Hello again everyone,

First, many thanks to all for your valued advice; my husband and I are grateful and looking forward to our trip in a few weeks.

We have been approached concerning the sale of a timeshare unit at the Divi Golf Village. It is a one-bedroom suite, with an asking price of $11,500. The maintenance fees, I believe, are $500/year. This seems reasonable to me (if you think it is not, please tell us), but admittedly, we do not know a great deal about the 'in's and out's' of timeshare ownership, so help us out, if you will, especially the folks who already own at the Divi:

-What is the trend with maintenance fees; do they typically increase each year? Are they paid monthly, annually?

-Are owners financially responsible in the event of a disaster (flood, fire, etc.)?

-What are the rules of trade?

-How would you compare this timeshare facility to others on the island?

-Any other comments/suggestions?

Any advice/insight you can provide is greatly appreciated! Many thanks!

You need to know several things. Divi Village has 40 year contracts, so how many years are left on the contract? How many weeks of "accelerated time" are left? (That means, you can use them before their year. A new contract has 10 accelerated weeks.) Which building is your unit in, what floor, what kind of view? Is it a fixed week? Check on the maintenance fee. It is my understanding, and I own a studio that went from $455 last year to $470 this year, that for a 1 bedroom, the maintenance fee is over $600. Some of the old contracts are "non-mandatory", which means, if you don't go, you don't have to pay your maintenance fee, a very nice feature for the guest, but which was not profitable for Divi, so they discontinued it. Maintenance fee is billed yearly, about 6 months before your week, if it's fixed.
Having said that, we love Divi Village. It is quiet, spread out, the pools are generally not too busy, the beach across the street is lovely, and because you can use the palapas at Divi Divi or Tam, you can always find shade. I travel President's day week in Feb, so I need to know I'll have a place to stay that won't cost me an arm and a leg (airfare is bad enough that week). We also have two weeks in the summer, and it's nice to see the same folks year after year. Having a kitchen is great, too. We just got back two weeks ago, and I'm looking forward to Feb already.

We bought at Divi Village before the new golf course. In fact we haven't seen it yet. We're in building F which was built after we purchases it in 1998 for use 1999. I would think a 1 bedroom for $11,500 seems pretty good since we paid $10,000 for a studio back then. Maintence fees of $500 are not out of line for Aruba.

If you are looking to travel to Aruba every year and not trade it with RCI it might be fine to go ahead and buy. BUT, you can buy in Mexico or the USA and have much cheaper maintenece fees and they trade. You have to pay the trade fees/service charge untop of the maintence fees and take the risk that you can get into a resort you want in a place you want to vacation.

We did not look into these factors when we purchased and did not know much about time shares so we may not have bought one in Aruba had we thought about it. We do enjoy it though and knowning that we get the same building every time is nice. It a nice sized unit with full kitchen and fairly new.

The maintence fees were $390 when we bought and are now $465. One year they had a substantial increase, the other years it's was $10 or $15. We booked our 2006 year early so we got the $465 fee but I'm sure it was raised. They are paid once a year before you book your trip. If you haven't booked by May they are due anyway. At least our particular contract is that way. I don't know if it's the same for all Divi Village or just the floating weeks. We bought any week in the highest catagory which covers Dec,Jan, Feb and Mar since that's when we travel. It's cheaper or course, to buy off season weeks. If your $11,500 price is for June, July may not be the best price.

It's not difficult to trade the week. You let Divi know you want to bank it with RCI, pay the Maintenece fee to Divi and then call RCI, they will have it on record that you have a week deposited and then they charge you a fee depending on where you want to travel. I think in the US and Caribbean it's maybe $129. Could be higher now. They will tell you at Divi what the current rate is. We did it once a while back and it went fine. We also have traded within Divi and gone to St. Marteen Twice. They have a pretty nice property there. They charge a smaller trade fee (use to be $49) to change resorts. They own in 6 different caribbean islands.

I don't know about the insurance part of it, what if a disaster stikes. I should know, it would be to my advantage since we own but never really checked into that part so sorry, can't help you there.

Sorry this is lenghty. I hope I ansered some of your questions. You can e-mail me if you have more questions.

Denise

>>> "with an asking price of $11,500"
--- Way too much for a 1 bedroom. Now if both of you play golf and this is at Prime Time might be a little OK. But you could find a 1 bedroom for half that price.
>>> "do they typically increase each year"
--- Some do some don't.
>>> "Are they paid monthly, annually?
--- Annually

>>> "What are the rules of trade?"
--- Read the paperwork. There are many different types of timeshares. Think Divi ones are owned by the Divi corporation so you are under their control/rules. There are others on the island that are member owned. Meaning the members elect a BOD and they set fees, rebuilding projects, rules, .... So no corporation looking for the best profit.
>>> How would you compare this timeshare facility to others on the island?"
--- Which Divi timeshare? From the back of my timeshare I look over at the Divi Golf one and it looks great. There are some other Divi timeshares around the same location.
>>> "Any other comments/suggestions?"
--- Might want to rent first before you buy.
Own 2 weeks at another timeshare and timeshares are not for all and there are different types. One type you own a certain unit # for a certain week. So every year you get the same view/location for the same week #. Another type you just own a timeshare week so each year you must put in a request for the week # you want. But you never know what view/location you will get. So know what type is best for you.

Hey,

I can't speak for this particular timeshare, but I am an owner of Marriott. The concept is great in that you pay the $11,500(for the timeshare you are looking at) and then you have a lifetime of vacations in a place you have selected. One of the main benefits of owning in a place like Aruba is the ability to trade your timeshare to other locations. If this timeshare is a part of Interval International, this is also a big bonus. Thruough this organization, you are able to trade your timeshare with thousands of other owners across the world. Everyone wants to come to Aruba, so it is easy to trade with other people. I own in Maui, so I have very good trading power. Interval also gives what are called Getaways, where you are given the ability to rent timeshares that don't get booked for deeply discounted prices. I stayed in Marriott's Shadow Ridge near Palm Springs in May for $229 for the week! This is a four star resort! I am going to Marriott Ocean Club on Friday for a week for free, because I bought the timeshare in Maui last year. Anyway, I can't speak for this particular timeshare that you are looking at, but I do believe in the timeshare concept as a whole. Hope this helps!

Have you stayed there? Before you buy there stay there 1st. Fees tend to go up. This is a new place so it should be nice. what season is it? Is it a fixed week and can you get it every year or do you have to trade? Does this place have what you want? Do you golf? Is the beach important to you? Sharon

We purchased our Divi Villa timeshare about 5 yrs ago. Expect your maintenance fee to go up, ours started at 490. and it is now 595. Our maint. fee is due annually.You may be able to purchase a timeshare on the internet, someone who bought on a whim and now needs to get rid of it due to the expense. We would never again buy direct due to the high price. When you book your vacation make sure that they are giving you your unit! One year we got a 1 bedroom unit in an older building and it really upset me and almost ruined my whole vacation. I would look at other timeshares while you are there. I have found out that other timeshare are yours for life and at Divi you buy for 40 yrs. We have joined RCI and used within the USA, this is kind of tricky, they tell you to bank early to get the week and location that you want and I banked in January of this year for a timeshare for July of 2006 (in NC on the beach)and still haven't been notified that anything is available. Please shop around before you sign anything, take into account rising airfare! They say you can get a good deal through Divi but that is not always true. We bank a week and then go for 2 weeks the following year due to the cost of airfare.

Dan & Lisa,
I wrote about 10 postings some time ago about buying time share and remain of the same opinion. Allow me to share that opinion with you. I should add that I was in that industry for 20 years on Aruba.

Time share purchases are a vey emotional sale and purchase. That said, they are not either a bad investment or a good one. Timeshare ownership is up to the particular families or persons' need and how they want to vacation. Being an owner gives a sense of security to your vacationing habits and in many cases motivates you to take a well deserved rest simply because you have an investment at stake. Kind of like buying a lovely car or home just because it turns you on and then not using it. WASTE OF MONEY. In the case of timesharing, the owners develop vacationing habits that are healthy to them individually and as families as well as satisfying the well deserved and needed break from the normal routine. Bottom line: If you like it - DO IT! It is your hard earned bucks and who better to spend it that you?

Divi Golf Village will be one of the premier properties on the island when it is finished. At the helm of this project is Mr. Alex Niewmeyer who is a consumate professional and a person that does not like to leave anything to chance. The staff that he surrounds himself with follow his lead. In other words, it is a great project and (most importantly) it has good leadership. Without that leadership, even the most lovely properties have a tendency to fal apart. And that is when maintenances soar.

Talking about maintenance - this is one of those needed things tha most owners have a bone in their throat about. The fact is that there is a ton of expenses in running a premier property and some one has to pay for it. If it is not paid for, it will eventually fafll apart. Is the $500 a reasonable price? Yep! Sure is. That property is worth every cent of that maintenance.

Regarding the other issues you mentioned - I strongly suggest that you ask for and read your articles of incorporation and by-laws. They should spell out exactly the terms and conditions of your membership. Most of these forms are easy to understand and very transparant. YOur sales rep will take the time to show it to you and explain it. Also go through your "Verification Of Membership". This is a form that highlights the most important points of the presntation that the sales person explained to you. Kind of like a "Truth in Lending" sheet. Divi (I think ) has this and it is a sign of strength when a company is willing to show you these details.

There are other resorts on the island and I will nto compare them since each has merits and weaknesses, however buy your membership at the resort (Divi or otherwise) where you feel good. No sense in buying where you are leery fromm the start.

Be well friend and do what YOU think is the right thing for you and your family.

charles
arubafastpones.com

Why would you tie up you money in a foreign country for years, and still have to pay each time you use the unit? With a package, you can go to any hotel you wish (or rent a timeshare without any responsibilities!) any day or week YOU wish. I think it's a big mistake, but I wish you well. We have been going to Aruba for over 30 years, and had opportunities right at the beginning of the timeshare options, and have never, ever regretted not purchasing one. My friend has a hard time trying to change her week, and no matter what they tell you, the maintenance does go up! We have the flexibility to go when we want, to stay where we want for as long as we want.
Good luck in whatever decision you make. Aruba and the Arubian people are wonderful, and I wish you a great vacation!

I suggest you do some research before you buy a timeshare. My wife and I own a few timeshares and really enjoy them, but I would not spend $11,500 for a 1 bedroom on Aruba or anywhere else for that matter. Buy resale (from a private owner who wants to sell) and save big bucks. You can get a lot of information from the Timeshare Users Group (tugbbs.com/forums).

I will try to answer some of your questions, but I certainly am no expert on the subject.

Maintenance fees are paid annually. At the timeshares we own, our payments must be current before we can use or trade. The fees do not normally go down. I feel very lucky if ours remain stable, but you can almost count on an increase sooner rather than later.

Owners can be financially responsible in the case of a disaster, but the management company is supposed to have enough insurance coverage to safeguard owners’ interest. This does not always happen, however. I understand one resort on Cayman Island went belly up as a resort of the major hurricane that hit the island last year. On the other hand, our timeshare in St. Maarten was damaged twice due to hurricanes and insurance more than covered it.

With regard to the rules of trade, I would not buy in Aruba if I planned on trading the unit regularly. You can get a cheaper timeshare with a lower maintenance fee back in the States that trades as good or better than an Aruba timeshare. Summer weeks at Southern California beach resorts trade very well through RCI.

I believe Divi Golf Village is dual affiliated with RCI and RCI, meaning you can trade with wither one or both (but not in the same year). Trading to a large extent depends on the week you own (not all red weeks are equal) and how far in advance you deposit it with the exchange company. I believe Divi also has an internal trading system, but I know nothing about that.

As I said, my wife and I really enjoy timesharing. It is not a financial investment and I am not sure if we saved a dime on our vacations. But it sure beats staying in a hotel room.