The CP Vacation Rentals and Timeshares Thread

[rubecube]

I thought there might be some interest in a thread like this, with the mixture of travel junkies and 1 percenters on CP. I don't own vacation properties at the moment, but this is a thread for listing them. It can be for both sales or rentals.

Post away.

[1_Flames_Fan]

I like the idea. Always looking to get a nice deal on a vacation rental.

[nickerjones]

If you have any questions about timeshares I used to sell them.... I can try to help .

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by nickerjones

If you have any questions about timeshares I used to sell them.... I can try to help .

Oh, you were one of those guys, eh?

[killer_carlson]

NJ

If i buy a timeshare from like a place like:

http://www.sellmytimesharenow.com/

It is pennies on the dollar than if i were to buy it from the wyndam resort.

Is there like a transfer fee or other hidden cost so that Wyndam gets a cut of the savings or sale? Kind of lik selling an equity share in a golf club, when the club has a $10,000 transer fee

[nickerjones]

A lot of people that want to sell their timeshares want to sell them 1. because they bought them and dont use them and 2. ( the biggest reason) The are tired of paying the maintenance fees.

Some places charge a transfer fee but some don't. A lot of places just take a commission. However that site said (Buyers, please be aware that in almost all cases you are expected to pay the fees associated with the closing and transfer of the title.) This would be just like the fees you see when you sell or buy a home. I am not sure on the exact %'s they charge though. You also might be on the hook for back taxes and fees. You are paying pennies on the dollar on the original selling price of the timeshare but you then assume all the maintenance fees. Maintenance fees are HORRIBLE. They can go up at any time and usually do ( even though salesman will say its a small increase if any). Where I sold had a package that only could be had with buying at the resort. I'm still not convinced that is the case. We were instructed to pitch that you could rent your timeshare to cover your fees , even rent it back to the resort for that case. That ended up being not true.

If you are looking at buying one of those used timeshares , I would definitely ask about the maintenance fees. There are more questions to ask and if your serious let me know and I will give you more questions to ask. I sold to a lot of people who are extremely happy with what they bought but I also sold to a lot of people who aren't. The key to timeshare is you will only be happy if you will definitely use it. If you aren't sure if you will or even can use it, just stick with renting hotel rooms when you can go on trips.

[lucky1]

Good thread, CP needs one of these..
I've got a super place in Mexico - this thread has the details http://forum.calgarypuck.com/showthread.php?t=122010

and a place on the Turkish Mediterranean Coast in a town called Side (Seeday) - its an old roman city that is just really really cool - basically an open air museum http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Side

I will update the mexican thread with new pics, and put up some pics of the place in turkey -

[rubecube]

Two good sites to look for vacation rentals:

http://www.homeaway.com/

&

http://www.vrbo.com/

[metallicat]

Anyone ever use www.airbnb.com?

[Paladium]

I used airbnb a couple of times and it worked like a charm

[core_upt]

Originally Posted by oilers_fan

Anyone ever use www.airbnb.com?

I've used airbnb quite a bit when traveling through Europe. The only hiccup was meeting up with one homeowner to get the keys (he was waiting inside, I was waiting outside with no way to access the courtyard and no phone/internet to email him).

The sites fees have gone up a ton in the past year though, almost to the point that you can get a hotel for less (depending on how many people go - it's still a great deal for families/groups).

All in all, it is the first place I check when booking accommodations. Sorry for hijacking....

[worth]

I have a question for you guys:

My friends want to rent a furnished condo for 4 days. The renter does not accept credit cards and has drafted a contract.

Contract states 50% is due at time of booking and the other 50% due 30 days before we get there. So we would have to email money transfer 100% of the funds prior to arriving at the condo.

Is this the way these things are done? I do not really feel comfortable because we'd be giving this guy straight up cash. With a credit card there is fraud prevention and insurance.

Legit, or should we keep looking?

This is the main text of the contract:

Spoiler!

Guest(s) agree(s) to lease this dwelling for a term of X DAYS beginning (date) and ending (date) for (US dollars) XXX payable in advance to (owner) whose
address is XXX.
½ of the payment is due at time of booking and the final payment, including the tax and
cleaning fee is due 30 days prior to your arrival.

The security deposit on this dwelling is XXX.

The cleaning fee on this dwelling is XXX.

Add 10.5% to rent for City TOT Tax.

The final payment and security deposit for the above dwelling is due thirty days (30)
before taking possession of the house.

The security deposit is refundable if the Guest(s) leave(s) the dwelling reasonably clean
and undamaged.

Owner will refund all deposits due within 7 days after Guest(s) has/have moved out
completely and returned all keys.

Only 14 (number) of people are to live in this dwelling.

Thanks

[fundmark19]

I have had to pay cash and it worked well before. Always feel safer with credit though

[bizaro86]

Originally Posted by worth

I have a question for you guys:

My friends want to rent a furnished condo for 4 days. The renter does not accept credit cards and has drafted a contract.

Contract states 50% is due at time of booking and the other 50% due 30 days before we get there. So we would have to email money transfer 100% of the funds prior to arriving at the condo.

Is this the way these things are done? I do not really feel comfortable because we'd be giving this guy straight up cash. With a credit card there is fraud prevention and insurance.

Probably the guy is legit, if he's on an established site and has been around for awhile, but personally, there are no circumstances where I would do this. If it's about the same as other options, I'd do them instead. If it's way better/cheaper, then I'd be thinking it seems too good to be true, and the guy only takes cash in advance. It's probably the sort of thing that works out the vast majority of the time, but why take the risk of paying cash. YMMV, obviously.

[Nammer403]

Anyone on CP have any rental places in New York?

[JonDuke]

Originally Posted by Nammer403

Anyone on CP have any rental places in New York?

Try here: http://www.vrbo.com/ (Vacation Rentals by Owner)
I've never actually used it myself, but have quite a few friends who love it.

[worth]

Originally Posted by bizaro86

Probably the guy is legit, if he's on an established site and has been around for awhile, but personally, there are no circumstances where I would do this. If it's about the same as other options, I'd do them instead. If it's way better/cheaper, then I'd be thinking it seems too good to be true, and the guy only takes cash in advance. It's probably the sort of thing that works out the vast majority of the time, but why take the risk of paying cash. YMMV, obviously.

This is the same conclusion we came to. Probably legit, but do we really feel comfortable forking over thousands of dollars in cash without any assurances other than someones word who we have never met before?

It's not any cheaper and we were able to locate an alternate property that accepts credit cards and is accredited by the BBB etc.

Thanks for the response.

[Nammer403]

Originally Posted by JonDuke

Try here: http://www.vrbo.com/ (Vacation Rentals by Owner)
I've never actually used it myself, but have quite a few friends who love it.

Oh yah Ive been using vrbo for a few years now, been inquiring a few places but havnt heard back thought id try here

[Sammymydog1]

Our vacation rental listing in Scottsdale.... http://www.vrbo.com/265240

We have used vrbo many times in the past. Most experiences have been good with the exception of a couple times when my wife had to do some 'extra' cleaning when we arrived.

[rd_aaron]

Originally Posted by worth

This is the same conclusion we came to. Probably legit, but do we really feel comfortable forking over thousands of dollars in cash without any assurances other than someones word who we have never met before?

It's not any cheaper and we were able to locate an alternate property that accepts credit cards and is accredited by the BBB etc.

Thanks for the response.

We booked a place this winter in Panorama through OwnerDirect and I felt the same way. Everything was email money transfer, but everything worked out just fine.

OwnerDirect might be a little different than VRBO though, as you pay OwnerDirect a small chunk of the rental cost and then they send you the owner's info to handle the rest of the booking process. The owner's info includes their names, phones numbers, and address, so I felt like worst case I could probably pursue legal action if I knew where they lived. OwnerDirect also had a $20 insurance option that would reimburse you if the owner scammed you so that was some cheap ease of mind.