Page 118

(because I have a house four blocks away), I have used it as gifts for relatives
and for fundraising auctions. I am also a member of Resort Condominium
International, which allows me to swap my weeks for similar accommodations
worldwide.

For the real lowdown on timeshare ownership, I suggest you contact my

friend Fern Modena. Her email address is fmodena@yahoo.com, or visit her
website at http://timeshare-guru.com.

There is a downside to timeshares. They must be paid for in cash within a

short amount of time. An annual maintenance fee is charged, and the amount
increases periodically. Sometimes it is difficult to plan your vacation to coin-
cide with the week(s) you own, and trading weeks is often troublesome.

Salespeople will offer you free meals, free tours, and even cash to entice you

to go to a two-hour "presentation." If you want to trade beach time for pre-
sentations, you can get a good value. I gave my granddaughter a week in my
timeshare for her honeymoon. Crystal and her new hubby paid for numerous
tours by attending several presentations. Be forewarned that some of the sales
people at the presentations are high-pressure and it is sometimes difficult to
extricate yourself, get your gift, and get back to the beach.

Since I don't want any more timeshares, I simply tell the sales people that

I'm not interested because I already own a home in El Dorado. That stops most
of them because homeowners don't buy timeshares, but some tell me I don't
have to buy to get the prize. I simply tell them firmly that I don't want to spend
my time arguing with a salesman, and excuse myself.

Don't be cajoled into buying without considering all your options. If you

impetuously purchase a timeshare and wake up with buyer's remorse, Mexican
law requires that buyers have three days' grace period before the deal is legal.
If you change your mind, go back to the sales person and void the contract.

All these places to stay in paradise make you want to stay longer. In the next

chapter we will talk about retirement opportunities in Mazatlán.

106

M a z a t l a n I S P a r a d i s e