Tips for Surviving a Timeshare Presentation
There are people who make a sport of attending timeshare presentations just for the freebies offered. I am not going to condone or disapprove of this behavior, my role is simply that of an informer – letting the public know the ins and outs of a timeshare presentation. Now for the gifts… Depending on what resort you visit, you can walk away with a free weekend stay, television, show tickets, or some extra cash in your pocket. As you can see, gifts range from the mediocre to the extreme, all offered as a way to lure potential buyers into sitting through a presentation. Timeshare salespeople know that once they have you through the door, they have your attention. They also know that many consumers are simply not prepared for the types of sales tactics that will be employed, which translates into sales and commission for the salesperson.
The key to making it to the end, and claiming your prize, is simply to survive. Before you attend a timeshare presentation, make sure you are clear on how long the session is scheduled to last, and what you will be eligible for at the conclusion. Confirm that this is offered even if you do not go through with the buying process. The tips listed below can help you assure you will not be roped into a vacation ownership you do not desire, and ensure you can get through the process as quickly and painlessly as possible.
Tips for Surviving and Escaping a Timeshare Presentation (Without Buying):
- Before you go to the presentation, find out when the busiest times are, and go during one of these times. This will give you the upper hand – when a resort is overbooked and understaffed, your likelihood of getting through the presentation in under 90 minutes is dramatically increased. You are also less likely to be the victim of high pressure sales; the salesperson will just move onto the next person if you seem uninterested.
- Before your session begins – tell them you will be up front with them, and that you expect the same treatment from your salesperson. The “If I like it, I will get it” approach will deter the salesperson from badgering, or otherwise pressuring, you into something you have clearly told him you are not interested in.
- Keep to yourself and try to be as boring as possible. Timeshare salespeople will use any personal information you provide to try and strike some sort of common ground with you, making you feel as though you can trust them. If they offer some sort of tale about how they know so-and-so from your town, just say that is nice, and ask to focus on the issue at hand – getting information about the resort.
- Hold them to the time frame that you have been promised for the timeshare presentation. If you were quoted 90 minutes, set your alarm for 70 minutes, and remind the salesperson at 70 minutes that they now have 20 minutes to finish up the talk.
- Do not lead on the salesperson. Do not pretend you are interested only to let them down at the very end. If you have no intentions of buying be sure to act that way.
- When they ask how much you make, lie. Pick a low to average income when asked how much you make per year. Admitting or saying you have a lot of disposable income is just going to make your experience that much more painful – think multiple salespeople all over you for hours on end.
- Tell them you already know about timeshare and its benefits, this way they will need to be more focused on the amenities at the particular resort, thus, shortening the presentation.
- Try not to talk too much, again, be boring. The less details you offer up about your personal life, the better.
- Be ready with an arsenal of reasons why you do not want to buy the timeshare:
- I am not interested in buying, I just want to trade to go to other resorts.
- I just bought a new house, I do not have any extra cash.
- I am swamped with bills – car payment, credit cards, new RV, home remodel, etc.
- The resort just does not fit my lifestyle – not enough activities for kids, location is too cold, lack of surrounding activities, etc.
- I can not afford it, it is much too far out of my price range. Be ready for them to offer ownership every other year, tell them it is still not affordable enough.
- You like your other timeshare better. This is a pretty solid reason, as there is no way they can haggle price to rope you into buying.
Just Curios,
I just relocated to Sacramento, was a timeshare sales guy for Trendwest,before they closed their doors. Loved the gig, are the jobs gone? Never see any posting for them anymore?
Hi Tony,
By saying that Trendwest closed their doors, are you also saying that all their customers who bought from them are now screwed? Interesting.
However, in response to your question, my guess is that the reason that you haven’t been seeing any postings for jobs selling timeshares could have something to do with the fact that our country is currently in a recession.
It’s really tough out there right now, and I sincerely wish you all the best of luck in finding a new (and more reputable) profession.
TrendWest was purchased by a larger company called WorldMark.
The owners of this resort did not get screwed, simply the property changed hands and the owners now have the opportunity to use the entire WorldMark portfolio.
I was going to make write this long drawn out post about Clients about all the mud-slinging. I decided to state the odvious.
We called you to market a timeshare you recieved a free vacation had a great time. You asked us to call you by filling out a timeshare slip at the local pizza buffet you take your children to every sunday before dad gets drunk and watches professional bull riding. Or you pulled up to one of the OPC’s pretending to ask for directions in your 1998 station wagon with the coat-Hanger holding up the muffler. Hey we saw you pull in and we all ran outside so we would not get your slip. So when we get your slip, yea… you already know what time it is… Lets see what i can say to get this person off my table before the 90 minutes… why you ask because if i can get you out of there in less then 90 minutes the marketing company is going to hit you on your credit card for your 3night 4 day vacation and whatever tickets to whatever pizza buffet you are going to try out while you are on vacation to judge the pizza and say “well this is not like honky tonk willy’s pizza”.
Sales Reps are just doing there jobs, I don’t come into 7-11 and dump coffee all over the place to make your grave yard shift job worse. I smile and tell you how great the coffee is, or tell you that i love what you did with your wig. Live and Let Live … you are in no position to judge anyone. Your knocking at my front door begging for a hand out, I was kind enough to give you a an opportunity and you spit in there face. Thank god RCI and II are coming out with a share data base that will track all the people that go on the presentations… your free days are coming to an end. The marketing dollars can be spent on people from other countries China , Russia, South Americas, Europe, of give them wonderful holidays.
I will give you the one true way to get out of a presentation before 90 minutes is up.
Hand over your credit card with your $300.00 limit and the 48.9% intrest rate. and tell them the truth that there is $50.00 dollars on it and you need it to get back home.
I was solicited out of the blue for the timeshare pitch…I always say no, and I always get more invites. Geniuses in your marketing group I reckon.
“We will give you 3 or 4 nights free at place X, to give our trained carnies a chance to convince you the world is flat.”
They gotta give something away to even have a person listen to the drivel for more than five minutes.
I would not call the 3/4 night consideration for my time a ‘vacation’ at face value, but it does augment our vacation.
I really think my main motivation for participation is my intense dislike for sales predators that exploit weaknesses, so it’s a bit like a sitting and working a crossword puzzle for entertainment, but with a free kicker at the exit.
I am not sure how I wound up on the marketing list. I travel a bit so I am guessing I got picked up from a hotel chain.
I don’t go and dump on a 7-11 either, but, the 7-11 guy is not trying to convince me that their 21k cup of coffee will cure cancer, fuel my car and refill itself (IF I pay another 1k per year for cup maintenance).
LOL! Your post is just so typical of a timeshare rep. When you can’t con someone with flattery and BS, you then resort to making up lies and “shaming” tactics. LOL! Does that ever work for you? On anyone? Seriously, you’re all the same, and I can see right through every one of you.
Oh and what you call “timeshare slips?” Yeah, only they never mention the word TIMESHARE because if they did, no one would ever fill one out! They’re always deceptive invitations for something like a entering a contest, or a drawing for a new car. If your company didn’t offer all those freebies and told the truth by informing people the “presentation” was for the purpose of trying to sucker them into buying a TIMESHARE, they’d never get anyone to show up.
New flash for ya slick. I never fill out any of those “slips.” Timeshare companies solicit US, obtaining our name and address from the records of the many other timeshare presentations we’ve attended–where we didn’t buy either. RCI probably already has that database with our name and address on it–which is the very REASON they keep mailing us those numerous invitations, many of which are even engraved! You don’t like it? Then go take it up with your boss there bucko!
You know, I’m normally pretty upfront with timeshare reps, and rather than waste too much of their time, they usually get rid of us pretty fast. About the only thing that holds me back from having a grand old time playing “head games” with them, is that I tend to feel a tad bit guilty about doing so. But after your silly nonsense, just as soon as I get a break, I’m going to special point to drag my husband to as many timeshare presentations as we can possibly cram in, and waste hours on end, stringing the reps along. With any luck, you’ll be one of them. While I’m at it, I want you to know that I’ll also be passing out all the many printouts I’ll be bringing along, of identical properties being offered on the resale market, showing everyone just how many timeshares can be purchased for $1 lousy dollar, or less, and I’ll be giving them to as many of my fellow attendees possible. I do that anyway, but normally, I’m at least somewhat discreet about it.
So you also know, I’m from New York. Arguing and debating for hours on end happens to be my very favorite pasttime. It’s how I chill, and timeshare presentations provide an excellent opportunity to indulge. All those “freebies” you give us are just yummy icing on the cake.
My husband doesn’t mind, because the way he figures, better you than him. While the way I see it is, every minute of your time I waste, is one less minute you have to sucker anyone else. You won’t be getting rid of me in any 90 minutes. I’ll keep you going all day, and half the night, and consider it a public service.
No, I wouldn’t do it to the guy at 7-11, because he’s not trying to con people into paying $20,000+ for a lousy $3 cup of coffee, and then cop a high-minded, arrogant attitude when you call him on his BS, followed by inventing slimey, underhanded, lying insults, in a pathetic attempt to divert attention away from his con.
You wouldn’t do that to a graveyard worker at 7-11? Really? FYI, this is a complaint board, so exactly what legitimate business do you have here? You’re here for the sole purpose of fabricating nasty, lying insults, for no other reason than to harrass and heckle others, for your own personal satisfaction. You wouldn’t do it to a guy a 7-11, but you’re having yourself a good old time doing it here, now aren’t you? Such a hypocrite. Just who do you think you’re trying to kid?
Look forward to meeting you at our next timeshare presentation. I’ll have a good old time at your expense too–tit for tat. The major difference between us though, is that I’ll be telling the truth. TTFN 🙂
Janet I like you. Alot.
I bring documentation to the presentations as well. Active secondary market offerings for the relevant property (Ebay, CL, brokers), amortization schedules illustrating the hard dollar savings in renting a week per year vs. a purchase, etc.
I’ve been to Orlando 4 times, Gatlinburg, Kona, and other locales on subsidized/free timeshare deals.
I don’t mind at all taking a couple of hours listening to the snake oil peddlers. It’s kind of interesting observing the different psych techniques being applied. It’s like taking a tour of a mental hospital…observing and trying to understand what makes them tick. How does a person evolve into making their living by lies and deception. Creepily fascinating for me.
I tell them up front…I ain’t buying. The sales guy can cut me loose early (about half thus far do exactly that) or keep me for the duration. But I would never feel guilty about wasting their time. They called me. They can also move on to the next mark if they want to…or not. I give fair warning up front.
Attending these things is my version of sitting poolside working a crossword puzzle for relaxation…touring the pit of predators while being disturbed yet entertained by their antics.
Hey Stu,
We just got back from Florida, staying free in Orlando at the lovely Gaylord Palms resort, only our lodging there was in return for attending professional seminars. But while waiting for our grandbabies to arrive, we also attended a couple of timeshare presentations, ending up with free tickets for Universal Studios and Seaworld.
After doing this for a number of years, I’ve become pretty good at presenting my counter arguments, bringing along substantial evidence to back up my case, not just for my fellow attendees, but for the reps as well.
Most of the reps will just ignore any and all evidence presented, especially when I bring printouts from the internet showing that identical timeshares are selling for as little as $1 on the resale market, and I start crunching the numbers and laying out all the true costs for them.
The reactions we’ve received from the sales reps have been pretty bizarre. I’ve actually had reps. angrily accuse me of fabricating the printouts I’ve brought along. Others have literally started tearing up, and one even broke out sobbing.
Oh, then there’s those who have actually attempt to trivialize the difference between the presentation price, and the price on the resale market, as if they don’t see any difference between paying $20,000 for something that sells for as little as $1 on the resale market. Their unability to understand the difference between the 2 is so incredibly bizarre, it’s almost surreal.
When I’m talking to the reps., rather than the insanity of a mental institution, I feel more like I’m dealing with a bunch of cult members who have been so thoroughly brainwashed, they are totally incapable of seeing or hearing anything that contradicts their indoctrination.
I honestly have to wonder if that’s not far from the truth.
With all respect to all above blogs, listen to this:
1 – you are someone who goes on vacation yearly
2 – you are someone who stays in 5 stars
3 – you are someone who is paying 300 to 500 usd per room per night
4 – you are someone making 40k to 100k per year.
if a resort can offer you
1 – membership that grant you to choose the week you desire during the year
2 – credit over 1500 USD to use in spa, tours, excursions, shows …
3 – you can choose up to 500 hotels around the world
4 – there is absolutely no minimum week imposed.
5 – you can forward your membership anytime.
whywould you take it as a waste of time, or tramp or whatever you want to call it, instead of calling it win-win opportunity, deal that grants me paying less for more fun and services.
life is offer and demand, you can reject an offer and you can demand another.
i head many persons thanking salespeople for such oppotunities and enjoying their vacations year after year after year …
Hi Tony,
In response to your posting:
1 – My husband and I go on a number of vacations, each and every year.
2 – Yeah, we usually stay in 5 star resorts, unless we run across something exceptionally unique, or even more exotic.
3 – No, we’ve never spent anywhere near $300, much less $500/night, ever. In my opinion, anyone who does must not have heard of expedia, kayak, or hotels.com, unless maybe, they just like wasting their money?
Now, we might consider spending that kind of money to stay at the Ice Hotel in Ice Hotel in Sweden, but unfortunately, they’re only open basically during tax season, and I’m an acountant, so that experience will have to wait for retirement.
4 – $40-$100k a year? Oh Tony, I don’t think you want to know how much my husband and I earn, and we still wouldn’t waste our money paying more than we have to, for anything. My God, our luxury balcony suite on our last cruise cost less than that $300/night, and included entertainment, all the steaks, lobster tails and other gourmet food we could eat, along with our very own personal concierge. Please.
As far as your claims about what a timeshare resort can offer:
1 – Can your resort offer lodging at the Ice Hotel in Sweden? How about the Treetop hotel in Mt. Ranier National State Forest? Yeah, didn’t think so.
2 – You can find discount coupons for at least $1,500 in savings for all those things, at just about any vacation area, located in various restaurants, convenience stores, tourist information centers, hotel lobbies, and all over the internet. You might want to check out the “groupon”, “livingsocial” and “resturants.co*) sites. No need to spend tens of thousands of dollars buying into a timeshare property for that. Gee, for about $30, you can also pick up an “Entertainment” book, which includes many thousands of dollars of discounts, for everything you mentioned, plus much, much more.
3 – Why would I, or anyone else, limit themselves to 500 hotels world-wide, when they can select from tens of thousands of different resorts instead?
Trying to claim that non-owners of timeshares pay more? You are making an assumption that I have not found to be even remotely true. In fact, my husband and I often stay at timeshare properties, and usually pay between $200 – $300 for the entire WEEK, which is about 1/4th, or less, the amount the owners of those properties are required to pay in annual maintenance fees alone. And that’s not even including the tens of thousands of dollars they pay in principle and interest to “buy-in.”
4 – “There is absolutely no minimum week imposed”? Huh? Did that statement have any meaning, or relavance, to…oh, anything at all in this discussion? Just wondering, because that sounded like complete nonsense to me.
5 – “You can forward your membership anytime” ? Yet another completely nonsensical statement, devoid of any meaning whatsoever? If, by that, you meant that they can sell their membership? Ok, but only if they can find a buyer, which may be difficult, to impossible, right?
In fact Tony, I can usually find really great vacation packages that include airfare, hotel and even a rental car, all for LESS than the cost of airfare alone.
No, I don’t consider buying timeshare properties a “waste of time” as you claimed, but rather a waste of money, especially if bought at the overinflated “presentation price.” I also feel that anyone who does their research first, will probably reach this same conclusion.
pls include this: MOST HOTELS AND RESORTS HAVE A PRICE MATCH GUARANTEE OR A LOWEST PRICE GUARANTEE IF BOOKED DIRECTLY THROUGH THEM, I have not paid more than $79 dollars a night in a 4 and 5 star hotel or resort simply buy finding the best deal on the net or through an agent then calling the hotel directly and them giving me a better rate.
I recently returned from 2 weeks in Los Cabos – two different resorts, one in San Jose and one in Cabo San Lucas. Both were timeshare trades. Both places were lovely and I had a great time. The timeshare reps, though, were another story. It began in the airport. I’ve been to Mexico numerous times, so I knew what to expect. Nevertheless, it’s exhausting trying to avoid them. As soon as you say no and escape one, another tries to grab you. Upon checking into the hotels (both of them), someone tried to sign me up for a “tour”. I very clearly said no but I got 2 or 3 phone messages each day asking whether I had changed my mind. In the grocery store a man who I initially thought was a store employee kept following me around and offering me gifts to attend a sales talk. And in a nice restaurant a girl who said she was a hostess chatted with me for awhile as I waited for my food, then tried to refer me. The only things that seemed to discourage them were saying “I’ve been told I don’t qualify” (untrue) and “I live here” (ditto). I have all the sales resistance in the world, but being hounded by these people is not how I like to spend my vacation. I have to admit, I was tempted by one person who offered me 3 days of free car rental, including insurance, plus $250, but I decided not to go.
@ Janet
Hope you’re still listening. Just want to say i LOVE your manner of calmly and methodically skewering all the bogus claims and arguments made by these timeshare reps. So predictable (and hilarious) how they finally resort to name calling and character assassination when their ‘deals’ are fully exposed for what they really are. You rock!!!
Thanks Vern! Sorry I haven’t been here because, well frankly, we’ve been vacationing for several months, only returning home when we need to take care of business.
We just returned home this week, only to open our mailbox, and find out that we’ve WON a number of “prizes”, ranging from a Porshe, valued at $49,000, to a 5 day “exotic Island Adventure”, and also includes free round trip airfare, accomodations to Los Vegas or Orlando, and a free carribean cruise!
Our “congratulations” letters even include boarding and prepaid airline “passenger and baggage check” vouchers!
All we have to do to pick up these supposed “prizes” and “free” gifts is to call their toll free number for the details.
We didn’t just “win” one either, but we just received 5 separate supposed “congratulation” letters, from 5 different companies! Wow, are we lucky, huh?
Of course, in the fine print at the very bottom, each one of these exciting congratulation letters also advises “this offer is sponsored by ________ for the purpose of soliciting vacation interval sales.”
We also know that most of the supposed “free vacations/cruises” aren’t even worth the cost of the taxes and fees that we would have to pay to collect them, or contain so many restrictions that make them impractical for most people to utilize, simply because their jobs don’t allow the type of flexibility that the offers require. Fortunately though, as business owners, my husband and I can take off just about any time, and go just about anywhere.
They get us to attend by attempting to deceive us into believing that we won all these wonderful FREE prizes? What kind of idiots do they take us for anyway?
Every time I’d receive this kind of garbage in the mail, the very notion of these people trying to take us for such fools used to really piss me off. I absolutely can not stand the fact that the use of these types of deceptive marketing practices are even legal. I see attending these “tours” as much of a form of protest, as I feel that I am providing a valuable public service by educating my fellow attendees.
They don’t like it? I don’t care. If it’s legal for timeshare companies to engage in marketing tactics I regard as dishonest, deceptive and disreputable, then it’s legal for me to respond accordingly, and in my opinion, my actions are far more ethical.
Thanks Susan, and I really enjoy your posts as well 🙂
Yes, I’ve heard the same thing, that in Mexico, developers will pay anyone who can get tourists to one of their “tours”, only depending on the property, they pay between $200-$400 (maybe the $200 is the “per person” price.)
We’ve talked privately with several “solicitors”, or OPCs (off property consultants) as they’re called, and with a little liquor, they sing like birdies. They’ve told us that yes, the “freebies” are deducted from their “fees” but they get deep discounts on those “freebies” anyway. Some of them have told us things which are pretty disturbing. Like about properties that hire “parolees”, recruiting them directly from state prisons. I wouldn’t have believed it, and didn’t, until I decided to walk around and talk to some of the employees, and OMG.
Really pisses me off when salespeople at these presentations justify misleading, deceiving, if not flat-out lying to potential customers, by saying things like, “we’ve heard every excuse in the book” or “we lie because you lie.” Since when do they imagine that anyone is somehow obligated to provide them with ANY excuse as to why they don’t want to spend thousands of dollars, much less answer ANY of their personal questions about their lives or purchasing decisions–it’s none of their business!
They don’t seem to understand the difference between a sales rep., and a potential customer. When a rep. is selling a product, customers do have the right to expect that what they are being told is, “the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth–about that particular product. Customers aren’t asking highly personal questions about salespeople’s lives, and if they did, they would have no right to expect the truth either. When a salesperson asks me a question I consider personal and completely “out-of-line,” I respond first by telling him it’s none of his business, and if he persists, I ask him ” and when did you stop beating your wife?”
When they start making claims such as “you can trade your timeshare and go anywhere you want, any time you want,” I ask to see a copy of the contract, and point that clause out to me. Of course I’ve never found that clause, nor any clause promising that I will be able to “rent out my unit for more than my annual maintenance fee” or “that I will be able to sell my timeshare for more than I paid for it.”
They expect that I should just take their word? I’ve already been told all of the above, and knew before I walked in the door that none of it’s true, so why would I believe anything else they have to say?
Salespeople who say the timeshare industry is regulated by various state and federal laws? Yeah, well that’s because those laws were passed as a direct response to wide-spread deception and flat-out fraud in the industry. Even so, they’re still only bound to honor their WRITTEN word, in the signed contract. All the verbal promises made during the presentation though? Those they can easily deny, and it becomes a matter of “he said, she said.”
I personally happen to feel these presentations should be required to be recorded, and the recordings should be required to be turned over to the authorities in the event of a dispute. Companies don’t seem to have any problem doing this–when it’s in their best interest. Collection agencies and most customer service departments routinely record all conversations, and I don’t see any reason timeshare presentations shouldn’t be required to be recorded as well.
After years of attending many presentations, the only one where every word the salesperson told us checked out to be the absolute truth, was at DVC,or Disney Vacation Club. In return for taking the DVC tour, we got a couple Disney gift certficates and some trinkets, but there was no pressure, no deception, and anyone not interested was free to leave in less than an hour.
We also knew before walking in the door that DVC is one of the few that retains a decent resale value, and members can easily sell or “rent” their unused points for 2-3 times the cost of their annual maintenance fees, and when they do, DVC points go fast.
Strangely enough though, the DVC salespeople never even mentioned any of that at the tour. Guess when you have a good product, and work for a company that has a reputation for honoring their word, there’s no need to lie or to work that hard to sell it.
Even so, I would only recommend DVC for those who vacation there on a regular basis, and prefer staying at the better Disney properties so much, they feel it’s worth the expense. There’s so much competition in Orlando, and great alternatives. We can usually rent for far less, but to be honest, staying right at Disney is so amazing, we’re seriously considering DVC membership.
The salespeople on this board might be interested in learning that Disney retains records of anyone who takes a DVC tour, and even if we buy 5 or 10 years later, that same salesperson who took us on that tour will receive the commission. I believe they also earn either a salary or hourly wage, regardless.
And I just checked their employment board for the salespeople here, and OH! I see DVC is hiring! So instead of whining, bad mouthing, and attempting to “guilt trip” people by accusing those who attend your presentations for the freebies of, “taking food out of mouths of your children,” you may wish to consider applying for employment with a company that seems to take care of their sales staff, as well as they do their customers.
Hi Janet, love your thread, I found it due to looking on the internet for ideas on how to get out of the sales presentation for a timeshare within a reasonable amount of time. My partner and I have just booked a week in Malta at a 5* hotel for 149.00 GBP per couple, not including food or flights, but altogether now flights booked and we have added breakfast, it is costing us just under 600.00 GBP in total for the week, we consider this good as we have not visited Malta before, so we will be able to see all we want to for the price of a mini break we were thinking of taking anyway, so we are happy with the offer, the only downside is that we had to agree to go on a two hour talk (which we now find to be a timeshare sales promotion, we have Googled the hotel we are staying at and found a lot of reviews about the hard sell, we have absolutely no intention of buying a timeshare, we travel far too much to be tied to one type of holiday and as for the cost, nothing about owning a timeshare appeals to us at all. We found on the reviews for the hotel that one couple were made to stay for an eight hour sales talk, surely this cannot be right that these reps seem to think they have the right to make you stay for this amount of time?, it is pointed out in the terms that you have to attend, which we are happy to do, but we were told the talk would be for around two hours only, (this was on the phone so we do not have proof of this), if we do not attend etc, they reserve the right to charge the full room rate which would be another 900.00 GBP approximate, so we will go reluctantly.
I have read that you should ask the rep before the talk starts. how long would it go on for, and then remind them ten minutes before the time is up that they have ten minutes left. The only thing spoiling the week away will be facing this promo talk, we do not know if we should attend early on in the week to get it out of the way, (one couple on the reviews said once they had said no, they kept getting phone calls to their room at all hours and it ruined their holiday) or do we wait until the end of the week and go the day before we leave?. We have been told to lie about the time we have been living together as we are not married, and they prefer around four years for a couple to be secure in their relationship. We have been told to take proof of our address, utility bill etc.
We really do not mind going to the sales talk, we are not gullible or vulnerable people, I am self employed and run my own business, my partner Software developer, we are just looking for the quickest, painless way to deal the sales talk and to ensure we are not kept captive for longer than two hours.
Any advice would be really welcomed.
Hi Olivia and thank you,
Just to clarify and give proper credit though, it’s not my thread. Mandie’s the author of the original article, and I feel her advice for surviving these presentations is pretty good. Set your clock, remind them when their time is almost up,and be BORING. Engage in as little conversation as possible, don’t volunteer information, or express interest in their property.
Malta? Last 2 Malta timeshares listed on ebay in the U.S. started at under a buck ($1 USD) and received ZERO bids. I’ve seen some listed at several thousand dollars, but doubt they’ll sell as I’ve seen IDENTICAL units at the same properties listed for under $500.
I recommend going on ebay and seeing if you can find some printouts to bring along, showing the sales of resale properties, but I don’t recommend my method of passing out copies to other participants because if they catch you, they might throw you out of the presentation before the required 2 hours, and then they could require you to pay the full room rate. So just bring printouts along, but bid your time and only use them if you have a problem getting them to honor the 2 hour commitment.
I’m not an advocate of lying, not even to a timeshare salesperson. I can usually tell when someone’s lying. You can see it in their eyes, and hear it in their voice. Psychopaths are really good at disguising the tell tale signs, but most normal people aren’t. Especially not from someone who’s specifically looking for it, and it doesn’t take much training either to recognize the “tells.”
One problem with lying at these tours is when most normal people lie, they start feeling a little guilty about it. Then the sales reps might start working the guilt angle on you, or seeing if they can place you in a “bad position” and back you into a corner where you feel obligated to defend yourself. Even if it doesn’t work, it’s still going to provide them with an opportunity to try to keep you there longer.
I recommend being upfront, and to highly personal questions, just inform them it’s none of their business. Especially to prying questions such as how much you earn. I respond to that question by telling them we earn more than enough to qualify for their offer, but I would no more tell a total stranger how much we earn, than I’d tell them how much we money we have in our bank accounts, our social security numbers, or sexual preferences. That’s usually sufficient to keep the discussion on a business basis, and keep them from continuing to try to pry into our personal lives, and finances.
As to why you don’t want to buy? You’re just not interested, not at any price. Malta’s a one time visit, and you have no intention of coming back, and no, you’re not about to buy there, just to have something to trade to stay at other timeshare properties. If you would ever consider a timeshare, you’d buy in an area much closer to home, where you’d be more likely to vacation at again. Aside from which, you know you can buy on the resale market for far less, and you’d never make a major purchase without shopping around first, or sign a contract without first running it past your attorney. But all of that’s still irrelevant, because you’re not interested in timeshare ownership regardless, period. Repeat as often as necessary.
One thing that may put you at a disadvantage in ending the presentation is that I’m presuming you’re english? Most english people I know are fairly nice, civil and polite.
I’m from New York, and I’m just not that nice. It takes more of a conscious effort to hold myself back. At least long enough to tour the property, crunch the numbers and get to know our fellow presentees. We’re not trying to escape, the salespeople get rid of us. They tell me something I know isn’t true, I have no problem rolling my eyes, giving them the raspberries, or laughing in their face. If they won’t take “no” for an answer and try to “guilt trip”, insult or shame me? I respond by exploding, while my calm midwestern husband shakes his head at the salesperson and says, “Hey buddy, better you than me.”
To be totally honest, my voice is also naturally so loud and booming, that once during a heated jury room debate, the judge called me into his chambers to tell me to tone it down because not only could the entire courthouse hear me, but he claimed I was frightening small children and disrupting traffic in the streets outside.
That judge was exagerating to tease me, but once I start arguing, my voice gets loud, and carries. It doesn’t take long for sales reps. to realize and not only can every person there hear me, a lot of them are listening. Continuing to attempt to argue with me isn’t just a waste of time, it’s not good for business.
So I’d personally go to the very first presentation possible, because I like getting things over with, which gives us lots of time afterwards to relax and meet our fellow travelers, and talk about many things, including the laws in most countries in Europe, which give you 10 days to back out, or “rescind” on timeshare contracts. But that’s just me.
If I had a quieter, more gentile nature though, I’d probably wait until the day before I left, to avoid even the possibility of continuing to have to deal with any pushy, obnoxious, reps. It’s never happened to us, for obvious reasons, but I’ve heard horror stories from others, especially in certain countries. (Although I don’t know that Malta’s one of them.) I even know people who have given in and signed, just to get them to leave them alone, and then rescind as soon as they get home. I don’t recommend that course of action either though, because some of them will then try to play games, pretending you didn’t send proper notice on a timely basis.
Can they keep you there for 8 hours? Well, they actually can’t force you, but if you don’t assert yourself and sit there, continuing to put up with it, they might just keep going, hoping to eventually wear you down.
When it’s time to leave,and you’ve already reminded them? Then get on your feet, stand up, and tell them, “it’s been 2 hours, and we need to leave.”
If they try to keep going and going? Well, now it may be time to consider lying. Tell them you’re starting to get a migraine. Need to get back to your room to take your medication, and lie down before you end up in the hospital, right now! If they keep pushing? After a few minutes, run to the ladies room, and start splashing your face with water. Stay in there for 5 minutes while your partner tells them to wrap it up and release you, because he needs to get you to your room. Come out holding your head. If you can manage, tears would make a nice touch.
If they STILL try to keep you after that, well, as long as they’re not holding a gun to your head, say good-bye and leave.
If you feel they might be jerks about walking out on them, then go to your room, and write a letter, documenting what time the seminar started, and what time you left. Enclose a copy of the original offer, and advise them that you honored your time commitment as per the original agreement, and if they try to renige and charge you the full rack rate, you will dispute the charges, report them to the appropriate authorities, and seek legal counsel.
Whatever you do, don’t sign anything at the presentation, other than maybe a statement that you attended. Be very careful.
One thing though. If the original offer says the presentation will run a COUPLE of hours, well, that could be mean either 2 or 3 hours. If it says, SEVERAL hours, well, that could mean 3 or possibly 4 hours, hard to say. So watch the wording and make sure you comply with the terms.
Best of luck!
Thanks for all the tips!!! Hope you will see this in time….So I am currently on one of these timeshare vacations in Ft. Lauderdale and we went to the village something on singer island- our guy was nice but i started getting antsy around hour 3…we stated a couple of times to wrap it up, we weren’t buying he knew my boyfriend was unemployed and I said i was in school… Not true but we were told this works… It doesnt unless you both state you are in school btw…but he was not letting us go- we had to stay because the rest of our vacation (2night cruise/nights in Orlando) was being held hostage… I didn’t read any of these things beforehand but started researching after when we didn’t get the vouchers for the Orlando part of the trip- I was concerned (and told by others) that we were going to be forced to go to another 5 hour presentation to get those… The guy who was checking us out assured us we wouldn’t but when I asked to get it in writing he refused- I asked why wouldn’t he do it if it were true. He stated because I have been doing this for 15 years and I’ve never had to do it before… Oh ok, great reason?! He stated there would be no issues whatsoever and they can call him “mike” (he’s the only one there he says) and that he used to be the manager there. We are hoping there are no issues- but any advice what to do if there are? I wish I videotaped him! We didn’t realize this was a timeshare thing when we first agreed to come, we were told it’s simply for us to sample some of their resorts because if we enjoyed it we would come back. We were promised (on the phone) no tour… Until we hit the point of no return were we told about this… Help?
If you have to sit thru another time share presentation, find fault with the resort from the git-go. It’s too large, too small, no entertainment, not enough activities, too far from town, too far from home, don’t like the rooms, whatever. Don’t compliment anything or say it’s beautiful. Leave the sales person with the belief that you would buy it if you liked it, but you don’t like it at all. Not much they can do about that. It worked for me once. I asked whether they had anything more upscale. They didn’t. So it was a short conversation. If possible, look the place up on the internet and see what the resort offers, and check other people’s reviews, especially their complaints. Things I have criticized in timeshare talks include lack of elevators, expense of taxi rides or lack of public transportation (get the facts first so they can’t say you’re wrong), no “gourmet” restaurant on premises, no play area for kids (or too much noise from kids), the climate, just about anything. You can pretend you’re disappointed and not having a good time at the resort. Don’t fall for the “you can trade it”. Tell them if you bought a timeshare it would be one you really loved, too many fees involved in trading, RCI membership, etc. Good luck!
Janet, your comments are always excellent, helpful and true. Your experiences are much the same as mine. I really enjoy reading what you write.
Next week I am off to 2 weeks in Los Cabos – one week in San Jose del Cabo and one week in Cabo San Lucas. This is a timeshare stay. Although I am an owner, I am always asked to go to an “orientation” or “update” which is nothing more than a sales talk where they try (unsuccessfully) to get even more money out of me. I have read comments online that indicate that the sales reps in Cabo are particularly aggressive, so I don’t plan to go to a talk, but if the premium was REALLY good … I agree that most times you can get them to up the offer if you hesitate. I don’t know if this is true or not, but I have been told that in Mexico, pretty much anyone can earn money by referring someone to a time share talk. Maybe this is why we are approached on the street, in stores, etc., not just at the resort. My understanding is that the person making the referral gets a certain amount of money (I was told $400 per referral but don’t know if it’s true), but they have to pay for whatever “gifts” they promise you out of that fee. So the more they “give” you, the less they get for themselves.
You’re welcome, and you’re far from alone. We know many others who attend presentations for the same reason. They were burnt in the past and seeking to recoup at least a little of their losses.
Don’t forget that when you’re being solicited to attend a presentation, with a little negotiation, you can almost always get them to “sweeten the pot” and improve or even double your “freebies” for attending. We usually hem and haw a bit, and then say something like “I don’t really see any shows on that list we want to see, but if you had tickets to see a Cirque de Soleil show…..” Or, “I don’t know that a free dinner or show tickets is worth giving up an afternoon of our vacation time. Now, if we could get both a free dinner AND show tickets…”
Works almost every time.
The Polo Towers in Vegas? We stayed there a couple years ago, and it wasn’t bad, but we really prefer the luxury of the Venetian. Actually, we’ve never paid anywhere near as much to spend a week at the Venetian, as the average annual maintenance fees alone the timeshare owners at the Polo Towers apparently pay, which I understand runs about $1,000 per year. We stayed there utilizing a “unsold inventory” deal and paid $199 for the entire WEEK, and no tour was required either.
For those who would like me to “do the math”, what this means is that 1 week timeshare owners are paying an average of over $140/night in maintenance fees to stay there for 1 week a year, while we rented a one bedroom condo at the same exact property, and paid less than $30/night. Bottom line, it appears that timeshare owners here, are paying roughly 5 times as much for a 1 week stay, JUST in annual maintenance fees alone. (If anything about those numbers is incorrect, I would hope that someone from the Polo Towers posts to correct me.)
Yes, we got a great deal, but I just checked on “Expedia” and room rates at the Polo towers there start at $47/night up to $108/night, which is still significantly cheaper than annual maintenance fees owners pay. And that’s not even counting the $15,000 plus principle tour price to “buy in” OR the interest fees if they had to take out a loan, which can easily doubt or even triple, depending on interest rate and years of the loan. Oh, and let’s not forget real estate taxes, annual increases, or any “special assessments.” OH, and if you want to try to trade to stay at other properties, don’t for get the roughly $100/year for RCI membership, plus possibly an additional exchange fee, but good luck. Most Vegas properties don’t seem to have much trading power.
We weren’t required to take a tour as part of our $199 package at the Polo Towers, and didn’t plan on it, but they’re very agressive. So after daily hounding to take the “tour”, and offering us show tickets and a nice buffet in exchange for our time, we figured why not?
As far as deception goes, we were asked only to “take a tour”, not “listen to a sales pitch”, much less were we asked whether we had any interest in buying a timeshare. Yes, I consider that extremely deceptive, and any salespeople here who wants to try to “guilt trip” or inimidate me for continuing to attend regardless? Well, they can try, but it won’t have any effect.
The “deal” we were offered and accepted was, “our time, in exchange for
their freebies.” That’s the deal, and a deal’s a deal!
If certain salespeople posting here don’t like that deal, they can take it up with their employers, but the simple fact is that I am not the one here trying to change, renige or “mooch” on the deal.
I don’t recommend this course of action though for most people though, but only because most people haven’t spent much time, if any, researching this particular industry, and simply aren’t prepared, and that can make them vulnerable to being victimized, by sales practices I consider extremely unethical, deceitful, and downright predatory.
We have no problem spending as much time at these presentations as they so desire, but the truth is that we’re usually shown the door in less than an hour–freebies in hand.
If timeshare salespeople don’t like me? The way I view that is about the same way I view panhandling drug addicts, who will say and do just about anything to get me to give them money, and after I refuse, call me a “loser.”
Why would it bother me that a drug addict, lying in a gutter in his own urine, desperate for his next “fix”, thinks I’M the “loser?” If it wasn’t so tragic, I might even find it somewhat amusing.
Thank you for all the wonderful advice. Once upon a time I bought a timeshare for full price and then lost my job and was given no choice sell my timeshare back to the company. I owned a villa at the polo towers in Las Vegas. After the purchase I was sooo happy then after a few months I realized it was the dumbest mistake I have ever made. It was not until I did some research did I find out that my exact same villa I bought for 15k was being sold for 3k and that was when the market was very good a few years ago. Save yourself the mistake a learn from the pros. Everything Susan and Janet here says is pure truth. They get nothing out of it and if only i read about this years ago, it would have saved possibly up to 12k (well less since i dropped the timeshare eventually since I could no longer pay). This has given me a sour taste for timeshares I am now attending these events strictly for the savings and recoup some of my money back. I thought I was the only one who goes to these 90 minute previews strictly for the perks. Glad to know I’m not alone
Mike I think you may be confusing Susan with me (Janet). I’m the one who vacations 3-4 months out of the year and is looking at buying a vacation condo for $40,000 with 100% ownership. My husband and I do not own any timeshares, while Susan has owned several (that she bought on the resale market for under $1,000) and currently owns 1, that she bought on the resale market for $10,000, which was 1/4th the presentation price of $40,000.
In regards to your claim that timeshare owners hold a 1/4th to 1/14th share interest in real estate, at least according to Tennessee law? What code would that be, because I just read the relevant statutes for the state of Tennessee (Title 66, Chapter 32, Timeshare Programs and Vacation Clubs) and I didn’t see anything of the sort. So please provide the code number. I’d like to read it because my bet is that IF what you say is true, then that probably has more to do with the percentage of property taxes each one of the 52 owners is responsible for paying, enabling the govt. of your state to massively inflate the property taxes of timeshare ownerships, to match the massively overinflated property values. Is that it?
Spare me the commentary. Just give me the code numbers and let me read it for myself. Tennessee, huh? Pigeon Forge and the Smokey Mountains? Yup, we’ve been there many times, staying in beauitfully furnished cabins, for which we only paid between $59/night to $299/week, which is far less than the maintenance fees alone that most timeshare owners pay. I also did a quick check on that, and at the timeshares in Pigeon Forge, found annual maintenance fees for a 1 week timeshare ranging from $400 to a whopping $1,200/year! And that’s just maintenance fees, not including principle and interest on the original purchase price, or taxes, and from what you’ve described, sounds like timeshare owners in your state really get socked. Do timeshare owners really pay 1/4th to 1/14th of the total real estate assessment, on properties they only get to stay at 1 week a year? Really?
Yes, I can honestly say we do much better, and get far more bang for our vacation buck. Are the timeshare properties we stay at nice? Oh, they’re lovely! Only again, we usually rent “excess inventory” weeks from RCI, paying just a weekly cleaning fee, or rent at deeply discounted rates directly from owners–who are just seeking to recoup a small percentage of their annual maintance fees. The savings we obtain is WHY we are able to vacation 3-4 months out of the year.
You know, when we start telling salespeople at the presentations about the places we go and the savings we obtain, they usually start writing down our sources–so they can follow suit!
But the real truth is that all these timeshare properties are really nothing more than furnished apartments. No matter how nice, they’re nothing special, and can’t even begin to compare with some of the truely unique vacation lodging we’ve enjoyed, such as our treehouse suite in Mount Ranier National Forest, where you have to cross a suspension bridge and then climb a 4 story staircase to reach. Rather the luxury of some of our Vegas suites, it offered a truely unique and amazing experience!
Or this past year, when we just happened up this hotel converted from an old Abbey, where the nuns had taken a vow of silence and walled themselves in. After a grueling day of bicycling 70 miles, in the rain, along the Mississippi, we decided to spend the $100 and spring for the “honeymoon suite” which actually came with it’s own private, antique wedding chapel! It was totally amazing, stain glass windows, highly ornate decorative woodwork. So beautiful! We spent the night on our private balcony, overlooking the river, while we enjoyed room service — prime rib and lobster. The staff caught us sneaking into the pool for a midnight swim, and just smiled and waved!
We have stayed in every type of lodging from hostels to castles, and everything inbetween, including suites converted from: Barns, yurts, historic lighthouses, train cabooses and paddleboats, etc. All totally awesome.
I don’t care how “nice” you think your timeshares are, they can’t compare. These are all experiences people who lock themselves into timeshare payments will never get to realize.
And no, we’re not ultra wealthy, we just pay cash for everything. We have zero debt, and our vacations represent all the interest money we didn’t give to the bank, meaning yes, we also paid cash for our ginormous brick home, and brand new cars that we bought from the dealerships. Our previous tiny little homes we now rent out, generating positive cash flow, which is how we were able to afford our current home. And no, I don’t think I’m that smart. More like fitting the stereotypical accounting profile.
If we buy this condo for $40,000, the ability to use it more often than 1 week a year is NOT the only advantage, nor will we have to hire any property management company to rent it out for us. You want me to crunch the numbers for you? Ok.
The property management is already on-site, and takes care of all rental aspects for the owners, which is included in the monthly HOA fees, which run a little under $500/month. Located less than 2 miles from Disney, the resort is zoned short-term (meaning condos can be legally be rented out on a nightly basis) enjoys an average occupany rate of over 75%, which should easily cover the monthly HOA fees, along with generating positive cash flow IF we decide to buy and rent out. Most of the current owners are either “snow birds” or retirees who live there year round. We know them because we’ve stayed there a number of times. It is an absolutely beautiful vacation resort.
The only reason this condo is selling for only $40,000 is because the real estate market in Florida is severely depressed, particularly in Orlando. During the height of the real estate boom, these condos sold for over $350,000, the current owners are “upside down” in their mortgage, and rather than forclosure, the bank is willing to take a “short sale” and we have the cash. Only reason we’re hesitating is because we’re also looking at another property, a hotel near a major university, which we’re considering buying and converting to student housing, and that would tie up a great deal of our cash.
The real estate market probably won’t stay this depressed forever, and when it rebounds, we could realistically anticipate selling this condo, netting a profit of several hundred thousand dollars. If the market doesn’t rebound? Doubt the market value will drop below $40,000, and we could also rent it out on a monthly basis to generate a positive cash flow of at least $600/month.
Most people only have $20,000? Gee, well, there’s also LOTS of condos for sale for only $20,000, that people could buy instead of a timeshare, rent out, which would make them money, and pay for their vacations, just like ours do! Not to mention the fact that interest rates on a loan for a rental condo can usually be obtained for as low as about 5% with good credit, or 8-9% max., while interest rates on a timeshare loan usually run around 16-18% or more!
Don’t tell me you need money for all this because we started investing when we were both making just barely over minimum wage. The reason we were able to do so was because we didn’t throw away money we didn’t have, going into debt buying timeshare (read: liabilities), and bought assets that made us money instead. That’s why we now have money, and it’s the only reason we do.
I recognize all the psychological sales techniques, that you just used in your post above, and your arguments contain just enough truth to sound good, but that’s about all it is. There’s lots of “extended stay” and condo style hotels and other alternatives, which really don’t cost that much more than staying in a “crappy room” and which also don’t cost anywhere near as much as all the annual expenses of owning a timeshare.
The reality is that, especially when purchased from a developer at the “presentation price,” are not only a very poor purchase from a financial standpoint, don’t even satisfy the criteria of providing an enjoyable annual vacation for most families. This thread may not be filled with unhappy timeshare owners, but the rest of this site is! Most of who are timeshare owners who are extremely unhappy, do not feel they received what they paid for, but rather, feel conned and cheated, and they want out.
Again, we vacation a lot and the only timeshare owners I know who are happy with their purchase are those who first did their research, and then bought on the resale market. And we know a LOT of timeshare owners.
Finally, the real truth is that people change, and just because they may want to vacation at Pigeon Forge or Disney this year, doesn’t mean they’re going to want to continue doing so — for anywhere near the number of years it would take to make that timeshare purchase worth the expense. If you buy a timeshare for $20,000, and only use it for 3 years before you end up having to move for your employment, or another unforseen circumstance? Well, if you can only recoup $5,000 of that $20,000 by reselling it, along with all the annual expenses, means those 1 week vacations for 3 years actually cost closer to $6,000 per year! For that kind of money, you could booked luxury accomodations in the finest 5 star hotels instead!
In fact, last year we booked a “mystery Disney” hotel on line for $79/night, where they didn’t reveal the name until after we booked our noncancellable reservation. Our “room” (ie., luxury one bedroom condo) turned out to be at the Disney Contemporary Bay Towers, which normally rents out for over $700 a night. Sweet!
In a couple weeks we’re going back to Orlando, and unfortunately, we can’t stay at either Disney, or a nice timeshare resort 🙁
But that’s only because the grandbabies want to stay at the Nickelodeum hotel, so they can have breakfast with Spongebob and get slimed!
I love your style Susan, really. I think our families could grill out and have some ice tea and fun debates on many subjects.
You are absolutely correct in saying there are some very “low value” time share sales people and time share companies. There is no doubt, your very correct in that statement.
Please do not lump me in with those people. I do my job in a professional manner without tactics that have greatly harmed this industry.
Allow me to make some corrections to some of your statements.
First, I can only give you Tennessee Law.
1. A person that purchases vacation ownership does not have a 1/52nd owner ship.
They have between 1/15th and 1/4 owner ship.
2. There are several ways to “invest” in time share or vacation owner ship.
(I put invest in quotes because it is not really an investment. I understand that, and just like you have mentioned and just like a car the value drops immediately after purchase.)
Here is my honest, no twist, opinion of time share.
1. It is a way for people that do not have other resources to have better and nicer vacations than they may have had without.
Would you agree that time share facilities are nicer than hotels? (I know mine are.)
2. Can you purchase them on the resale market for less than at a “tour”.
Yes, yet you can buy anything cheaper from an individual than a company.
Please run these numbers. You buy a condo, let’s say Vegas. I mean a nice condo and the agent works through Coldwell Banker.
Now, let’s say you want to offset expenses so you contact a property manager to rent your condo for the rest of the year.
Your monthly expenses are still there whether you buy at Coldwell or buy through me.
I am referring to the HOA, maintenance, taxes, you get my point Susan?
Bottom line, most people can afford the 15K to 20K, I can’t do anything about the other fees. Even you pay those fees. Oh by the way, before you slam the time share guys concerning the fees. The members of the time share appoint and or serve on the boards that dictate all fees, other than taxes, so do not blame the time share companies for escalating the “other fees”. They are not a profit source for these companies. Specifically, the Tennessee Real Estate Commission, mandates that those fees be accounted for in an escrow fund held by an Escrow Company and or insured financial institution that is bonded. All funds must be spent on “improvements” to the property. They ARE NOT for salaries.
I think you mentioned buying or your going to purchase a condo for 40K. Your going to pay the same fees a time share owner would. Period. Your ONLY advantage will be, you have use of the property for more time than a time share owner. Then again most people do not get to travel 3-4 months a year.
Mike, I forgot to address a couple important points.
As far as your claim about the increases in maintenance fees not being due to increases in salaries? Oh?
When we bought our ginormous brick home, the reason we were able to pay cash is because we got it cheap, bank forclosure, really cheap.
And that’s because the previous owners left behind a number of “code violations” which the bank would have had to repair (estimated at about $30,000) before another bank would give anyone a mortage on it. Our village though permits ownership to be transferred to cash buyers, who then have 30 days after closing to bring the property up to code.
Only instead of paying $30,000, the cost of materials to do it ourselves was under $1,000. We could have done it for about $500, but $600 of it went towards buying the materials we used to build a stunningly gorgeous oak and wrought iron staircase, instead of the $100 it would have cost, just to bring that staircase up to code.
My point is that when it comes to maintenance and repairs, and “improvements”, the cost of materials is usually “deminimus” — virtually nothing, compared to the cost of labor. Increases are almost ALL in cost of salaries! On a percentage basis, probably about 90% or more of the cost of repairs and improvements goes into payroll.
You think it’s not a profit source for the management company? Maybe not directly, but creative accounting is a wonderful thing! There’s all kinds of nifty little ways to conceal profits, contracting out work to related entities, buying from related entities to inflate material costs, bonuses, incentives, perks, etc. Oh, so many ways. So don’t bother trying to legitimize or justify any of it to me by telling me about escrows and insurance bonds. I know exactly how it works, and it’s all even legal.
If you don’t think any of that’s going on? I believe you, but only because companies don’t usually allow their salespeople to inspect the books, and even if they did, wouldn’t know how to interpret and analyze what they were looking at anyway.
You agree that people can buy cheaper on the ressale market than they can on a “tour”, and then try to trivialize the dollar amount by saying “Yes, yet you can buy anything cheaper from an individual than a company.”
The difference between buying a used car from a dealership vs. from a private owner is a little higher, and so is buying a house from an agent, but only by about 10-15%. Those prices are not inflated by over 50% – 75%, or more!
How can people who can’t afford a $40,000 condo, just afford to hand over $20,000 for a timeshare they could have bought resale for a maximum of $10,000, when they could have used that extra $10,000 to buy a brand-new economy car instead?
And that’s “best case scenerio.” Last timeshare presentation we attended, they were asking $20,000, when identical units could be picked up on the resale market for only $800 – $1,000.
With that $19,000 savings of buying on resale, they could buy both that same exact timeshare, and a really nice brand new shiny mid-sized car!
If people realized this before buying, do you think you’d ever make another sale?
There’s really no resale market for timeshares. That’s why you can get them on eBay and other places for next to nothing, frequently just the cost of transferring ownership. Owners, after enjoying them for a few years, just want to get out from under the ongoing costs. I felt that way, even though I bought mine for very little and thoroughly enjoyed them. But people are still buying timeshares at the sales presentations given at the various resorts. I have had salespeople tell me that they would increase in value (wrong, they only increase in price), that the company would buy them back (nope, the most they will do is take them in trade toward an upgrade), and that like any real estate “investment”, the owner would make money on a resale. This one kills me. True, the resorts are lovely and are situated on prime real estate, but when is the last time you received an equity check from the developer? If they do go up in value, it’s not the timeshare purchasers who benefit.
I had 2 timeshares – a studio unit in Ft. Lauderdale, right on the ocean, that I paid a total of $600 for (it was great in itself, and had awesome trading power), and a 3-BR in Ocean City, MD that I bought for $215 (never went there, just traded it). After 7 or 8 years I decided to sell both and I did it easily. What I did was go to the resorts where I had the timeshares, and handed out a flyer to people who were attending time share presentations (didn’t matter whether it was before or after, because even if they had bought one, they could cancel if they wished). My flyer said that after attending the timeshare presentation, if they were inclined to buy, I had one to sell. I was staying there and could show them my unit, and I quoted a price that was about 1/4 of the selling price at the sales talk. I still made at least 4x what I paid for them, and sold them both the first day I tried. I suspect the timeshare salespeople didn’t appreciate it (if they even knew what I was doing), but they couldn’t stop me, as I only approached people in the public areas, not in their sales areas.
I currently have a timeshare in Mexico that I love, and I got it for a good price. However, the maintenance fee goes up $50 every year and I don’t love that. Many of the Mexican timeshares are not forever — mine is for 25 years, and then it can be renewed for another 25, or you can walk away. I have about 15 or 16 years left on mine, and then I will let it go, and it can be sold to someone else. It would not have been such a good deal for me if I paid the developers’ asking price (about $40K), but I paid less than $10k, and to me it was worth it at that price.
@ Janet.
If I may respond to some of your comments you have placed on this forum. First, I am proud to represent the company I work for and can truly say that I have never lied to anyone, including lying by omission.
May I ask, why it seems you and your husband seem to have made this a “crusade” to “save” the less fortunate and or people not as “smart” as you seem to think yourselves?
“…Timeshare salespeople can keep me and my husband at their presentations as long as they wish to continue discussing these matters. We don’t mind. Every minute you spend with us, is one less minute you have to take advantage of anyone else, so take your time….”
Just like everything in life. Perceptions and personal experiences dictate the way you spend your time and money.
A lot of people may book their vacations online through sources such as Expedia or Travelocity, while others go to a tourist/vacation area and drive up to the hotels and check rates door to door.
Anyway, back to your comments….
“…..My husband and I can stay at timeshare properties without attending any presentations, but we usually go to them anyway. Only I do my research first….”
Is your life so boring that while on a great vacation you would choose to “go to them anyway”?
Are you trying to prove how smart you are and how stupid the rest of the world is from your point of view?
“…Only I do my research first….” LOL, OMG, that woman, who has a computer, GULP…. is coming to town this week end fellows, I think I am going to pee my pants.
The following statement was almost making me hurt I laughed so hard,
“…..Last timeshare presentation we attended, a little research in advance revealed that identical properties were being offered on the resale market for $800-$1,000, instead of the $20,000+ at the presentation. Almost unbelievable! I always carry a portable printer and make lots of copies, and pass them out to as many of our fellow participants at the “presentation” as possible, and also to ask our salesperson, “WTF?” I always bring a calculator and little laptop as well, loaded with excel spreadsheet templates, to “do the math!” Please! Don’t even think of trying to tell me what is being offered is anything remotely resembling a “bargain!” ….”
On the weekends, do you go to car dealerships and walk around the dealership telling people how you just bought your 1998 vehicle for $1,000 and that they are being scammed because no car should cost $20,000.
NEXT….
Really, a question of why?
“……Please don’t feel we target timeshare salespeople specifically. We do the same to waste the time of nigerian and other internet scammers as well. But timeshares are the only ones who actually compensate us for the privilege…..”
Is your life so unfulfilled, so sad that you have nothing better.
“…..the sales people here who want to call me a “mooch” or “freeloader”? To you I have this to say: If you possess a conscience, I urge you to please seek more reputable employment. Not just for others, but for your own sake as well. If you are a decent human being, deep down I think you know that what you are doing is very wrong, and it’s probably taking more of a toll on your self-esteem, and your own mental and physical well being than you realize….”
You are NOT a mooch or a freeloader, your a busy body with a sad life!
“…To you I have this to say: If you possess a conscience,…” I do and I am happy, I have a beautiful wife and 3 wonderful children and an amazing 8 month old grand son.
“…. I urge you to please seek more reputable employment….” How in the world could you be so arrogant? So, ignorant? Such a witch?
I truly hope you a better life. I hope you find more of a meaning and more of an undertaking such as St. Jude’s because for now your a joke.
As a matter of fact Mike, I also tried desperately for a number of years to convince people that the real estate market in general was a giant oversized bubble that was bound to burst, which of course, it did. Now, all those who didn’t listen and didn’t believe me are facing bankruptcy and foreclosure, and that breaks my heart.
As far as how “boring” my life is? I’m an accountant, so what do you think? Only to me, not only is it not boring, it’s my passion. I live to crunch the numbers, and even crunch them in my sleep.
I actually earn a very good living from my “busy body” compulsion to provide financial advice, which enables us to vacation 3-4 months out of the year. So my husband doesn’t mind indulging my passion to visit properties and crunch numbers at timeshare presentations while we’re on vacation. We have plenty of spare vacation time.
The truth is I never really had any intention of earning a living from what you call “my crusade.” I’m still not entirely sure how my passion for crunching numbers and helping people with their financial difficulties turned into a full-time business for me. It just worked out that way.
Attempting to equate timeshare ownership to the cost of a new car is total nonsense. First of all, for most people a car is a necessity. One which they require to transport themselves back and forth to work, enabling them to earn a living. No one NEEDS a timeshare!
Second. You are ignoring the fact that the cost of maintaining a used vehicle can ultimately cost far more than buying a new one. Most people buy a new car only when the cost of repairs becomes greater than the cost of monthly payments buying a new car. The same does not hold true for timeshares.
Third. The regard I hold for timeshare salespeople is more closely related to the regard I hold for used car salespeople, only I respect used car salespeople far more.
Fourth. The research I perform before attending presentations is on what an IDENTICAL unit, in the SAME property is selling for on the resale market, which is not the same as the difference between buying a new car as opposed to buying a used vehicle. It’s not even close. The average vehicle only lasts an average of 10 years, max., and the value of a new car depreciates on an average of $1,000 as soon as you drive it off the lot. While most timeshares lose an average of 50% of their value immediately after purchasing at presentation price, if not more.
If you sell a one week timeshare for the average presentation price of $20,000, representing 1/52th share ownership, what that really means is that, providing you sell all 52 weeks, you are actually selling these condominiums for over $1 million dollars, each! Are you actually going to try to tell me that your vacation condos are worth that kind of money? Now, I don’t know where you work, but if it’s in Vegas or Orlando for example, comparable condos on today’s market can be purchased outright, for under a hundred grand, and yes, in vacation resort style gated communities. In fact, my husband and I are looking right now at buying one in Orlando, in a lovely vacation resort community we’ve stayed at before. The current asking price is only $40,000 and that’s for 100% ownership!
Please don’t try to tell me that your units are somehow “nicer”, because I’ve been to LOTS of timeshare resorts, and at $40,000, this condo is every bit as nice, beautifully furnished, with all the same services, amenities, vacation and recreational facilities, as offered at most of the finer timeshare resorts. With the exception perhaps of a golf course, but we don’t golf anyway. It’s also located only 2 miles from Disneyworld, and zoned for “short term” rental, which the “on site” staff manages for owners who wish to rent out their units when they’re not using them.
In today’s depressed real estate market, I can’t even believe that anyone would be foolish enough to buy a timeshare instead, especially not at the outrageous presentation price.
In addition, the maintenance fees? Well, let’s take a minimum of $300, to over $800 a year, multiplied by 52 owners, generating an annual income of over $15,000 to over $40,000 per unit for the timeshare management. Wow! And that’s not including any “special assessments” for when it comes time to buy new furniture, or upgrades, now is it?
In fact, Diane Sawyer did an expose on timeshares a while back on TV in which one unlucky owner told her story of how the maintenance fees on her timeshare were arbitrarily increased from $150 to over $500, and that’s not per year, but rather per MONTH! Meaning that her maintence fees jumped from $1,800/year, to over $6,000 per year for a 1 week vacation in Cancun Mexico. Almost unbelievable.
As far as “lies of omission” go? There’s also “lies by misleading”, an example of which in your post is your question of “Are you trying to prove how smart you are and how stupid the rest of the world is from your point of view?”
No, I don’t think I’m smarter. What I think is that most people who are knowledgable, know better than to buy a timeshare, at least not at the presentation price. I also think that most people don’t attend presentations because they don’t want to have to deal with the pressure, and beligerent insults of the sales reps.
Sorry, but I’m just not that gullible, can’t be pressured and for me to care about anyone’s opinion, I first have to hold some respect for that person.
Just FYI, when most people want to insult and call me names, instead of using “witch”, they replace the “w” with a “b”, which I consider a compliment.
Janet, you are a waste of skin. What kind of bleak life you must lead if this how you poison the world with your endeavors to undermine folks who value vacations and enjoy the simplicity and consistency of good (and they’re out there) timeshare over settling for the cast-offs of others. Are you so toxic and bitter that you actually celebrate as you darken the doorway of every place you descent upon? Sad sociopath. Try staying home and spare the world your venom.
Gee Stu, what’s wrong? Do you not like the fact that I actually can, and have “done the math?” Or don’t you like it that I actually have the nerve to explain it to others?
Let’s revisit Mike’s analogy of buying a new vs. used vehicle. Most people probably would buy a new car for $20,000 over one that was 10 years old for $1,000. But that’s because most people also know that a used vehicle is no where near as reliable, would probably spend more time in the shop than it would on the road, and ultimately cost them far more in repair bills than the monthly payments of buying new.
But who in their right mind would choose to buy a new house for over a MILLION dollars, when they can buy an identical home for under $100,000, that’s every bit as nice, that’s just a couple years, or even just a couple months, old?
That’s exactly what you are doing when you sell a 1 week timeshare for $20,000, times 52 weeks, effectively selling that single unit for over a MILLION dollars, or more precisely, $1,040,000.
In fact, in areas such as Orlando and Vegas, in today’s real estate market, beautifully furnished vacation condos can be picked up for as little as $40,000, and that’s for 100% ownership. In fact, if you check the real estate listings in Orlando, there’s tons of condos, in rather nice communities, which are currently selling for $20,000–or less!
And who in their right mind would buy a house new, knowing the resale value is going to drop by at least 50%, or even 75%, or more, the second they sign the papers?
Not when they could buy it instead for 1/2 that price, or a lot less, on the resale market, and keep that extra $10,000, $15,000 or more in their own pocket. Again, there are wonderful timeshare properties on the resale market, that can be picked up for $500 or less, and a simple google search can easily determine which one of us is really telling the truth.
That’s what you call a “cast off?” Gee, when someone buys a 1 week timeshare new, they’re sharing it with 51 other families anyway. By the time their 1 week rolls around, that timeshare’s already well used.
I have yet to tour a single property where I honestly believed that the units being shown were worth anywhere the presentation price, which in reality, is over a MILLION dollars each!
You think I should stay home Stu? Yeah, I’m sure you do. You know, usually all I have to do is tell my fellow participants to “do the math” by multiplying $20,000 by 52, and that’s pretty much all it takes for them as well. No way are they about to fall for any sales pitch after that.
Sorry to have to tell you this, but the only ones who think I should “stay home” are the timeshare salespeople. Our fellow participants though usually accept our invitation to join us for cocktails later that evening, so we can all swap stories on the ridiculous sales tactics and all the nasty little insults from sales reps., who project their own mental disorders and personality defects onto everyone who didn’t fall for their spiel. It’s such a great conversation starter and for us, a really nice way to meet new people, and make lots of new friends.
Don’t like it Stu? Well, then tell your resort to stop sending me postcards and engraved invitations, soliciting us on street corners, and calling our home, to attend yet another presentation. The more we attend, the more invitations we receive to come back for more.
Alternatively, please find yourself a more reputable way to earn a living. I think you’d be much happier if you did.
Its not for everyone.
All of you morons that sit there and tell all those bullshit stories to get out of it realize your cheap asses are sitting there for a reason. If any of you had a brain and did the math you would realize those crap packages are a rip off. You would rather sit through 10,000 presentations and waste time and money than do something that is financially smarter!!!! Notice its not the owners that are writing horrible blogs its the retards that are to stubborn to see what a good thing it is. And P.SSS If an owner doesnt like their timeshare its cause they bought in a shit location use your damn brains! You think something that lasts a lifetime should cost 500 dollars be realistic.
Which company do you work for Sierra?
Hey Sierra,
The myriads of timeshare owners who aren’t happy aren’t writing on timeshare presentation boards, becausethey’re writing on complaint and legal boards, and doing everything they can to sell or get out of their contracts.
And no, the reason they don’t like their timeshare is not necessarily because they bought in a “shit location,” but rather because it’s a financial drain they can’t afford — for something they rarely, if ever, utilize.
Trying to claim that buying a timeshare is somehow “financially smarter?” I’m sorry, but I’m an accountant and doing the math is what I live for. There’s nothing I enjoy more than touring the properties and crunching those numbers.
If I had found any financial benefit in timeshare ownership, we’d have bought in long ago. But as my favorite accounting saying goes, “Just because you say so, doesn’t make it true!”
Yes, you actually can buy some rather nice timeshare properties for $500, or less. In fact, there are very few timeshare properties that can be resold for even 1/2 of their “presentation price” and doesn’t even take much in the way of brains to do a simple google search of the timeshare resale market to determine which one of us is telling the truth.
I regard attending timeshare presentations to be well worth my time, for the entertainment value alone. All those “freebies” are just icing on the cake, but that icing’s pretty damn sweet!
Last year in Vegas, we attended 3 presentations, and received tickets for 2 to 3 different shows, and those shows were all first rate! Jubilee!, Penn & Teller, and Cirque de Soleil. Total retail value of those “freebies” was over $500, and our luxury suite at the Venetian was hardly a “crappy” hotel room!
Then we went to Orlando, and first spent 2 days attending 4 timeshare presentations, and then picked up our grandbabies to enjoy our “freebies” with, which included our loging and tickets for all of us to visit both Disney and Universal Studios. Our entire “out of pocket” cost both our lodging and tickets was under $250 — and that was for the entire week.
The retail value of all our “freebies” for attending those 4 presentations was well over $1,000, and our lodging consisted of a lovely 2 bedroom condo, so please don’t bother trying to tell me that our “crap package” was a “rip off.” I can do the math just fine, thank you, and the value we received most certainly was not anything remotely resembling a “rip off.” In fact, it was wonderful!
Don’t bother wasting your time attempting to lay any “guilt trips” on me either. I regard such attempts as nothing more than yet another slimy sales tactic — which include overhearing timeshare reps. try to con people into believing that owning a timeshare is somehow more important than paying their mortgage or sending their kids to college!
In fact, at the last timeshare presentation we attended, we actually heard a salesperson tell a couple that if they couldn’t afford both a timeshare and sending their daughter to college, then they should just either make their daughter wait, or find a way to pay for her college herself. We could hardly believe he had that much nerve. Neither could they, and they told him off, big time. Didn’t phase him one bit though, and he then got all arrogant and huffy and proceeded to insult them by informing them that their resort didn’t need their type of “low-life, riff raff” anyway!
My husband and I would have been shocked, but it was hardly the first time we’ve heard that kind of beligerent garbage come out of the mouths of the reps. at these presentations.
Out of curiosity, your little game of attempting to shame, belittle, and guilt trip people, by calling them “retards”, “morons”, does that actually work on anyone? Have you found that to be an effective tactic that works for you? Well, sorry, but I’m not that gullible.
Here is why I will occasionally attend a timeshare sales talk even though I have no intention to buy: First of all, the salesman has solicited me, not vice versa, and has tried very hard to talk me into attending the presentation, no matter how many times I demure. If I am staying a week or longer at my own timeshare or one I’ve traded for, I can spare 90 minutes IF they make it worth my while. Some give really good premiums. Others are simply not worth the time and aggravation. One time I got a voucher for $100 worth of groceries, 2 tickets to a show where the tickets sold for $100 each), plus a big discount on a fishing charter. To me, I was well compensated for my time. I don’t consider myself a freeloader or a mooch, nor am I misrepresenting my intentions. I tell them up front I am not looking to buy a timeshare, and they always assure me that that’s OK.
I don’t go to the 3 day, 2 night stays. I did it once because it was within driving distance of my home, but typically the first day check in is at 4 pm, checkout is 10 or 11 am the third day, and they schedule the sales talk on the 2nd day, the only full day you have, so your time to enjoy activities or nearby attractions is severely limited. I once went to a new golf resort that offered 6 days, 5 nights, all inclusive. That was really nice. Part of the deal was attending the sales presentation, but you can always so no, as I did. Basically I had to pay the food & drink supplement and got free lodging. It was very reasonable and fun.
When I go to a timeshare presentation, I take off my watch, set it on the table, and say, “OK, you said 90 minutes. GO!” I give them a 10-minute warning before time is up. Usually they are nowhere near finished. Then I stand up and say “Your 90 minutes is up. I’m leaving now.” Do NOT sit back down. They will bring the manager/closer to talk to you. Repeat that the time is up and you are leaving, this time a little louder. I have been ushered out of the room quickly, told not to “disturb the room,” i.e., give other people the same idea. Works for me. I figure I have agreed to give 90 mins. of my time in exchange for whatever premium or gift we’ve agreed to. I fulfill my end, I expect them to do the same. BTW, I have bought timeshares, but only online resales. Huge savings.
I can hardly believe the number of timeshare salespeople here, still trying to manipulate others, even outside their presentations.
My husband and I stay at luxury timeshare properties all the time. Only we’ve never “bought in”, but rather obtain weeks of “excess inventory” from sites such as “skyauction.” The most we’ve ever spent was approx. $400, and that was for a full week’s stay, at a luxury oceanfront 2 bedroom, 2 bath, condo in Key West! Normally though, we can pick up a week’s stay at one of the “excess inventory” timeshare condos and villas for no more than a $20 processing fee, and a cleaning fee, ranging from $195 – $295, and that’s not per day, but for the entire week’s stay! For those, you don’t have to be a member of any club or attend any presentations either.
In fact, we pay less than most timeshare owners pay in real estate taxes alone, to say nothing of annual maintenance and property management fees, which can run as high as $800 – $1,000 a year, or more. Owners also get very little say about how management elects to run the property, and once all the units are sold, there’s little to prevent management from using the annual “maintenance fees” to increase their own salaries, rather than properly maintaining the property. Many owners are also hit with unexpected increases in both maintenance and real estate taxes, and so will even try to give their timeshares away for FREE, just to get out from under the annual expenses, and can’t find any takers! Most charities won’t even take them.
If you add up all the annual expenses, and then add membership in exchange programs (so you don’t have to stay at the same place every year) and interest you will have to pay on that $20,000 loan to buy the property, you’re looking at an expense of several thousand a year.
When the timeshare salespeople tell you that you already probably spend several thousand a year on your vacation anyway, so why not stay someplace really nice? Maybe, but not just for lodging! Timeshare owners still have to pay for airfare, food, attractions and everything else. Timeshare properties come with kitchens so you can save money on your food? Sure, but plenty of hotels have rooms with kitchen facilities as well, and when I’m on vacation, I don’t want to cook! I also enjoy; room service, daily housekeeping and turn down service! None of which are included in a timeshare purchase.
I should also point out that my husband and I frequently take advantage of the “vacation packages” offered by various airlines and travel agencies, which include both airfare and hotel stay. The the total package of which is often LESS than the cost of airfare alone! And with a little advance research, we’ve never stayed at a hotel that was anything less than spectacular either.
My husband and I can stay at timeshare properties without attending any presentations, but we usually go to them anyway. Only I do my research first.
Last timeshare presentation we attended, a little research in advance revealed that identical properties were being offered on the resale market for $800-$1,000, instead of the $20,000+ at the presentation. Almost unbelievable! I always carry a portable printer and make lots of copies, and pass them out to as many of our fellow participants at the “presentation” as possible, and also to ask our salesperson, “WTF?” I always bring a calculator and little laptop as well, loaded with excel spreadsheet templates, to “do the math!” Please! Don’t even think of trying to tell me what is being offered is anything remotely resembling a “bargain!”
Trying to tell me that “timeshare salepeople need to earn a living too”? Maybe, but that’s not a good reason for anyone to spend $20,000 on something they could purchase for under $1,000, that they don’t need anyway! I don’t see how anyone could view this as anything other than a scam or ripoff.
Timeshare salespeople can keep me and my husband at their presentations as long as they wish to continue discussing these matters. We don’t mind. Every minute you spend with us, is one less minute you have to take advantage of anyone else, so take your time.
Please don’t feel we target timeshare salespeople specifically. We do the same to waste the time of nigerian and other internet scammers as well. But timeshares are the only ones who actually compensate us for the privilege.
I know some timeshare owners who are very happy, but they didn’t buy from a salesperson at a presentation. Rather, they did their research first and bought on the reale market for next to nothing, at locations where the fees and taxes combined are no more than $2-300/year, at resorts which are popular enough to enable them to easily exchange for stays at other properties. Those are the true bargains.
All the sales people here who want to call me a “mooch” or “freeloader”? To you I have this to say: If you possess a conscience, I urge you to please seek more reputable employment. Not just for others, but for your own sake as well. If you are a decent human being, deep down I think you know that what you are doing is very wrong, and it’s probably taking more of a toll on your self-esteem, and your own mental and physical well being than you realize.
And to those sales people here who do not possess a conscience, thank you for your admissions on this board, which I will be printing out to bring with us to our next timeshare presentation for discussion purposes.
Has anyone ever booked with a company called “Wannago Vacations? They offer amazing prices for all-inclusive vacations, etc, if you listen to a presentation. I’m just wondering if they are legitimate.
I cant you people would actually waste your vacation time and the time of a salesperson, just so you can get free stuff because you are so cheap to your family and / or the fact you are a moocher…sales people have families and bills to pay also, timeshare is a real industry with real benefits that benefit the whole family, for you people who think it is a scam, you are idiots, many famos people own a timeshare and they use it , as well as many avarage people…consider that some sales people have to wait more than 2 days to talk to a prospect and if you are just “playing the game”, you are actually hurting a real person by wasting their time,so if you are truly interested in owning , go ans see what they have to offer, if not…keep your freeloading self away from the presentations
what do you people do for a living,….. that is so great, i want to come to your work waste your time and take food out of your childrens mouths, the more you lie the more i lie, you play games ill play games, you be straightfoward and i will be straightfoward,but nothing is free you will earn that gift if you come to me i wont just give it to you, and come to waste my time, ill have you walking all over my resort showing you things you could care less about, what if the roles were reversed how would you feel, we are all selling something in this world, so come on down i love selling you or tearing you up.
Guys let’s be real! Those of you who say that you dont want to buy, are typically the ones that buy. So come on down get your gifts, but just dont be suprised when you walk out with a new owners kit. Once I show you what could save its a no brainer. Crappy hotels+lots of money= your life. Resorts+ less money= my life. Oh yeah, you get a deed. So those of you who are stubborn enjoy, those who want to make love in exotic locations come see me.
For ALL those folks trashing the timeshare industry you have no IDEA on the great places you can visit and the magnificent resorts and the spacious rooms you can stay at for ALOT less than giving Hilton more money. DO THE MATH. CALCULATE WHAT YOU SPEND STAYING AT A CRAPPY HOTEL ROOM AND YOU WILL SEE THE DIFFERENCE IN A TIMESHARE…. Trust me when you do the math like I did and see the benefits of this you WILL give timeshare a consideration. I have traveled to Europe, California and alot of places in between and have had the time of my life and GUESS WHAT??? This is a deeded piece of property that will be handed down to my kids after I am gone so they can enjoy…Guys and girls, when you see the savings in your wallet and see where you can travel to and stay at, TRUST ME WHEN I TELL YOU, YOU WILL BUY A TIMESHARE. I HAVE NO REGRETS IN BUYING MINE…I BOOKED MY TRIP TO HAWAII FOR MY 40TH BIRTHDAY NEXT YEAR…………………………….
Dear Erica….THEN STOP GOING ON TIMESHARE PRESENTATIONS!!!! Why on earth would you take up someones time when you absolutely know that you are not going to buy anything?????? Why would you do that to a single mother who needs to make money. WHY??? Because you are nothing but a BIG CHEAP MOOCH, and I don’t feel sorry for you at all. Are you that cheap (or broke) that you need to take hours out of your vacation time (especially twice), and then have the audacity to complain about how you were treated? You do this to yourself, so next time you get GREEDY cause you’re to cheap to buy your own “FREEBIE’s” why don’t you think again…just pay for the damn gifts yourself, and stay away from a presentation. I would love to come into your job (if you have one), take up all your time, and then walk away leaving you with the feeling you just wasted your day on a freeloader. Nope Erica, I don’t feel sorry for you at all. And just so you know….I don’t work in the timeshare industry but I have friends that do. It’s really sad that people like you take up their time for nothing. I would’ve made you wait all day
And I bet Mia would be the first in Line for a free pair of pants or something at the Gap if they gave away something. Every sales person has to offer incentives to distance themselves from the other companies, it is an attraction to buy BUT not a certainty to buy, I would take a free vacation for 1/2 my day but I WOULD NOT due it twice a week, or even twice a year for it. I would listen and base my decision on what is offered vs what suits my family.
I am normally one of those that go to the presentations for the freebies, but the last one I went to was the worst experience I've ever had. I went for a presentation with Vacation Village at Weston. This was the second presentation of the week that I had to attend as part of a free trip/cruise deal. I told the people up front that I already owned a timeshare and that it doesn't make sense for me to buy another one. The immediate sales person was great and was understandable. However her supervisor wasn't nice at all. He made us wait for about 20 extra minutes because we weren't going to buy.
I’m going on a timeshare presentation today at a resort in Virginia. The timeshare people CALLED ME and offered 3 nights at their resort. However, when I booked it three weeks ago, I was told that I could not reschedule and that they would pick the day and time of my presentation during the three day visit. Their terms and conditions are pretty rigid. I had to put down a 75 dollar deposit which will be refunded once I have taken the tour and presentation. So, I don’t see it as a situation where I’m taking advantage of them. I’m giving up three days from my job and even though I’m sick now with strep throat I’m “committed” to the visit with no hope of a refund and they have refused to reschedule.
why ya all get angry these mach. I've been in a timeshare presentation, it is interesting and I did buy them. It seems because of you guys can't afford it you just yelling with jealousy.
Y waste a persons time wen they re trying to make a living, most do care, everything in life is sold! don't mooch, and all those excuses will not work we are only speaking of the travel dollars u are spending any ways, not ur boring bills. And the resorts are bad ass!
TNT, maybe the analogy was a bad one but I was talking more about service and saying a product is bad because it hasn't worked as expected or faulty and instead of trying to sort the problem in the required manner some peopel choose to run around shouting 'murder'.
As for your analogy to my computer…it really is bad, you don't share with hundreds of people, others use your suite when your not, the majority are owners like yourselves so respect the place they bought, if you bought one week of the year that's all you get, unless you have a bonus system…and yes you have to pay the maintenance fees until the life of the contract…same as a car, credit cards, phone, house or anything else. of course if you break a contract they want restitution as any company, but you'll find that as with any business that reputation is worth a lot more than a few dollars maintenance fee, obviously companies have systems in place to put you off if you just stop paying…if you stop paying your house because you moved and don't use it the banks will take it.
You'll find the vast majority of contracts are set out in stipulation to Federal and Local Government criteria and there is a lot of industry standards. Is it my company's fault that I sell you a product that you use for a number of years and then decide that it doesn't fit into your plans anymore, take a car you buy it on credit for 5 years but after 2 you move to a place where your car isn't needed, do you drop it back to the salesroom and say 'thanks, no use of it now and I'm stopping my payments', no you try to sell it on. Am I to be blamed if the market is flooded and your car isn't as good as the next one or worth as much when you do?
The timeshare industry has a myriad of programs out there, all with different benefits and all with different contracts. I personally tell people I would never buy on the spot but I know I would and have done so for different things in the past. My only advice is if you don't want to be sold, don't go to a presentation, it's the only guarantee you won't be sold.
I will give one bit of advice, the easiest way to sell someone is through greed, the greed of getting something of value for a little expenditure, that's why people take the gifts and go on presentations…it's not the value of the gift, it's the fact that you've only give a little to get a lot in return. Remember this when your on your tour, thinking it's only ninety minutes before you get your gifts because before you've even said 'Hello', they know what drives you.
Happy vacations and a merry christmas.
By the way, Paola…comment #18…very funny!
Seb, your comparison of the TS industry to buying a computer makes me laugh! Imagine buying a computer that doesn't work as promised, you have to share with hundreds of people you don't know, you can only use it one week out of the year, and you have to pay maintenance fees on for the rest of your life…even after you've stopped using it. And when you try and stop paying the fees, they come after your house! I'm sure you're a great person, but come 'on…
I work in the Timeshare industry and all I can say is please keep coming in for the gifts, I don't care what anyone thinks about my choice of career, it's the best in the world. I have found that people who think we are scum make the best owners because they've expected to be ripped off and when they haven't you've exceeded their expectations. It's obvious there must be a few bad apples but you can't judge them all, just the same as if there is a bad doctor, lawyer, priest, police officer…you don't judge them all.
I honestly believe that our reputation is hurt because we get you to make a decision in our time as opposed to yours, we take you out of your comfort zone and put you into a situation with which your not used to, which is making a decision about a large amount of money, usually the only times people make this decision for a large amount is for a house, cars or college. That's why different types of people, with different occupations take different approaches…it's not a trick or a sales tactic, it's a sensible approach to finding the best solution for the couple in front of you.
You are not meant to understand our industry or why we offer and do what we do, the same as I don't understand computers. I buy it, I use it but I don't need to know how it all works to get things done and I never call the salesperson if something goes wrong, I call the support line.
So do the presentations, tell the sales person your only there for the gift, there is no harm done but remember the more presentations you do, the more likely you are to buy one or try one out…just like the lottery you'll never win it if you don't play it.
and Dave, we may be 'scum of the earth' but I've never considered any couple that I've presented to wasting my time, the company offers these gifts and that produces couples to talk too.
Sas why tell us you could afford a timeshare? yet you don't know how much one costs or what it could do for you. I doubt any hotel group in the world would last very long if the hotel staff treated guests differently because someone didn't attend a presentation, just think what that would take for them to pick you out, make sure you weren't attended to and all the while looking after hundreds of other guests, sure you more attentive treatment and better facilities if your an owner, you'd expect it.
If your that worried when you speak to the concierge, be polite and politely refuse, but if you like the place and plan on going back to the area wouldn't it be a fine thing to find out what they really offer. The way to look at it is like anythin else we buy, we could all afford the cheapest option but why do we always want the one item that has everything and can do a hell of a lot more, how many times have you upgraded a room for a nicer view or paid for a better seat somewhere, got a bigger car with more gadgets, bought designer clothes instead of the cut price wal mart stuff?
Anyway, I hope I helped someone but if not just keep going for the gifts it really is alright.
Have a lot of happy vacations and merry christmas to you all.
This is so interesting, but I have a question for the Timeshare reps. What if we don't want to be solicitated at all? We're leaving in a few days for a hotel in Los Cabos and I've read reviews about the timeshare reps(concierge) approaching guests before they even check in. I'm a little worried because I've read numerous reviews claiming once they said no to the presentation, they were then treated badly by the hotel staff, not the service staff. I have also read reviews where once you said "no" there were no problems whatsoever. I'm worried though.. because although we could afford a timeshare, we ABSOLUTELY don't want to attend one. I would like to know the best response to the offer of the presentation to end any future hassling, if that is indeed the case? I don't want to lie and would like to be kind. I am going on vacation and have no interest in any financial decisions while relaxing, know what I mean?
Well for all of you that have a bad experience in time share, if you went to one and you didn’t like the concept then don’t go back to these presentations, if you don’t like to waste your time don’t waste eather the salespeople time, they are just trying to make a living, imagine how do you feel if you go to work and after your finish your day your boss tell you “thank you very much for your hard work but I’m not going to pay you, and I don’t care you have a family to support”. Before to talk check how many people own a time share and how happy they are and how many more become owners, I’m one, then for people that say have been lied its your fault for no reading the contract, dont tell me that you don’t read a contract when you buy a car or a house or for your job. Please if you don’t like people taking advantage of you, why you want to take advantage of them?
By the way…. I can get you 4 days 3 nights at cancun or playa for 200 usd! ALL INCLUSIVE!
IM NOT IN THE INDUSTRY AND I CAN GET THE SAME PRICE, what makes your offer so special? other than the 1/2 day of presentation. I can also get free airfare from Canada to Mexico! again, your deal is not that special. Really, anyone can get the price if they spend the time to search online for specials without having to attend a timeshare.
Hey Paola, which resort, want to get away for a long weekend and if you’re offering all-inclusive for 90 minutes of my time, I’M THERE!
I love you all guys!!!! the more you teach people to go into a presentation, the more you help us!!! I am not working at this moment, but I have been on bussines for more than 13 years and I LOVE MY JOB!!! I live in cancun, I work from 8 to 2, I have all afternoon for my kids, and you know what? I DON`T CARE IF YOU SAY NO!!! BECAUSE I ALREADY LIVE HERE! if everybody say yes, we will be like mcdonalds cashier! just checking your order. Please!! listen to all this guys and keep going on Time scare presentations, and if I have the chance to have 90 minutes with you, just let me know you read this page hahahaha will be funny!!!
Casey – The "anger" shared on this site stems from many who were mislead. Mislead by people who work for timeshares. Mislead into thinking they would only be giving "90 minutes" of their time. Mislead into thinking they would get a nice family vacation for learning about timeshare, when in fact there are blackout dates and all kinds of stipulations. Mislead into thinking they could use their timeshare to travel the world, when in fact all those timeshares near anywhere significant are always booked up. Mislead into thinking the value of a timeshare is well worth it, when in fact they could stay at the Disneyland Resort with parkhopper passes every year for the next ten years and it wouldn't come close to the cost of the timeshare and maintenance fees.
Before you lay on the guilt about sending someone into foreclosure (which I must add is SO typical of a timeshare worker), remember you chose your job. You chose a job that is founded on misleading principles. You solicit others who are not searching for gifts. The only reason you offer gifts for attending timeshare presentations is because you, and everyone else who's ever been to one, know there is no way on earth that anyone would choose to attend one without something in return. If you don't want people "using" you for the gifts, then I suggest one of the following: (1) quit your job (2) let them leave as soon as they are honest and tell you they just want the gift. That way you can move onto the next customer. (3) convince your timeshare company to not offer gifts.
I am a timeshare sales rep and an owner of a timeshare. I have a husband, 3 kids, and live in an average neighborhood. I drive a car, go to the grocery store, and buy necessities like any other person. I am just like you, I just work for a resort company.
I don't understand the anger and manipulation from so many people on this site. We know that people are skeptical and go to one or two presentations is normal. And sometimes, those skeptics buy and end up LOVING the program. It's not a secret that people try to act distant. But, when you make a living out of going to timeshare presentations, it's more of a shame. We work hard at our jobs just like you. Just like we weren't forced to work here, we didn't force you to come in.
The truth of the matter is that everyone timeshares. If you pay money for a hotel night, you timeshare. Your just paying it on a per usage basis. What is so wrong with buying a timeshare so that you don't have to stay in cramped hotel rooms, especially when you vacation anyway. You already timeshare, its just a different form.
The timeshare system has changed A LOT over the last 10-15 years. There is a lot more flexibility to vacation through exchange systems. And the best part is you will always be able to vacation because you've already paid for it. So, even though someone may have coughed up about $20,000 for a timeshare + maintenance fees (which you pay at a hotel, it's just booked in the nightly rate), they receive a deed, use it for their lifetimes and pass it on to their kids, and their kids can pass it on to their kids. The alternative is to pay over $100,000 (average $2,000 per year on vacation for 50 years of vacationing, 50*2,000=100,000)for renting hotels, eating out, and taking chances on unknown accommodations. And then, at the end, what do you have to show for it? Nothing. Just a 100,000 in receipts.
When you go intentionally to waste that salesperson time for a measly gift, just remember that you could be the one to take food out of their kids mouths. Instead of wasting our time on you, we could have really spent valuable time with someone who would really value our program. We are not the devil and we're not taking advantage of people. I hope you remember this as you talk to your rep knowing that your not going to buy. Hopefully, you weren't the reason for her getting foreclosed on because you were her guests when she could have had real solid people instead.
If this is the case, why get into a business where you have to get people to buy something?? If its free, Ill take it. Im not going to take the risk of not knowing if Ill be able to feed my family at the end of the day because people are not interested in what Im trying to offer. GET A NEW JOB, A HONEST ONE! Then that way you know youre money is guarenteed
If timeshares did not offer substantial gifts to entice people to attend sales talks, how many people would attend? Probably not many (who wants to spend half a day of their vacation that way?), but those who did attend would tend to be people who were actually interested. The chances of timeshares changing their strategy to a no-gift, honest sales talk? Or rely solely on printed advertising, internet and word of mouth? About zero, I would guess.
Who called who? If I get a call saying I can get a cheap 4 day vacation but I have to sit thru the timeshare presentation I might just take it with no intention of buying a timeshare. And actually, I’m just on here trying to decide if I should go, because they just called me like two days ago! But if you represent a timeshare salesperson, I think I’d rather just save up the money and take my own vacation thank you. So please stop calling!
If the timeshare was not paying sales and marketing and baubles, how much cheaper would the timeshare be?
if they want to offer a free trip knowing we aren't gong to buy, why wouldn't you take them up on the offer??? the dude who owns the timeshare and is bragging about his money is probably broke, living in california, with the real housewives of orange county, and losing his home to the bank. wealthy people don't brag about how much money they have. my husband and i do very well and try to be very wise with our money!
Man… lotta timeshare employees on here… don't listen to them folks. Be cheap, lie to these people… they are scum and it's just that plain and simple… I love to make them believe I'm interested and then crash them at the end… just like people's hearts crash when they realize these timeshare companies have found legal ways to trap people in contracts and STEAL AND ROB THEM. Timeshare people are now on my list as the #1 scummiest "business"people in this country.
You stated that timeshares lure people in with gifts. Stores do that with sales and high priced advertisements. Timeshares do not advertise to keep their prices as low as possible. What makes you think that timeshares don't know that you are going to lie, as you instructed above. We have heard it all from the truth to the ridiculous. You all act like you have come into the den of the devil and that gives you freedom to lie, but you expect us not to. That's odd on your part. Pastors and christians in general are the worst. Ask anyone I the timeshare industry. You are given gifts. Do you repost it as such to the IRS? We do…Be careful, you will get audited at some point. You would not want all christians, african americans, old people, rich, poor to be judged by one evil person, would you? That is what you are doing. You are telkling people to lie, cheat, and steal (stealing by not reporting on taxes). People like you are what has caused our economy to be in the toilet.
LOL!!! Really?!? Yes, people who dont buy timeshares caused this ecomony to plummet. Genius! You realize timeshares are an empty pit which have $0.00 in value today? Please go ahead and report me to the IRS. Im sure they would love to audit me over $100 of “coupon cash”… Ease up pal, you may want to get out of timeshare sales. You sound a bit jaded.
Matt you are delusional and apparently know nothing about economics, the economy in your country crashed due to the greed of corporations and executives on wall street who offered sub prime mortgages to people who could not afford them, 5-10 yrs later when the mortgages came due and they had to stop paying interest only, people had to leave their homes and banks forclosed on so many defaults that the market which was over inflated had to correct itself with all this money owing on these loans and helocs that the international organizations that were holding these loans as equity called them in, your banks could not afford to pay them all so the economy crashed AND IT WAS IN NO WAY FROM PEOPLE WHO GO TO TIME SHARES…. Get a grip and an education
Well, we just signed up…..5 nights, 6 days at a five star in playa del carmen. 399.00 for us both total, at an all inclusive. Our plane tix are free from credit card points. So, our entire trip is really 399.00. Not really to bad. We will be boring and offer no personal conversation…IM telling them my husband just got layed off indefinately. (not true) We can get through this. Never done this before, but it might be kinda funny…..
through what company did you get that offer?
Stu, which timeshare company do you work for?
Hahahaha. Seriously.
Pathetic is just the word for moochers who go to presentation after presentation with no intent whatsoever of purchasing. These are the same folks who stuff their pockets with salt, catusp packets and straws. Probably the same ones who sit in a restaurant just long enough to enjoy a comfy seat, some A/C, icewater, bread and butter, listen to the specials and leave. Amazing. Sad really.
Well call me Pat; short for pathetic, cause if I get an offer to go on a vacation for a “reduced” price, I’m taking it!
My guess is that Stu is a disgruntled TimeShare Sales Rep…
seriously though i just got a real estate license and am looking to sell new homes my mother is selling new homes making over 200,000 a year for lennar and everyone loves her guess where she started? yeah timeshare. timeshare may not be the highest step on the ladder but not everyone who sells timeshare is scum im sorry you are to poor to go do something with your life other than sitting around timeshare presentations for free vacations or on the internet stereotyping people your ignorance is sickening. real estate contributes to 75 percent of economical success and your bashing these people?
Oh, grow up, Joey. Everyone is entitled to his own opinion. Just because someone doesn’t see things the way you do doesn’t mean he is ignorant. I’m sure your mom would tell you that if you want to succeed in real estate or anything else, you have to be respectful of others.
on top of that im a 20 year old kid im going to get up every morning sit in a room full of people get manipulated lied to and thought of as scum and people will still buy i have no intention of sinking to that level but to gain experience and when i get home every afternoon at 2 pm while your still working and hating your job im going to relax and spend time with my girlfriend or start a hobby that does not include judging people over the internet like a coward shying away from reality, but that is just a thought to me it sounds better than going to college at a technical school for a year to be a dental assistant to make 10.50 an hour when disney pays characters 12.50 with no schooling or a teacher making 30k a year after 50k in loans everyone is so caught up in social stature your all too dumb or maybe just jealous that some of us are smart enough to make money the easy way.
“Like” and agree!
Sounds to me like stu is jealous of people who can actually say no and not get suckered into a timeshare. and where the hell are you getting a timeshare for $550 a year, you are delusional if you think that is how much they cost because if they did then everyone could afford it on an income of less than 20k per year and the fact that the qualifying incomes are usually at the 60-80k range….
James it isn't pathetic. Everyone doesn't have disposable income, and if they are offered a free trip in exchange for their time there is nothing wrong with seizing the opportunity. Kudos to you for making the most of your income and purchasing a timeshare.Just imagine the those wealthier than you saying how pathetic you are for not being able to afford to OWN your own vacation property and not own just the time you utilize it. Funny circle isn't it!!
People who just go to presentations are so cheap. Just don't go if you have no interest. My girlfriend would kill me if I took her on vacation to a timeshare sales pitch. I actually own one and go on luxurious vacations every year. Going on timeshare presentations for a vacation is pathetic.
People that choose to be presenters are pathetic. If you want to send me junk mail that says I won a free vacation if I just come listen to your 90mins of bs, then shame on you. Not me! I’m the winner! : )
I bet your hating your timeshare now, huh? Funny how they’ve become worthless. What’s pathetic is that you’ve actually agreed to buy into that endless moneypit…
why would u say that??? we have been timeshare owners for yrs as well as travel tons everywhere…. EVERYONE is all so different and stating ur own cheezy opinion on ppl who own timeshares just says alot about who u really r….. NICE!!!! There is something about a timeshare that is home away from home that we just look fwd too.
Hotels cost 150 a night. Timeshares cost 550 a year. So how the he’ll is it a money pit. Timeshare owners go on vacation every year and the programs are getting better and better.
Just survived one in Branson…
My life isn’t misearble – it’s great! And I am going to be staying in a gorgeous Hilton hotel for free and all I have to do is listen to a timeshare presentation. I think it’s definitely worth saving the $600 and now I get to go to Disney World. There’s no way in hell that I would ever buy a timeshare, though. Just have to make sure they know that upfront. I picture that it will be torturous but at least I get a great vacation out of it.
Really guys! how miserable has to be your life to attend a timeshare presentation? I know you may recieve an incentive to be there, but really, is it worth it?, if you already know what it is and you are not interested, dont waste your time, everybody knows is going to be more than 90min and every timeshare rep will let you know is a sales presentation, what do you expect? if you going to a restaurant, what do you think is going to happen?…Dont make up excuses, if you like it, you will use and you can afford it, buy it, that's it, if you dont, just give your reasons why not to buy and get out.
Say no and walk out dont talk to them any more also do not have them drive you there as you have no way to walk out always drive your self.
just say no thanks, get your free stuff, and get the hell out of there
after all, u did not seek them out, they solicited u to get something free for attending a presentation..