uPay2much.com – Great advice, tips, deals

It is almost impossible to say no in a high pressure sales pitch, but I had to when I 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 I was given the option to bring home the contract to review it with my family (and lawyer) before committing to buy a unit. The company is the Disney Vacation Club. With other presentations, they want you to decide on the spot. And most people do because they fold under pressure.

If you like the idea of owning a timeshare but do not want to be pressured into buying a unit then consider a few options. There are thousands of timeshare owners who own timeshares all over the world and are willing to sell it for a lower price than what they originally paid for it. Why? What comes with buying a unit is an annual maintenance fee that pays for upkeep of the unit and property. Some existing timeshare owners get tired of paying this fee or their financial picture has changed. Whatever the reason, you get to buy a timeshare unit for a fraction of the original price and you don’t have to sit through a high pressure presentation.

Resale timeshares can be as cheap as a few thousands of dollars. For example, you can buy a 1-bedroom unit in the Cliffs at Peace Canyon in Las Vegas for $650 with 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. And you know that hotel prices will continue to increase in Vegas.

If you want to take a look at some resale timeshares, google it.