What to Expect at the Sales Presentation/Tour

What to Expect at the Sales Presentation/Tour


Most sales presentation/tours start out the same.  The salesperson takes you on a tour of the resort/facility.  They show you the same style unit that you will stay in while vacationing, most or all of the amenities and services that they provide.  Then it's back to the sales office.

The sales pitch:

• These units are cheaper to stay in than a 5-star hotel.
• They have locations all around the world.
• You can always trade your week for another location or even another week with someone else.
• This is “real property” that is deeded.  That means that you can sell it, rent it, gift it, even put it in your will and leave it to family when you die.
• Keep the property as an investment, as it appreciates over time and you can even take out a loan against the built up equity.

What they don't tell you:

• If you take all of the money that you would sink into a timeshare, you can stay in just about any hotel, anywhere in the world, for ANY week that you choose (instead of being "assigned" one) and never have to pay another maintenance fee again for the rest of your life, for generally a lot less money.
• Yes, you can usually trade in your week for an alternate one or stay at another location, but for an additional fee.
• Timeshares are horrible investments.  Why?  Because timeshares do not appreciate!  This is why the "resale" market of timeshares are so inexpensive, because when people buy them, they only realize then, what a bad investment they actually are.  It's just a legal way to sell the same property over and over again.
• Little or no demand for Studio units (no private bedroom) or off-season (non-red) weeks.  The honest truth is that timeshares in this category can be nearly impossible to sell.  Be smart and don't focus on "what you will get out of it."  Rather, focus on "what you are getting out of it!" There are substantial financial benefits if you are relieved of ongoing, yearly maintenance fees and taxes which quickly accumulate to losing thousands of dollars, which could have been saved in the bank instead of thrown away on something you are not using.  Even if you net zero profit on the sale or take a loss, focus on the thousands of dollars you'll be saving over a few years by not having to pay out further ongoing maintenance fees.