How many times have you heard the pitch: "You get a free weekend at a fabulous timeshare resort, in exchange you would be required to attend a 90 minute presentation"?  The offers come in many forms with varying requirements.  The temptation is the free lodging. But what is the risk of such a timeshare travel deal?

You could be placed in a tiny room in a bad location.  There may be undisclosed fees.  The "90 minute presentation" may turn into an all day event where you are held hostage by a series of sales people. You may even spend thousands on a timeshare purchase that you never intended to spend.  USA Today posted an article today about such a proposition.  They recommend that if you intend to buy a timeshare, buy the timeshare from an owner, not the resort. "If you buy in at the developer's asking price, a timeshare "investment" almost always loses value. That's why most experts recommend you buy a timeshare on the resale market rather than a "retail" timeshare." (source)

In addition, when you buy resale you will not be on the receiving end of a high pressure timeshare sales pitch.  There are many ways to go about finding just what you want.  www.rpmls.com is a great choice.  There you have many choices and a professional staff to assist you in your search.

Buy resale, not retail. Don't assume that a timeshare travel deal from the home resort is the best value!