What is vacation ownership and timesharing resorts all about?
Vacation ownership, is timesharing of a condominium unit or apartment for usually a week. There are 52 weeks in a year and you can purchase as many weeks as you like and usually any week of the year.
The weeks are based on colors and the color red is the most expensive weeks of the 52 week period. The most expensive and sort after weeks are July and December.
The time purchased also can be expressed in terms of "points," a currency that is used to establish value for seasons, unit sizes, and resort locations. The vacation ownership interest often will include a deeded interest in real estate.
Also another cost factor are the prices according to the size of the unit, resort amenities, location, and season of use. In addition, owners pay an annual maintenance fee to help maintain the property, as well as the quality and future value of the resort.
The American Resort Development Association (www.arda.org) is the professional organization that represents the vacation ownership and resort development industries.
Member resorts are required to abide by its Code of Standards and Ethics.
What are the benefits of vacation ownership?
You can enjoy a lifetime of great vacations that comes with ownership. You will create lasting memories with your family members and friends in the comforts of a home instead of a hotel room.
When you buy into a vacation ownership, you lock in the purchase price of the resort ownership, helping to assure your future vacations at today's prices. It's a fun and flexible way to enjoy home-like accommodations around the world.???
Why settle for renting a hotel room when you’re on vacation, when you can have all these amenities waiting for you at a typical vacation ownership resort: spacious floor plans that may include studio, one-, two-, three- and four-bedroom units with fully-equipped kitchen and dining areas, washer and dryer, stereo, TV, DVD players, and more.
Many resorts also offer on-site swimming pools, tennis courts, hot tubs, saunas, and spa and fitness facilities. They may enjoy close proximity to golf, skiing, boating, water sports, amusement and theme parks, and other opportunities for family activities.
Take a moment to review -- on one side of the vacation divide is the standard hotel room that you have been renting while on vacation. That room usually includes one or two beds, a TV and desk, and a small bathroom. You don't own it and the cost to stay there might increase every year.
The other side is where you find vacation ownership -- multiple rooms, living space, fully-furnished accommodations that make you feel like you're in a spacious private home. And, unlike a hotel where you're paying to rent a room year after year, you actually own your own vacation experience at a set price that does not increase (although annual maintenance fees are subject to change).
Here's more. When you purchase an interest in vacation ownership, you may enjoy access to hundreds of properties around the world through vacation exchange programs. From ski slopes to beaches, exchange offers a variety of vacation experiences. In fact, the choices grow day by day, and vary by developer.
Vacation ownership is really flexible. Many resort developers use points-based programs that allow owners to purchase points based on their estimated vacation needs. Points are used instead of dollar amounts for all types of accommodations, resort locations, amenities, number of days used, and sometimes other travel services.
What is the "Power of Exchange?"
Owners usually trade their resort time for other resort destinations made available through an exchange system like RCI and others.
You can exchange from the beaches to the ski slopes, from downtown to desert, county to country to continent, there are literally hundreds of vacation options from which to choose. Exchange is best way to see the entire world, and offers members great flexibility.
Let’s get ready to EXCHANGE!
