It's almost impossible to say no to a high pressure sales pitch, but I had to when we attended one of those sales presentations in Palm Springs. It was after agreeing to tour one of Marriott's new Shadow Ridge resorts that included 3 night accommodations and 2 rounds of golf for $169 per person. The golf alone would have exceeded $250 so it was like staying at a four star resort for free.
I have only been to one other presentation like this and we were given the option to bring home the contract and review it before signing on the dotted line. Most presentations of this sort are not like this because they usually want you to sign and put a deposit down before you leave the premise. That's what buying a timeshare is like and they know how to market this to you. They are hoping that while you are vacationing there, your guard is down and you are most susceptible to buying a piece of their paradise.
If you like the idea of owning a timeshare but do not want to be pressured into buying then consider this. Buy a resale for real cheap then trade it for someplace you want to visit year after year. That way, you can fix the price of your annual vacation. Interested? Then read on.
Resale timeshares can be as cheap as a few thousands of dollars then annually, you pay a maintenance fee. For example, you can buy a 1-bedroom unit in the Cliffs at Peace Canyon in Las Vegas for $650 then pay an annual fee of $446. In return, you get a deeded timeshare which you own forever that sleeps 4 and is available every year in November. Every thing is included in the maintenance fee so you don't have to worry about roof repairs, sewage problems, painting, improvements or utilities. It is like owning a home away from home without the fuss of home ownership.
I have a timeshare unit in Orlando and have visited Disneyworld over 7 times. For the last five years, we have traded our week for more exotic places like Aruba, Grand Cayman and Hawaii. Trading is what a lot of timeshare owners do with their units. They buy it at a location that they enjoy then after a few years, they start trading it for international locations. Family-oriented owners will set up a reunion and make it a same-time-same-place event year after year. Personally, I like the fact that every year, you are promised a one week vacation somewhere in the world for a fixed price equal to the annual maintenance fee. If you bought the unit in Vegas, you would be promised a week vacation every year for $446, regardless of inflation or rising hotel prices.
Next time, say no thanks to the timeshare sales staff and search the internet for timeshare resales where you can save a lot of money and anguish.
