posted 06-04-2005 09:57               

Beautiful Hawaiian resort; desireable location; every-year useage;2-br; "free" conversion to RCI points; etc, etc. Developer "came down"--"rock-bottom"--price of $22,500 for everything. Person buys!!!

Next day, he attends a "RCI points" class. (He knows absolutely NOTHING about RCI points!!!) After the "class", he still has many questions, and is mulling over all of the materials.

A "helpful" TUGGER comes by, and is asked if he is a timeshare owner, and if he could help with some questions. Yes, of course.

After answering the questions, the "tugger" asks if the "new owner" knows about "resales", which he doesn't. Gave directions to "several" resale offices, and names of persons to speak to.

New owner DID go, and got "resale" info. Total price from resale office, for "exactly" what the developer was selling including "points conversion", was about $9,500.

A few days later, "tugger" saw the person again, and asked "what did you decide/do?" "I BOUGHT FROM THE DEVELOPER, OF COURSE", "I knew that the re-sale person couldn't deliver what he said---the developer told me that he couldn't"!!!

"WHAT AM I MISSING"???? (This is a true story, and guess who the "tugger" is!!!)

posted 06-04-2005 10:32               

We purchased our first week almost 24 years ago and paid the developer way too much, then we bought another week at a different resort, same thing. Now, we own eight weeks and are way ahead, thanks to the resale market.

posted 06-04-2005 11:15               

quote:

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Originally posted by teepeeca:
"WHAT AM I MISSING"????
Tony

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Tony the "mistake" you made was giving. You gave your time & information.

We have been conditioned to believe that no one gives. For some reason Tuggers are an exception.

posted 06-04-2005 13:24               

In reality this applies to many of the promises of the developers, but if a developer didn't promise too much, and the resale agent makes pretty much the same promises, for much less $$$, which do you think is more likely to be believed.

Remember, the buyer is emotionally hitched to that developer salesman during the honeymoon period, and will believe anything he says - including his lie that the product the reseller has is inferior.

------------------
Melinda Towne

posted 06-04-2005 18:40               

quote:

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Originally posted by teepeeca:

"WHAT AM I MISSING"????

Tony

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Some equate money spent with value purchased. Therefore the more money the more value. So in this case, this persons vacation week is worth much more than a lowly resale week. Reality will come to roost if the owner ever goes to sell. On the resale market . . . owners tend to find out what their weeks are really worth

posted 06-04-2005 21:58               

The learning curve to new timeshare ownership is daunting. The prospective owner is faced with a “professional” timeshare person or second hand information that may or may not be correct.

Even if our prospective new buyer checks out the resale market he just can’t believe that the same (or nearly the same) item can be bought for half the price resale – he just has a hard time believing it.

I can’t blame him – I would too. So I personally forgive first time owners who buy from the developer.

Hopefully they will then think about that yearly maintenance payment that rolls in year after year and that monthly payment at 14.9% interest rates that will continue for 10 years.

Its only then that our new owner will start to look at alternative ways of buying and using timeshares.

Just like grilling a steak – it takes just the right amount of heat and time until its ready – too soon and you start to wonder if all those Mad Cow rumors are correct.

posted 06-05-2005 05:08               

quote:

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Originally posted by PerryM:
Just like grilling a steak – it takes just the right amount of heat and time until its ready – too soon and you start to wonder if all those Mad Cow rumors are correct.
Perry

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And regardless of what you wonder, it won't matter, since no amount of time or heat on a grill can deactivate prions.

posted 06-05-2005 08:32               

The couple already owned about 5-6 weeks of timeshares (don't know if they were "all" developer bought). The wife had taken care of all of the timeshare "details/reservations/etc", until the husband retired. She then "dumped" everything in his lap.

She was the one that "really" wanted to get into "points".