by Karen Holden
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Product Description
This book comes from personal experience, both as a long time timeshare owner and from selling vacation ownership. What prompted this book? Well, for too many years I have listened to too many people whom, for whatever reasons have a negative impression about the timeshare or vacation ownership industry. As an owner I inevitably found myself asking them why. The reasons varied from "they do not work" to "we cannot afford it." For those folks this book will open your eyes. The second reason was for all those owners who honestly do not have a clue as to what they own. I wanted to let people understand something that they did not already know or have simply forgotten. Having been a timeshare owner for over twenty-five years I understand, and have experienced, the public perception of the industry. I have also seen it change dramatically during that time. However, it was during my first few years in Mexico when I sold timeshare that I came to understand, and appreciate, the real public perception of the industry. From these experiences I realized that the industry could use a simple "how to" and "why" book. The book is written in a simple, straight forward manner that is easy to understand. The book covers the history, marketplace, the players, the IN's and Out's of attending a sales presentation, of buying one -- good and bad, legislation and much more. A quick, easy read it contains personal stories and antidotes, and easy, self awareness quizzes for you to do. By the end you will know whether or not timeshare is right for your lifestyle.
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Average Customer Review:
1 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
 Simplifying Timeshare reviewed, 2006-06-01
I am biased because I know Karen Holden and was part of the editing process.
This is not a sales book, but a "how to" book.
It is written to help the person who bought timeshare already learn how to use what they bought, since the chances are they were lied to in the sales presentation, or were under such pressure they did not remember ACCURATELY what they were told.
Yes, Karen believes in timeshare, so maybe that is why another reviewer thought it was a sales book.
If a person owns timeshare and wants the unbiased facts of how to use it better, the book will help.
If a person is thinking of buying timeshare, the book will expose some of the scams used to sell it, and help the person ask the proper questions to see if the product will help them achieve better vacations than they would have otherwise.
I am proud to have been part of the process.
17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
 Baldly biased and not worth the paper it is printed on, 2006-03-01
This book is not, as it claims, for knowing "whether or not timeshare is right for your lifestyle." (Back cover). Instead, it is an unabashed essay in support of buying new timeshares. It is almost verbatim what you would expect to hear from a timeshare presenter who needs to sell units. More to the point, it reads like one of two things, and, having finished it, I am still not sure which it is. First, it could have been a master's thesis in marketing on how to sell timeshares. Second, it could be a talking point for a timeshare consultant. In other words, this book was written by the author to serve as an introduction to timeshare salespeople for how to sell timeshares. Why do I say this?
There are, according to the author, only two kinds of people who should not buy a timeshare: people with "more money than God" and people with absolutely no money.
There is no reason you should go to a timeshare presentation with any apprehension. Any problems you have are your fault for being either ignorant (the only thing we fear is "the unknown") or disingenuous.
Criticism of the industry is reserved solely for "those bad people" from the 1980s. Everyone and everything is groovy nowadays. Conversely, there are some real lousy people out there who actually attend presentations when they do not intend to buy. How dare they take the bonus luau money!
But the most damning thing about the book is that it doesn't even do what it professes to do: simplify anything. It is an attempt to sell timeshares. Not simplify them. Although it was published in 2006, it barely touches on RCI's point system, which is in major vogue right now. It certainly doesn't explain it. It doesn't explain how to purchase resale timeshares at all (which makes sense considering the book's aim, to sell the author's expertise on selling new timeshares), except to say that you should be real careful and get a lawyer. It gives only the most basic and obvious advice about exchanging your timeshare (such as, do it early).
In sum, this is the worst "advice" book I have ever read. The author should be ashamed to be selling this as objective and helpful advice. It is nothing but a baldly biased attempt at selling herself to timeshare sellers. I strongly caution anyone considering purchasing this book (unless you are in timeshare sales and need examples of how to counteract customer's complaints -- in which case, go ahead and buy) to avoid it.
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