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Best Holiday Wishes from BuyATimeshare.com December 23, 2011

Posted by Bryan Connelly in : General, News & Events, Timeshare Resale, Timeshare Resource, Travel, Uncategorized , add a comment

Despite hard times that many location businesses have experienced because of the recession, BuyATimeshare.com completed another successful year with a Christmas celebration. Wesley Kogelman and the Managers at BuyATimeshare.com treated their staff to an exciting Hibachi dinner at Nashua’s famous Mikata restaurant.

The Japanese Steakhouse & Sushi Bar is a local favorite where everyone was able to relax and enjoy some great food with their friends and loved ones. “It’s important to promote out employees and the effort they put into everyday” said Kogelman.

In Tampa, BuyATimeshare.com employees celebrated the holidays together with an event catered by the always decadent Cheesecake Factory. Wesley Kogelman explains that it’s not all just about celebrating the holidays, but about keeping his team happy. “It’s a great chance to get everyone together after a long year of hard work and celebrate all of the success we’ve had.”

In 2011 BuyATimeshare.com was included in the prestigious Inc. 5000 list as well as sponsoring several events for local non-profit organizations. Building up to Christmas was holiday-inspired week of contests and games. The staff was able to win gifts from under the charismas tree, or could spin the prize wheel for every property that joined the resale market.

The New Hampshire office wrapped up the weak of celebration with an office-wide luncheon and the first annual “Ugly Sweater Contest.” Participants donned the most hideous Christmas attire they could find to win the title of ugliest holiday sweater. In Florida, employees decorated their desks with holiday ornaments, garland and lights
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With a sluggish economy and high unemployment, corporate holiday parties have reached a 20-year low. Holiday celebrations are crucial to keeping a team close and to boost morale among colleagues. Everyone at BuyATimeshare.com is definitely showing signs of the Holiday spirit. From everyone at BuyATimeshare.com, we wish you a very Happy Holiday Season!

BuyATimeshare.com Collects More Than 1,700 Pounds of Food for Families in Need November 19, 2011

Posted by Bryan Connelly in : ARDA, Charity, Customer Comments, Donate a Timeshare, General, New Features, News & Events, Timeshare Resale, Timeshare Resource, Travel, Uncategorized , add a comment

BuyATimeshare.com has wrapped up its Third Annual Food Drive with some heartwarming results. Working with local businesses, the drive was able to generate 1,200 pounds of food for the New Hampshire Food Bank and the Nashua Soup Kitchen. Together with donations from our office in Tampa, Florida, BuyATimeshare.com was able to contribute 1,778 pounds of food to local charities.

In addition, BuyATimeshare.com hosted a fundraiser at Peddlers Daughter in Nashua. The event included a raffle to raise as much money as possible. Headlining the raffle was a free vacation and airfare for two provided by BuyATimeshare.com. The winner of this year’s raffle was announced, and the successful event raised $800 for a total monetary donation of $1,315.

On Monday, November 21, the managers of BuyATimeshare.com donated their time at the Nashua Soup Kitchen. This came as a welcomed surprise to the Food Pantry, which expects to distribute over 1,000 Holiday Boxes to needy families in the area. President of BuyATimeshare.com Wesley Kogelman said, “We look forward to another great holiday food drive and I look forward to helping these families again.” A special thanks to Frederick’s Pastry’s for participating as a drop off location. And thanks to our own Randy Medeiros for a great job organizing the event and being the man on the microphone.

With so many reasons to step up and give back to the community, everyone at BuyATimeshare.com is ready to work with local businesses and residents for next year’s big Food Drive. The staff is always looking for ways to get involved. Whether working with the United Way of Nashua, Toys for Tots in Tampa Bay, BuyATimeshare.com employees are excited to contribute. Whether sponsoring an event for the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Nashua & Greater Salem, or donating backpacks to Metropolitan Ministries in Tampa, there is always a way give back to the local community.

BuyATimeshare.com Reports Another Successful Food Drive November 15, 2011

Posted by Bryan Connelly in : Charity, Customer Comments, Donate a Timeshare, General, News & Events, Timeshare Resale, Timeshare Resource , add a comment

The giving spirit at BuyATimeshare.com is reflected in a heaping mountain of food to help support the New Hampshire Food Bank and the Nashua Food Pantry. Reports of food shortages in local food banks inspired BuyATimeshare.com president Wesley Kogelman hold the food drive earlier in the year, so everyone can donate as much as possible. And after just a few short weeks the offices have collected over1,200 pounds of food.


You can help too. Join us at The Peddler’s Daughter in Nashua for a fundraiser and raffle. The NH Food Bank and The Nashua Food Pantry expect to distribute over 1,000 Holiday Boxes to families in the area. The event will be chance to raise a cash donation and to make a final weigh-in of this year’s Food Drive. So if you would like to part of our biggest event yet, join BuyATimeshare.com at the Peddler’s Daughter from 6pm to 9pm tonight, November 17.

BuyATimeshare.com, one of the many New Hampshire Companies to make the Inc. 5000 September 19, 2011

Posted by Bryan Connelly in : News & Events, Timeshare Rental, Timeshare Resale, Timeshare Resource, Travel, Uncategorized , add a comment

The Granite State is home to some innovative companies and as well as some impressive entrepreneurs. In recognition for their hard work and drive, Inc. Magazine has named a lot of these businesses to its annual Inc. 500/5000 List. Everything from food services to Internet services have been included, all demonstrating rapid growth and success. The companies on this year’s list report having created 350,000 jobs in the last three years with revenues increasing 14% from 2009. BuyATimeshare.com is being noticed for the second consecutive year. One of the many New Hampshire-based companies, Wesley Kogelman and his team at BuyATimeshare.com have spent the past decade building their company into a frontrunner in the secondary timeshare industry.

The annual Inc. 500/5000 list includes a comprehensive look at America’s independently owned businesses. Wesley Kogelman, who owns and operates BuyATimeshare.com in both Tampa and Merrimack, has designed a new approach to the for-sale-by-owner marketplace, working to better the industry and the buying experience. “We are thrilled to once again be recognized through the Inc. 5000 List as one of the fastest-growing companies in the country,” Kogelman Explains. “Our ‘buy owner’ marketing platform provides outstanding value for our advertisers and it is great to see the success of our company recognized by such a respected organization.”

BuyATimeshare.com continues to add new features to its site, such as tool that allows website visitors to search its inventory by specific resort locations, brand names and regional areas. As one of the most sophisticated search features in the resale industry vacationers can even organize their search according to resort amenities or nearby attractions. Wesley Kogelman and BuyATimeshare.com have also been listed as one of BusinessNH Magazine’s Top 10 Companies to Watch in 2009; the company also operates Timeshare Pulse, an innovative program designed to help buyers and renters find the timeshare vacation of their dreams.

Wesley Kogelman and Timeshare Resale Firm Selected to the Inc. 5000 for the Second Consecutive Year September 8, 2011

Posted by Bryan Connelly in : News & Events, Timeshare Rental, Timeshare Resale, Timeshare Resource, Travel , add a comment

Wesley Kogelman, founder and President of BuyATimeshare.com, is proud to be among the elite companies selected for the 2011 Inc. 5000 List. For the second year in a row Kogelman and his team have delivered reliable service and customer satisfaction. In fact, BuyATimeshare.com is the only timeshare resale and timeshare rental advertising company to make the list. Published annually by the business journal Inc. Magazine, The Inc. 5000 only recognizes the fastest growing, privately held companies in the U.S. To qualify for the 2011 Inc. 500|5000, companies must be US owned, for profit, independent businesses.

Each company is ranked according to revenue growth from 2007 through 2010. Wesley Kogelman’s marketing firm ranked number 3784 out of the top 5000 companies from across the country. BuyATimeshare.com ranked an impressive 19th among the fastest growing companies in the granite state. With a growth rate of 39% over the last three years, the New Hampshire firm also ranked 339th nationally among the top 500 advertising and marketing companies. BuyATimeshare.com was also listed as one of Business Magazine’s Top 10 Companies to Watch in 2009. And they were right! Since then Wesley Kogelman and his team have added several innovations to the secondary market to improve the resale experience for both timeshare buyers and sellers. BuyaTimeshare.com has been in business since 2000 and has 80 employees between its corporate headquarters in New Hampshire and sales office in Tampa, Florida.

BuyATimeshare.com has been busy over the past decade, working to become the most effective online timeshare resale and rental experts worldwide. Selected for this honor for the second year in a row is certainly a tribute to all of the hard work and dedication invested by the entire staff. “We are thrilled to once again be recognized through the Inc. 5000 List as one of the fastest-growing companies in the country,” Kogelman Explains. “Our ‘buy owner’ marketing platform provides outstanding value for our advertisers and it is great to see the success of our company recognized by such a respected organization.”

Wesley Kogelman and the Souhegan Valley Rotary Help The 100 Holes of Golf Fundraiser August 1, 2011

Posted by Bryan Connelly in : Charity, General, News & Events, Timeshare Resale, Timeshare Resource, Uncategorized , add a comment

Wesley Kogelman and the Souhegan Valley Rotary was able to contribute nearly $1000 in cash, as well as volunteering their time during the 17th annual golf tournament fundraiser. Held on Friday, July 29 at the Amherst Country Club, the turnout for this annual event was overwhelming. And with 100 holes of golf to shoot in one day, there was plenty of activity. All of the proceeds benefit the Milford Rotary Club Foundation where every cent goes back into the community. Wesley Kogelman, president and founder of local BuyATimeshare.com knows how important this occasion is to the community. “This is the major fundraiser for the year” Kogelman explains, “…and I look forward to being a part of next year’s event as well.” Along with college scholarships, the Milford Rotary Club Foundation supports grants, community projects and donations to other worthy organizations that help provide aide and services to the area.

Wesley Kogelman and BuyATimeshare.com and sold raffle tickets and volunteered their time to make sure the tournament when off without a hitch. By monitoring the greens and tending to flags when shots were made, the daunting task of shooting 100 holes of golf in one day remained an entertaining event. In its 16 years, this fundraiser has generated $1 million dollars for surrounding communities. Each year the golf tournament lets teams play 100 holes of uninterrupted golf. Each team member plays an equal amount of the total 100 holes. For those involved, it is a fast-paced version of an otherwise leisurely game. Each team must complete 18 holes within 2 hours and 20 minutes. This is a significant difference from the four-hour game of patients and skill. The game is played from the early hours of the morning until the late afternoon where the winner is determined. If you are interested in participating in next year’s event, CLICK HERE or call 603 881-5800.

Marriott Takes Next Step Towards Spinning Off Marriott Timeshare Entity June 30, 2011

Posted by John Stephens in : Marriott Timeshares, News & Events, Ritz Carlton, Timeshare Resale , add a comment

The Marriott Vacation Club is closer to becoming a separate timeshare company.

According to Forbes.com, Marriott International filed paperwork earlier this week with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission designed to transition Marriott Vacation Club into a separate publicly traded timeshare company by the end of the year.

The new company will be known as Marriott Vacations Worldwide Corporation.

In a press release issued by Marriott, Stephen Weisz, president and chief executive officer of Marriott Vacations Worldwide Corporation, said, “Our filing today is an important step toward our spin-off, as we continue to be on track to launch our new company by year-end 2011.  With the spin-off of Marriott Vacations Worldwide, we look forward to tremendous opportunities to build our vacation ownership business and deliver value to our new shareholders.   We’ll have a new corporate name to complement our new future but the names of our industry-leading brands, Marriott Vacation Club, The Ritz-Carlton Destination Club, and Grand Residences by Marriott, and our focus on delivering outstanding vacation experiences to our over 400,000 owners, won’t change.” 

Marriott officials continue to state publicly that there will be no visible changes to consumers as a result of the transition. In the July issue of industry trade publication Developments Magazine, Weisz said that “this transaction will not affect our Marriott Vacation Club owners or Grand Residences by Marriott and Ritz-Carlton Destination Club members. They will see no changes in the branding of their properties, services, usage options, or use of Marriott Rewards points to access Marriott International’s hotels and other benefits.”

While Marriott owners are understandably concerned about the potential ramifications of such a move, the perception is that Marriott International is the one who stands to gain from the separation.

In that same issue of Developments, Marriott Vacation Club Vice President Ed Kinney said “we have $1.5 billion in inventory in our pipeline.” That’s some major inventory that Marriott isn’t moving anytime soon, considering that the entire U.S. timeshare industry reported total sales of $6.4 billion last year, only up 1.9% from 2009, according to the American Resort Development Association.

With stagnant sales and Marriott International’s stated desire to concentrate on the franchising and hotel management side of their business, it’s no wonder that they want to proceed with an amicable divorce.

The irony is that the Marriott timeshare brand is the strongest brand in the timeshare industry. Marriott timeshare weeks hold their resale value better than just about any brand in the industry and weeks tend to sell quicker than anyone else. It is this brand strength that owners are most concerned about losing if the spin-off leads to significant management changes at Marriott Vacation Club.

I can’t see where MVC would try to fix something that isn’t broken by tinkering with the brand or the level of accommodation and service that owners have come to expect. The issue is a long term one, since cutting the umbilical cord from the mother company could mean even slower development plans as the company reacts to its new status. And even more Wall Street pressure to perform with no hiding behind Mom’s skirt when times are tough.

The good news is that there are plenty of Marriott timeshare resales and timeshare rentals at wonderful resorts around the world. You can browse those weeks by clicking on the BuyaTimeshare.com website here.

Disney Vacation Club Timeshare Sales Drop in May June 24, 2011

Posted by John Stephens in : Disney, News & Events, Timeshare Resale , add a comment

In another example of the struggles that timeshare companies are encountering, new sales for Disney Vacation Club points fell in May for the second month in a row.

According to DVCNews.com, sales for DVC resorts (that can be tracked) fell 15.6% in May compared to April’s figures, which were also down. The drop was attributed to low sales at Animal Kingdom Villas and Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort.

The sales figures only account for the seven DVC resorts at Disney World along with Disney’s Vero Beach FL and Hilton Head Island SC resorts. They do not include numbers for Disney’s Grand California Hotel or for the new Aulani Resort in Hawaii, which is scheduled to open in August.

The Bay Lake Tower figures alone were down 21.6% from the previous month but, to be fair, the resort is 86% sold out so slower sales were to be expected. Even so, this is a pretty steep drop for such a high-end location and is the second lowest month for Bay Lake Tower in the last year. The resort is expected to sell out later this summer.

Animal Kingdom Villas also took a nose-dive. Normally selling an average of 46,000 points a month, the resort only sold just over 19,000 points in May.

But here’s the rub, and why this stuff isn’t rocket science. Bay Lake Tower just hiked their prices to $140 per point at a time when sales are down. Huh?

Both Bay Lake Tower and Animal Kingdom Villas are more expensive than Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort, which currently sells through DVC at $99 per point. So Saratoga Springs sells at better than a 3-to-1 rate compared to Animal Kingdom Villas and they wonder what the problem is?

Are you kidding me?

When are they going to realize that it is you, the consumer, who sets the price of these things? You vote with your wallet and they don’t seem to understand this, but this wouldn’t be the first time that Disney showed their arrogance. Don’t let common sense get in the way of a good business plan.

Look, I know that Disney wouldn’t be Disney by making bad business decisions and they have done a wonderful job with their timeshare product. But, sometimes, don’t you just need to ask your customers what the problem is and try to fix it? I guess the customers have told them – through their sales.

And this doesn’t even take into consideration the timeshare resales market. Or does it?

Maybe consumers, who are much more savvy than they were a few years ago, have discovered they can go to sites such as BuyaTimeshare.com and buy Disney timeshare points at a lower cost than through the resorts?

Isn’t that always the case?

You know, or you wouldn’t be here. Take a look at the Disney timeshares for sale on the BuyaTimeshare.com website by clicking here.

State of Nevada Endorses Timeshare Advertising On The Internet June 20, 2011

Posted by John Stephens in : ARDA, News & Events, Timeshare Resale , add a comment

For all the industry detractors (yes, I’m talking to you – old school resort developer) who discourage advertising timeshares on the internet, a bill just signed into law by Nevada Governor Sandoval  provides a clear endorsement of the practice.

According to the American Resort Development Association (ARDA), Nevada Senate Bill 200 was signed by the Governor last Friday, allowing advertising on the internet of timeshare foreclosures for sale.

We’ve been in the online advertising business for over 10 years and this is the first time I can remember that our form of advertising has received  such an explicit endorsement from a state legislature.

But it’s not just the Nevada legislature that gave the thumbs up to the process. According to the ARDA website, “ARDA and ARDA-ROC (Resort Owners Coalition) representatives testified in favor of SB 200 in both the Senate and Assembly, spending time explaining the benefits of internet publication of timeshare foreclosure sales, when owners–or prospective buyers–may be located anywhere in the U.S. or the world. Publication in local newspapers only (where a short-form publication is still required by the bill) was both expensive and not readily accessible for owners and potential buyers.  In addition to ARDA-ROC and ARDA, the Nevada Real Estate Division also supported the bill”.

This is an amazing turn-around for an industry that just a few years ago viewed the online advertising of timeshares as primarily a gimmick for rogue companies looking to fleece consumers. Now, the industry is advocating the use of the internet and recognizing the limitations of newspaper advertising, which we’ve been saying for years.

I realize that foreclosures are a sensitive subject and this law was passed primarily for the benefit of HOAs looking for ways to sell inventory and lower the potential costs of foreclosures on the resorts. Provisions were also placed in the bill to protect the privacy of timeshare owners and their personal information, which we wholehearted agree is an important aspect of the bill. But there is no denying that such recognition of the internet’s ability to help move timeshare inventory, especially in light of the current economic difficulties faced by some timeshare owners, is a clear validation of the business model that we have advocated for years.

Remember, great deals on Las Vegas timeshare inventory from Nevada, timeshare weeks in the rest of the country and even international timeshare such as Mexico timeshare can be viewed on the BuyaTimeshare.com website by clicking here.

Timeshare Relief Companies Are Not All They Claim To Be May 12, 2011

Posted by John Stephens in : General, Timeshare Resale , add a comment

It all sounds so enticing.

The guarantee to get you out of your timeshare. The “promise” that you can leave it with them and your worries are over. But are they?

These are the timeshare “relief” companies, these groups that you hear about usually through a direct mail card sent to your home or a phone call from someone you’ve never heard of, claiming that they have the silver bullet to help you part with your timeshare. The pitch usually goes something like this…..

“We’ll be in your town next (insert day of the week here) and would love for you to come and meet with us. We’ll explain how you can get rid of your timeshare without the fees and hassles associated with other companies.” But if you show up, what they don’t tell you in advance is that you’ll be out of pocket for about $4,000 for the “privilege” of supposedly handing over your timeshare.

And the real problems can occur if these companies don’t handle the transfers properly, with many such title transactions never actually consummated and the “former” owners suddenly realizing that they still legally own their property with no chance of getting that $4,000 back.

Please understand that on the secondary market, if it seems too good to be true, it usually is. This is a supply and demand business and anyone making promises to sell your timeshare, or having a buyer waiting to buy your timeshare, or claiming they can take it off your hands with no hassle, is someone to be very careful of.

We’ve been in this business for over 10 years and are as transparent and accountable as any business in the timeshare resale industry. We started when the internet was in its infancy and have seen drastic changes in the timeshare secondary market. This pitch by the relief companies is just the latest angle in a series of tactics over the years by companies looking to use shortcuts to enter the resale business.

We know that your best, and most cost-effective, way to part with your timeshare is to advertise it with a reputable company that provides exposure to a global audience looking for the product. That is why we work hard to rank BuyaTimeshare.com on page one of Google for a variety of timeshare-related search terms since we know that, for instance, about 600,000 people per month search out the word “timeshare” on Google.

Pricing a timeshare correctly and getting it in front of the people looking to buy timeshare or rent timeshare is the best way to part with it – not by paying thousands of dollars to a shadowy company and rolling the dice in the hope that you may – or may not – actually part with it.

To find out more about selling your timeshare, please click here.