I love Marriot properties, especially the one in Palm Desert, but I wouldn't spend that kind of money. There is a great resale market, and I have bought a very cheap 5 star resort which can be exchanged, and I have used it to exchange into Desert Springs several times. If you want to get into timesharing - which can be a very cheap way to travel if you buy right, do it cheaply at first. Then if you find a place you want to return to year after year, and want the guarantee of that place year after year, you might decide it is worth spending 20 times what you have to spend to own a timeshare.
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DtG