What's the Best Way to Buy a Timeshare in Las Vegas?

For years, we've been ignoring and avoiding the people who stand outside (and sometimes inside) casinos, offering free stuff for listening to timeshare sales pitches. But we recently stayed in a timeshare unit that friends own at Tahiti on West Tropicana Avenue and we were very pleasantly surprised by the whole experience. So we got to wondering, what's the best way to purchase a timeshare in Vegas?

The timeshare universe contains various ownership schemes that, as the name indicates, reflect events in time more than locations in space. Timeshare ownership can be deeded, just like a piece of property (the contract never expires), or right to use (the contract has a specific end date), with fixed-week, floating-week, and rotating- or flex-week scheduling.

Then there’s the point system.

According to our research, Vacation Internationale introduced the first timeshare-point program in the U.S. in 1974. So it’s been around pretty much as long as traditional timeshares.

Point systems are used primarily by major hotel chains, such as Disney, Hilton, Hyatt, and Marriott, along with timeshare-exchange companies like RCI. Also known as "vacation- ownership" programs, for the past 40-odd years, timeshare points have been touted for flexibility and choices in vacation planning. These, too, can be deeded or right to use and can be exchanged through companies like RCI, Interval International, and Platinum Exchange or resold like traditional timeshare ownership.

Different hotel and/or vacation-club companies run their point systems differently, mostly in terms of assigning different values to the points. In this way, timeshare points can be compared to a paper currency; ads tout the points as a way to "accumulate spending power" that can be used to "purchase" resort room weeks, cruises, airline tickets, and other travel amenities and services.

However, a major concern with timeshare points is their vulnerability to fluctuating values. Unlike a traditional timeshare, where you own 1/52nd of an actual piece of property, vacation points can be easily manipulated according to yield-management algorithms similar to those used by the airlines and large hotels. Though vacation clubs insist that this is rarely the case, all you have to do is look at the devaluation of frequent-flier miles over the years (not to mention casino players club points) to make you wary of any "assurances" by vacation clubs.

For example, because the airlines have issued trillions of miles since the first frequent-flier clubs arrived on the scene (the first in 1979, the second in 1981), the rapidly increasing supply has created a type of inflation that depreciates their value. Airline miles aren’t worth anywhere near what they were even a few years ago. In addition, the airlines regularly raise redemption rates, restrict the availability of seats that can be purchased with miles, charge fees for using miles, and limit redemptions with partner airlines.

Typical complaints about timeshare point systems include fees for joining on top of the purchase price and annual maintenance fees, complex and confusing marketing offers, and depreciation of points on the resale market. A problem with both physical and point-based point timeshares is unavailability of units, certainly during peak periods, but also if you don't reserve sometimes months in advance. Timeshare management companies have a built-in conflict of interest: They serve both owners and hotel customers. They make money from owners who pay annual maintenance fees; they also earn revenue by renting units to retail-paying guests. Many timeshare company have settled lawsuits brought by owners over this contentious issue.

Plenty of traditional and point-based timeshares are always available in Las Vegas. Most of the pitch men and women on the streets and in casinos are selling vacation clubs. But hundreds, if not thousands, of timeshare units are advertised on resale websites. If you consider that there are thousands of actual timeshare suites in Las Vegas and that you multiply each suite times 52 (the typical ownership is for one week per year), that's a lot of timeshare product for sale. For example, the Jockey Club, oldest timeshare in Vegas (and one of the oldest in the nation) has a 250-plus rooms -- and more than 14,000 owners!

Other possibilities include Tahiti Village (7200 LV Blvd. S), Tahiti (5101 W. Tropicana Ave.), Club de Soleil (5625 W Tropicana Ave.), Polo Towers (3745 S Las Vegas Blvd. S), Westgate (at Planet Hollywood and Flamingo Bay), Royal Vacation Suites (99 Convention Center Dr.), and Diamond Resorts (Desert Paradise), to name just a few.

We've just scratched the surface ownership here. It's a big subject. Definitely do your due diligence. Timeshare ownership isn’t for everyone.

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Comments

Apr-22-2018

Basically, a racket

Timeshares--all of the drawbacks of ownership but none of the benefits!!! Whee!!!

If you compare the market price of the average timeshare property if it were sold conventionally on the open market to the price of 1/52 of the property as a timeshare, you'll find that 20-30 weeks' worth of timeshare sales produces as much revenue as selling the property outright would have. In other words, people who buy fractional ownership are paying over twice what that ownership is worth. Nice! (If you're the one selling the property.)

Laura Apr-22-2018

Consider this option

Before buying in Vegas, check out Mastersvillas in Mesquite Nevada.  It is 90 Miles from Vegas.  It is unconventional in that it is not a condo  But a duplex in a subdivision complete with a 2 car garage,and 2bedroom 2 full bath units. The price is listed on their website what they sell their weeks for and you will find them to be a quarter or less than what you find down the strip. Trade value is very high with masters villas and we have never regretted purchasing with them.

Carey Rohrig Apr-22-2018

Run

Never ever buy a timeshare, period !!!!!!!!

Christine Jakubek Apr-22-2018

Chris Jakubek

I just paid $250. to relinquish my timeshare at Polo Towers.  We bought it in 2002 for $5000.  I think initially yearly maintenance fee was about $700. and this past year $1100.  We used it 4 times.  I realize we could have traded it for other places but it also costs to join REI or Diamond International and you also have to pay if you are going elsewhere.  While I was paying to stay there I was getting offers to stay free at casinos.  The advantage to a timeshare is that you can eat all of your meals in if you wish.  Disadvantage is that you have to walk to any casino, it is not just an elevator ride down.  Unfortunately it did not work for us for many different reasons.  Join TUG (timeshare marketplace) and you will find tons of Vegas timeshares for sale dirt cheap.  Just make sure you have done your homework and know what you are getting into.

James Mason Apr-22-2018

Time Shares where to begin...

I could write a book and probably should since I OWN 7 weeks(no points which is a scam IMHO) of time shares, Hawaii,Mexico,Florida and Vegas. 
#1 Never buy from the developer they are free on the secondary market, just pay closing costs and assume the annual use fee. #2 Use it every year or you will regret it, trading does not work. #3 It is a great value if you use it every year. 
#4 Average annual fee for one week in Vegas for a one bedroom is $500-600 and no resort fees :). 
#5 Downside, if you want to call it that, do you want to be in Vegas for a whole week?
I have stayed at almost every timeshare mentioned here at one point or another. Some are better than others. Location counts.
I own at Holiday Inn Vacation Club Koval and Flamingo. It has been 5 other names in the past and I am not pushing it. Here is what you get for $600 per week. 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, full kitchen, fire place washer dryer, pool hot tub, parking, limited shuttle service, great location,easy in and out.

Vickar Apr-22-2018

Timeshare ownership

Timeshares are losing propositions and they are not for everyone. When you go to sell, you'll be lucky to get someone to take it for free.  I own 3 weeks for more than 15 years.  One of them is a week at the Polo Towers in Las Vegas. The other two weeks are elsewhere.  They work well for me and my family because we use them. I purchased them on Ebay for next to nothing and used a local title company to close the sale. For the purchase of the Polo Towers I used First American Title Insurance in Las Vegas. Everything was done on line. That being said, "DO YOUR DUE DILIGENCE" and research research research. Start at Timeshare Users Group (timeshare owners who run a self-help organization providing an unbiased source of consumer oriented information and advice on Timeshares) www.tug2.net  Good Luck!

Kevin Rough Apr-22-2018

Ebay

I would never pay full price for a timeshare.  If you look online you can find deals.  I bought mine on Ebay.  As I would see listings, I would research the sellers and the properties being sold.  In 2011, I purchased at the Desert Club on Koval Lane between Flamingo Rd. and Sands Ave.  I paid $1.00 for the property and $125 to Clark County to record the deed.  The yearly maintenance fee is around $600 and gets me 1 week each year in a one bedroom condo.  It is less than I would pay in a hotel and I don't worry about resort fees or taxes.  Since I was going out to Vegas multiple times each year anyway, it was a no-brainer.  And since I am coming from the East Coast I was staying for at least a week anyway (any extra days over our week are usually made up with comp rooms at the casinos).  I have used it every year since I purchased it.  If I ever wanted to sell, I wouldn't feel ripped off since I only paid $126 to start.  If you are looking to purchase a timeshare, I would look online.

Craig Laginess Apr-22-2018

Resale Market

If anyone is to buy a timeshare buy it on the resale market.  We bought ours at The Carriage House that way. We ended up paying $550 out the door back in 2009.

faxhorn May-15-2021

Buy Timeshares Resale -- Save Thousands.

For extremely little money ($300 or less) you can buy a timeshare that's exactly like what the timeshare companies sell for $25,000 or more. How? By shopping for timeshares on internet sites like eBay, where people who already own are ready to sell theirs. It's deeded property, so why not buy somebody else's timeshare instant of paying thousands more for the same thing (or the equivalent, or something even better)?  Remember -- there is no such thing as a new timeshare. By the time any new owner shows up & checks in, other people will already have been staying previously right there in the new owner's unit. That's used-used-used any way you shake it.  Nothing is wrong with a used hotel room or resort condo, but you sure don't want to pay new unit prices for something that's already been occupied.  Buy timeshares resale.  Save thousands.  (Full Disclosure: Our outstanding Grandview Las Vegas timeshare came from eBay.  We paid $250. Free closing. Free resort transfer.)

Question of the Day - 22 April 2018

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