Timeshare Crusader

29/12/2022

Anyone who knows me knows I don’t like/use absolutes. However, in this case let me be perfectly clear: No one who is legitimate will EVER cold call you and tell you they want to buy your .

28/12/2022

It’s important to use common sense in all situations involving timeshare.

Here’s an example: When the ill-named concierge at the check in desk tells you that there’s a mandatory meeting so that they can show you how to use the new website or something else; think about it.

If there truly is some new information that they need to share with owners, and oftentimes there is, don’t you think that they’d email ALL the owners and not just the ones checking in? Of course.

These are nothing more than sales pitches. And somewhere in the back of your brain, you know that.

28/12/2022

Let the hand wringing commence!

For my last post this year I present you with the latest communication piece that I co-wrote with ARDA, the trade association representing...

27/12/2022

Tomorrow in the blog: To end 2022, I’ll share an important piece that will have my detractors from both sides wringing their hands. It’s a good one!

26/12/2022

Personally, I’m having a difficult time believing the resale amounts that some are claiming in here. Thoughts?

Timeshare exit companies have given our industry a bad name, tarnishing the timeshare resale market by promising a “legal” means for owners to exit their contracts.

23/12/2022

Salespeople who sell timeshare as an investment should be fired in my opinion. Consumers who purchase a timeshare as an investment should get a snack on their head. Also in my opinion.

Investing is a game of risk. No matter what the economy looks like and what you invest in, it’ll always involve some uncertainty. Taking that leap can lead to big payoffs in some cases, but some investments are too risky to be worth your time.

22/12/2022

Next week in the blog we have an interview with the founder and CEO of . They’re new in the shared ownership space.

21/12/2022

Interesting read. Unfortunately a very tiny percentage of owners ever get involved with the operations of their home resort…if there even is a home resort.

Owners Deserve Better We value timeshare owners and your input and opinions. Lemonjuice Solutions’ primary focus is helping owners find solutions and good outcomes through working with Board of Directors, Resort Managers, Management Companies, and Branded Developers. Our recent "Owners Deserve Bet...

19/12/2022

Today’s Timeshare PSA: Free is one of the 4 words to avoid. If you’re offered a free trip as part of your purchase, understand that it’s baked into the cost of the …same with any other purchase as well.

16/12/2022

Today’s blog post is about trust. If you don’t want to spend 3 minutes reading it, here’s the point: Trust is earned. And a 3 hour sales pitch by some guy with a nifty name tag proclaiming him to be a Vacation Counselor shouldn’t be the threshold.

Today a few words about trust when it comes to timeshare issues. And I’m not talking about legal trusts here. I recently saw a social med...

16/12/2022

Yet another propaganda piece. The fact that timeshares come decorated would not make any owner’s top 100 reasons to buy. And no, real estate is not part of the deal with most timeshares these days.

15/12/2022

Not only will tomorrow’s blog post about trust be a good read, but look for an important collaboration about timeshare exit companies next week.

12/12/2022

This was sent out to Diamond owners recently. You should only rely on actual information sent by Diamond/Hilton and NOT on a commissioned salesperson.

“After a year full of exciting changes following Hilton Grand Vacations’ acquisition of Diamond Resorts in 2021, we’re thrilled to announce we are making great progress in our efforts toward becoming one company.

DiamondResorts.com will sunset soon and begin redirecting visitors to HiltonGrandVacations.com.

Shortly, you will have the ability to access your vacation ownership or membership information via a drop-down menu interface on the Hilton Grand Vacations website. Once redirected to your login page, you will be able to access your account, make payments, book reservations and more — the same as you have before — using the same username and password.

In addition, the Diamond Resorts mobile app is no longer available for use. We recommend deleting the app from your mobile devices as it was sunset in late November.

More information will be shared regarding the discontinuation of DiamondResorts.com, including login instructions on the day the website sunsets. Please be on the lookout for an email from us in the coming weeks”

08/12/2022

Kudos to Disney Vacation Club for allowing to tweet the information covered in the annual meeting. owners deserve this type of transparency.

06/12/2022

Interesting read. Disappointed that he used the word investment.

Hilton Grand Vacations, the timeshare company, believes that consumers will find its stably priced product attractive in an inflationary era.

05/12/2022

Let’s assume the sales staff grossly misrepresented the timeshare. Let’s assume the closing/verification officer rushed you into signing your paperwork. Both are bad and should not be tolerated and dealt with legally if laws were broken.

However, I do not understand how anyone can buy anything for let’s say $15,000 and after 2 full years of paying on it, have zero idea what they purchased, how it works, never attempted to use it and is now posting they want “out” on social media allowing for every scammer and their mother-in-law to contact them and promise a way out…for only $3,999.

02/12/2022

Fascinating story. I hope to have an interview with the CEO shortly.

Everyone looks forward to their upcoming vacations. For many, the concept of vacation co-ownership offers an attractive alternative.

30/11/2022

Today’s Timeshare PSA: If you’re financing your purchase, it’s imperative to understand your options. Most banks and credit unions will not finance them. Most developers offer financing, often at very high rates.

26/11/2022

Congratulations to AIRDA. They promote the industry in India and have a healthy regard for protecting consumers.

AIRDA CELEBRATES 25 YEARS IN INDIA'S TIMESHARE AND TOURISM INDUSTRY. In 1997, a visionary group of resort developers and RCI inked a blueprint for an ... 11 comments on LinkedIn

25/11/2022

Not a great week for these timeshare developers.

Local business and Herald sponsor, European Consumer Claims (ECC) with their law partners, M1 Legal had their biggest ever week of Spanish court victories...

23/11/2022

Yes, many resorts put in a voluntary contribution to ARDA-ROC in your annual maintenance fee bill. Two things: It’s voluntary even though it may take a few phone calls or emails to get it removed. ARDA-ROC is not the same as ARDA.

22/11/2022

Finally someone is paying attention. This is excellent news.

The U.S.

20/11/2022

Wowza. Hearing of yet more RCI price increases. $289 for a simple exchange? Crazy.

19/11/2022

I’m not going to post the article because I don’t wa to to give it more traction. However, this is an actual quote from some timeshare salesperson who claims to have sold $40 million worth of it in her career. Can you imagine how much misery she’s responsible for?

“They are for people who want to go on a three-month-long vacation and don’t want to worry about anything,” she adds. “Want to go to Europe on a Viking Cruise? Done! Want to stay at Positano each year for a month? Done and done! You own the time there, and nobody can interrupt your fantasy stay.”

11/11/2022

This is from a periodical that focuses on the timeshare industry. I’m curious if any resort personnel in charge of anything understands what’s covered in this article.

No matter what kind of product or service, you provide customer support. It might be repair , a complaint, questions on messenger, or just praise or requests.

11/11/2022

An oldie but goodie.

The day usually starts with a 7:30 am meeting. The managers recapped the sales from the previous day and gave ... Read More

10/11/2022

People…wise up. Stop taking advice on walking away from your legal obligation to pay the installment loan on your timeshare from disgruntled owners on a social media site. This is a serious matter with potentially serious implications.

10/11/2022

Today’s Timeshare PSA: The time to investigate a or a self-proclaimed exit company is before you give them any money, not afterwards. Shouldn’t be that difficult to understand but apparently it is.

07/11/2022

Series of tweets from Brian Chesky of AirBnB. I’m not saying that this is a better alternative to timeshare because people have different needs, budgets and expectations. I am however saying that addressing the issues in this manner is commendable.

“I’ve heard you loud and clear—you feel like prices aren’t transparent and checkout tasks are a pain. That’s why we’re making 4 changes:

1. Starting next month, you’ll be able to see the total price you're paying up front.

When you turn this on, you’ll see the total price (before taxes) in search results, as well as on the map, price filter, and listing page. You can also view a full price breakdown with Airbnb’s service fee, discounts, and taxes.

2. We are prioritizing total price (instead of nightly price) in our search ranking algorithm. The highest quality homes with the best total prices will rank higher in search results.

We started as an affordable alternative to hotels, and affordability is especially important today. During this difficult economic time, we need to help our Hosts provide great value to you.

3. To enable Hosts to set more competitive prices, we’ll be launching new pricing and discount tools. Hosts told us they’d like our help to better understand the final price guests pay and what price to charge to stay competitive.

4. You shouldn’t have to do unreasonable checkout tasks, such as stripping the beds, doing the laundry, or vacuuming. But we think it’s reasonable to turn off the lights, throw food in the trash, and lock the doors—just as you would when leaving your own home.

If Hosts have checkout requests, they should be reasonable and shown to you before you book.

Thank you for all the feedback. We will never stop improving Airbnb.”

06/11/2022

I defy anyone to read and comprehend all these rules. Whatever happened to a timeshare being a stress free vacation?

So, I just got off the phone with HGV corporate and here is some info that I think all should be aware of before joining Max: If you own retail and resale and then join Max, your Max eligible points (retail/developer) will go into a Max account and your resale will stay in your HGVClub Legacy...