Older does not always mean wiser so.......

[GGeorge]

I am older but not wiser so I will come to the experts who have "done that" and found it was a good idea or not a good idea.

The SO and I will retire in December 2015, we are planning a trip to Alaska spring 2016. We have been approached by Resorts of America and Camp Resorts about purchasing a "Home Base" site and then joining Coast to Coast (C2C).

Is this a good idea?

Resorts of America has offered us a home base of Rocky Fork in Kimbolton Ohio for $11,995 (55 miles from our home). This has a lifetime ownership, I can will or give to children and they in turn can will/give to grandchildren. 2 weeks free camping per year, then unlimited camping 2 weeks in, one week out for the remainder of the year. The cost comes with 1 year membership w/C2C, paid 1st year maintenance fees (399 per yr) and sister Resort America resorts are $10 per nite for 7 days.

Resorts has also offered to purchase a home base in Sycamore NC for $1595, life membership. Basically the same camping deal, C2C for the first year, and paid annual dues of $299 for the first year. They have told me this is a real deal, the current owner is selling for health reasons and purchased his "ownership" many years ago when things were cheaper. They told me in todays market the price would be approximately the same as Rocky Fork. They also said I can will/sell one more time under the "grandfather clause" from the original owner.

Camp Resorts is offering me $549.00 per year membership in "A" home base, 1 year C2C and $499 maintenance fees for 1 year. Basic same camping agreement. However, they will assign a home base. I live in Ohio, they could give me a home base in California. But I would get the 2 weeks free then two in one out rule apply.

What are your thoughts. Does anyone have home base membership? do you like it? Do you use it? Is it worth it?

Help

Thanks

G George

[hawkeye-08]

My mom got into something like that, not worth it unless you are camping alot and buy resale (not new). We had a timeshare condo in Hawaii and ended up selling because we could no longer afford the maintenance fees. We rent by the week now in Hawaii for less than the maintenance fees were on our timeshare.

[MrWizard]

Do the math
The max you can get is a total of 35 weeks for $12000 that's $342.86 per week , if you use all 35 weeks
The less weeks used, the more dollars per week cost

Save the money use it for something else
Yes I know, you could do that every year
But your maintenance costs will go up and most people won't go to the same spot even 20 times a year for the next ten years much less forever, along with the kids out grand kids

Keep the money, take some longer RV trip of the lifetime, while you have the health and money to do it

[DutchmenSport]

Run! For the price you are getting skinned alive for, you can do lots of State and National Parks, Private campgrounds, and even RV resorts. You can travel all across the country and be free as a bird! For those prices, you are really limiting yourself to a select set of campgrounds, which are usually not all that cracked-up as they appear to be. Membership campgrounds (in my opinion) tend to have a roudier crowd, campers that make their own rules, and management that simply does not care what goes on. Golf carts running around mowing everyone over, kids running amok, and booze parties the often ugly. (Not all campground with membership were are like this, but the few we've even remotely considered were).

For the price you'd be paying, you have many, many more options to stay elsewhere at any variety of places.

About a home base? Use your parents, siblings, or kids address on everything and consider that your home.

Run from this money pit temptation! Run!

[mayo30]

You know the two sure things in life.Income tax and death,this will even outlive those.

[Old-Biscuit]

Odd couple out here...........

We Full Timed for 7 yrs.
Purchased a 'home park' with C2C, RPI and AOR affiliate memberships.

Used them. Could stay up to 2 weeks at affiliate cgs for $10/15 night.

Saved a LOT in camping fees as we had to stay somewhere every night.

BUT.......
we didn't buy from a 'resort' or from a home park directly. They want $$$$$$$$$$

We purchased our 'home park membership' and the associated affiliate memberships via RESALE.
Home park annual fees FROZEN----$59/yr
C2C Deluxe membership..........$139/yr
RPI Premium membership.........$119/yr
AOR membership..................$89/yr

Total initial buy in for membership (transfer fees plus 1st dues) $950
After that we dropped RPI due to overlap with C2C and AOR because we didn't use it very much.....so membership dues were $198/yr.


RESALE.......RESALE.....RESALE
Read the fine print

AND if you go to a 'presentation' 'promotional tour' the Home Park can/may put restriction of 1-2 yrs on eligibility of buying resale and won't mention that until AFTER

CG Memberships can/do work........just buy cheap and use them (never cheap if buying direct therefore THOSE memberships ARE NOT worth it!!)

[kgragert]

Why not try something like Passport America. Only cost is yearly membership fee, I think mine was $44.
Far more Camp Grounds, and you pay 1/2 the usual nightly fee.
I thought all the reviews saying "I recouped the membership fee the first week we used it" to be sales BS.
But the first time I used it we saved $121 for a 5 day stay, not to bad.

[2oldman]

Don't do it.

Posts with R of A in them

[Rollnhome]

I wouldn't touch it with a ten foot pole.

[mlts22]

I wonder if you might be better off just buying some rural land in a destination area and using that as a "home base". Worst case, the land will sell to someone, unlike a timeshare where nobody buys those used.

[coolmom42]

dspencer wrote:
Secure your wallet in your pocket, put your running shoes on and run Forest run! It's nothing but a time share and I've never heard of a good one.

Yep.

Everyone I know who has ever bought a timeshare of any type, really really regrets it.

[Bobbo]

If they were a good idea, the company would not have to cold call folks to try to make a sale. Run.

[tropical_ron]

We were members of thousand trails and c2c and what we found was that we went to member facilities because we were paying for them. We did not find the parks to be of high end quality resorts as they were advertised. We found ourselves going to areas that we would not have visited, if it were not for the membership. We are happy now paying for resorts/campgrounds that we WANT to visit and pay our way accordingly. If I had to do it again; I would pass.

[dspencer]

Secure your wallet in your pocket, put your running shoes on and run Forest run! It's nothing but a time share and I've never heard of a good one.

[guidry]

Also look at how you might be able to get out of that contract later. You may not be able to, even after death. I've heard of time share companies going after estates after death of the buyer.

[Homer1]

I am with all the other posters. There is no WIN in it for you. It would take a long time to get a ROI. By that time they will have raised the maintenance fees to the point you will never be free camping.