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

This was my first trip to Las Vegas. During the flight, the man sitting next to me had plenty of advice on how to enjoy this city. His advise was, "Next time, take a car, roll down the window, throw your wallet out the window and then go home." At that moment I decided there had to be a way to enjoy this town without spending a fortune. I had already made arrangements to stay at a fine new timeshare resort, the Monarch Grand Vacations Cancun Resort: Great accommodations, awesome pool complex, great price. Of course, that's the value in buying timeshare, paying today's price for tomorrow's vacation. More on that later.

I found quite a few free shows in town that were world class and quite spectacular. Here are a few of them:

The fountains at the Bellagio. Possibly the best free show in town. This is a choreographed music and fountain experience. Crowds gathered on the sidewalk and there were plenty of "oohs and ahhs" to go around. Don't miss this one if you are in town.

Fremont Street Experience. They host hourly shows from dusk to midnight. Rumor has it that they have 12 million lights high above the street and the show is amazing.

Lions at the MGM Grand. Just go to the MGM Grand and find the display close to the entrance. You can get up close to the glass and see the lions and their beautiful habitat.

The Sirens of Treasure Island Las Vegas. One of the best free shows in Las Vegas is held every night in front of the Treasure Island Hotel in Sirens Cove. The free show goes on nightly at 7:00 p.m., 8:30 p.m., 10:00 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. in Sirens' Cove at the front entrance of Treasure Island Hotel and Casino.

Circus Circus. High above the Casino, the performers walk on the high wire, perform magic and make you laugh. The show happens at regular half-hour intervals throughout the day.

Volcano at the Mirage. Every hour after dusk, the Mirage volcano explodes for crowds of curious Strip onlookers.

Wildlife Habitat at the Flamingo. Pink Flamingos don't just exist in people's front yards as a decoration. The Flamingo has a captivating habitat right in the heart of their hotel. Just stroll by in the nice air conditioned lobby and soak in the beauty of this one!

Fall of Atlantis and Festival Fountain shows at Caesars. The Fall of Atlantis fountain show will captivate you with its stunning special effects. Located in the Forum Shops, the free fountain show uses lifelike animatronic figures to recount the myth of Atlantis.  Once the show concludes, take a walk behind the fountain and check out more than 100 species of ocean life in a 50,000-gallon saltwater aquarium.

The Rio. The Rio may be a little off the strip but it has one of the most breathtaking views from the rooftop club, The Voodoo Lounge. It also features a man made beach and lagoon, a full service spa, and the largest wine cellar in the world boasting over 50,000 bottles. In the Masquerade Village part of the hotel, you can catch one of the best free shows in town: Masquerade Show in the Sky. This show takes you to a Brazilian Carnival, complete with floats, beads, and Mardi Gras style fun. The floats, unlike any you have ever seen, truly "float" up in the air on rails throughout the Masquerade Village.

And now, back to accommodations in Vegas. My number one choice is staying in timeshares. A hotel simply does not compare with a timeshare. You get so much more space, amenities, the list is huge. I did a drive by tour of several in town.

Polo Towers is located right on Las Vegas Boulevard. From the Skyview Lounge, you catch an awesome view of the MGM Grand, New York New York, Luxor, Paris, and Excalibur.

The Jockey Club, situated next door to the billion dollar Bellagio, is also right across from Paris, and near Mirage, Venetian, and Treasure Island. This timeshare features a Southern California styled elegance and the suites are more like residence than a hotel.

HGV Club Flamingo Hilton, also on Las Vegas Blvd, has one of the most beautiful pool complexes in town. A true oasis in the desert, you are surrounded by palm trees, tropical and lush landscaping, and pools to lounge by. Now THAT'S a vacation.

There are many more things to see and to do in Las Vegas that are affordable and fun. Don't stay away because you feel like you might be throwing your wallet out the window.

Vacation and Holiday travel do not necessarily need to be expensive. If your hobby or avocation is scuba diving, here are a few great tips for making your next trip more affordable.  Accommodations at most great dive destinations are usually expensive. If you were to rent a timeshare, or buy a timeshare at your favorite dive location you would save a bundle over time!  Here's an experienced diver giving advice on several great destinations: Aruba, Cayman Islands, and Cozumel.

Fabulous timeshare condos are available for sale or rent in Aruba: Divi Village Golf & Beach Resort, Marriott's Aruba Surf Club, Costa Linda Beach Resort, La Cabana Beach Resort, Renaissance Aruba Resort, Casa Del Mar Beach Resort, Marriott's Aruba Ocean Club, and Paradise Beach Villas to name a few. In the Cayman Islands, our resident diving enthusiast recommends Morritt's Tortuga Club as her first choice. Other timeshare vacation condos for sale in Cayman Islands include Plantation Village Beach Resort, Coral Sands Resort, and 7 Mile Beach Resort. In Cozumel, you can find excellent dive resorts. For example Melia Vac Club @ Melia Cozumel, Occidental Resort Cozumel, RHC/Park Royal Cozumel, and Reef Club Cozumel.

Many of these timeshare condos offer dive packages, shuttles, equipment rental, and other services. So, if you are ready to rent, buy, or even sell your dive resort timeshare, check out www.rpmls.com for terrific service and great deals.

Many of us have had the experience of buying a used car: Shopping the ads, going to used car lots, checking the interenet ads.  But once you arrive on the used car lot, logic often goes out the window, and emotions take over. That's what the car salesman is hoping for. Not to say anything bad about the profession of auto sales, but, they are hoping you will overlook the negative aspects of their product and drive one of their cars home that day. 

It is wise indeed to do your "due diligence" and check out all aspects of this purchase and make a buying decision based on the right information.  In the process, you will, in fact, save a lot of your hard earned money.

Buying a timeshare on the secondary market has some of the same issues:

• Are all the maintenance fees and taxes up to date?
• Are all the "extras" (points, rounds of golf, spa usage, tennis lessons, etc) transferable?
• Is there a big assessment looming in the future for the owners?
• Does the resort or resort management company have a history of exponentially rasing fees, avoiding owners' complaints, or neglecting the maintenance of the facility?
• Will you, in fact, get the next year's usuage?

These questions, and others, will need to be answered before you can say you have done your homework and then move ahead with confidence. You will get what you want at a price that will make you happy: you got a great deal on a timeshare you will use and enjoy. Resale beats Retail!

For example, consider buying a timeshare in Oahu Hawaii, Sedona Arizona, Branson, Key West, Virginia, New York, or Las Vegas at a serious discount!

If you want to move ahead with confidence, check out these deals at www.rpmls.com.

In a recent blog article, "....Timeshare Ignores Negative Trends" I mentioned a report published at www.inman.com that referred to over $8 billion in timeshare sales for 2007. Also, Goldman Sachs released a study projecting that timeshare sales in the US in 2008 will grow by 10% producing over 400,000 new timeshare owners! I just came across a study published in January of this year by www.companiesandmarkets.com that projects timeshare sales growth in the US for 2008.

Again and again the financial analysts are telling us that timeshare sales will not be as negatively impacted by economic maladies as the rest of the travel and tourism industry. While that forecast is great for the big players of the timeshare world, Wyndham Vacation Ownership (Wyndham Worldwide), Marriott Vacation Club Ownership (Marriott International), Hilton Grand Vacations Company (Hilton Hotels) and Starwood Vacation Ownership (Starwood Hotels & Resorts), it is even better for owners who want to sell their timeshare on the secondary or resales market.  That portion of the timeshare sales world is still growing by leaps and bounds!  More and more owners are getting comfortable with the process of selling their timeshare and are using the professional services of timeshare resales brokers like those at www.rpmls.com. Even more timeshare buyers are realizing the savings to be had by buying resale and not paying retail prices.  After all, who would not like to save money on a big purchase!

If you are ready to sell your timeshare, check out this timeshare seller's guide. If you are ready to buy a timeshare, check out this timeshare buyer's guide. You will find a lot of good information, interactive maps, resort photos, timeshare blog, and videos of timeshare experts describing the different timeshare markets.

No hassle, no pressure, just a good deal!

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!

In the Starwood family of resorts, the Westin Kaanapali stands out above the rest.  Located on the northwest shores of Maui Hawaii, this resort offers luxury at a level few ever manage to experience.  And at a fraction of what it would cost if you owned a whole ownership condo in the same area.  The Westin Kaanapali timeshare offers acres of pristine beach and places you ideally on Maui's west end, giving you enviable access to the refreshing blue of the Pacific Ocean. Soak in breathtaking vistas of natural beauty while being able to enjoy the nearby cultural activities in the former whaling town of Lahaina. If you were to buy this timeshare from the resort you would pay far more than if you bought on the secondary market.  There are owners of Westin Kaanapali timeshare who would be willing to sell to you at a significant discount.  You can find these timeshare deals at www.rpmls.com.

If you are ready to sell your Westin Kaanapali Ocean Resort Villas timeshare, seek the professional help of the agents at www.rpmls.com.  They have been in the timeshare business for nearly 3 decades and have the expertise to get the job done!

Other Starwood Resort timeshares available at www.rpmls.com include: Sheraton's Vistana Orlando, Sheraton's Desert Oasis, Westin Mission Hills Resort Villas, Sheraton's Mountain Vista, Buganvilias Resort, Sheraton Broadway Plantation, Lakeside Terrace@Vail Valley, Sheraton's PGA Vacation Resort, Westin Lagunamar Ocean Resort, and Westin Ka'anapali Ocean Resort Villas.

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!