All Forum Posts by: Collin Hays

 I think they are!  It is a huge industry, and the big boys (Hilton, Marriott) have decided to ride the wave, themselves!

We've all paid some stupid tax!  Mine was leasing a Range Rover Sport for three years.  ;)    $40K and three years later, I had absolutely nothing to show for it.  Print STUPID on my forehead!

From what I have heard over the years, you were actually very lucky that the timeshare company would take "it" back.  Often you have to pay someone to take it, or pay a company a substantial amount to get you out of it.  

What is amazing about "timeshares" is that they continue to thrive. I could see them thriving for a decade until everyone kind of picked up on the gimmick, sort of like the old "undercoating" sales pitch for new cars, but they are like the energizer bunny - they just keep going!
 

I think that you can do quite well 5.5 hours from Pigeon Forge, but your target audience isn't going to be folks going to Pigeon Forge.  You are going to be marketing remoteness, tranquility, and privacy, and there is a significant market for that.  That being said, if you are not within a few miles of restaurants and a Dollar General, that isn't an ideal situation.  Bryson City could be a wonderful choice, as well as Maggie Valley NC.  While the rents may not be as much as Pigeon Forge, the prices of homes are substantially less $ psf, too.  Do some homework on yields and prices in whatever area you are looking at.  That is easily accomplished by going to VRBO and looking at comparable properties in the area.  You will look at rates and calendars, as well as amenities.  This is the type stuff that an Excel spreadsheet was made for.  

Good luck!

If you aren't going to use your "week" at the timeshare, your best bet is to put it on VRBO and see what happens.  With all of the VRBO fees plus the fees the management co. will charge, it may not be worth the effort.

It is important to understand that a "timeshare" isn't real estate; it is a marketing scheme.  You own a piece of paper.  Similar to the "buy a star and have it named after you" deal, or the "pet rock" that used to be popular.  At its core, a timeshare is simply a prepaid - and very expensive - hotel suite.  The rest of it is window dressing.

Where do I sign up?   

I hear the term “scale” these days almost as much as pivot.  What does it mean?

I'm down for some extra compensation, provided that I get to withhold their payment when i get complaints on housekeeping from guests...

 Paul, tell me about Borger TX.  I am an hour from there and have never even considered it.  It's a refinery town.  Isn't that a boom/bust situation?  What would you be looking to buy there, and who is your customer?

I don't think Breck would even come close to cash flowing.  I love it there, but it's just too seasonal and hit or miss, and the price psf is very high.  If I was going to buy in Breck, I would rent my place out just to help with my overhead a little.  

I don't know of a Rocky Mountain town that would cash flow.  I've looked at a bunch over the years.  But if you held a gun to my head and I had to buy somewhere in CO, Durango would probably be the best chance to cash flow.  You've got parts of 4 seasons of tourists there, plus the college.  

Every property gets an occasional bad review.  You can't please all of the people all of the time.  Now, if you get three in a row regarding the same issue, maybe you need to check into the issue.  You can fix that.  You can't fix the review.