Exchange Company Awards Can Increase Timeshare Value

RCI and Interval International are the 2 largest timeshare exchange companies in the world. Almost always, when a timeshare resort is newly developed, its developer will choose to affiliate the new resort with either RCI (Resort Condominiums International), or II (Interval International). Both exchange companies have a similar system in which they recognize the outstanding resorts affiliated with their exchange network, for standards of excellence in important categories, but there are a few slight differences in how each exchange company bestows an award.

RCI designates their superlative timeshares as Gold Crown Resorts. Interval International lavishes its Five Star Award on their premier timeshares. What does it mean when an exchange company bestows such a recognition award on a timeshare? Does it compare to the vaunted Michelin Guide's 4-star rating? Or is it just a lot of meaningless hype?

Actually, a Gold Crown Resort or Five Star Award rating is as coveted in the timeshare industry as those Michelin stars are by restaurants and hotels. A premier designation is an outside validation a resort's claim to quality, boosting the prestige of the resort. It assures both buyers and existing owners that the timeshare management is committed to providing high quality amenities, superior service and excellent maintenance. Also, because exchange systems trade accommodations of similar quality, owning a timeshare that has received a recognition award gives you an entree into other award-winning resorts.

Unfortunately, recognition awards do not always guarantee similarly luxurious accommodations and amenities. Here's how the awards stack up:

• Interval International's Five Star Award is the only level of award an affiliated resort can obtain. There is no 4, 3, 2, or 1-Star rating. The 5-Star rating is based on its own Quality Rating Survey which rates five general criteria: area, site, amenities, units and guest services. "Scores are weighted according to the type of vacation experience," explains II spokesman Chris Boesch. "For example, a resort in an urban area may not be required to have a full-size kitchen but may offer more in the way of guest services." Once a Five Star Award is given, II monitors continued quality via guest comment cards. (This is why it's so important to keep II informed by completing your guest comment card at the end of your vacation.)



• RCI's Gold Crown Resort is based on a detailed list of specific criteria that a resort must meet to be recognized. Two lesser levels of recognition are also offered: the Silver Crown Resort designation for resorts that come close but not quite up to the gold standard and the RCI Hospitality award for resorts that meet a minimum standard of excellence. RCI also uses guest comment cards to monitor continued quality. To maintain a Gold Crown Award, however, a resort must also continue to meet specific requirements for resort amenities, guest services, unit amenities/interiors and resort maintenance.
  

You'll note that RCI uses a rating system with a hierarchy of benchmarks while II uses more of a checklist. Without a lesser number of stars to denote various levels of quality, II's Five Star Award can be a bit misleading. Not all II resorts receive a Five Star Award, of course, but neither does the award guarantee quite as discernible a standard of quality as RCI's Gold Crown award. You can't necessarily assume that an II Five Star Award resort will be comparable to hotel that receives a AAA 5-diamond or Mobil 5-star rating.

In 2006, rating organizations in the United Kingdom imposed a new program that rates all of the nation's accommodations by a common set of standards. The same rating criteria and guidelines are now used by VisitBritain, VisitEngland, VisitScotland, VisitWales, the Automobile Association and the Royal Automobile Club to determine the number of stars to award a hotel or resort. Each organization accepts the others' ratings and ratings are jointly published.

While this won't change II or RCI timeshare ratings, it will provide consumers with a more exact idea of a timeshare resort's quality. Consumers might demand more details about an II Five Star Award resort that only receives a 3-star rating on the UK's national rating system. While hotels and resorts are not required to participate in the national rating system, those that don't are prohibited from being promoted by UK tourist boards or journalists. The system doesn't have a specific category for timeshares, but will evaluate them if the property is mixed-use or offers rentals. Properties pay an assessment fee to be evaluated.

A program similar to the UK's national ratings system may never "cross the pond," but some standardization would certainly benefit consumers and timeshare owners.

What You Should Know Before You Sell Your Timeshare

Selling a timeshare is not much different than selling a house or condominium: You place it for sale, and after you have located your buyer, hire the services of a Timeshare Title company to assist you in the legal paperwork involved.

Do I need to hire a real estate agent to sell my timeshare?
No, you can easily sell a timeshare yourself on TimeshareGiant.com. Although hiring a legitimate licensed real estate broker can greatly benefit the marketing and sale of your timeshare, it is not a requirement. On Timeshare Giant we provide timeshare sellers with a variety of timeshare advertising packages at extremely attractive prices. With the most expensive and high-profile ad package, the cost is only pennies per day, and gives the seller complete control over the marketing and sale of the timeshare. On Timeshare Giant you pay no commissions and no upfront fees.

How do I set the selling price for my timeshare?
When you originally purchased your timeshare, you paid what we call 'full retail'. Unfortunately, when the time comes to re-sell your timeshare, you will not be able to recover your initial purchase price. The timeshare resale market is a very competitive arena. Buyers are shoppers. In today's marketplace, buyers have a lot of choices, and the name of the game is price. They want value. To be competitive with other folks who are selling timeshares at your resort, be willing to price your timeshare for 30-60% less than what you paid.

Do I need an appraisal to sell my timeshare?
No, you do not need an appraisal to sell your timeshare and, most likely, you didn’t receive one when you purchased your timeshare.

Do I need an attorney to sell my timeshare?
Although some states, such as Lousiana, do require real estate owners to enlist the services of an attorney in the sale of any real estate transaction, most states do not require you to hire an attorney to sell your timeshare. After the task of locating a buyer is accomplished, most sellers simply use the services of a licensed and bonded title/escrow service to perform necessary legal services, prepare legal documents, and collect/disburse the funds from the sale. Documents are reviewed by the title/escrow service’s attorneys so you do not need to hire your own. Timeshare Giant recommends Timeshare Title Inc. for their prompt and accurate timeshare closing services. Their prices for their escrow services are also very reasonable. Click here for more information on timeshare closing services. Remember, if you post an ad on Timeshare Giant, it is not a requirement to use our recommended timeshare escrow service, Timeshare Title Inc., after you've located your buyer. We've included an easy link to Timeshare Title's services throughout the TimeshareGiant.com website for your convenience.

Can I sell my timeshare if I’m still financing it?
Certainly you can sell your timeshare if it is still being financed. You simply pay off the timeshare loan with the sale proceeds before the deed changes hands. The Title/Escrow company you employ will assist you in disbursing your loan payoff funds.

What happens to banked weeks when I sell my timeshare?
At the time you have located a buyer for your timeshare, if you have already banked weeks with an exchange company, your deposited week(s) are no longer considered part of the timeshare property. Remember, your membership with your exchange company is separate from the ownership of your timeshare. At the time you decide to sell your timeshare, it is important not to deposit any more weeks from the timeshare you are selling, into your exchange company. Leave all future weeks available for your buyer's use. In my experience, I've found it more difficult to sell a timeshare if the current year's week, or any future weeks, are not made available to the buyer. It's difficult for a buyer to justify buying your timeshare if they are unable to use the timeshare during their first year of ownership (or future years). The cleanest, most simple way to sell your timeshare is to make all weeks, current and future, available to the buyer.

Can I transfer banked weeks from previous years to my buyer to 'Sweeten the Pie'?
Absolutely! Many sellers use their banked weeks from previous years as a bargaining tool, or to simply make the timeshare more irresistable to a buyer. Buyers in today's timeshare resale marketplace are looking for real value, and if you're offering banked weeks from previous years for no additional cost, buyers love it! To transfer your banked weeks to your buyer, contact your exchange company and learn their procedure and rules in connection with transferring your banked weeks to your buyer at the time your escrow closes.

How does the right of first refusal affect my timeshare sale?
Some resorts have a right of first refusal (ROFR) clause in their Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions (CC&Rs). This means that once you and the buyer come to an agreement on the sale of your timeshare, the resort where your timeshare is located reserves the right to step into your buyer's position and purchase the property under the same agreed terms and conditions. If this seems overwhelming or confusing to you, don't worry! The Title & Escrow company you employ to assist you in finalizing your sale is very knowedgeable in this process, and will be able to easily help you through it, if not completely take care of the process for you!

How long does it take to close on a timeshare sale, once my buyer is located?
The average timeshare sale process can take as little as 2 weeks, and as long as 1o weeks to complete. Variances depend on the resort, and local laws and procedures. In my experience, I am a big believer in using the services of a timeshare title and escrow company, such as Timeshare Title Inc., to assist in safely and legally affecting the transfer from you to your buyer. Remember: Most timeshares are Real Estate transactions, and you want to deliver clean title to your buyer to avoid any future possible legal repercussions.

For a checklist of information buyers will want to know about your timeshare, sellers can click here for Timeshare Giant's helpful Timeshare Seller's Checklist.

Follow Fall Migrations to Elegant Williamsburg

The sun is riding lower in the sky. It's still dark when the alarm rings and the skies are gray with dusk on the drive home from work. Fall is slowly creeping across the country, bringing crisp days, cool nights and falling leaves. In the north feeders that just weeks ago were crowded with birds are nearly empty. The skies are filled with the "V" formations of migrating geese honking their way across the sky. In the evening clouds of birds swirl over dessicated farm fields to scratch among the dying cornstalks before taking flight again. It's migration season and the flocks are heading south, as am I to a delightful Williamsburg, Virginia timeshare.

Just northeast of the Williamsburg timeshare I'm calling home for the week, less than an hour's drive away, is one of the nation's premier birding sites in the Chesapeake Bay area. The Presquile National Wildlife Refuge along the James River offers numerous parks, hiking trails and scenic drives from which migrating flocks can be observed.

The Virginia Bird and Wildlife Trail Guide is an excellent resource packed with well-known and obscure hiking trails, scenic drives, parks and historic sites of interest to birders and non-birders alike. The book can be purchased for $8.50 at www.dgif.virginia.gov/vbwt or by calling 866-748-2298. Additional bird-watching information is available at http://www.virginiabirding.com/ and at the Coastal Virginia Wildlife Observatory site at http://www.cvwo.org/.

Fall is one of my favorite times of year to be in Williamsburg. There are so many lovely timeshares to choose from on Timeshare Giant. This time I'm combining luxury with colonial elegance at Marriott's Manor Club at Ford's Colony (right). Spend an exhilarating day hiking, biking, horseback riding, golfing on the championship golf course or visiting the numerous nearby attractions.

Return home to your timeshare for a revitalizing steam in the sauna and a luxurious soak in the hot tub before enjoying a sumptuous dinner in the award-winning dining room at Ford's Colony. End your evening with a cozy snuggle in front of the fireplace. My idea of a perfect fall day!

Marriott's Manor Club at Ford's Colony offers superior amenities in elegantly appointed villas with privately screened porches overlooking the magnificent golf course fairways and gardens. The 54-hole course was designed by golf's legendary Dan Maples. For more information on Marriott's Manor Club at Ford's Colony, click the post title. You'll find a nice variety of Williamsburg timeshares for purchase or rent on the Timeshare Giant website; just click here for a complete listing.

If this is your first trip to Williamsburg, you'll want to take a walk back in time to the 18th century historic community of Colonial Williamsburg. You can visit with authentically dressed tradespeople and see how things were done in colonial times. Make sure you take a horse-drawn carriage ride in the evening as the as the streetlights are lit -- by candlelight! Jamestown settlement and Busch Gardens are just two of many excellent nearby attractions. Owning a timeshare allows you to return again and again to experience all that Williamsburg has to offer.

Valuable Tips for Selling Your Timeshare

If you decide to sell your timeshare, there are certain important things you should know and do. On Timeshare Giant you'll find a helpful Timeshare Seller's Checklist in the Toolbox at the bottom of each web page. It's just one of many helpful tools available on the Timeshare Giant website to make buying, selling or renting a timeshare easy to do.

When you sell your timeshare, pay particular attention to the following:

• Collect complete information about your timeshare, including whether it is a point system, deeded or right-to-use property.
• Buyers will want to know if use of your timeshare is floating or fixed and the weeks it is available for use. They'll also want to know if use is guaranteed every year or just odd or even years and whether the timeshare is available for use this year.
• Obtain information on the exchange company. Buyers will also want details on how exchanges work.
• Compile a list of annual maintenance fees, property taxes and any other expenses normally associated with your timeshare.
• Find out about escrow requirements and fees from a title company as well as membership transfer requirements and fees from your resort owner services department.
• Post your timeshare for sale ad on Timeshare Giant. It's easy and a basic six-month listing is absolutely free; just click here.

You can access the complete Timeshare Seller's Checklist on the Timeshare Giant website by clicking the link or post title.

Timeshare Giant is your one-stop shopping place for buying, selling and renting timeshares. Visit the Timeshare Giant website to preview timeshares for sale or rent from all over the world, to list your timeshare for sale or rent, to make all your vacation plans, and for lots of helpful timeshare tips and resources.

Timeshare Giant Increases Website Security

We want you to feel safe and secure when you shop and post information on Timeshare Giant. In a move to maximize internet security, the Timeshare Giant website is now certified by ControlScan, the internet's first and only business-to-business third-party identity theft certification service.

The new service will increase the privacy and security of Timeshare Giant customers and prevent hackers and thieves from gaining access to sensitive personal information. Under its Corporate Secure Plan, ControlScan will conduct daily website vulnerability scans, tests and audits of the Timeshare Giant website and certify the site's security.

"Privacy and security are the main concerns of consumers," said ControlScan President Aaron Biddar. "Consumers want to do business with companies who take privacy and security seriously. By passing the audits associated with the Corporate Secure Plan, Timeshare Giant's visitors are reassured that this company is committed to protecting their personal and credit card information and providing a safe online shopping experience."

Companies passing ControlScan's security process receive Verified Secure, ID Theft Protected, Privacy Protected and Business Background Reviewed certificates which are tested and renewed daily. Before posting sensitive personal data, Timeshare Giant customers receive independent third-party verification of the site's security. At Timeshare Giant you can shop and browse with absolute peace of mind.

ControlScan's PCI Compliance security certifications are quickly becoming the industry standard for privacy protection. (To learn more, click the post title.) Using a unique global protection system designed to meet security mandates from around the world, ControlScan certifications provide shoppers with the greatest possible degree of internet security. With ControlScan certification in force, Timeshare Giant customers can shop with confidence, knowing that their privacy and vital information are securely protected.

What's Coming on Timeshare Giant

Timeshare Giant is out to change things in the timeshare industry. Our goal is to bring vacationers and timeshare owners together. We want to give vacationers the opportunity to experience the excitement and delight of vacationing in a timeshare and to make it easy and affordable for timeshare owners to sell or rent their properties.

Timeshare Giant is getting ready to roll. We're just putting the finishing touches on our website and will be up and running very soon. (Click the post title to check on our progress.) Once we're open for business, these are some of the advantages Timeshare Giant will offer you.

One-stop shopping for vacationers

There are 5,400 timeshares around the world and you'll find them all on Timeshare Giant, including:

• exclusive private resorts where you can relax on your own secluded strip of pristine white sand beach, far from prying eyes;
• exciting, action-packed resort playgrounds where you can meet and cavort with other active adults;
• fun family destinations with loads of activities for kids of all ages -- young and old;
• quiet mountain hideaways where you can hike or ski all day, then enjoy the sunset while soaking in the hot tub;
• vibrant big city condos right in the center of the entertainment district, mere steps from gourmet restaurants, fabulous museums and first-class theater;
• and much, much more.

If you can dream it, you can find it on Timeshare Giant. We take all the pain and effort out of vacationing. We offer one-stop shopping for a carefree vacation. Let us take care of your airfare, car rentals, cruise bookings, tickets to attractions and more. All you have to do is enjoy yourself!

Easy, affordable advertising for timeshare owners

Timeshare Giant makes it easy to rent or sell your timeshare. We offer a variety of very affordable services to fit every need and budget:

• A free 6-month basic listing displays your timeshare ad on its own web page with a resort photo and text at absolutely no cost or obligation. Other ads and Gallery listings may also appear on your page.
• Our premium listing increases your exposure and results by displaying only your timeshare ad on your page, including resort photo and text. Your ad will be listed ahead of the free ads and no other ads will display on your page. This way you don't have to worry about your ad competing against ads for other properties.
• The premium + gallery listing provides the best possible exposure and results. Your timeshare ad is displayed on its own web page, furnished with a resort photo and descriptive text about your property. All premium listings appear first on the Timeshare Giant web site to maximize your visibility and exposure to the greatest possible number of renters and buyers. In addition, your property will be showcased in a special Gallery banner that will rotate throughout the Timeshare Giant website, calling even greater attention to your property.

These are just a few of the exciting features you'll find on Timeshare Giant. Stay tuned. We guarantee it will be worth the wait!