Now that it’s understood you will be attending a timeshare sales  presentation, let’s begin with the discovery.  The discovery is a   crucial piece of the presentation puzzle where you and the sales  representative become familiar with each other.  Your sales representative  will ask about your vacation likes, dislikes, and habits.  They will ask  questions similar to; “How long are your typical vacations, not including  three day weekends?”; “Do you like to vacation in the same location every  year, or do you like to vacation in a variety of locations?”  They will  learn as much as they can about how you and your family vacation.  Being  open to this process and truthful about your family’s vacationing likes and dislikes will help your representative design a presentation around  your family’s vacation needs.  However, don’t let your representative ask   all of the questions.  You should ask questions too. In fact, it is the  conversation that takes place during the resort tour, the next phase of  our discussion, which makes touring the resort not only an important step   in the presentation but also a fun one.

Part 2: The Resort Tour

If you are staying on the property for a mini-vacation, you already have a good idea of what to expect when staying there  as an owner.  This makes the mini vacation a  good way to see the benefits of ownership firsthand.  However, if you’re not staying on the property, a good way to see it is during the resort tour. Invariably, every presentation will include a resort tour which  will show potential owners all of the amenities the property has to offer. This portion of the tour is fairly straight forward.  You will see one of   the suites, the pool and the gift shop.  However, it is important to realize that older properties may have renovated only a few of the suites on its  property, leaving the majority of suites un-kept with the times.  Questioning  your representative how the property is maintained is very important.  How often do they update the suites with new furniture, carpeting, and so on.  Are special assessments used for updating the suites?  These are a few of  the questions that should be asked.  You don’t want to leave any stones  unturned.  If you are dissatisfied with the answer, ask a follow up question.  You should get the answers to the questions that make purchasing fun and stress free.

Part 3: Why Buy Timeshare?

Following the tour of the property, your representative will take you into  the sales room where your discussion will become more in-depth.  You will  talk about the timeshare company your representative works for and how long  it has been in business.  If the resort you went to is owned by a major timeshare developer  like Fairfield Resorts, Hilton,  Pacific Monarch, or Consolidated Resorts to name a few, chances are you will talk about internal exchanges within the network of their properties.  You will definitely discuss how using external  Timeshare exchange programs like Resort Condominiums International (R.C.I.) or Interval International (I.I.)  will benefit your timeshare ownership. These topics are critical to the majority of timeshare owners because they convey the freedom of choice to visit many  different locations while having the benefits of ownership.  When shopping for  a timeshare, keep these ideas in mind. Unless you plan to vacation in the same  location every year, buy a timeshare that has internal exchanges included. Becoming a member of RCI of II is a must as well.

 At this point in the presentation, you should be very comfortable  with your sales representative and know quite a bit about the property  you’ve toured.  The only thing left is to ask you to buy.  Your representative  will lay out a plan of how you can purchase this ownership today.  Usually  they will present an ownership package that is at the top of their arsenal,  the five star penthouse suite.  For some, a top of the line ownership, like  the penthouse, will be right for their budget, appropriate for their vacation  style, and will not flinch at becoming new owners.  Others will require a  little massaging.  If you are interested in buying, don’t think the only  way to do so is to purchase the penthouse ownership.  Remember, timeshare  was an idea that originated from a group of ordinary people wanting to take  extraordinary vacations.  The same holds true today.  Timeshare companies  have inventories that can include studios, one bedroom suites and two bedroom  suites.  Ask for information about a more affordable package.  Your sales  representative will appreciate your interest and will most likely get the  help of a manager to assist you in finding the right ownership for the  appropriate price.  If you fancy yourself a negotiator, try it out.  Many  companies will negotiate price, others will not.  But it can’t hurt to try.   It is important to remember, if you don’t find a deal you like, you can always   say “not this time”.  People often take 2 or 3 timeshare tours before they   find the right package.  The moral of the story, make it known what  you want and what you don’t want.  You are in the position of power.  They need you to buy.