It is not too often that it gets this cold here on Lake Conroe Texas. After all, we are tucked into the southeast corner of Texas, not far from the Gulf of Mexico. How cold is "this cold"? I think the thermometer went down to 32 degrees last night. Naturally this arctic blast has me thinking of palm trees, beaches, emerald water - the Bahamas. Featured as one of the top destinations by www.travelchannel.com the Bahamas has a lot to offer.

They specifically describe Paradise Island and the Harbourside Resort Atlantis timeshare resort. They describe Atlantis as having "several hundred rooms, seventeen restaurants, a dozen bars, an aquarium and a water park located on the property." There are several other hotels on Paradise Island, and many of them have made arrangements with Atlantis for their guests to have full access to the guest services offered by Atlantis.

If you are going to book a hotel, remember to start one or two months in advance to get a better rate. For even more affordable accommodations, consider a timeshare - especially at Harborside Atlantis. But, don't pay the retail price, buy from a timeshare owner on the resale market.  You'll save thousands and have more to spend on your dream vacations. If you buy a Harborside Atlantis timeshare on the resale market, you'll save anywhere from 20% to as much as 50% off the going resort rate. Plus, you will have a much better room for your stay and more amenities close at hand.

Harborside Resort Atlantis timeshare Bahamas

Central Florida Investments, Inc, parent company of Westgate Resorts, Inc, has closed their Houston sales office and laid off 106 employees. (source)  This office has been doing "off-site" sales of timeshares for their network of Westgate Resorts.  Their office, located on Richmond Ave, featured a full sized model of one of their timeshare units to present to their buyers. They called this their preview gallery. The reason they gave the Texas Workforce Commission for the layoffs was that they "experienced an unforeseen business emergency brought on by the collapse of the credit markets." They were not able to sell their notes to their usual buyers, and the cash flow stopped. So far that all sounds like a normal by product of a severely tight credit market.

The reason this story caught my attention was because of the sales tactic of "off site" sales. I know that Westgate would not have kept the office open for the last 4 years if it were not successful. But, how hard must it be to sell a timeshare (at a top retail price) that may be actually sitting hundreds or thousands of miles away? Richmond Ave in Houston is nice, but it is not as popular destination as Las Vegas, Orlando, Hawaii, or others. So what kind of confidence can the consumer have when buying a timeshare in Vegas without going there? And how hard must it be for a sales person to close a deal when the buyer is not able to enjoy all the benefits and excitement of the terrific destination? Then, I'd wonder how high is their rate of cancellation compared to on site timeshare sales?  You'd think it would be harder to hold a buyer in this kind of deal.

I'd love to hear from any of you who used to work there or who have done "off-site" sales for timeshare developers!

Take a look at how we sell timeshares with no hassle, no pressure, and always "off-site".

Polo Towers Timeshare in Las Vegas

Yesterday's announcement from Disney that they will give free admission to one theme park on your birthday, brings up one important thing on my "to do list" - buy a Disney Vacation Club timeshare on the secondary market. After all, why should I pay the going rate at the resort when there are owners who would be willing to sell me their DVC for much much less?  I'd get the same product but for thousands less!

But how would I find the right resort, make sure the owner knows exactly what they own, and get the deal closed? What about escrow, closing companies, and transfer of ownership at Disney?

If you are really serious about buying or selling Disney Vacation Club timeshares, then you should utilize the services of timeshare resales specialists like those at www.rpmls.com. They have the size, experience, and systems to get the right deal and do it right the first time! With thousands of timeshare properties sold and closed, their experience would be the "steak" you need - with none of the "sizzle" so many seem to offer.

Disney Vacation Club's proximity to Walt Disney World, their amenities, and attention to detail would make any timeshare owner confident that they made the right decision - especially when you buy your DVC timeshare from another owner.

I am asked that question every day. And normally, someone wants to know what their timeshare is worth because they are considering selling it or have been trying to sell it with no success.

The value of a timeshare is found in its usage. Its value is determined by the amount of savings you can realize compared to paying rack rates at comparable resorts. Over time the amount of money you save when you use your timeshare becomes its value to you.

On the other hand, the first time you pay your maintenance fee and do not use that week, you find out it is worth less than zero! It is a liability. And at that point many owners decide to sell their timeshare rather than pay for something they cannot use or no longer fits into their lifestyle.

ARDA published a study several years ago saying that the average timeshare sells for about 50 to 75% of the resort developers price. Remember, that is an average taking in all resorts, all locations, all types both good and bad. While someone may be able to say they can produce a timeshare appraisal, it is very seldom worth the paper its written on. Also, a true comparative market analysis is usually incorrect because of the way timeshares have been sold. A residential home most likely was sold while listed in an MLS. The MLS will have “sold data” that is compiled into reports that can help you decide at what price to sell your home. But that is not the case for timeshares. There is too little data and too many variables to produce any reliable brokers’ opinion on the price of a timeshare.

If you were to believe everything you see on the internet auction sites, you would think that timeshares are almost impossible to sell unless you are willing to sell for pennies on the dollar. But, with the right marketing and advertising and negotiating skills of a timeshare resales broker, you can get a better value for your timeshare when you get ready to sell.

What is My Timeshare Worth? Video & Hyatt Resort Slideshow

With about a half million owners, Westgate Resorts is the largest privately held timeshare company in the US.  They have announced a new service for their owners: www.westgatefamilies.com.  Westgate explains that this is a vacation photo/video sharing website for the owners to use as a community activity.  After visiting the site, it offers far more than just a media storage place. You can pay fees, reserve weeks, rent special deals they offer, and more.  They have done a good job of integrating a social networking website with conducting the business of running one of the largest resort franchises in the US.

My experience with Westgate resorts has been as a guest, not an owner.  I stayed at Westgate Vacation Villas in Orlando Florida for a family vacation. I noticed the attention to detail, maintenance, upkeep, and staff professionalism.  The facilities were well located in relation to Walt Disney World, and all in all, a great experience.

If you were to buy a Westgate Resort timeshare, I would recommend you buy the timeshare from an owner on the resale market.  You will save a bundle of money.  Why pay retail when you can buy resale? Check out some of these timeshare deals for Westgate Resorts for sale. And if you are ready to sell your Westgate timeshare, be sure to check out the services of www.rpmls.com.

Technorati Tags: Westgate timeshare,timeshare,sell westgate timeshare,sell timeshare,buy timeshare 

Just when you might think vacation travel is slowing down, Marriott announced it's plans to build Marriott's Lakeshore Reserve at Grand Lakes near Orlando Florida. According to www.finchannel.com "The 500-acre Grande Lakes campus is already home to a JW Marriott hotel and a Ritz-Carlton, the latter including a golf club and a spa. The resort is proposed to eventually include 340 villas and townhomes, with the first phase slated for occupancy by summer 2010." Terrific news for the Orlando area for sure!  Historically, the timeshare division has been the most steady performer for all of Marriott and, from the looks of it, they will continue to build more.

This news is also great for those who own a Marriott Vacation Club timeshare: more options!  But if you have come to the point where you feel the need to part ways with your Marriott Vacation Club timeshare, then check out the services of www.rpmls.com.  They have the size, systems, and experience to get your timeshare sold for you.

Check out these other Marriott timeshares for sale. Or, look at these Orlando area timeshares for sale. You will also find helpful guides for selling timeshare, buying timeshare, interactive maps, and more at www.rpmls.com.

More Details on Selling or Buying a Marriott Timeshare

Traditionally, a local MLS will have regional properties that are available for sale.  As of June of 2007, members of the Houston Association of Realtors have been able to add international properties for sale in a section known as "Area 82".  Presently, you can find properties for sale at www.har.com/international that are located in Argentina, Mexico, UAE, Costa Rica, Brazil, Dominican Republic, France, Bahamas, India, and many more. In a recent article from the Houston Association of Realtors, Wayne Stroman CIPS, past chairman of the HAR International Advisory Group, was thanked for his efforts in getting Area 82 integrated into one of the largest, if not the largest, MLS in the nation.

The international section of HAR's website offers a tremendous number of tools to assist real estate professionals in their work. You can search in Chinese, German, Spanish, Italian, or Vietnamese. Additional training and certifications are also made available to those who want to expand their abilities to international buyers and sellers. Here's a sample for those who select the Spanish language option:

Select a Language: Chinese | French | German | Italian | Vietnamese | Spanish

Given the huge number of monthly visits to www.har.com (1.6 billion hits in June) international properties will receive a huge amount of exposure to buyers.

Definitely a "win-win" situation!

If you have decided to sell your Marriott Maui Ocean Club timeshare, you probably have mixed emotions. This has to be one of the most beautiful timeshare resorts in the world.  It is hard to beat Maui - Ocean - Marriott - Beach - Luxury - Quality!  You find all that and more at this resort.  On the other hand, if your circumstances have changed so that you can no longer use your timeshare or afford it, it is time to sell. That's where www.rpmls.com comes to lend a hand.  There you can find a wealth of information about timeshare sales, the timeshare market in Hawaii & Maui, and the process of getting your timeshare sold.

And, if you are thinking of buying a timeshare in Maui, it would be hard to go wrong with Marriott Maui Ocean Club.  You would be part of the best name in the timeshare industry (Marriott), on one of the most beautiful islands in the Pacific Ocean (Maui), and be able to enjoy the quality service and attention that Marriott timeshare owners rave about.  So when you are ready to take the plunge, call on the timeshare professionals at www.rpmls.com so that you can save a significant amount of money compared to what you would pay at the resort. Other great Marriott timeshare deals nearby include Marriott's Kauai Beach Club and Marriott's Waiohai Beach Club.

No hassle, no pressure, just a good deal!

I am hearing this concern more and more every day.  Numerous timeshare resorts have increased their annual fees (maintenance & taxes) and this is causing quite a few timeshare owners to stop and think about their timeshare.  The decision to sell your timeshare should be made based on how often you actually use it, and the enjoyment you derive from it.  If you use your timeshare every available week, then you are still probably saving quite a bit on your holiday/vacation travel budget.  However, once your circumstances change so that you cannot schedule, plan ahead, or use your timeshare, it quickly becomes a liability.  So if you have not used your timeshare in a few years, then consider selling it.  There are still affordable options for quality resorts without owning one. Once you decide to sell, use a professional service like www.rpmls.com. They have the size, systems, and experience to get your timeshare sold without the hassle of doing it yourself.

On the other hand, thousands of timeshare buyers have begun to see the value in buying on the resale market.  You get the same deed or usage rights and, for the most part, the same perks that the original buyer had.  There are deals to be found in the timeshare resales world. The best bet is to use someone like www.rpmls.com to find the right property for you. If you depend on a newspaper or www dot ad you may not get the timeshare you bargained for. Often times owners do not clearly understand exactly what they own - and in turn, can sell to you.  Take a look at timeshare buyer and seller guides at www.rpmls.com.  No pressure, no hassle, just a good deal!

A few tips from one of our timeshare industry professionals describing the Orlando Florida timeshare market!

For buyers: First you should determine if owning a timeshare would suit your lifestyle. Do you like to take spontaneous vacations or plan ahead?  Can you schedule your vacations six months in advance?  Once those questions are settled, then you have a myriad of choices in timeshare ownership at the Manhattan Club.  If you want a penthouse unit, the only way to buy it is on the resales market.  Other choices include Junior suites (approx 450 sq ft), a 1br - 2 bath unit, Metropolitan suites (smaller than Jr), "full flex", Platinum (2 weekends), Gold (1 weekend), Silver, and more.  Just make sure you know exactly what you are getting when you sign a contract to purchase a Manhattan Club timeshare!

Also, be sure to check whether any rights, privileges, or benefits (ie - parking privileges, club memberships, etc) that are initially purchased by an owner are transferrable to the new owner on a resale.

For sellers: Be aware that the Manhattan Club will not sell your timeshare for you.  You would be wise to use a timeshare broker to make certain that all the details are covered.

The Manhattan Club is located near the intersection of 56th Street and 7th Ave: