What to do if you're invited to a Trendwest information evening

So, what should you do if you've been invited to a Trendwest information evening?

I'd recommend these 3 golden rules:

• Read the Product Disclosure Statement and Financial Statement before attending (that way you'll be able to ask questions while being fully informed)
  
• Search the Internet for the current market value of memberships being resold by existing unitholders (many are referenced on this website, some go as low as $1/unit)
  
• Analyse your own spending patterns, financial resources and holiday desires so you'll know the value of your annual holidays now and in the future
  

You should be very comfortable with the above before committing yourself to $10,000 to $20,000 on the purchase of timeshare property which you never actually "own".

Before signing, be sure that you know:

• All the costs (up-front, annual maintenance, housekeeping, membership of point interchange clubs, etc)
• How much you can afford
• How much you typically spend on holidays (the past is a good predictor of the future)

As with any financial transaction (especially where you're spending enough to buy a new car!), read all the documentation! It's written in fairly friendly, easy-to-read language so you've got no excuse to ignore it.

Once you're comfortable with the above, go ahead and join -- seriously!

However, one thing to note is that there are existing Trendwest owners who are looking to sell their Holiday Credits (actually units in a Unit Trust). You can pick up a real bargain by purchasing from an existing owner -- there are many examples of such sales on this website.

When buying units direct from Trendwest, you pay $2.05/unit. I've seen units sell on the Internet for only $1/unit -- that's a saving of 50% or more, and it provides excellent value for your holiday dollar. Plus, it gives existing Trendwest unitholders an opportunity to exit from their financial commitments.

Tags: trendwest worldmark