What Color is Your Timeshare? Why Color Matters

For those new to timeshares, the dizzying array of color designations that designate how desirable a timeshare is can be very confusing. In the color game, it is also important to know that, for example, not all reds are created equal.

Here is how the system works. Timeshare exchange companies rate timeshare property desirability by seasons. The value of some timeshares is highly dependent on seasonal demand. For example, most people only want to go to Vermont in the summer or during ski season. In the fall or spring when the weather can be dicey, there is not a lot of interest in going there. So for some Vermont timeshares, the summer and ski season color would be red, the most desirable designation. In places like Paris or London where there is no seasonality in terms of people wanting to go there, many of these timeshares will be rated red all year round.

A designation of blue or green indicates the time of least demand, depending on which of the two main ratings systems is used (RCI or II). Similarly, white or yellow are assigned to the shoulder seasons, depending on the rating system of choice. Timeshare ownership during the red season will generally cost more and be worth more on exchange than ownership during one of the less desirable seasons. For people wanting timeshares primarily for their exchange potential and who want to make the best exchanges, they should be astute in their choice of color and time interval.

What makes all this color business so tricky is that you can not just look at the color of a timeshare and directly compare it with another timeshare of the same color. This is because some resorts are more luxurious, and therefore have higher exchange desirability than others at the same destination. It can also depend on availability. For example, in the Florida Keys where a timeshare might be red all year round, demand in the hot, sweaty, summer will not be as high as it is in the middle of winter. As a result, the exchange points for the winter occupancy will be worth more than those at the same place in the middle of August.

Remember also that blue or green and white or yellow ratings are not all created equal either. If you are in the right location, right on the cusp of the white/red or yellow/red season, then your white timeshare in Scottsdale, Arizona might be worth more in exchange points than a red one in Orlando Florida because there are just too many available timeshares in Orlando.
So you see, color does matter. But keep in mind it is only good as a first cut in terms of what you want to look for.

Check Climate When Planning a Vacation

When you plan a timeshare vacation, it's helpful to know what the weather will be like, particularly if you're planning months or a year in advance. You don't want to pack a suitcase full of shorts and t-shirts for a winter vacation in Tucson, Arizona and arrive to find the daily temperature is closer to 50 than 80!

When you're making travel plans months in advance, you should look for information on climate rather than weather. Climate data provide long-term averages for temperatures, rain, snow and sunshine. You can even find out how many clear versus cloudy days to expect during your stay.

Researching an area's climate will tell you what the weather conditions are most likely to be when you visit. If you were thinking of visiting a Tucson timeshare in February to bask in the hot, desert warmth, you might want to rethink things. The average temperature in Tucson in February is a chilly 55 degrees! (Shown above left: Starr Pass Golf Suites.) If you want to toast in the sun, you'll have to head for the Virgin Islands where the average February temperature is a toasty 79 degrees. (Shown below right: Bluebeard's Beach Club & Villas.)

My favorite site for climate information is www.weatherbase.com which provides up-to-date climate information on 16,439 locations worldwide. A great vacation planning aid, the site provides annual as well as monthly data. You can find out everything you ever wanted to know about a site's temperature fluctuation: average high, average low, highest recorded, lowest recorded, average number of hot days (90+), average number of warm days (70+), average number of cold days (-32) and average number of frigid days (-10).

When you're within a week to 10 days of your vacation, that's when you want to check the weather. Weather forecasts give you short-term predictions that focus on current weather conditions in the area. Check the climate of your timeshare vacation site when you plan your trip; check the weather just before you leave.

Last Minute Gift Ideas From Timeshare Giant

The Christmas countdown is nearing the panic zone. Only 7 shopping days left! If fighting the crowds at the mall drives you crazy, we have the perfect solution. You'll find lots of great last minute gift ideas at the Timeshare Giant Store. And the best part is, you can shop in your jammies while you sip hot cocoa!

Here are just a few of the great gifts you'll find at the Timeshare Giant Store; just click the link or post title to start shopping:

• The Everything Family Guide to Timeshares. This excellent book by Kim Kavin tells you how to buy smart, avoid the pitfalls and enjoy your timeshare vacations to the max. It's a comprehensive handbook to choosing, purchasing, using and selling the perfect timeshare for your family.



• Endless Vacation Magazine. An upscale magazine for the discerning international traveler on your holiday list. Columns and articles offer sound, useful advice about fabulous destinations around the globe.



• The Insider's Guide to U.S. Timeshares. Author Robert Dittrich takes an in-depth look at 635 timeshares across the U.S. in this informative and detailed review. You'll find detailed information about each resort, as well as information about area attractions, golf courses and ski venues.



• USA Eyewitness Travel Guide. Whether you're a native or a visitor, you'll find the popular Eyewitness Travel Guides a great planning resource and valuable addition to your travel library. The USA Guide highlights national parks, scenic routes, wilderness areas, top museums and our countries greatest cities. Regional chapters provide information on history, as well as local sights and culture. You can find a complete line of the popular Eyewitness Travel Guides on Timeshare Giant, including guides for Hawaii, Florida, Arizona and more.

At the Timeshare Giant Store you'll also find links to beautiful luggage, fun travel games, portable GPS units, electronic language dictionaries and many more useful gifts for the timeshare traveler on your holiday list.

Use Timeshares to Plan Retirement Travel

A number of savvy retirees are using timeshares to make retirement travel easier. Some started purchasing multiple timeshares 20 or more years ago with just that in mind. Others didn't jump on the bandwagon until they crossed the retirement starting line. But all have found that multiple timeshare ownerships will make it possible for them to continue traveling and enjoying life well into their golden years.

In an open forum on TimeshareForums.com, cathyb told how she and her husband built their timeshare retirement estate:

"Back in 1985 we bought our first timeshare, Carlsbad Inn. We lived an hour from this beach town and it served its purpose for two hard-working people to use as a get-away.... Now we own two weeks in Maui, one week in Kauai, two weeks in nearby Palm Desert, one week in Newport Beach, CA, Worldmark credits and Carlsbad Inn. All along our logic was to buy where eventually we could travel easily when we are old. Well, at ages 75 and 70 we now can drive to four of those owned and fly easily to the rest."

Cathyb and her husband recommend owning at least one timeshare close to home. Airline strikes, rising ticket prices and natural disasters may occasionally make it difficult or impossible to travel to far-flung timeshares. (Hurricane Iniki kept cathyb and hubby from vacationing in Kauai in 1992.) Maintaining an option within driving distance gives you an ace in the hole.

Other retirees say they've done the same thing. Rather than winter in Florida or Arizona, staying in the same place the whole time, they purchase timeshares in a few of their favorite vacation spots. They can then "winter" 3 weeks at one timeshare, 4 at another, etc. Every year they get to travel to all their favorite places without living out of a suitcase. They can put down a few roots in each community and enjoy returning each year to visit favorite haunts and eateries and discover new ones.

On the same forum iconnections agreed with retiree cathyb:

"We also like owning timeshares close to home ... it still feels like a vacation to us because it is on the ocean and that is quite different even if you live very close to the beach already. You don't have the view of the ocean and sound of the waves at home so you still feel like you are far away."

Iconnections noted that day use of your timeshare's pool and other resort amenities are nice perks often overlooked by owners who live near their timeshare. She also said she and her husband find it most restful to spend at least 4 to 6 weeks at each of their timeshares.

Some retirees find they prefer city vacations these days and plan to exchange their resort timeshares for the glitz of New York or the fun of San Francisco. They look forward to quiet afternoons wandering through museums or galleries, poking through shops, taking in a show or two, sampling some great ethnic food and, most importantly, leaving the driving to mass transit.

Whatever your retirement dream, buying or renting a timeshare can make travel easy and affordable. Click the post title to find out more about timeshares on Timeshare Giant.

Pet-friendly Timeshares Let Your Animal Companions Share in the Fun

Do you and your pet have a special relationship? I'm sure when you're on vacation, if you see a pet that reminds you of yours, you can't help but wish you had your furry companion with you. I bring my little Maltese dog, Kasey, with me on almost every vacation I take. Inevitably, strangers approach me, and ask if they can pet Kasey to get their 'fix'. They share how much they hated leaving their dog at the kennel or with a friend, because they assume the resort they are staying in doesn't allow pets. Most trevelers don't even think it may be possible that the resort they are going to actually may in fact allow pets.

If you're a pet owner and a timeshare owner, in some cases it no longer means you have leave your pet at home. Many timeshare resorts are now rolling out the welcome mat for both you AND your pet. To view the many Pet-Friendly Timeshare Resorts catalogued in TimeshareGiant.com, click here. Sharing your vacation with your pet can be a lot of fun! It also means that you won't have to spend your vacation missing your pet, and your furry family member doesn’t have to go through the discomfort of not being certain when you’ll return.

Even Marriott Vacation Club has become more open-minded about the concept of Pet-Friendliness. For example, Marriott's Newport Coast Villas is a Pet-Friendly Timeshare Resort. Marriott's Newport Coast Villas is rated 5-Star by Interval International, which is evidence that staying in a Pet-Friendly resort doesn't necessarily equate to staying in sub-prime properties or locations. I think the big-name timeshare developers are finally seeing that there is a huge demand out there for Pet-Friendly timeshare accomodations, and in the near future, we'll start seeing more timeshare resorts getting on the Pet-Friendly list.

Before purchasing or exchanging into a pet-friendly timeshare resort, naturally it's important to check with the resort and learn what their pet policies are. Some pet-friendly timeshares will charge a nominal additional fee. They may have limit on how many pets you can bring. Other places have restrictions on the weight or overall size of the pets they allow. The resort of your choice may also only have a limited number of units set aside for pet owners, so you may need to make your reservations well in advance, to assure a pet-friendly unit.

Many Pet-Friendly Timeshare Resorts offer amenities that will help you and your pet have an enjoyable stay. Many pet-friendly timeshares have grounds that are suited for long walks. During your vacation, you may find there are times, such as attending a show or event that doesn't allow pets, which makes it necessary for you and your pet to be apart for several hours during your vacation. In that case, in many locations there are off-site pet-sitting services, just like babysitting services.

Kasey and I have a great time vacationing together. We talk a lot of walks, we go window shopping, and even eat at many local outdoor cafes. I've met people and seen sites that I wouldn't have seen, had Kasey not been with me. He gets me out and about, on the 'Road Less Traveled', and it's always been a fun experience. I've stayed many times at the Plaza Resort and Spa in Palm Springs, which is one of many timeshare resorts that allow pets. You live with your 'fur-children', so treat you and your pet to some special vacation time with them as well! You will love it!

Points to Ponder When Considering a Points-Based Timeshare

Points systems were created to offer vacationers the opportunity to introduce more variety into their travel plans.

In recent years, Point System programs have been ushered in by many big-name timeshare developers. By owning a points system timeshare, you can opt for shorter or longer vacations. The point system timeshares have become famous for their flexibility; you can take a quick 3 day getaway or a 10 day respite, depending on how you want to spend your points from year-to-year. A Point System timeshare will allow you the ability to stay in a studio for more nights, or a larger unit for less nights. You can customize the length of your vacation, and also customize the size of the vacation residence you will need for that particular vacation. For instance, your family may want to bring cousins or friends along on some vacations, but not every single one. Some resorts have a 'points accrual' program, which can come in handy if you can't vacation in a given year. In this event, you would simply 'accrue', or 'save' points to use the following year.

Not all Points System timeshares are created equal: In addition to spending your points on accomodations, some Point System timeshares may also offer the ability to spend your points on amusement park tickets; other Point System timeshares also allow you the ability to spend your points on airline tickets and car rentals, while other Point System timeshares allow you to spend your points on hotel stays. But remember, aside from the extra ways you can spend your points, the main selling 'point' (forgive the pun) should be the resort (or family of resorts) the timeshare resort developer allows you access to.

There are so many wonderful Points-Based Timeshare Programs to choose from. It is important that you do your homework when considering the purchase of a point-based system. That way you know what to expect and how to make the most of your purchase. In my opinion, when considering a Points-Based timeshare, the best basis to use when considering one Points-Based timeshare over another is to look at your schedule and how you have used vacation time in the past.

Here are some important things to consider:

How are the points valued, i.e., how many points will get you the amount of time and unit size you need?

If I want to allow a friend or relative to use my points during a particular year, what are the rules, and additional costs, if any?

What are some of the more popular properties in the developer's particular network of resorts?

How far in advance do people reserve their time?

Are there any other restrictions, should I ever need to sell my Points-Based timeshare?

-Above all, remember this: Whichever Points-Based timeshare you choose, you are buying enjoyment and fun! Keep this in perspective when investigating the perfect Points-Based timeshare program for you and your family!

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.