You're all still acting like SA is the Timeshare Bargain Basement...

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Author	Topic: You're all still acting like SA is the Timeshare Bargain Basement...
skimble TUG Member Posts: 566 From: Murrieta, Ca, USA Registered: Jul 2002	posted 03-04-2005 18:29 It's not. With an exchange rate of 5.75:1, and ever increasing levies, how could anyone think South African timeshares are still the outlet store door to the industry? Many of us are paying levies of $300 to $500/year. This is on par with most US resorts. People ask if SA is done. Trade value seems to be down, costs are up.... I wouldn't buy again. If trades were doled out in conjunction with maintenance fees, we'd be doing pretty well right now. ------------------ Owner at San Clemente Cove, Dikhololo, Silversands Durban, and Seaviews. IP: Logged
Bruce TUG Member Posts: 4 From: New Bern, North Carolina USA Registered: Oct 2004	posted 03-05-2005 05:20 You seem to forget that many of us bought Dikhololo when a one bedroom red flexi week was selling for $395, a far cry from the several thousand dollar investment that many others that you cited paid. At $246 a week m/f for a red flexi week, and considering that it is still a decent trader, it's still a bargain. IP: Logged
225chs TUG Member Posts: 266 From: Philadelphia pa usa Registered: Apr 2002	posted 03-05-2005 06:35 I have owned SA for 4 years, so cannot comment on the "early years". I bought an SA for $900. It included all costs, 10 years RCI membership, 2 spacebanks, M/F for a year and the SA. My M/f have "soared" to $180 for 2005. I don't pay in advance (wish I had) I have traded to almost everywhere I have wanted to trade in the 4 years. I have had to be patient, persistant and willing to go shoulder season (I knew all this before I bought). I regularly check for possible trades. I still can trade for almost anywhere I want to go as long as I follow the above rules. Yes, I feel the trade value has dropped a bit, but my week with exchange fee still is in the $350-400 range. A Bargain basement? Maybe not but I'm still not paying retail IP: Logged
stevedmatt TUG Member Posts: 41 From: Sicklerville NJ USA Registered: Jun 2003	posted 03-05-2005 09:16 I havn't been in the game too long myself, but can say that my 3 SA's have paid for themselves 2-3 times. I still pay about $300 a week with exchange fees, and have to search and check the sightings board often. As far as trading, I think the value of almost every deposited week has reduced, not just SA's. Either way, I am extremely happy with my purchase and plan on keeping my weeks. I may not buy again with the current market conditions, but I am not selling any time soon either. IP: Logged
dundey TUG Member Posts: 257 From: Wayne, NJ --- Own: Weeks in South Africa, North Carolina and Florida Registered: Sep 2001	posted 03-09-2005 22:22 Where do you guys own with m/f's of $150 - $180 per week?? I think most SA timeshares are in the $300 range now, at least the 4 I own are. My range is $260 - 340. ------------------ [This message has been edited by dundey (edited 03-09-2005).] IP: Logged
king1 TUG Member Posts: 986 From: Auburn, IL USA , Qunu Lodge Pearly Shells, Silversands(6) Registered: Oct 2001	posted 03-10-2005 02:57 My Silversands weeks still only average about $125, but that is a far cry from the "good old days". When I started just four or five years ago, I was buying weeks for <$300 and my lowest levy was $37; plus the trades were better than they are now. SA isn't the bargain that it was, but it still beats most US resorts if you own at the right place. I've been preaching for years that there is little advantage in owning higher rated or larger weeks in SA, but now the rapidly rising levies certainly make that more true. IP: Logged
purduealum91 TUG Member Posts: 193 From: North Aurora, IL Registered: Jan 2001	posted 03-10-2005 12:23 Hey Gang, I am the original poster of Dikhololo on TUG. To this day I still own there as well as Mt Amanzi. I continue to get decent trades. ------------------ Original Dikhololo poster. Owner of Dikhololo and Mt. Amanzi. IP: Logged
Fitz TUG Member Posts: 100 From: Folsom, CA Registered: Jan 2003	posted 03-10-2005 12:32 My week at Sudwala is just over $200, and I have already exchanged this year for a week in Cancun (Gold Crown) and a week in Lake Tahoe (Embassy Vac Resorts). These were all off peak, but for the total out of pocket of @350 (MF + Exchange) I consider this a great deal. As always your mileage may vary, but my SA week is still working Fitz IP: Logged
Debbyd57 TUG Member Posts: 325 From: Port Orchard, Wa-owner at Brookes Hill, Fairfield and Worldmark Registered: May 2002	posted 03-10-2005 13:48 We paid $206.98 for our Brookes Hill this year. Debby IP: Logged
skimble TUG Member Posts: 566 From: Murrieta, Ca, USA Registered: Jul 2002	posted 03-11-2005 14:24 Big Brother loves this site. It was because of monitoring in the first place that our trade value went down. South Africa boon days are over. We are still benefiting from the trades, but it's not like it used to be. And, many of you braggurts are still flaunting the occasional great gems you find with your lowly SA weeks. I would venture to say first off: It's the boasting on this site that ruined the golden goose we once had. AND, if you all could stop hanging your low maintenance fees and great trades out there for everyone in the world, RCI included, to see, maybe the reality of South Africa could set in. The fact is, MANY (if not most) of the SA units out there have maintenance dues that rival that of weak traders in the USA. (There are plenty of resorts with maintenance dues of $250 to $350 in the US, and there's more stability to the economy.) If you all would quit bragging for a while, maybe RCI would see this reality and restore some of our trade value. ------------------ Owner at San Clemente Cove, Dikhololo, Silversands Durban, and Seaviews. IP: Logged
HuskyJim TUG Member Posts: 263 From: Williamsburg Registered: Dec 2000	posted 03-11-2005 21:36 These M/F this year have nothing to do with the "bragging" and boasting, but everything to do with the value of the dollar vs. rand. IP: Logged
Bruce TUG Member Posts: 4 From: New Bern, North Carolina USA Registered: Oct 2004	posted 03-12-2005 04:00 Bragging about trades has nothing to do with trade value. It's basically a supply and demand thing. Don't shoot the messenger because you don't like the message. [This message has been edited by Bruce (edited 03-12-2005).] IP: Logged
PAJim TUG Member Posts: 380 From: PA Registered: Dec 2000	posted 03-12-2005 04:55 quote: Originally posted by Bruce: Bragging about trades has nothing to do with trade value. It's basically a supply and demand thing. Don't shoot the messenger because you don't like the message. You didn't think about it before making your statement. I bought back in '99 due solely to the testimony of others here on TUG. It's clear that many others did the same thing. Unlike overseas owners living closer to the resort who use their weeks, we deposit every year. You're right that it's a "supply and demand thing". Regardless of the demand factor over the years, supply has definitely gone up and "bragging" does have some impact on trade power. I'll take this a step forward and say that RCI is also partly to blame for reduced trade power. There are less weeks in the system to trade for than there were 2-3 years ago. I know this not by what I can't see with my SA weeks, but what I can't see with other top traders. This may be for a variety of reasons including Rentals, Points, increasing fees, etc. Many of my better early trades, and probably others as well, came as a result of temporary "threshold" trade power reductions that came at the beginning of the deposit cycle, like those seen with a bulk spacebank (just look at the Manhattan Club). For what ever reason, that's not happening as much. ------------------ Jim IP: Logged
Bruce TUG Member Posts: 4 From: New Bern, North Carolina USA Registered: Oct 2004	posted 03-12-2005 13:13 Jim your reply puzzles me. We both agree that trading power is a "supply and demand thing". That's pretty much an established fact. That "bragging" alters trading power, however is a matter of opinion, and has never to my knowledge been established as "fact". No question that RCI's practices have diminished trading power, but that is happening throughout the industry, including American owned timeshares. A brief perusal of articles in Timesharing Today magazine (and elsewhere) will confirm this. IP: Logged
PAJim TUG Member Posts: 380 From: PA Registered: Dec 2000	posted 03-12-2005 18:44 If bragging causes others to buy to trade, and thus deposit, what impact do you think that will have on the supply of weeks in RCI's spacebank? ------------------ Jim IP: Logged
skimble TUG Member Posts: 566 From: Murrieta, Ca, USA Registered: Jul 2002	posted 03-12-2005 21:50 quote: Originally posted by PAJim: If bragging causes others to buy to trade, and thus deposit, what impact do you think that will have on the supply of weeks in RCI's spacebank? Exactly!!! ------------------ Owner at San Clemente Cove, Dikhololo, Silversands Durban, and Seaviews. IP: Logged
Bruce TUG Member Posts: 4 From: New Bern, North Carolina USA Registered: Oct 2004	posted 03-13-2005 08:06 That's a very big "IF" in my opinion. I believe the effect of others "bragging" is minimal to the point of being almost non-existant, compared to the effects of RCI's latest practices of reducing available inventory through their various methods. Although I have not personally engaged in the practice of bragging about trades, I feel that a prospective buyer is entitled to as much information regarding trade performance, as he or she can get prior to investing in a timeshare. We obviously agree to disagree. IP: Logged
goldwing TUG Member Posts: 161 From: Utica Mi Registered: Feb 2001	posted 03-17-2005 05:53 If I never got another trade from SA it has paid for itself at least 2 or 3 times over. JMHO Dave IP: Logged
skimble TUG Member Posts: 566 From: Murrieta, Ca, USA Registered: Jul 2002	posted 03-18-2005 19:31 quote: Originally posted by goldwing: If I never got another trade from SA it has paid for itself at least 2 or 3 times over. JMHO Dave I agree thoroughly! ------------------ Owner at San Clemente Cove, Dikhololo, Silversands Durban, and Seaviews. IP: Logged
skimble TUG Member Posts: 566 From: Murrieta, Ca, USA Registered: Jul 2002	posted 03-18-2005 19:40 quote: Originally posted by Bruce: That's a very big "IF" in my opinion. I believe the effect of others "bragging" is minimal to the point of being almost non-existant, compared to the effects of RCI's latest practices of reducing available inventory through their various methods. Although I have not personally engaged in the practice of bragging about trades, I feel that a prospective buyer is entitled to as much information regarding trade performance, as he or she can get prior to investing in a timeshare. We obviously agree to disagree. There's no better way to control the quality of your operation than to monitor those who would analyze and capitalize on its weaknesses. Do you honestly believe RCI wouldn't monitor this site and make adjustments accordingly? Madge wouldn't be here for us if RCI didn't take the information exchange here seriously. And, there's no difference between Americans who deposit their weeks and South Africans who deposit. The RCI pool isn't going to expand significantly with overseas buyers. What percentage of South African timeshare owners go to the resort they own at? I would venture to say... the number of people using their home resort hasn't changed. I would also venture to say that most of the timeshare resellers were not people who utilized their resort; they deposited with RCI. We have no hard facts on this, but the speculative notion is strong. ------------------ Owner at San Clemente Cove, Dikhololo, Silversands Durban, and Seaviews. IP: Logged
nkosi278 TUG Member Posts: 267 From: Dillon, CO Owner: Swan Mountain (points); Club Regency Marco; Sapphire St Martin; Streamside Vail Registered: Aug 2002	posted 03-19-2005 09:49 All theis talk amuses me so much....WHAT a pity all those who waffle on about trading power etc don't go on vacation to the properties they own....they might find that they learn to love SAF and all its peoples... nkosi (7 times in SA so far) IP: Logged
Dee in California TUG Member Posts: 449 From: California - Allen House; Fox Run; Sudwala, S.A.; Sandpiper, OR; Gaslamp Plaza; Edinburgh Residence. Registered: Jan 2003	posted 03-20-2005 07:54 I would dearly love to go to mine someday, but at this time, the airfare would kill me, I would need far more than 7 days off of work for flight and layover time, and my DD would have an absolute cow over all of the shots that she would have to get in order to go. Some day... I also have 2 close penpals that live in Cape Town, and they keep me up on the news there. I can't say the high crime rate, exepcially violent crimes against women and very young girls, does not worry me. IP: Logged
monkey11 TUG Member Posts: 777 From: Niagara Falls, Ontario; Orange Lake Registered: Mar 2004	posted 03-20-2005 14:26 Orange Lake... GC in Kissimmee, Florida... MF's... approx. $600 US for a 2-bedroom. ($586 I believe)... Trading power?? Probably average unless you have prime weeks... Conclusion? South Africa STILL costs less to purchase, and is HALF the maintenance fees. For all of you that think that SA units don't trade too well... invest $4000 or $5000 US into a low-demand Orange Lake week, pay your $600 US in MF's... and then see if the trade you get was worth the EXTRA $3000 or $4000 in cost and double MF's a year... Most likely... it's not. If you want to claim that you can find a deal "somewhere" out there better than South Africa, then I'm sure you'll find tons... However, I'm sure you can find thousands of resorts that are worse value for your money than a number of SA units... This thread makes me laugh a bit though, because even today, the costs involved with SA units is WAY WAY cheaper than average US units, and based on the fact we're discussing "average" units, it's safe to say that SA and US average units trade the same, but just cost you half as much each year in MF's, and you'll only save thousands when you first purchase. Hmmmm, doesn't sound so bad to me to purchase a SA unit. Just my opinion though, Mark IP: Logged

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