Timeshare Investment

[DebMan]

I bought a timeshare, after market in the Poconos, it was on the Interval exchange program. I did have maintenance fees, member fees to Interval and exchange fees, with all of that I exchanged to La Cabana twice, the Surf Club once (ocean front!) and Aruba Beach Club, with all the fees, each exchange was about $750. I had done West Palm as well for about the same price. My ex got the timeshare in the divorce, so now I just use Redweek and have had awesome luck renting from there. I have considered buying in Aruba since I no longer have mine, but the maintenance fees are really high in comparison to some other locations. Good Luck, would love to know what you decide.

[robin]

One thing I will say, if you can get a timeshare cheap-a few thousand dollars, then it may be worth it. We bought a one bedroom Marriott timeshare in Kauai-every other year usage for about $2500 including transfer fee and first year's maintenance fees. We rented it to a friend the first year for $2000. We used it one year and if we had to pay for that room it would have cost us more than we paid for it. We also bought week 49 at the Ren here in Aruba and with transfer fees and first year maintenance about $3500. Maintenance a year was $650 and it went up to $7??(I can't remember). Even with the special assessment, we came out ahead.

For all our timeshares we traded heavily and travel around the world. We had 4 timeshares up until 2018(sold them all now since our travel has changed). We traded to Greece, Portugal, Spain, Belize, Thailand, DR, St. Maarten several times, Grand Cayman, Mexico 2x, other resorts in Aruba, various places in the U. S. I really can't remember them all. We also gave a week to a friend for a honeymoon and another to hubby's assistant.

IF you can get it cheap enough in the right season and learn the tricks of using it to trade to other locations, then it may be worth it. It all depends on how and when you want to travel. We bought ours because we could only travel on school vacations as I was a teacher and for us it guaranteed us a nice location when prices were highest. Now, we can do what we want and when we want so we sold all of them. It isn't right for us now, but it was for many years. We love owning our condo in Aruba.

[schexc]

In Michael’s query it appears that he’s looking for long term or many multiple weeks. We’ve never owned a time share, but don’t you have to pay the maintenance fee for every week? Do they give you any break for purchasing multiple weeks?

[robin]

All our units were at different resorts, so I don't know.

In Michael’s query it appears that he’s looking for long term or many multiple weeks. We’ve never owned a time share, but don’t you have to pay the maintenance fee for every week? Do they give you any break for purchasing multiple weeks?

[Andrea J.]

we owned at lacabana weeks 51. 52, 1 and 2.
same unit
be bought thru resale in the late 1990s
no break on the maintenance fees.

we sold weeks 1 and 2
and transferred the other 2 weeks to our son.

[WaltVB]

That's why we exchange our 1 week with Interval. We get two weeks for a fraction of the cost of the maintenance fee for owning an additional week.

[Andrea J.]

you are wise to do it that way Walt!

That's why we exchange our 1 week with Interval. We get two weeks for a fraction of the cost of the maintenance fee for owning an additional week.

[Aruba4ever]

I am so confused. How does 1 turn into 2, lol.

That's why we exchange our 1 week with Interval. We get two weeks for a fraction of the cost of the maintenance fee for owning an additional week.

[WaltVB]

I am so confused. How does 1 turn into 2, lol.

We own a two bedroom Villa at the Surf Club for one week, it has one bedroom and living area and a studio lockoff. We deposit our 2 bedroom week with Interval. Then we contact Interval and request a one bedroom for a week, and a studio for a week. We specify the weeks we want and Interval does he rest, for a very reasonable fee. See? Two for one... like happy hour!

[Aruba4ever]

That makes some sense. Back to the beach I go.