> 1. I would never buy in a country that I have no remote intrest in going to

Fletch, you constantly buy resorts (as do I) that you never go to but use solely for trading. What difference does it matter how far away the resort is if you're not going? Its just as easy not to travel 5,000 miles as it is not to travel 50 miles.

> 2. I would never buy out of the US period due to lack od control
> with the exception of maybe the Royals and Marriott's out of the
> US.

This one bothers me too. BUT, do you really think that you have any control to speak of with respect to US resorts? Disney sends me questionaires to fill out from time to time, but I don't realistically think they are going to change what they decide just because I tell them too, or that Marriott, Fairfield, or any other resort will either. Bottom line, a single individual timeshare week owner has no control, period. And its just as easy to not have any control over a South African resort and it is over an Orlando resort.

> 3. With that low mait fee how long will that resort stay acceptable.
> Unless of course it is a grass hut and the grass is cheap thier.

I think the resort really is a grass-thatched roof (though I'm not sure - I've never been close to the place myself). And as far as a cheap maintenance fee goes, at $180/wk that still comes to almost $10,000 per year, or about $800/month. There are a lot of apartments here in the good old US that rent apartments for less than that, and not only manage to keep the property in good repair, but also make debt service payments and generate a return on investment. Timeshare resorts don't have to worry about debt service - its not their debt, its the individual week owners that have the equity investment. The entire yearly fee can be devoted solely to utilities, upkeep, and management profits. I realize that operating expenses are higher for timeshare resorts than apartments, but still $10,000 a year gross revenues is nothing to sneeze at. If you disregard the mortgage payment, do many of us really spend $1,000/month on utilities and upkeep for our homes?

> 4. I do believe that how RCI rates it is not correct and it will be changed in a year or two which equates to an exchange or two.

> After that you could be stuck with a lemon.

I only know what it will exchange for now, and maybe you're right and the exchange value will drop dramatically. Then again, maybe not. As LeAnn pointed out, there are other forces in the world besides US citizens that contribute to the demand for timeshares. I suspect there are a few people on this big old clump of dirt that don't even think about the United States when they make vacation plans. I have been told (but again, no personal knowledge on my part) that the biggest demand for this resort comes from vacationers in Western Europe, especially the UK, and Africa. It is also my understanding that part of the basis for the demand is that the resort is located near a major game preserve that has severe restrictions on development, thus putting the resort somewhat in a monopolistic position. The resort apparently serves not only as a timeshare resort, but also as a major conference center. I do know there are several websites that contain information about the resort, some of which appear to be maintained by travel agents or others that have no direct connection to the resort.

However, even if the week is only good for one or two exchanges, considering what it currently exchanges for and the price it is selling for, it would still not be a bad deal if you never get another exchange again (and assuming you can get out of the continuing yearly maintenance fee after these one or two years by just giving it back). If you only wind up with say a week at Walton Hall next summer in a 2 BR unit and then a week at a resort in Hawaii, and never get any thing again, those weeks will have cost you about $800/week. Maybe not the absolute best bargain of all times, but still not a bad value.

As far as the stability of the country, it is my understanding from the broker that RCI has guaranteed the resort owners there at least 15 years of exchanges. I've not seen that letter, but the broker offered to send it to me, I just said I didn't need to see it. Personally, I don't put that much confidence in anyone's guarantee. There always seems to be some kind of exception or change.

> 5. I don't have around $1500 to gamble on. I only buy sure things

Then you need to leave timeshares completely alone. There is no such thing as a sure thing in timeshares, and they certainly are not investments. I have bought and sold several, usually making a few bucks each time, but clearly not enough to justify the time I've spent playing around with them. Timeshares are just something kind of fun for me to play around with and get some enjoyment out of. And the only reason I've ever been able to make any money (regardless of how little) is because I've always purchased them very cheaply on the re-sale market. Timeshares simply are not easy to re-sell, at any price.

> 6. I hear you have to close at the resort

> P>S. I made #6 up !!! Please NO newbies should by here. Only people who have a few bucks and can play around with it.

Why not? Right now for the money I'm still convinced that it is the best value in the industry, and its not an exorbitant amount to pay for someone to get their feet wet and learn about using and exchanging timeshares. I think it would make a lot more sense for a newbie to risk the $1500 on Dikhololo and see how timesharing suits them than to pay $18,000 or $20,000 for a Marriott only to discover that timesharing is not for them. I'm certain that between these two choices they would lose a lot less money on the re-sale of Dikhololo than they would on a the re-sale of the $18,000 Marriott if they decided to get out two years from now.

Having said all this, I have NOT bought a week there yet. My biggest concern is not the $1500 purchase price. My bigger concern is whether I would be exposing myself to any other potential obligation or liability in a jurisdiction about who's laws I have absolutely no knowledge of. But I continue to be very interested, and suspect I will buy, but just need to get a little more comfortable with it first.

I'm also hesitant to buy because thus far everything I've seen keeps telling me this is just too good to be true. But I will also say that the broker, Jeff Crouch, has been as forthcoming and low pressure as anyone I've dealt with. When I questioned his statements about the trade power and said transfer me a week and let me see for myself, the response was "no problem." When I wanted to talk with the resort manager and get more info, again, no problem and Danie Schutte (the head manager) called me to answer my questions. He even sent me the financial statements for the resort without me even asking. I keep thinking this just can't be. If it is a scam they have certainly coordinated it beautifully. I also figure that if I purchase here, I will indeed own it forever. Given how difficult it is to sell timeshares anyway, trying to sell a South African resort to someone in the US (which is the only market I have any access to) would be next to impossible.

> Oh Yeah
> 7. Basil likes it :)

Yeah I do. But I haven't bought it yet, though there is a very strong possibility I will. And I'm not recommending that anyone else buy the resort either. I'm just giving my opinion, and passing on what information I've gathered in trying to reach my decision.

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