building, but don't ever count it as a "saving".
We own a "time share" in a Pawley's Island beachfront ground floor condo--with 8 other friends. One share is one week four times a year. It is fabulous. The weeks move forward, so it isn't the same every year. One share has quadrupled in value in the 16 years we have owned.
That is a time share you can count on. And we don't feel we have to forego going on other vacations because we "own" a place at the beach.

Sylvia -- That's why Gretchen and I put the word in quotes, but yes, you are correct. IMO, owning is far better. We can even get tax deductions for our airfares 'to maintain the investment'. (Of course we do have to maintain it! LOL It's not all fun and games when we are out here.)

buy a timeshare for vacationing not investing. I can buy any house and get a tax deduction anywhere. Now the purpose of a timeshare is to save you money on vacation not to make you rich by investing in one. Lol so here my last point and I will let it go. Just trying to educated readers that's all.
Can you buy a condo that's over 1200 s.f or rent one in the best location in the whole world in five different locations in the world for under 2,000 dollars.within the same year and stay there over three weeks? Now most condo rent for 240 a night and good hotels run 200'a night.lets do the math.


1) 240'x 21 days = 5040 just for a two bedroom condo etc (online booking)
2) 3000 x12mo = 36000 per year in mortgage pmts if you want to buy a condo in a luxury location
3)130x 12 mo of hoa fees = 1560 a year for a timeshare 250,000 points( after mortgage is paid in full on a $2000 purchase on Ebay) no repair cost, no additional taxes, no Pmi insurance, no homeowner insurance

Who's vacationing cheaper? customer 1, 2, 3,

Marc, the original poster with a question is long gone and the one from Dec. 1 may not be coming back.

But since you've made the point, I'm going to completely contest your argument about Timeshares being great for families and for family reunions.

First (and foremost): The number one way for a family to save money on vacation is to be flexible on your dates and length of trip, and go with the best airfare price you can get! For summertime especially, we have 3 months to choose from! Timeshares involve planning way ahead and commitment, making it impossible to buy that cheap airfare.

Second: Timeshares are hostile to family schedules. I have several friends who like to go to Palm Springs on Spring Break and golf, and the ones with a Time Share have gotten locked out because they could only have that property in March so many years in a row or something. So now they have to rent a hotel (when they have a timeshare), or pay a lot of extra fees to use a timeshare, or rent someone else's timeshare, or stay home.

See, when you have children, you want to go on vacation when your children have time off from school. So you can't compare the hotel bill with "timeshare costs" because they aren't apples to apples.

Reported as spam.

I currently have a Wyndham timeshare and it is nothing but a pain. They constantly call you asking you tomake reservations. They pressure you into buying. It's the worst program. I am looking for advive on how to get out of my timeshare.

Our family owns a timeshare with Wyndham and so far we love it. We all share the points we get and never have a hard time using them. In fact, sometimes we wish we had more points to work with. We are able to use our points wherever we want (wyndham properties). You do not have to book your vacations a year in advance but you do need to book fairly early when you want to stay at the more popular places but I like to plan my vacations before the end of the year so actually all of my 2015 vacations are already planned and paid for. It is nice to have the timeshare points. If you like to travel often, I would go for it. If you only travel once a year, it may not be such a great deal.

Day late and dollar short. Another fortuitous "stumble" by a first time poster.

clbs, perhaps you could recommend someone to get in contact with to purchase a timeshare?

Maybe cibs wants to buy it since it is such a great deal, even though we didn't get any figures as to how much they've spent for these vacations or how it might compare to simply renting places at those locations.

We own a Wyndam Timeshare. The math seemed very fuzzy (to me) when we bought the points in 2000, but we have had really good experiences. I never stay in the crazy casino resorts in Vegasanymore. Only the TS. The condo's on the far south of the strip with a lazy river pool, exercise room,shuttles and ya, I can make my own breakfast and drink my own wine on a balcony before going out at night! We stayed in a lovely town 30 mins. south of Salzburg Austria 1 year and did day trips to wonderful towns & attractions. Never would have thought of it without the Timeshare. We took the whole family to Hawaii, and got to spend quality time with my adult kids. Hotel rooms would not have fostered the same feelings. We gifted my daughter & her husband their honeymoon on Maui & Kauii. We spent a week in the South of Spain with my sis & her hubby. Taken off for a week along the upper Ca. coast and took the 7 girls in my card group to St. George Utah. We spent the money long ago and the quarterly fees insure I always have a clean modern place to stay. I don't know if (I) would have bought it when we did, but I'm glad my husband did and love using it. Next trip? January with my grandsons to Disney World. The Timeshare is close and looks great!