I am trying to buy it at the lowest price possible and they are trying to sell it for the highest price possible…. which of us is taking advantage of the other?
I am not aware of a way to discern if a seller is in financial distress or has owned the contract for many years/decades and wants to sell it for a significantly higher price than they paid for it.
As a buyer, I only know the home resort, the amount of points available, the use year, and this years dues and potentially next years dues… that is it…
So, an offer is based on what I am willing to pay for or start at negotiating at… nothing more and nothing less….
You only know your motivations. They may be trying to sell it at a FAIR price - not the highest price possible. Both buyers who are looking for a real lowball bargain and sellers who are looking for sky high prices are risking not getting taken seriously by brokers and by the other half of the sale. Both can expect it to take some time to reach their objective, and they may never be successful at the price they have in mind. There is room for negotiation on what a fair price is - unless, of course, the seller is selling with a firm price.
You can make a lowball offer - but you have to be realistic that a negotiation only happens when the other party chooses to engage. A certain percentage of sellers and brokers are just not going to engage - i.e. ghost you - if you start from a position they think is taking advantage of them.