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Saturday, April 30, 2011

Checklist for buying Timeshares


Many prospective buyers are stuck when it comes to deciding what important factors that one should consider when buying a timeshare. The buyers today are much more informed than the buyers of few years back. They are more knowledgeable about what they are buying and have done their homework before taking a major step. But still many buyers get confused when asked if they have a checklist of things to consider before buying a timeshare. The following paragraphs provide you with a checklist to make sure that you are not missing the important criterions that should be weighed against the timeshare you are buying.

If you are buying timeshare through a broker make sure that he is licensed. Also find out his reputation in handling timeshares and the success rate. And do not hesitate to ask any questions related to your timeshare. Some of the good questions to ask are:

* What is the maintenance fee of the resort and do they keep raising it every year, if yes how much?
* What are the chances of getting a best timeshare like in a desired week?
* By what date you should make the reservation at the earliest?
* Are there any extra benefits accompanying your timeshare?
* Do the timeshare company has bonus week program?
* Can you exchange or trade your timeshare without joining an exchange company?

Also try to enquire from the broker about the point system. Some reputable firms sell the timeshares for more if they have points system. Ask him if this is reasonable or you are better of buying a resale. Also the factors that determine the cost of timeshare units are demand for a particular week may be high so the price may be high, also demand for a particular location may be high. The size of the unit also affects the price, the bigger units are easy to trade in and exchange hence they are in more demand. Also the reputation of the firm owning the timeshare resort is an important factor.

See the unit before you buy, in many cases the descriptions provided by the timeshare company or the re-seller turns out to be misleading like the location, size of the unit etc. If you cannot see it, if your family members or friends lives near the location tell them to go and see the unit. Also try to get references. When you go and see the unit ask the neighbors what they think of the amenities and the management. You can also enquire from them:

* What they think of the resort?
* Time since they have been vacationing in this resort?
* Are dates easy get without much problems?
* Is the management company good and are they satisfied?
* How about the maintenance fees and other fees? Do they have a good record or they raise it too frequently?
* Is it easy to make reservations and exchanges?
* Are developers planning on improving the property in near future?

Do your homework to find out the prices in the area you are buying. Internet can come handy for checking the prices for example auction sites such as eBay and bidshare.com.
Keep in mid that if you are buying a resale timeshare unit it should be as cheap as half the price of the new timeshare unit that developers sell. If you are buying a new timeshare through a timeshare company read everything carefully in fine print before signing any contracts. While buying a resale timeshare ask the seller why they are selling it because there can be an underlying problem in their reason to sell like problems with management company or inconvenience. You can get a feel of the potential problems that you may also have to face and can decide whether you may be able to handle it or not. Also make sure that there are no past dues on maintenance fees and property taxes, it will add up to your cost. If you take care of all these important factors you should be able to make a smarter decision in buying a timeshare.

Buying Timeshares on Auction Websites


While many people still go through traditional method of buying timeshares i.e. through timeshare brokers or real estate companies the trend of buying timeshares through internet auctions is catching up. We hear many horror stories about people being scammed into buying timeshares which do not exist or sometimes are not up to the quality that they were promised or in wrong location. And these stories cannot be ignored because the number of people that have been cheated is unusually high and increasing by the day. And imagine yourself sitting in a presentation given by timeshare companies to prospective buyers. It is a traumatic experience as you will be subjected to sit for many hours and pressure selling techniques of the timeshare companies. They wouldn’t let you go unless and until you give some of commitment or sign some papers.
All these happenings lead to the emergence of internet auction sites for timeshares. Now the buyers have the freedom from those unscrupulous sellers who adopt illegal techniques to sell their timeshares.  Popular auction sites like eBay.com and bidshares.com allows users to buy and sell timeshares through their website. Although there are many other websites for timeshare auctions eBay.com and bidshares.com are the most reliable and safe websites to conduct timeshare auctions. These sites charge absolutely no upfront fee either to put your timeshare on sale or to bid on timeshare sales. They only charge after the bid is successful.
When bidding on a timeshare few points have to be kept in mind. Try to establish communication with the seller as soon as possible and know whether the seller is responding well to your queries or not, if yes how soon and whether he is giving you the complete information or not. Internet auctions are also not fool proof against scammers and frauds, so beware of them. The above practice would eliminate few of the possibilities of you being trapped in some kind of scam. But it doesn’t mean at the same time that if the seller is not responding he may not be a genuine seller. Some people are not good at written communication; in that case making a phone call to enquire about the timeshare unit is not a bad idea.
One more important point to remember while bidding on a timeshare is to do your homework in advance by finding out complete information about the property. The details would include name and location of the property, number of bedrooms, number of bathrooms, Exchange Company’s name that seller’s resort deal with, the date by which the property is ready to use, annual maintenance fee of the resort, and sizes of bedrooms and is there any assessment this year. Also do research about the selling price of similar units sold recently in that location. Do not hurry whether you lose or hurry, there may be a better property in waiting for you. Also it is not a bad idea if you determine the mode of payment before hand by contacting the owner. Although there are many methods of payment available a seller may have a specific preference. Also be watchful if the owner is not responding to this question. Also the auction websites provides seller ratings, feedbacks and transaction history. This very important to you as you may not want go to a seller with bad ratings or feedbacks. Also if you miss a bid by a whisker say $10, don’t be discouraged you may contact the seller that you are ready to buy the unit just in case if the winner retracts his bid. Even if it doesn’t happen you may get another unit if seller has multiple units. But never agree to pay over your bid price which defeats the purpose of an auction which provides an open platform for fair and reasonable bargaining but within the jurisdiction of the system adhering to the rules and regulations.

Buying Timeshare Resale Vs Buying from Timeshare Resort


It can be confusing for a starter to decide from where to buy his first timeshare from resale market or directly from timeshare resort or developer. It can be a hard decision to make with both having its own advantages and disadvantages. Buying timeshares in the resale market like auction websites or advertising through classifieds is a recent concept compared to buying from developers which has been there since its inception. Internet has brought everything to the doorsteps of the people and thus benefiting the timeshare market also. Websites such as eBay.com, bidshare.com and redweek.com provide prospective buyers with more information on the property and also wide variety of buying options.

The scenario was totally different a decade ago when the buyers used to buy timeshares through timeshare presentations hosted by timeshare developers. The decisions taken to buy timeshares were mostly based on one’s impulse rather than research and analysis. But with the advent of internet auction sites a user has more powerful tools to research the prices in advance even if he is going to a presentation. The buyer can make a more informed choice today than earlier. Buyers can also avoid the trauma of sitting through a timeshare presentation by buying through resale market. The presentations sometimes take ninety minutes and can go even longer. At the end of the presentation the buyers who were brought in on the pretext of a free gift are subjected to high pressure selling techniques, and this yield to sign a paper and buy a timeshare.

Now talking about the cost comparison, a developer’s timeshare offer includes the cost of advertisement, presentation, free gifts etc. which is whopping 40% of the cost of the timeshare and sometimes this exceeds the cost of the timeshare resale. On the other hand if one buys a timeshare through a resale market one can buy the timeshare 30% to 50% cheaper. Also buying through a resale market offers you more choice and freedom to select your desired unit. You know that you are getting the best price. It is definitely worth saving thousands of dollars by buying a resale.

But there are good reasons to buy from a developer. There are many reputed companies that have ventured into timeshare business like Marriot, Disney, and Hilton etc. When you are buying through a resale market there is a margin of doubt whether your investment is secured or not and the trust factor is low. Where as the timeshare developers spend fortunes in the development of timeshares and have great reputation and thus can be easily trusted. They give you the best and the latest amenities which you can never get from a resale unless it’s a relatively new unit. Another high point of buying through a developer is that they offer many incentives and benefits to their customers in the form of bonus weeks, discounts on attraction tickets, car rentals and much more. On the other hand these benefits may not be available to you if you bought your timeshare through resale market as many developers does not allow timeshare resale units with same amenities compared to those who bought directly from them. Also the developers usually offer many financing options that you may not get if you buy from a resale market.

What Lures, What Fish?


Spoons

Considered the most simple of all other lures, they got their name because they look like the head of a spoon. They act for the bait fish by doing a flickering and wobbling movement or action. Spoons are excellent for starters in lure fishing; easy to use and very affordable.

Spinners

The spinner is basically a blade wherein it does a rotating action on a spindle when being retrieved or taken back through the water as well as it gives off a flash as light is being reflected on the revolving blade, characterizing the bait fish’s scales and movements. This is a lure that is flexible because only can one verify and know the retrieve depth by the period or time frame one leaves before one starts a retrieve, one can also alter the speed of the revolving blade around the spindle, by either speeding up or slowing down one’s retrieve. For the Trout and Mullet, a smaller size is recommended, and a larger spinner with the pike liking, along with the treble hook in a red wool.

Surface lures

These lures are used on the water surface and considered to be the most explosively thrilling of all lures as one could actually see the fish taking the lure, and the anticipation and the expectation of one looking forward of the take is an exciting experience.  The fish can be completely seen exiting the water when they send off at a surface lure. Since these lures are being retrieved on the surface of the water, they can be a good choice in areas that have a lot of weed.

Suspending plugs

Having neutral buoyancy and resistance, when the plug has dived or dropped to the required depth and left alone, it will continue on being suspended to that depth. For this reason, this type is perfect for pursuing your prey hidden near the weed beds, rocks or banks. When yanked in order to imitate life to the plug, it causes some crashing attack from your target.

Floating drivers

A necessity for all lure anglers, they cover a wide scope in diving depths; beginning from just beneath the surface up to fifteen feet or more. The diving depth is established on the point of view of the vane or fin to the body of the lure. The lesser the angle to the body of the lure the deeper it can dive. The shape as well as the size of the vane and the lures body contributes to the movement of the plug in the water.

Sinking plugs

These are excellent for deep water fishing, wherein the retrieve can start soon as the preferred depth is reached. This is accomplished by counting down before one starts the retrieval process. Therefore, the same depth will be reached whenever one casts. The distance that the lure has sunk down in a particular time, will give a suggestion of how deep or how far down the fish are situated when they strike; thus this is called the sink rate of the lure.

Soft baits

This is soft rubber bait that comes in various shapes and forms, with matching sizes and colors. These are commonly used for sea and fresh water fishing, which can be used on a weighted jig head handled in the same manner as the jerk bait, being managed as a plug is used.

Jerk baits

Having no movement of its own when in the water, the angler gives life to this lure; whenever the rod trembles or shakes or jerks, this lure can appear to have life. This lure for the most part, mimics an injured or wounded fish that the prey fish find tempting, and be compelled to thrust or lunge at.

Hawaii Fishing Tips


The opportunity to be on a boat ready to catch fish, enjoying the beautiful scenery, and the camaraderie with the crew of the boat is the best experience in fishing you can find. Here are some helpful tips to enjoy fishing.

1. Choose a boat wisely. A boat that meets your needs and your goal on what to do with the fish you catch are the things to consider when choosing a boat for Hawaii Fishing Trips.

Tips on Fly Fishing


There are thousands of live-bait anglers, who are excellent sportsmen, but the fly fisherman can practice better conservation from the beginning.

Basically, fly fishing is not only one of the fastest growing sports; it is one of the foremost forms of conserving  natural resources as well as providing aquatic recreation.

Fly fishing is, very simple when three things are right: you must have a suitable rod; you must get a line to match it; and you must learn correct casting technique.

Fishing Trip Tips


Fishing can be a relaxing way to spend your weekends. It has been proven that fishing is one of the all-time treasured experiences of thousands of American families. However, any sport has its dangerous side and fishing is no exemption.

Majority of fishing equipment have sharp tools such as metal hooks which may lead to accidents when the fishing environment unexpectedly changes for the worse. Storms, hurricanes, wild currents, and other mishaps, could spoil your fishing trip.

Fishing Tips for Beginners


There are many kinds of fishing equipments in stores, numerous fishing methods in books, and fishing advices online. To make it all simple, here are the basic things you need to know for your first time fishing adventure.

1) How to fish with bait

* Tackle. To plunk the bait, you should purchase lead weights. The weight of the lead would vary depending on the current of the environment.  Anglers commonly use and recommend bank sinkers with a number-two hook.

Fishing Tackle Guidelines


Fishing can be an extremely enjoyable and relaxing adventure.  As long as you have the right tools, the fishing safety knowledge, and a little bit of support from friends or family, you could perform your fishing successfully.

However, the most overlooked factor in buying equipments is choosing the right fishing tackle.  You should follow these simple guidelines in the selection of tackles.

1) You should choose the appropriate fishing flies that you would be using to catch the kind of fish you will be targeting to seize. The basic rule in choosing the kind of fly is to know which is abundant in that actual environment.

The Basic Fishing Supplies


Fishing is a nature-oriented sport that allows you to relax. Many people want to experience fishing, but are unable to buy the appropriate supplies for their adventure.

There are many fishing stores around, but majority of the stores try to sell unnecessary fishing supplies to gain more from the innocence of the fishing novice. Here are some of the basic fishing supplies you need for any kind of fishing in any location.

1) Hooks – In a variety of shape and sizes, these are one of the most important parts of your fishing gear. Fishing hooks are affordable, so you could stock an assortment of hooks for each kind of fishing. Majority of hooks are shaped like a letter “J.”

Purpose of Fishing Rod Holders


Fishing is a sport designed for relaxation.  It is where fish lovers pride themselves of the fish caught while celebrating it with friends and family.

The rod holder is a fishing tool that allows fishermen to multi-task easily. It was invented because fishing requires the use of both hands in the whole process of luring, hook clearing and removing the fish from the hooks. With all these tasks, letting go of the pole is difficult. The fishing rod holder was intended for anglers to be able to make use of both hands.

Fish for Reel


Being surrounded by nature’s beauty can be fun. One can do it at the beach, in a luxury resort or just traveling out of town. Fishing is another good activity one can choose to do to bond more with either family or friends.

There will always be challenges whether one decides to fish either in the river or in the open sea. The important thing to remember is to have patience waiting for the fish and doing the best to catch it when it appears.

To be able to fish, a person needs to get a fishing license since this is requirement by law and the regulations regarding fishing varies from one state to the other.