You need a heavy of reality and common sense when you set out to sell your timeshare. Since seller supply often exceeds buyer demand it won't be easy. The market is swimming in timeshare resellers, people just like you. According to the website Tug 2 most people don't even know there is a resales market available until after they buy from the developer. Those who do know are usually the more experienced timeshare owners and are only looking for real bargains.
There are lots and lots of timeshares for sale. When you bought, you got some nice perks such as a free vacation. Most timeshare buyers acted because it seemed like such a good deal at the time– they’d have the perfect place to vacation in the same resort, at the same time, every year. That kind of predictability seemed like a good idea... at the time. You were probably at the resort, just loving it. Now you’re feeling very constrained by that original commitment. The website www.homebuying.about.com says that "a sale can be difficult to achieve if your unit is a studio, or usage dates are in an off season." When you bought you were probably not told anything about what would happen when you tried to sell.
It’s not in the developer’s best interests to have you sell your timeshare. He or she has sunk a considerable amount of money into selling the units in the first place– between $2000 and $5000. According to www.homebuying.about.com resort developers sometimes offer resale programs. Salespeople working on-site do have easy access to buyers who are interested in that specific resort or chain, but their main focus may be selling new units.
So, how do you go about selling your timeshare? Begin with realistic pricing. On www.homebuying.about.com it’s noted that pricing is the driving force behind Time-Share resales. However, even bigger timeshares that allow some flexibility generally sell for 30%-50% less than their original price. You and your family may have really loved your vacations at your timeshare but this is quite a loss and is certainly something to consider before you purchase. If you are in a hurry you may resort to selling low. But if you can wait there are some other options. Let’s see if there are ways to help you sell your timeshare.
Sometimes, when a timeshare is part of a chain (and there are lots of those) you may be able to use your credits for things such as airline tickets. This may help you recover some of the financial loss you’ll experience when you sell.
Seller (and buyer) beware. The timeshare market is full of dangerous sales agents just trying to make a quick buck for themselves. You might be desperate to sell but don’t trust anyone who promises you a quick sale.
List with a Real Estate Company
You can list on line with several agencies or you can go through a real brick and mortar company. However you choose to do this keep these tips in mind:
Find up what the fees will be for listing with the real estate company you choose.
What kind of commission do they charge?
Fees and commissions tend to be higher than they would if this was a "traditional" transaction.
Interview several sales and management agencies until you find the one that will give you the best help. Check them each carefully and see if there have been any Better Business Bureau complaints lodged against them. You can do this online at the website www.BBB.org.
Are they a member of ARDA (the American Resort Development Association)? They expect its members to abide by a set of ethical guidelines when selling time-shares.
Are you familiar with the timeshare laws. For example, up-front fees can be illegal in some states.
Are they licensed to practice real estate in the states they operate in?
Get it in writing! Have each office tell you exactly how they market your timeshare.
And, finally, before you sign a contract, compare their fees and marketing practices with those of other agencies.
Auctions
You could try auctioning your timeshare on Ebay. Research it carefully before listing. Use other postings to help you make your post the best it can be. Or you could try an exchange with another timeshare owner. This doesn’t help with the sale but it could help if you’re wanting to change times or locations while you wait to sell. If you can’t sell your timeshare right away, auctioning it off could be a good short term plan because you’ll make some money on it.
Classifieds
Your time-share owners club may offer this as a service. In this way, you’ll be preaching to the converted. People who look at these classifieds are interested in what you’re selling. Or try approaching other owners (or posting a classified for this purpose). People who own timeshares before and after your dates may be looking to increase their time.
Advertise
This is especially important if you are trying to sell your timeshare yourself. Post classifieds on as many free internet group sections that you can. Most online services such as Prodigy, AOL, etc have free or lost cost advertising. "Timeshare Adventures provides an advanced online timeshare advertising network that connects sellers with buyers by targeting audiences through Newspaper Advertisements, Search Engine Marketing, Television and Direct Mail marketing."
Resale Brokers
The website, Tug 2, gives great advice concerning resale brokers who specifically deal with reselling timeshares. They have over 20 currently advertising in their Business Ads section. These brokers will charge either an up front fee and/or a commission on the sale. Remember, you are paying for the extra exposure and their services. They recommend that if you are dealing with a timeshare broker that you do it on a commission only basis. That way they will get paid from the proceeds of the sale, just like every other real estate broker.
Selling your timeshare won’t be easy but it is possible. Follow the suggestions above and try to be patient.
KeepandShare Timeshare Resource Directory
http://www.keepandshare.com/htm/free_timeshare_directory.php


Choose carefully when you search for property in London
When it comes to buying property in London, the number of choices available to you can be overwhelming. It's easy to get carried away when looking for your ideal home in Britain's most exciting city. However, it's important to be realistic: with the average cost of a London property now reaching over £300,000, you need to be sensible when it comes to your London property search in order to find the home that will best suit you and your budget.
First and foremost, you'll need to determine how much you can actually afford to spend as this can really affect your search. Typically, property in Central London is the most expensive, with the price of a single bedroom flat often in excess of £200,000. However, as you move further away from the city centre, London properties tend to become less expensive, with property in East London typically costing less than properties for sale in North London (although the 2012 Olympics may alter this pattern). So, if staying within your budget is your primary concern, then excluding central London from your thoughts should help narrow your search.
However, while location is of considerable importance, it's also crucial to figure out what you're looking for when it comes to your ideal home, and to make these desires fit in realistically within your property search. After all, there's no point looking at property if it doesn't fulfil any of your requirements!
Even if your individual budget is quite restricted, you'll be able to find a city centre property that meets your requirements and suits your finances if you're able to pool resources. If you're buying with your spouse or partner, for example, a one-bedroom property in Chelsea may become more affordable.
What's more, if you feel the need to live where the action is, why not opt for a house in East London where property prices still remain lower than many other areas of the city. With the 2012 Olympics looming near, the area is soon to be the hub of regeneration and will be the area to which all eyes will turn come the Olympic tournament. As a result, investing in an East London property today may reap a number of benefits in the future.
On the other hand, if one of your chief desires when searching for a property in London is a garden, or a multiple-bedroom property to house your large family, then searching for a house further outside the city centre is a more realistic expectation.
Where ever you choose to look for your ideal home in London, make sure you keep your budget in mind without compromising on your desires and requirements.
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Andrew Regan is a freelance online journalist who enjoys travelling and rugby.


Follow-up Marketing: How to Close More Deals With Less Effort
Numerous studies have revealed that the vast majority of sales happen on or after the fifth contact. If you’re a broker mortgage or agent and you’re only doing one or two follow-ups, imagine all the business you’re losing. Not following up with your prospects and clients is the same as filling up your bathtub without first putting the stopper in the drain!
But don’t be disheartened if you’re among the 90 per cent of mortgage professionals I talk to who don’t do any follow-up. The good news is you have ample room for profitable improvement. Consistent follow-up creates a predictable and profitable stream of prospects and clients that need financing. Mortgage professionals that capture leads and follow-up with them until the deal closes enjoy higher conversion rates and a higher percentage of referrals than those that do not.
After asking many mortgage professionals the reason why they don’t follow-up I often hear responses such as, “I don’t have the time to follow-up”, or “I’ve been meaning to do follow-up but I’ve been confused about how to implement it.” These responses automatically set off red flags that tell me that they lack a systematic process for following up. The problem is not that they don’t have the capacity to follow-up with prospects and clients, they just don’t have the systems in place to do it efficiently.
What Does A Good Follow-Up System Look Like?
A good follow-up marketing system should have three attributes. First, it should be systematic, meaning that the follow-up process is done the same way every time. Secondly, it should generate consistent, predictable results. Thirdly, it should require minimal physical interaction to make it run, meaning it should be able to run on autopilot.
Sounds like a dream come true, doesn’t it? Not only can it be done, it is being done every day. The secret to follow-up marketing is to make it automatic so that you don’t have to lift a finger, but the job still gets done. With today’s technology it is simpler than ever. Automating your follow-up processes gives you more time to work “on” your business rather than “in” your business.
Three Types of Follow-Ups
There are three types of people you should be following up with:
1) Prospects (people who have responded to your marketing, but have not submitted their application)
2) Pre-approvals (people who have submitted an application, have gotten pre-approved but have not yet purchased a property)
3) Clients (people who have purchased their property and the deal has closed)
Each follow-up message and offer will be different for each type of person.
With prospects you want to lead them to the next step which is completing an application. With pre-approvals you want to give them tips on how to find their “ideal home”. And with clients you want to build “Top of Mind Consciousness” so they will automatically give you their repeat business and send you hot referrals.
Three Types of Follow-Ups
Your principle follow-up marketing tools are:
1) Telephone
2) Direct mail
3) Email
Many mortgage professionals make the mistake of jumping right on the telephone to follow-up; however, most prospects don’t want a pushy sales message right away and most prospects have been trained to consider any “cold caller” to be a pushy salesperson. Instead, you should try to develop a relationship of trust with your prospect by quickly sending helpful free information such as special reports, financing guides or tips booklets.
Remember to always include a “next step offer” to accompany your educational resources. If the next step is to call you to complete an application, then entice them with a “Free No Obligation Consultation.” People like to move through the buying process in baby steps, especially when considering buying high ticket items such as new home. Your offer should always help them take that next step.
Your Follow-Up Sequence
The power of your follow-up will lie in your follow-up sequence. Your follow-up sequence is a series of communications with your prospect that are “linked” together, with each communication building on the previous message. For instance, you might start your second letter by saying, “7 days ago I sent you a special report…” Referencing what you are saying with what you have already said reminds your prospect that you care enough to continue the conversation.
For prospects I recommend following up by phone a week after you send them your free report or educational guide. Ask them if they have any questions and if they would like you to get them “pre-approved”. With pre-approvals I recommend sending them two emails per week with helpful buyer tips. And lastly, with clients I recommend sending them a client newsletter every month like clock-work via direct mail. This will ensure you get their repeat business and unsolicited referrals.
How To Put Follow-Up Marketing On Autopilot
What I’m about to reveal to you is the key to developing a powerful follow-up marketing system because it overcomes the number one reason most mortgage professionals don’t follow-up: Procrastination! You must automate your follow-up system as much as possible so that there are few if any, physical interactions with the system. That way it will actually get it done… consistently!
It is the required physical interactions (i.e. printing letters, sending emails, inputting leads etc.) where 99 per cent of all the breakdowns occur in well-intentioned follow-up marketing systems. To automate your follow-ups you should consider using robotic marketing systems and outsourcing any manual interactions to a dedicated service provider. For instance, to capture leads you should consider using a toll-free automated recorded message system that captures your prospects contact information and automatically transcribes it and sends your leads to you in a spreadsheet every morning via email.
If you are using a direct mail follow-up system (and you should be), find a CRM software (my clients use www.incontact.ca) to automate the list building, mail merging, and envelope printing.
Now step back for a moment and see the power of what I have just revealed to you. Imagine running an ad, having your prospect call up and give their contact information via your recorded message system. Then having your leads automatically receive a free report that will literally cause them to become pre-sold on working with you before they even meet you!
You can set up this exact same follow-up system using a “hands-free” email auto-responder. Your prospect will not only be receiving your direct mail messages, but you can insert your email messages between your mailings.

What About Using The Telephone for Follow-Up?
You will notice that I didn’t say anything about calling your prospect. That’s because you want your prospect to have already received your educational marketing messages and have most of their questions answered before you call them. An educated prospect is your best prospect. They already know why you are different, what your value proposition is, and how you are uniquely qualified to meet their needs. In essence, they have pre-qualified themselves before you ever spend time physically speaking to them. This drastically reduces the sales cycle and increases your conversion rate because you have positioned your mortgage business to be their only logical choice.
Conclusion
Follow-up marketing will boost your closing rate increase your repeat business, generate more referrals and dramatically enhance your client satisfaction. Following up with systematic processes allows you to leverage your time and boost your productivity, which will result in more closed deals with less effort… and isn’t that what you want? Start winning more deals today by implementing your own follow-up marketing system.
About the Author:
Doren Aldana, is a leading mortgage marketing consultant for mortgage industry, dedicated to helping mortgage professionals closed more deals with less effort. Aldana is also the author of a 21-part Audio Seminar, "21 Secrets of Superstar Mortgage Brokers and Loan Officers!" To pick up your copy of this special free resource visit: http://www.mortgagemarketingcoach.com