Back in 1998 I would never have purchased a timeshare at Westgate Towers North if they had given me the correct information.
We got suckered into doing a timeshare presentation in another part of Kissimmee and did in fact purchase from the first people. From here we went over to Daytona Beach for a couple of days and bumped into a ‘body snatcher. These are the people that get you to come off the beach and do the timeshare presentation.
We told her that we were returning home that day and that we had already purchased in Kissimmee. She asked us which property it was and how much had we paid. We gave her the details and she informed us that they, Westgate, would cancel with the other company and offered to save us money.
We did save around a $1,000 with a cheaper price and the closing costs being dropped but we didn’t realize that over the years they would get this money back and more. The original purchase which was cancelled was a 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom unit every year. Westgate sold us a 2 bedroom, 3-bathroom lockout, every second year. We were told that we could use one half on the odd year and the other half on the even year. This is the reason we bought it as only Len and myself vacation together.
The odd year, which we purchased, we pay the $700 maintenance fee and use the efficiency side. This is one room with 2 full size beds, a really mini kitchen area, whirlpool bath, toilet, vanity, and shower. On the even year we do have the big unit, and don’t have a maintenance charge, but have a fee, which started out low, and has increased each year. If we had stayed with the original purchase of a 1 bedroom each year then the maintenance fee would have been around $350 each year and no ‘extra charges’ that we were not aware of.
When we purchased they also said that it was an investment and that in years to come we could sell it and make money, while enjoying almost free vacations. Westgate continue to build in the immediate area 9 years after our purchase. We have tried to sell the week and lost even more money on it.
When we spoke to Westgate, in May, about selling our unit they informed us that they would not buy it back. I was fine with that, but then they told us that we would not be able to sell our unit because we don’t own both years.
We do have a small one-bedroom unit at Treasure Island beach, which we love and will keep. However the best deal of all was to buy points. Our points have given us endless vacations in the Kissimmee area. On August 31st we are heading to England and have used our points to stay at Walton Hall, a spa resort, in 65 acres of lush green countryside. We have a 2 bedroom, 2-bathroom until so my daughter and family can enjoy the vacation too.
