Attend a Timeshare Presentation

Try it Before You Buy It!
Timeshare Resource Center has relationships with many different Timeshare Resorts and Timeshare Developers. It is often necessary to sample several different programs and timeshare presentations before you really know what fits your vacation lifestyle. To receive information on attending a timeshare presentation to test driving a timeshare vacation please provide your name and phone number. If you would prefer to be contacted via email, please provide that as well. Your Privacy is very important to us, the information provided will be used only by Timeshare Resource Center or an authorized representative. Thank you and enjoy your vacation.
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Timeshare Vacation Packages

The Timeshare Vacation Package

So What is the Catch?
I am sure that you dad taught you when you were very young that if something seems to good to be true, it probably is.  It usually came at the same time he was telling you that if it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck it is probably a duck.  Well he was right, there is a price to be paid for the Mini vacation that is almost free or the timeshare vacation that is only costing you $350 for a week in Hawaii.  That price is time spent with a salesman. This is the deal breaker for every single prospective timeshare vacation purchaser that does not take advantage of this amazing deal.  You absolutely DO have to spend part of your vacation or getaways listening to a very well mannered and often very highly skilled sales person explain to you that there  is a better way to vacation than what you have done in the past.  This person will use every tool and weapon at their disposal to get you to agree that their way of “owning your vacation” is the best and smartest thing you have ever done for yourself and your family.  The thought of this inevitable conversation often sends the exact same person whose eyes lit up at the thought of finally being able to afford that trip to Cancun screaming for the door or in the case of the phone salesman there may be a very quick dial tone.

The question you are asking yourself right now is, “is it really that bad”. The answer, in truth is no.  You are required to spend on average 90 minutes with a well dressed, likeable and in many cases attractive person whose only goal is to get you to understand that you do not take enough vacations and  when you do they are not good enough (oh and have you sign a check for about $20,000). The reason that people say they do not want to do this is that they will be so busy enjoying their vacation that they will not want to spend the 90 minutes away from the beach (by that logic, the 90 minutes is worth $3000 because that is what the trip will cost without the sales presentation).  And then of course the real reason, the salesman will make it seem like it is such a good idea that they would be insane to say no, so they won’t say no, they will say yes and this terrifies them.  The truth is, the salesman might be right, this family   might really need this to commit them to spending more time together. The sales person may be wrong as well, this might be a unique situation that just does not fit the timeshare model.  Either way, the worst possible case scenario is that you spend 2 hours that you probably would have spent sleeping anyway, talking to a person that has a different opinion than you about the best way to vacation.

Only you will know if that is worth $3150

Want to Test out a timeshare vacation ? Find out how.

Selling Timeshare

At TimeshareResourcecenter.com we strive to deliver accurate, objective and useful information about all aspects of timeshare.  Since nothing in the world happens until someone sells something and Timeshare is no different, it is imperative that we deliver a section of our site dedicated to timeshare sales, the timeshare sales environment and the Timeshare Sales Presentation.   This includes the ability to sell timeshare, whether you are a developer of timeshare resorts or an individual who is looking to sell their timeshare privately and the ability to buy timeshare from many sources.  Timeshare sales can be the most intimidating aspect of timeshare, however it doesn’t have to be.  If you are looking to sell timeshare or buy timeshare, this section will give you the insight and information to do so intelligently.

When the concept of timeshare first made its appearance into the vacation market place, regulations protecting the purchasers of timeshare     were hardly existent if at all.  In fact, sales were quite often made over refreshing adult beverages at the beachfront tiki bar.  It was a strongly held belief that if you could loosen the client up a little and prime the pump, it was easier to put them in the picture. This practice made it much easier for that prospective client to make the jump from idea and theory to check book.  Sales made in this environment eventually led to a very dreadful and well deserved bad reputation to the early timeshare sales process.  It also let to the establishment of state laws designed to protect timeshare consumers from predatory sales practices.

Test a Timeshare Today

Visit Timeshare Test Drive for a variety of timeshare developers and locations that you can try out.

As timeshares became increasingly popular, developers like Hilton, Fairfield, Marriott, and Consolidated Resorts understood that having  a trustworthy and consistent sales department that exuded class, knowledge and integrity was the key factor for operating a successful and ongoing business.  It was also the key to having the FTC stop harassing the timeshare industry and recognize it for what it was, a revolutionary vacation idea that would fundamentally change the way people take vacations.  As such, these developers spent more time and money training their sales representatives to present their product in a professional, and truthful manner.

The result has had a positive effect on the stereotype that had plagued timeshare for years.  Rather than having to hide the recently  purchased timeshare from everyone to avoid shock, question and ridicule, parents, siblings, and friends now boasted that they owned a vacation property that could be exchanged for thousands of others throughout the world.

Top Timeshare Destinations

Timeshare resorts, although not limited to any place or places, do seem to congregate around certain areas of the country.  Popular    timeshare destinations tend to follow the same trends as popular hotel destinations. In the United States the timeshare industry has    historically focused on three main areas, Florida, California, and South Carolina.  These areas have the highest concentration of    timeshare resorts – great weather, beaches, theme parks and plenty of tourist attractions make them obvious choices for vacationers     which in turn makes the obvious choice for timeshare developers.

In Florida, the city of Orlando has about 50% of the state’s timeshare resorts.  The reason for this should be obvious to anyone who has     ever taken a vacation.  The allure of cartoon mice and endless other themed attractions can never be over estimated.  Disney World has become the vacation Mecca for all travelers and the thousands of resorts in the city are proof that Mickey and Minnie are not going anywhere.  The Las Vegas market is getting bigger all the time, fueled by its constant flow of travelers from all over the world, the number and size of the timeshare projects is growing faster than anywhere else in the industry.  Traditional retail resort developers are also getting into the act, including a massive project by Vegas icon and legendary developer Steve Wynn. Europeans, who take more vacations and longer vacations than Americans don’t have the tendency to stay home that Americans do.  They favor  warm, sunny places that are still easy to get to, like the Canary Islands and the Caribbean.  Here is a list of the hottest timeshare  destinations at the moment:

Test a Timeshare Today

Visit Timeshare Test Drive for a variety of timeshare developers and locations that you can try out. Includes reviews of different resort cities and prices.

Current Hottest Timeshares

• • • Orlando Timeshares in Florida

– Home to Walt Disney World, Seaworld, Universal Studios.  Also home to more that 85 different Timeshare resorts

• • • Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

– Fantastic for Golfers, Tennis players, Bird Watchers and people who just want to relax.

• • • Myrtle Beach Timeshares, South Carolina

–   Once a very popular spring break destination, now the age of the tourists has increased and so has the level of accommodations thanks to several Timeshare developers.

• • • Williamsburg Timeshares, Virginia

–   With its historical draw and 19th century charm, Williamsburg is one one of the top timeshare destinations on the east coast.

• • • Las Vegas Timeshares

– What happens is Vegas Stays in Vegas!  Including the fastest growing Timeshare resort collection in the World.  You will be hard pressed to spend 10 minutes here and not come in contact with a marketing rep from some Timeshare company looking for a way to sell Timeshare to you!

• • • Florida coasts (both East and West)

– Although the majority of Timeshare resorts are in Orlando the rest of the state is no slouch and houses many timeshare developers in Coco Beach, Daytona Beach, Clearwater, Fort Lauderdale and anywhere else that has an average temperature of 75 and a view of the water.

• • • California (especially Southern California Timeshares)

– Some of the new “Big Boys” are based and focused on the west Coast.  Trends West Resorts, Pacific Monarch Resorts, ILX Resorts and Shell Vacation Club are all Head Quartered west of the Mississippi. Anaheim timeshares, San Diego timeshares, Napa Valley, Lake Tahoe timeshares and San Francisco are all emerging giants.

• • • Palm Springs Timeshares

– Although you don’t hear about Palm Springs Timeshare nearly as much as you do other markets like Las Vegas timeshare, Orlando Timeshare or Hawaii Timeshare.  The Coachella Valley is one of the fastest growing timeshare markets in the country. The rich and famous have been spending time in this little oasis in the high desert for decades.

• Colorado Timeshare

– Developers started building timeshare resorts in Colorado so that vacation goers would have a place to ski but the ski towns have found way to stay attractive all year long.  The saying is “I came for the winters but i stayed for the summers” Breckenridge Timeshares, Steamboat Springs Timeshares and Aspen Timeshares are Colorado’s Big three.

• • • Sedona Timeshares

– Sedona has been one of America’s best kept vacation secrets for a long time.  But for the timeshare developers, there is no secret about Sedona.

• • • Hawaii Timeshares

– Hawaii has and always will be a top Timeshare Spot.  Hawaii gives you the feeling of a truly tropical location and the security of still being on U.S. soil.  Currently there are Timeshare Resorts on all of the inhabitable Hawaiian Islands.

• • • Mexico

–  Although the laws governing Timeshare and the timeshare industry vary slightly.  It has not slowed the development of mexico timeshare.  Every major resort destination in mexico has one if not more timeshare resorts the two most prominent mainstays being Cancun timeshare and Puerto Vallarta timeshare. If you are looking to buy timeshare, sell timeshare or trade timeshare,  mexico is a top selection.

Emerging Hotspots for Timeshare

• In growing travel destinations, where demand for hotel rooms and accommodations goes up, so does demand for timeshare and  timeshare resorts.

• • U.S. Virgin Islands timeshare

– Unlike some other Caribbean destinations, demand for timeshare in the Virgin Islands has been low until now.  With timeshare resorts and timeshare programs succeeding on the islands of St. Thomas and St. John, the ability to sell timeshare in the virgin Islands has become a reality.

• • The less popular Hawaiian Islands

– Hawaii Timeshare has historically been firmly entrenched in Maui and the Big Island. Now however, the smaller islands of Oahu and Molokai are begining to join the timeshare trend.

• • Urban areas (United States and Europe)

– One of the most recent timeshare trends is to place timeshare resorts in urban areas.  Cities center have one major obstacle when it comes to timeshare development, limited space. However, urban interval ownership is becoming increasingly popular in places like San Francisco, Boston, and New York.  The ability to sell timeshare in the metropolitan areas unfortunatlely is much greater than the ability to develop it.

• • India and China

– As these countries that were once very difficult to travel in have become more tourist friendly and very sought after destinations, timeshare resorts have followed.  Developers now sell timeshare in places like Bangalore and Goa, in India and Shanghai and Hong Kong, in China.

• • Napa Valley

– Along with the emergence of the west coast as a timeshare hotbed, the introduction of some top rate timeshare resorts in wine country was not far behind.  Napa timeshare is one of the fastest growing markets.

• • Canada

– The new term for timeshare in the great white north is fractional owneship.  Although, the timeshare industry is spread evenly across the country. The most productive area to sell timeshare thus far has been British Columbia.  The  Vancouver and Victoria markets have established themselves as a hot destination for timeshare buyers.

Learn how to get Timeshare Deals

Timeshare History Part 1

In The Beginning, Genesis: Birth of Timeshare Marketing
Timeshare marketing, historically has always been direct marketing. When timeshare originated, very few consumers were aware that it    existed.  The ones that did probably couldn’t explain how it worked.   So the marketing method of all timeshare companies was essentially    the same; set up an outgoing attractive person in a resort location to persuade tourists to spend 2 hours looking at a new “real estate    investment” , “vacation property” “vacation idea”.   The marketing agent “OPC” or Off Premis Contact,  would usually offer the    unsuspecting tourist an unbelievable deal in exchange for their 2 hours.  These deals they were offered, or premiums would range anywhere    from a quiet dinner for two, all the way to a helicopter ride over the grand canyon, depending on the location of the resort that was being promoted.

Since the idea of timeshare and the reputation of timeshare salespeople were both virtually unknown to travellers,  the tourists almost       always said yes.  Who wouldn’t, the helicopter ride costs in the neighbourhood of $250 and the nice person is only asking for 90 minutes of our time.  What the naive couple didn’t realize is that this was not your everyday presentation to show you a new idea.  This was a well thought out well planned process designed by some of the sharpest business minds and executed by some of the most ruthless salespeople in the history of man.

Test a Timeshare Today

Visit Timeshare Test Drive for a variety of timeshare developers and locations that you can try out. Includes reviews of different resort cities and prices.

The pitch was pretty simple, start by making sure that the prospect understands that they are not under any obligation to buy anything.  Follow up by asking them to promise that they will look at this idea with an open mind.  This sounds like a very fair request.   Since the timeshare prospect is already vacationing in this exotic location, the timeshare salesman doesn’t have a tough job convincing the prosect that this is  good vacation spot.  So the salesperson spends the next 2 hours explaining  that by becoming a “timeshare owner”  instead of someone who just rents their vacation whenever they get a chance, the couple will take more vacations, in better spots staying in higher level accommodtions for what would work out to be ultimately less money.  Throughout the two hours, the timeshare sales person gets the prospect to agree that they should take more vacations, that owning is better than renting, that taking vacations is something that is good for their family and that the would really enjoy staying in suite accomodtions in  resort rather that a motel room.

Timeshare thus far seems like the best idea they have ever heard and this whole experience has  been really fun.  The problem with the presentation is that if the prospect decided not to become an owner, the gloves would come off.  You see the developers often would spend upwards of $200 just getting the prospect into the office, between the cost of premiums and the wages for the marketing agent, so obviously not becoming an owner was not an option.  So the friendly salesperson would spend the ensuing 2 hours asking the prospect, how much they loved their family and berating them for saying they love their family but not enough to ensure  that they would get quality vacations.  They would also question  their intelligence because the prospect had already agreed earlier in the conversation the taking more vacations is a good idea.

Read part 2 of Timeshare History Phase 2: Telemarketing

All About Timeshare

Timeshare in General

What is Timeshare?

Test a Timeshare Today

Visit Timeshare Test Drive for a variety of timeshare developers and locations that you can try out. Includes reviews of different
resort cities and prices.

Where did Timeshare originate?

Timeshare was first originated in France during the 1960’s. The concept was for people to own their vacation rather than rent
one. Of course this meant, “owning” a portion of the deeded property at which they stayed, whether it be a hotel, condo, or house.
Over the years, Timeshare has evolved to include owning time on houseboats, cruise ships, and jets.

Who sells Timeshare?

Major hotel companies like Hilton, Fairfield, Ramada and Marriott have entered the Timeshare industry giving the overall image
of Timeshare a more visible and credible face. Depending on the state in which the sale takes place, the sales representative
may hold a Real Estate or Timeshare license. Having licensed representatives, policed by a governing body, present information
about Vacation Ownership gives the consumer more confidence that the information they are receiving is accurate. This has led
to the Timeshare industry gaining more credibility since the sales agent can lose their license if they are misleading, or
knowingly deceptive.

Where are the most desirable destinations for Timeshare Owners?

Since Timeshare desirability really depends on the vacation preferences of the traveler, there are desirable destinations all
over the world. However, when speaking in terms of quantity of vacation ownership developments and popularity of Timeshare,
there are certain areas that are more highly coveted because of terrific weather, diverse activities, and availability of
Timeshare Exchange. These locations are Florida, Hawaii, and California.

Learn more about timeshare on page 2 of All About Timeshare Page 2

Timeshare Resource Center

Contact Us

To contact a representative of the Timeshare Resource Center, please e-mail your question, comment, or suggestion from the form below.

Click the link to find out more about Timeshare Resource Center.

Timeshare Resource Center

Timeshare professionals design Timeshare Resource Center, but it is designed from a consumer’s perspective.

About Us

Timeshare Resource Center was created to provide the most thorough information to consumers who wish to buy, sell or rent timeshare property. Our staff of writers has worked in many of the different branches of the timeshare industry for most of their professional careers. It is with this firsthand knowledge that the Timeshare Resource Center provides accurate and straightforward answers to the many questions people have about buying, selling, and renting timeshare property.

In addition to providing informative answers to the many questions about how to buy, sell, and rent timeshare, the Timeshare Resource Center will also highlight new properties in desirable locations throughout the world. With this knowledge the consumer can make better decisions about their future vacations.

As the Timeshare Resource Center evolves, more information and opportunities for our customers will be made available, such as mini-vacations to our highlighted resorts. Eventually, consumers will be able to browse our classified section where other Timshare Resource Center customers post timeshares for sale and for rent.

Timeshare Resource Center is committed to building and maintaining the most informative and consumer driven Timeshare website available to those interested in buying timeshare, selling timeshare and renting timeshare. If you have questions, comments, or suggestions on how we can make this a more complete and informative website please contact us.

Donate your Timeshare

Timeshare as a Charitable Donation

Is your timeshare not working out for you? Have you tried to sell and can’t? If you decide to donate timeshare, find out the keys to getting the most out of it for a much higher tax return to you in CASH. The details for this article are located at: http://www.communityhealthtraining.org/Timeshare/Donation and IRS Regulations.pdf. Several IRS publications and regulations are quoted there.

A timeshare (TS) is considered real property or real estate (the same thing) unless it is only a long term lease as in some countries or a contract for points not using a deed. As real property, the first consideration is if it was bought originally for personal use or purely for rental purposes. The IRS is very strict on this issue. Don’t try to claim your purchase price as an investment loss unless you have a strong paper trial with receipts showing a long history of trying to rent your timeshare out and reporting any income derived from it. At best you will only get partial credit for the years you actually have such receipts. All other years will be considered personal use and you have to apportion investment versus personal use based on actual years with proof of renting versus years held. You’ll get nailed by the IRS for it is you claim anything different.

If you donate timeshare to a charity/nonprofit organization (NPO) you have to ask the NPO two very important questions: 1.) Do you, the NPO, actually take title to it; and 2.) If yes, then how long do you hold title before you sell it to someone else? The IRS says that if the NPO transfers  title to someone else within 36 months, the amount of cash actually received is the income deduction the owner can claim. So, if you paid $20,000 and they sell it for $500 you can only claim $500 as your deduction. If you’re in a 25% tax bracket you get a $125 tax return. If they don’t take title your deduction is ONLY the actual cash received. Here’s the IRS quote from Form 8282 (which includes real estate).

Purpose of Form Donee organizations use Form 8282 to report information to the IRS and donors about dispositions of certain charitable deduction property made within 3 years after the donor contributed the property. This form is essentially a trigger to an audit notifying the IRS that you probably claimed to much in a deduction and owe them more money due to the charity selling the TS within 36 months for less than the credit they gave you.

If title is taken by the NPO but not resold for 36 months then FMV must be determined differently. The IRS says: 1. The FMV is determined by the best applicable process of: a.) The original sale price, b.) The value based on it’s income generation (usually doesn’t apply to TSs), or c.) The cost to buy a specific close replacement to the original.

2. Also,  the sale is to be based on an arms-length transaction between a seller and a buyer, neither of which are needing to either sell or buy.

3. A maximum credit of $5,000 can be given by an NPO without a certified appraisal. This will be dealt with in another article.

So long as it’s not sold within 36 months, there’s no sale to limit your donation claim. Form 8283 states that if you claim more than $250 you must use it. If you claim more than $5,000 you must have an appraisal created and signed by a licensed appraiser.

Here’s a problem with this process. The NPO is a business like any other and has bills it must pay. They arrange for donations in order to ultimately receive cash. The NPO gets nothing until they sell it and DO take on all the ownership responsibilities you had. So, why should they accept your TS unless they intend to sell it?

Reality is that they really don’t have any better way to resell or even rent most TSs than the actual owner does. For that reason most charities have either a “black list” of TSs they won’t accept or have clauses like the following to prevent their potential liability – “No property will be accepted for donation if the market analysis concludes that the property can not be sold for a profit within a three week period.” If your property is one of the highest valued and prestigious resorts like Wyndham, Disney, Hyatt, or Sheraton or in a very high demand, minimal availability area, it seldom meets this criteria. No matter how beautiful and wonderful it is try a simple test. Try to sell it on eBay for $100 to see if anyone buys it. This is where a lot of NPO TSs end up through brokers they use. AND you get stuck with the IRS Form 8282.

When you are contacting charities check into what they do with TS donations. The vast majority sell them and yours may not sell. A very few charities retain them and rent them out for income. However, like you, they have to get more rent than the ownership fees are to make any cash so they are very picky in what they accept. A rare exception can be found a couple of places where the charity chooses to fight the resort at their own credit crunch game and will take your position in title to do this. However, for them to make a profit they must charge a fee for their services. That fee can range from $500 to $5,000 depending on the company. The good thing is that they can take almost any TS that can be deeded that is free and clear and transferable to their corporate name – regardless of how run down or decrepit it is.

Paying someone to take your TS sounds terrible, but if you’ve tried everything else, it may be your final option. What is your freedom worth? How much does it cost you every year to hold and hope for a sale? If you’ve reached the point of willingly paying someone to take your TS and do it NOW, make sure it’s a legitimate charity that can give you the $5,000 income deduction and NOT resell it within 36 months. If you make more than about $31,000 as a single person or $62,000 as a married couple, that equates to a tax refund in cash to you of $1,250.

If you’re interested in what can be done visit www.communityhealthtraining.org/Timeshares . One extra note. They don’t charge you a dime for anything until they actually take title. You never pay them directly. All finances are handled through a qualified and experienced closing company of YOUR choice.

Contact:
Dr. Ken Rich SeniorDirector@CommunityHealthTraining.org

Want to Test out a timeshare vacation in Orlando? here is where to find out how.