Play hard to get in a timeshare deal

Regarding “Timeshares: Take Your Time Before Signing on Dotted Line” [Travel Q&A;, May 8]: I used to accept timeshare invitations to get the free gifts and practice negotiation skills. I got a lot of experience with presentations. Some questions I ask of the salespeople:

I ask them to show me how they derived that there is a tax benefit significant enough to induce me to buy a timeshare.

I ask if the facilities are leased or owned. I ask if it can be sold or the lease allowed to expire. I ask what happens if the facility is not available in a couple of years: Is there a requirement that I agree to let the corporation substitute a similar equivalent facility in the same area?

Is there an inducement to keep the maintenance fees from escalating?

If you really want to buy a timeshare, don’t agree to do so until you have refused your salesperson, gotten your “free” gift and are walking out the door. This is the time that you will get offered the discounts (first and maybe second offers) or the resales (second or maybe third offers) at significantly reduced prices.

Steve Mitchell

La Canada Flintridge