Silver Leaf RESORTS INC. are a rip-off! DO NOT PURCHASE A TIMESHARE FROM THESE PEOPLE! Dallas Texas

Danial,

I will not and cannot defend misinformation provided you during any sales presentation. I would like to help others avoid some of what you have suffered and being a fellow Fox River Resort owner I would like to defend the resort.

You purchased timeshare from the developer's high-pressure sales organization. This is one of the most expensive and painful ways to purchase any timeshare. Most experienced timeshare owners will encourage you to purchase timeshare on the resale market. Do your due diligence up front and shop around. There are many helpful timeshare owners on the Timeshare User Groups website ( www.tug2.net) bulletin boards that can advise people before they buy. You went through the high-pressure sales presentation where you did not have access to competitive pricing or experienced timeshare owners to help you out. Had you discussed your purchase plans with fellow timeshare owners you would have learned about timeshare resales and the likelihood of getting a favorable trade from your Silverleaf week when exchanged.

Before buying from a developer get everything they promised you verbally in writing. The only thing you have that shows what they promised you is the final contract. If it is not in there then you do not have it. The rest was all sales hype.

Fox River resort is beautiful and the developer continues to make investments in the resort, thanks in large part to a successful sales operation.

The outdoor pool is like new and the golf course is immaculate and free, it is only 5 holes but a lovely 5 holes free none the less. The original units are beginning to show some wear, but I would hardly call them run down'. The same holds true for the resort near St. Louis, which just got Gold Crown' status for some reason. The St. Louis Resort has a very nice clubhouse and they just put in a new outdoor pool.

Back at Fox River resort the original recreation center and indoor pool do show wear and age, but they are highly enjoyable. The miniature golf course is a lot of fun and is in good condition and perhaps the best free' miniature golf course you may ever play. The children's play areas are in horrendous shape and should be replaced.

Bonus time is a nice perk and a unique feature to Silverleaf Resorts. It is made available when another owner cancels and the condo unit will go without use for the week. Other owners can then request bonus time' and make use of these canceled weeks. It is difficult to get bonus time at Fox River resort. This is due I am sure to the resort being the closest Timeshare resort to Chicago and the only Silverleaf resort in the midwest with an indoor pool. The Fox River resort is popular. The Missouri Silverleaf resorts usually have bonus time availability. I wouldn't purchase the resort on the expectation that you can get bonus time because you cannot plan on it, but it is a great feature.

I am not sure where they or you came up with some of the numbers such as going anywhere for $99 and $300 to exchange but I have no reason to doubt you were told these numbers. Exchanging through RCI will run you $139 (I heard the exchange fee is going to $149) and the week will be available to exchange for up to two years but you have to be an RCI member. There is an internal exchange program the website lists the fee as $75 and you can exchange within a 1 year period.

You probably will not be able to sell your week for what you owe on it, but you might. I do not know and I wish you luck. Please do not fall victim to the upfront fee timeshare sales companies. I would hate to see you hurt twice. There is never a reason to pay a company several hundred dollars to either list or appraise your timeshare before selling it. If their business is getting you to pay $400 or $500 to list your timeshare forsale then they probably are not in the business of actually selling timeshares.

I do know that if you own it and do not use it then every year you are wasting more and more money. The best way to recover from spending money on a timeshare you think was a mistake is by learning how to maximize what you have and make the most of it by making memories.