Qevin McCarthy has a better shot of being speaker.
Why I Own The World
Moderators: UAdevil, JMarkJohns
Re: Why I Own The World
-
dovecanyoncat
- Posts: 15390
- Joined: Mon Nov 28, 2016 12:16 pm
- Reputation: 1782
- Location: Old Farts and Golf Carts
Re: Why I Own The World
Gonna sign closing docs for sale of the Sedona house tomorrow. The market rolled over two months before we listed ...... of course! ...... and despite accepting an offer 6% under asking I'm feeling pretty relieved. It was the sole offer and the buyer was a neurotic pain in the ass. If she manufactures a reason to bail at this late date I will definitely keep her earnest money.
The latest CPI print gives ample cover for J Powell to keep rates high for some time so I have a bad feeling about the intermediate future of the residential real estate market. Heaven knows I'm never wrong about these things, noooooooo ........
The latest CPI print gives ample cover for J Powell to keep rates high for some time so I have a bad feeling about the intermediate future of the residential real estate market. Heaven knows I'm never wrong about these things, noooooooo ........
“Conservatism consists of exactly one proposition …There must be in-groups whom the law protects but does not bind, alongside out-groups whom the law binds but does not protect.”
~ Wilhoit's Law
~ Wilhoit's Law
Re: Why I Own The World
Hit my first hole in 1 today. Par 3 136 yards. Hit my 9 iron 1 bounce and rolled in. Still can't believe it.
-
Merkin
- Posts: 41414
- Joined: Tue Jun 03, 2014 10:31 am
- Reputation: 1358
- Location: UA basketball smells like....victory
Re: Why I Own The World
Woohoo! Never even came close. Nice work Lando.
Re: Why I Own The World
I just survived a dreaded Timeshare Presentation.
To ready for Hilton's sales pitch I did a ton of research. For example...
This was an important discovery because as Attorney General’s offices in certain States have received many complaints against the timeshare industry over the years, the two timeshare operators – Hilton and Marriot – that are most sensitive to their brand, have calmed down the high-pressure ways that in the past has given the timeshare industry a reputation as low as that of Used Car Lots and Pay Day Loaning.
Which explains why this morning’s presentation went much better than I worried.
First off, the sales personnel were as respectful and courteous as they could be, though at the end they were understandably a tad dismissive once it set in that I didn’t plan on buying anything.
My survival plan turned what was supposed to be a 2hr “tour” into only 40 min:
-They ask how much you spend on hotels/year to frame how they can give you a good deal. My answer: ZERO. Which is true because when I am in a Hilton it is because of business travel. When this isn’t the case it is because I’m using Hilton Honors points for a free night or two in Las Vegas or Chicago. An answer of ZERO gives them little to work with.
-At some point presenters have to be very specific that they are offering you an ownership share to a deeded property. I can’t overstate how important this legality is. Especially considering how this seemed to go over the head of most others in attendance. When it was my time after the general presentation to be assigned to a dedicated salesman he was respectful but disappointed to answer the following questions:
1) So this is a legal property ownership? 2) Meaning property taxes are accrued? 3) To which State are property taxes paid? 4) To sell this property is the burden of the owner (me) not Hilton? 5) This property share is owned in perpetuity, not a contract that must be renewed at the end of ten years?
The last questions is worth asking because the initial offering reads like a 120 month contract. This is because after ten years the initial pricing you agreed to must be reset. Meaning you’re force into higher monthly fees.
Now for the pricing options for a 120 month agreement:
1. 7-10 nights/yr at any resort property for $14k, which can likely be talked down to $12k or even $10k.
2. 28-56 nights/yr at any resort property for $68k, which can likely be talked down to $55k.
At this point I felt bad for my salesman. Don't we both know he's selling such an unrealistic product? There are MANY unhappy timeshare owners offering their agreements for $1 on EBay. I didn’t tell my salesman this; by the time he was sharing pricing he realized I was a nonstarter.
After we ended things politely, I was escorted to another room by some sort of office manager who signed me out.
Your best option – please don’t even bother agreeing to attend timeshare presentations.
After four years of Hilton on my case about taking up one of their free-stay deals in exchange for attending a "portfolio presentation" I finally caved because the dates they gave me at a N. Scottsdale property lines up with time I wanted to spend in the PHX area this week.CatsbyAZ wrote: ↑Mon Mar 09, 2020 8:34 am Thanks to my employer booking us into Homewood Suites or Hilton Gardens when sending us on work travel, we're all Hilton Honors members. It's been this way for a while, and though I don't work-travel too much, I still accumulate enough "points" for free weekend stays about once or twice a year. All was good until this year when Hilton started soliciting me for their Hilton Grand Vacation Ownerships (Timeshares). They called a few times, cheery as anything (but also relentless) to offer a free weekend in Vegas for attending one of their seminars, which I turned down until having to hang up one them.
To ready for Hilton's sales pitch I did a ton of research. For example...
It turns out Hilton is split into different companies - Hilton Worldwide owns all the properties and operates the hotel properties whereas Hilton Grand Vacation Club is a spin-off that runs the timeshare side of the Hilton Brand. HGVC is an independently operated business that provides an additional income stream to Hilton by paying millions upon millions of profit to Hilton for use of their brand and properties.
This was an important discovery because as Attorney General’s offices in certain States have received many complaints against the timeshare industry over the years, the two timeshare operators – Hilton and Marriot – that are most sensitive to their brand, have calmed down the high-pressure ways that in the past has given the timeshare industry a reputation as low as that of Used Car Lots and Pay Day Loaning.
Which explains why this morning’s presentation went much better than I worried.
First off, the sales personnel were as respectful and courteous as they could be, though at the end they were understandably a tad dismissive once it set in that I didn’t plan on buying anything.
My survival plan turned what was supposed to be a 2hr “tour” into only 40 min:
-They ask how much you spend on hotels/year to frame how they can give you a good deal. My answer: ZERO. Which is true because when I am in a Hilton it is because of business travel. When this isn’t the case it is because I’m using Hilton Honors points for a free night or two in Las Vegas or Chicago. An answer of ZERO gives them little to work with.
-At some point presenters have to be very specific that they are offering you an ownership share to a deeded property. I can’t overstate how important this legality is. Especially considering how this seemed to go over the head of most others in attendance. When it was my time after the general presentation to be assigned to a dedicated salesman he was respectful but disappointed to answer the following questions:
1) So this is a legal property ownership? 2) Meaning property taxes are accrued? 3) To which State are property taxes paid? 4) To sell this property is the burden of the owner (me) not Hilton? 5) This property share is owned in perpetuity, not a contract that must be renewed at the end of ten years?
The last questions is worth asking because the initial offering reads like a 120 month contract. This is because after ten years the initial pricing you agreed to must be reset. Meaning you’re force into higher monthly fees.
Now for the pricing options for a 120 month agreement:
1. 7-10 nights/yr at any resort property for $14k, which can likely be talked down to $12k or even $10k.
2. 28-56 nights/yr at any resort property for $68k, which can likely be talked down to $55k.
At this point I felt bad for my salesman. Don't we both know he's selling such an unrealistic product? There are MANY unhappy timeshare owners offering their agreements for $1 on EBay. I didn’t tell my salesman this; by the time he was sharing pricing he realized I was a nonstarter.
After we ended things politely, I was escorted to another room by some sort of office manager who signed me out.
Your best option – please don’t even bother agreeing to attend timeshare presentations.
“The force behind the movement of time is a mourning that will not be comforted.” author Marilynne Robinson
-
Chicat
- Posts: 45123
- Joined: Tue Jun 03, 2014 12:19 pm
- Reputation: 3356
- Location: Your mother's basement
Re: Why I Own The World
Went to one once in Puerto Vallarta because our driver from the airport talked us into it by offering a free bottle of tequila and a zip lining excursion.
Did zero research, just looked at the clock the whole time. When the 100 minutes was up I demanded the bottle and excursion voucher and then grabbed Femcat (who was all ready to buy) and hightailed it the fuck out of there.
Did zero research, just looked at the clock the whole time. When the 100 minutes was up I demanded the bottle and excursion voucher and then grabbed Femcat (who was all ready to buy) and hightailed it the fuck out of there.
Of the 12 coaches, Rush picked the one whose fans have the deepest passion, the longest memories, the greatest lung capacity and … did I mention deep passion?