Topic: How To Invest

Pat: What is your take on timeshares? They seem like a deal for a cheaper vacation. Thanks.

Article Excerpt

If you visit a resort this winter, you may receive an invitation to a party or other event whose object is to try to sell you and other guests time-shares. It could be worthwhile to attend, depending on what else you have to do. But my own feeling is that buying a time-share rarely provides you with any real advantage. Before buying any time-share, you should check the Internet for resales of comparable time-shares. You’ll find they often sell way below the initial time-share sales price. Even if you find what looks like a great deal on a time-share resale, I see no point in committing yourself to any one resort operator, much less one resort. You won’t be there often enough to develop any rapport with your neighbours or the staff. New resorts open up all the time. Management can get sloppy at existing resorts, especially after the time-shares are sold out. For that matter, your interests or tastes may…