My comments are made on the basis that one is buying a timeshare for mainly trading purposes. All of the statements I will make are actual experiences not something someone said, or I heard somewhere. My family has been involved in timesharing since 1980. First my parents then my sisters and myself, now many of my extended family members own timeshare weeks. I am average income (work everyday), average intelligence. So since I did it anyone with patience, a minimum amount of time, and dedication can achieve the same results.

Before even considering purchasing a timeshare, please talk to people who have had bad experiences first. This way you will be leery of everything going on. Better yet just follow my advice and have no problems at all (just kidding).

After deciding to purchase, remember no matter what resale is better. My reasoning for this is, there are a lot of dissatisfied owners out there willing to take a loss just to get out. So make their mistake your marvel. I have been and continue to take tours while on vacation just to stay intend with the pricing of weeks. I have yet to find a resort that comes close to fitting into my price range of $2500.00 - $4000.00. If you are frugal then you will feel that $8000.00- $2000.00 is way too much to pay. However if a buyer goes resale through broker or individual very low prices can be attained. I purchased my two bedrooms, red week/40 at SouthShore Lake Resort, rated Gold Crown in the RCI exchange system, in HotSprings Arkansas for $2800.00 in 1990. With this week my wife and I have exchanged within the RCI exchange system without many problems. Always getting a nice Resort at the desired time. Put a little time in shopping for a honest broker.

Next be sure to buy at a nice resort. This is simple to do just give RCI a call and ask about the demand for the resort and week you're interested in purchasing. When I've done this for family members the counselors have always been happy to give the information I requested. You probably already know why, but just in case, better resorts and weeks give you better trading power.

Also get a least a 2brm unit, since only a handful of resorts offer more than two bedroom anything more is a waste of money. Getting anything less limits one trading power depending on the resort, so two bedrooms are safe.

Two more reasons many timeshare owners get disgusted with their week is banking and searching. First banking, with RCI, which is the only exchange, system I'm familiar with one must bank at least one year in advance to maximize his trading power. A simple matter, just pay your maintenance fees and call RCI to space bank your week. Simple, yes but a great deal of owners wait too late and that creates disappointment. Next is searching, this can and has been a small problem sometimes for working people trying to schedule a vacation. Again within the RCI system the earlier one starts a search the better the chance of getting the resort you want. Usually I can schedule my New Years vacation one year in advance and get a match, other vacations I'm persistent with RCI on giving me the Resort I want. RCI says that it dosen't do any good to call back after a search has been put in however, I've found this to be untrue on many occasions. There are many counselors answering the phone at RCI and some will work harder to get you what and when you want better than others so I call quite often when I know I have a difficult search in.

A couple of examples are News Years week 1995 I called until I got the best Resort in Palm Springs, Ca. The Desert Springs Villas 2/brm. Then New Years 1996 we went to Hilton Grande Vacation Villas in Las Vegas, Nv another tough one to match but persistence paid off. Some people may say this is too much trouble but free phone calls and a bit of time beats paying hundreds of dollars per for these accomidations.

Just a couple of other things I would like to cover. Owning in one place and living in another, dosen't matter. That's how I got my two bedroom week.. The people I purchased it from moved to Florida and didn't feel comfortable being away from their home resort, their loss my gain. Just make sure you get a desirable Resort, remember a call to RCI will take care of that.

Next I am living proof that you don't have to own in Las Vegas, Hawaii, or Orlando to get outstanding trades. I've heard for many many years that "you won't always be able to get trades like that". This may well come to truth some day but as for now it hasen't. We just recently got confirmed into the Quarter House in New Orleans for New Years 1997 week on that cheap ole Arkansas week.

Remember to consider these items when deciding to purchase maintenance fees, deeded property, and fixed or floating time. So ends my sermon on "KEYS TO SUCCESSFUL TIMESHARING". Once again all my suggestions are based on the premise that one is buying mainly for trading purposes however, they are basic and should work in most situations.