What should I buy?

[Marcelo]

1) Where do you want your home resort to be?
Orlando or Miami

2) Do you want to visit your home resort at least half the time, or do you want to trade more than half the time?
Trade half the time

3) What are your 5 top trade destinations?
Orlando
Miami
Vegas
New York
California

4) How many people do you usually travel with?
8

5) Can you travel any time, or are you locked into the school schedule?
Any time

6) Can you make firm plans 12 or more mos. in advance?
Maybe

7) Can you vacation for a full week at a time?
Yes

8) What level of accommodations do you prefer on a scale of 1 to 5 stars?
5

9) How much can you afford to spend upfront, without financing?
15000

10) How much can you afford to spend every year for a maintenance fee that will come due right after Christmas, and increase each year?
1500

11) Are you a detail oriented planner?
Don't know what it is

12) Do you understand that once you buy a timeshare, it may be very difficult to sell or give away, and you are responsible for all fees, until you do?
Yes

Also I usually travel 4 weeks/yr, so I prefer to buy at least two weeks in a timeshare.
We are 2 adults and 4 children (aged 8,6,4 and 2) and use to trvel with a couple grandparents.

 

[BJRSanDiego]

1) Where do you want your home resort to be?
Orlando or Miami

2) Do you want to visit your home resort at least half the time, or do you want to trade more than half the time?
Trade half the time

3) What are your 5 top trade destinations?
Orlando
Miami
Vegas
New York
California

4) How many people do you usually travel with?
8

5) Can you travel any time, or are you locked into the school schedule?
Any time

6) Can you make firm plans 12 or more mos. in advance?
Maybe

7) Can you vacation for a full week at a time?
Yes

8) What level of accommodations do you prefer on a scale of 1 to 5 stars?
5

9) How much can you afford to spend upfront, without financing?
15000

10) How much can you afford to spend every year for a maintenance fee that will come due right after Christmas, and increase each year?
1500

11) Are you a detail oriented planner?
Don't know what it is

12) Do you understand that once you buy a timeshare, it may be very difficult to sell or give away, and you are responsible for all fees, until you do?
Yes

Also I usually travel 4 weeks/yr, so I prefer to buy at least two weeks in a timeshare.
We are 2 adults and 4 children (aged 8,6,4 and 2) and use to trvel with a couple grandparents.

Others will comment in more detail and are probably more qualified to answer. But here are a couple of thoughts:
1. Your plans are reasonable
2. Top five travel destinations:
Orlando
Miami
Vegas
New York
California
Orlando is an easy exchange. Marriott has perhaps 5 different resorts there. Miami has 3 resorts. Two are lower ranked and the Doral is a Marriott. Vegas is an easy trade. New York ? If you are talking NYC, it is a tough trade. If you are talking upstate, perhaps that is more reasonable. California exchanges? Palm Desert/Springs, Tahoe and San Diego are reasonably easy trades. So is Phoenix and Sedona. Newport (beach) Coast is an easy trade on the shoulder season IF you are a Marriott owner or a tough trade if not. If when you said "California" you were thinking of San Francisco, Carmel, Napa and are looking for a 2 BR, that is going to be tough. In fact, I don't believe that there are any SF 2BR timeshares.
3. The Marriott's, Hyatts, and Westins are some of the highest rated (you said you were looking for 5 star).
4. Many Marriotts have a "right of first refusal" or ROFR on resale purchases. But some do not and some are not active. The Marriott Grand Chateau (Vegas) has ROFR on weeks purchases but they seldom exercise it (currently). Do some Google searches and you'll figure out which Orlando Marriotts are exempt (if any).
5. I suspect that you could buy a 2 BR Marriott week for $1500 to 3000 and have an annual MF of around $1200-1400.

 

[LannyPC]

11) Are you a detail oriented planner?
Don't know what it is

I consider myself a detail-oriented planner.

I try to plan down to the last detail and factor in so many things into the budget when trying to plan travel such as:
-Which airport to leave from (local or drive a few hours to another one)
-Ditto for which airport to land at
-What time to take a flight (eg. pay a few bucks fewer for a red-eye, etc.?)
-What activity will we do each day?

The list goes on but I will spare you the details. I think you get the picture.

 

[pedro47]

I feel you are going to need to buy resale at a five star vacation resort. I also feel you are going to need a two or three bedroom villa with reasonable m/f. Personally, I would rent my vacation time and not purchase a timeshare. Please read Tug Advice forum before you purchase your timeshare.
Good luck.

 

[vacationhopeful]

Your MFs yearly expense is too low for a 4 or 5 star resort ... generally, $1500 would be just a little over for 1 week's MFs in those brand name chains. Wyndham's fixed week 1bdr/2bath units in Pompano are around $1100 per week, for an example. (an example ... not a recommendation).

A decent 3* resort week at the Ft Lauderdale Beach Resort (Fixed week) 2/2 unit is $880-890 MFs; a unit converted to RCI Points would have the RCI points membership fee added into it. A nonconverted week can join RCI and/or International Interval and/or VRIety for exchanging.

Detail planning .. means figuring out 15+ months in advance to put in an exchange request (an automated search) for several areas you would like to exchange into. (Wait listing). And to check daily your email to accept or refuse "hits".

So as you have 4 children, and their school schedules can vary yearly ... esp as they enter middle school and high school (sports, band, different school schedules, scouts, etc) ... you might get unhappy with NOT getting the vacations planned in time.

Owning 1 week fixed holiday week (52 or a prime summer beach week) might work. Then rent other vacation time, as to fit into everyone's schedule.

 

[Marcelo]

Others will comment in more detail and are probably more qualified to answer. But here are a couple of thoughts:
1. Your plans are reasonable
2. Top five travel destinations:
Orlando
Miami
Vegas
New York
California
Orlando is an easy exchange. Marriott has perhaps 5 different resorts there. Miami has 3 resorts. Two are lower ranked and the Doral is a Marriott. Vegas is an easy trade. New York ? If you are talking NYC, it is a tough trade. If you are talking upstate, perhaps that is more reasonable. California exchanges? Palm Desert/Springs, Tahoe and San Diego are reasonably easy trades. So is Phoenix and Sedona. Newport (beach) Coast is an easy trade on the shoulder season IF you are a Marriott owner or a tough trade if not. If when you said "California" you were thinking of San Francisco, Carmel, Napa and are looking for a 2 BR, that is going to be tough. In fact, I don't believe that there are any SF 2BR timeshares.
3. The Marriott's, Hyatts, and Westins are some of the highest rated (you said you were looking for 5 star).
4. Many Marriotts have a "right of first refusal" or ROFR on resale purchases. But some do not and some are not active. The Marriott Grand Chateau (Vegas) has ROFR on weeks purchases but they seldom exercise it (currently). Do some Google searches and you'll figure out which Orlando Marriotts are exempt (if any).
5. I suspect that you could buy a 2 BR Marriott week for $1500 to 3000 and have an annual MF of around $1200-1400.

Thanks for your advice. Do you prefer Marriot over Hyatt or Westin?
I'm very flexible with locations, I said those because I have little children but that is not written on stone...
I still learning about timeshares and don't catch the importance of easy or hard exchange.

 

[Marcelo]

I consider myself a detail-oriented planner.

I try to plan down to the last detail and factor in so many things into the budget when trying to plan travel such as:
-Which airport to leave from (local or drive a few hours to another one)
-Ditto for which airport to land at
-What time to take a flight (eg. pay a few bucks fewer for a red-eye, etc.?)
-What activity will we do each day?

The list goes on but I will spare you the details. I think you get the picture.

I get that. Definitely I'm not a detail-oriented planner

 

[Marcelo]

I feel you are going to need to buy resale at a five star vacation resort. I also feel you are going to need a two or three bedroom villa with reasonable m/f. Personally, I would rent my vacation time and not purchase a timeshare. Please read Tug Advice forum before you purchase your timeshare.
Good luck.

Thanks for your advice. Maybe you're right and TS is not for me.
I think that maybe I can save some bucks and get nice places, we always have vacations two or three times a year.

 

[Marcelo]

Your MFs yearly expense is too low for a 4 or 5 star resort ... generally, $1500 would be just a little over for 1 week's MFs in those brand name chains. Wyndham's fixed week 1bdr/2bath units in Pompano are around $1100 per week, for an example. (an example ... not a recommendation).

A decent 3* resort week at the Ft Lauderdale Beach Resort (Fixed week) 2/2 unit is $880-890 MFs; a unit converted to RCI Points would have the RCI points membership fee added into it. A nonconverted week can join RCI and/or International Interval and/or VRIety for exchanging.

Detail planning .. means figuring out 15+ months in advance to put in an exchange request (an automated search) for several areas you would like to exchange into. (Wait listing). And to check daily your email to accept or refuse "hits".

So as you have 4 children, and their school schedules can vary yearly ... esp as they enter middle school and high school (sports, band, different school schedules, scouts, etc) ... you might get unhappy with NOT getting the vacations planned in time.

Owning 1 week fixed holiday week (52 or a prime summer beach week) might work. Then rent other vacation time, as to fit into everyone's schedule.

Thanks for your advice. I really don't know about MF, but I haven't problems paying more.
Maybe having that primetime week is the solution.
Which brand do you prefer?
Thanks in advance

 

[vacationhopeful]

I have stayed at resorts everyone loves ... but I can only tolerate them.

You have to decide WHAT interests you & your family. A kid friendly place or lots of space or outdoor stuff (large play area, themed pools, indoor video machine) or walk to access of the beach or dining out. Theme parks. Beach. Dining. Large play area with pools.

I stunned my Southern California 18 niece by NOT renting a car in Pompano Beach, FL ... taught her how to ride the public bus (or wave goodbye to me as the bus departed). She have been living and working in Portland OR for several years now .. with no car.

I prefer NOT renting a car (for 1 person, it becomes a expensive vacation) ... taking bus tours from the resort. I like eating out but prefer modest places or bar food (will generally drink sodas after a beer or two.) Takeout is fine ... but prefer picking up verses delivery. I like to float in a pool or hot tub ... prefer not being splashed by kids. On site Tiki Bars are good ... mostly other resorts guests who are just chilling like me.

 

[vacationhopeful]

If looking at a BRAND or chain of resorts ... ALL their locations become important. Generally, an internal trading is way cheaper .. I own Wyndham points and Disney DVC points (small bunch 90 which gets me a week every 2 years). I also own at a resort I usually do not trade ... Ft Lauderdale Beach resort with some weeks are in RCI Points (internal trade back into that resort for the best of time and CHEAP exchange fee .. $50 per week when done in the right booking window).

I went to college in FL ... seem I hung my hat there long enough to get a degree ... so I knew I wanted SOUTH FLORIDA for warmth and ocean for the pretty view plus walking on the beach. There are MORE timeshares in the Atlantic side than the Gulf side. And near an airport for travelling in & out. So I own Wyndham resort deeded points and some Wyndham winter fixed weeks plus the FLBR fixed winter weeks (and a couple of summer July 4th weeks).

So I own WHERE I want to stay .. .when I want to stay .. either fixed weeks or points deeded to those locations for the advancing (early) booking windows.

PS At any of my resorts .. there are people who brought and HATE the places (ok, dislike might be a better word). Or exchangers who whine they will never come back. Us owners just sit with our beers and say "so sorry you are not having a good time" ...in friendly way... like the 2 college girls who showed up in Pompano Beach for Spring Break .. I explained the bus system to them... and they got down to Ft Lauderdale Beach area with the other 500,000 college kids. Grandparents gave them an exchange week ... girls too young (not over 25) to rent a car (like they could have afforded parking near the beach?). Never saw them again at the Pompano resort TIKI bar.

Keep reading here ... learning what is IMPORTANT to you and your family.

 

[Marcelo]

This is the kind of TS you recommend?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-BEDROOM-L...097516?hash=item3ad7786fac:g:MLEAAOSw241YZqMg

 

[BJRSanDiego]

If you bought a 2 BR lockoff Marriott, they generally trade decently. Marriott has a 22 day preference period for Marriott owners. Hyatt does not all Hyatt owners to trade to other Hyatt locations via Interval. The Westins are nice but have few locations than Marriott. So, I favor Marriott.

For the easy-to-trade-into locations such as Vegas and Orlando and Palm Desert - - especially during shoulder seasons - - you are likely to be able to deposit an efficiency or 1 BR and get a 2 BR exchange with Interval, after you pay their upgrade fee. But I think that the math works. $1400 MF, $80 Marriott split fee, Upgrade from a 1 to 2 BR for $99, and upgrade from an efficiency to a 2 BR ($198). two exchange fees (consider Marriott at $129 each), or about $2050 for two weeks of 2 BR usage. Maybe this is good and maybe it isn't. About $150 a night At least you know the approximate costs...

 

[HiltonHeadgolfer]

1) Where do you want your home resort to be?
Orlando or Miami

2) Do you want to visit your home resort at least half the time, or do you want to trade more than half the time?
Trade half the time

3) What are your 5 top trade destinations?
Orlando
Miami
Vegas
New York
California

4) How many people do you usually travel with?
8

5) Can you travel any time, or are you locked into the school schedule?
Any time

6) Can you make firm plans 12 or more mos. in advance?
Maybe

7) Can you vacation for a full week at a time?
Yes

8) What level of accommodations do you prefer on a scale of 1 to 5 stars?
5

9) How much can you afford to spend upfront, without financing?
15000

10) How much can you afford to spend every year for a maintenance fee that will come due right after Christmas, and increase each year?
1500

11) Are you a detail oriented planner?
Don't know what it is

12) Do you understand that once you buy a timeshare, it may be very difficult to sell or give away, and you are responsible for all fees, until you do?
Yes

Also I usually travel 4 weeks/yr, so I prefer to buy at least two weeks in a timeshare.
We are 2 adults and 4 children (aged 8,6,4 and 2) and use to trvel with a couple grandparents.

I suggest renting a week at the home resort you would like to vacation most. You mentioned Orlando. The Marriott Lakeshore Reserve is a 5 star property. Plus you have access to the Ritz Carlton and JW Marriott.
The entire family will like the lazy river, spa at the ritz.

And close to Disney....
I have rented a week in a two bedroom for around $2200

Good luck in youe search