Wyndham Wisdom

The Beauty of Sharing

Timeshares are a great vacation investment-especially in troubled economic times

"If you're one of the 4.4 million people who own a timeshare, pat yourself on the back." That's the view of Howard Nussbaum, president of the American Resort Development Association (ARDA). The economics of timeshare lending, according to Nussbaum, are nothing like those of the current subprime mortgage fiasco. An overwhelming number of timeshare owners have good credit and use traditional financing. And, of course, timeshare purchasers acquire their real estate to enjoy it--not for a quick return on a resale.

These days, as the economy slows, timeshare owners are in an ideal position to take advantage of their wise buys. "They're guaranteed better vacations without the fear of unknown future costs," says Nussbaum. "When so many are feeling pain, timeshare owners are the fortunate ones with the light tans around the water cooler on a Monday morning--they made purchases that showed more foresight and offered a better value proposition than taking a traditional vacation."

The value proposition of a timeshare compared to a pay-as-you-go vacation is a simple formula, according to Nussbaum. "When you take into account the hotel room--or, possibly, several rooms for a family--along with taxes, meals and the rest, it really adds up. In addition, if you've been spending on resort vacations for ten years, that money is gone."

Not only is timeshare ownership financially sensible, says Nussbaum; it also shines in other important ways. ARDA and its Resort Owners Coalition recently developed a website that explores the ways in which timeshare ownership provides better family time, improved communication among family members and an opportunity to rejuvenate.

"A timeshare vacation is not about eating pizza on the bed," Nussbaum elaborates, "it's about sitting down at a table as a family and sharing your day. It's not about going off to the game room and buying $3 Cokes; it's about playing games together in front of your big-screen TV. It's not about squeezing in twenty-one meals in restaurants, forcing everybody to eat on schedule; it's about having a full kitchen so mom and dad can sleep in while the kids get themselves bowls of cereal for breakfast." (Or, in a perfect world, fix breakfast in bed for their parents.)

Timeshare owners can also juggle their vacation schedules by taking advantage of the flexibility inherent in timeshare ownership. As Nussbaum says, "Instead of spending money on five airplane tickets this year, a family might decide to try a different kind of vacation, making a five-hour drive to a wonderful resort."

For more information on the benefits of timeshare, click here.