Customer Reviews

Timeshare Condominiums for the Beginner

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I've been toying with the idea of buying a timeshare for a couple years. There's not a lot of public information on timeshare. A few FAQ's here & there online, but nothing approaching the a-z perspective contained in this book. It's light reading... easy to fly through and yet get the information you need. There are numerous spelling & grammatical errors throughout, but the reason to buy this book is to arm yourself with information, and it does that just great. Do not spend 50-60% of your timeshare dollar on salesman commission before reading this book. In some cases it's what you'll end up wanting to do in the end anyway, but at least you'll enter the deal with realistic expectations.
If you're reading this review online after attending a high-pressure presentation, by all means DO NOT BUY until you've done the proper research. The 'killer deal' the salesman just gave you will not dissappear in the next couple weeks while you do the research. Even that killer deal that will expire when you leave town represents a 100% markup due to the selling expenses built into it. Think logically.

The book outlines the basics of what you need to know when you are in the middle of Timeshare presentation hard sell. It is a quick easy read that helped somebody completely ignorant to understand the timesharing business. A good book for someone confused on whether to buy or not a timeshare, if a timeshare fits his/her lifestyle and offers good advice on buying, exchanging and selling timeshares. The guide has a rich reference list and a unique chapter on Scams.

If you don't read this book before buying a timeshare, you're probably going to regret it -- but read it anyway so you can get yourself out of the hole you might be in ASAP.

Strauss does a good job giving the pros and cons of buying timeshares. He appears very objective, and appears not to benefit financially from his advice(other than selling books of course). His material is backed up by tons of data and references, so it's not like he's spinning a Disney tale.

Sure, there are decent timeshares out there -- but it's much like auto leases -- the people that really like timeshares/auto leases are the salespeople -- can you figure out why? HUGE rip(commission)! Anyhoo, you can find a needle in the haystack, but you probably won't be able to do it without reading this book.

The one thing I think Strauss missed out on was giving some bona fide examples of where he thinks timeshares can be "the needle in the haystack" and how to find them. He touches only briefly on the resale market, where it appears there are some decent deals (needles?)-- that should tell you something right there -- the big suckers are the ones who purchase them new (again, much like cars/leases).

Hope this helps.

We have already bought one timeshare at a tennis resort. Michael Strauss' guide helped us to understand the intricacies of timesharing and its benefits. Based on the criteria outlined in this book we'll buy another timeshare for it's an investment in future vacationing.

It's hard to believe I read the same book as the other reviewers. While I believe there is some really useful information in this book, it is very hard to identify it. It seems every page has grammatical and spelling errors, missing words, and seemingly random thoughts assembled into a paragraph. This book could probably be one-third the size if the information was organized and presented just once instead of popping up randomly over and over.

[...] should be embarrassed by their association with this result. It shows what self-publishing can produce and shows by its absence the value of editing and proofreading.

If you don't read this book before buying a timeshare, you're probably going to regret it -- but read it anyway so you can get yourself out of the hole you might be in ASAP.

Strauss does a good job giving the pros and cons of buying timeshares. He appears very objective, and appears not to benefit financially from his advice(other than selling books of course). His material is backed up by tons of data and references, so it's not like he's spinning a Disney tale.

Sure, there are decent timeshares out there -- but it's much like auto leases -- the people that really like timeshares/auto leases are the salespeople -- can you figure out why? HUGE rip(commission)! Anyhoo, you can find a needle in the haystack, but you probably won't be able to do it without reading this book.

The one thing I think Strauss missed out on was giving some bona fide examples of where he thinks timeshares can be "the needle in the haystack" and how to find them. He touches only briefly on the resale market, where it appears there are some decent deals (needles?)-- that should tell you something right there -- the big suckers are the ones who purchase them new (again, much like cars/leases).

Hope this helps.

This is a great book that teaches you how the sometimes "high pressure" sales pitches screw you! By a timeshare the smart way... On your terms

I have committed to a timeshare presentation (my first!)in the near future and I needed some guidelines as what to expect. Michael Strauss' work Timeshare Condominiums for the Beginner was a rock solid fit for my needs. His straight-forward approach is what I needed to begin to feel comfortable regarding my forthcoming experience. He asks the reader to determine the intended use one has for the timeshare ( sort of implying "is a timeshare what you REALLY want?") and then proceeds to discuss objectively the "ups" and "downs" of timeshares -- how exchanges can work (and sometimes don't); the issues with long-distance travel to one's timeshare; the issues of re-sale; the availability at the appropriate time of the year -- and more. He discusses the major timeshare agencies and how they work. He expounds upon the various types of timeshare options on today's market... he even includes websites which list resale opportunities. Overall, a concise insight to the basic timeshare issues.

I've been toying with the idea of buying a timeshare for a couple years. There's not a lot of public information on timeshare. A few FAQ's here & there online, but nothing approaching the a-z perspective contained in this. It's light reading... easy to fly through and yet get the information you need. There are a few spelling errors throughout, but the reason to buy this book is to arm yourself with information, and it does that just great. The buyers should not spend 50-60% of their timeshare dollar on salesman commission before reading this book. In some cases it's what they'll end up wanting to do in the end anyway, but at least they will enter the deal with realistic expectations. If the buyer is reading this review after attending a high-pressure presentation, by all means THEY SHOULD NOT BUY until they have done the proper research. The 'killer deal' the salesman just gave them will not disappear in the next couple weeks while they do the research. Even that killer deal that will expire when they leave town represents a 100% markup due to the selling expenses built into it. This book may better educate potential customers, sellers and buyers as well.

The reviews in the media are quite favorable and do justice to the book. I just wanted to add that due to this guide I saved anywhere between 15k and 20k by not buying during a hard sell timeshare presentation. Thanks Michael, the timeshare does not fit my lifestyle.