What to buy questions - My answers...

[DaSoul]

We started our TS journey by going to a sales presentation for HGVC. Thankfully we didnt buy but we almost did buy an every other year 3400 point plan. I see now that they had the better side of that deal. While I have been learning HGVC very well I figure I should open myself up to other opinions about which TS offering might be best for us. So here are the answers to the questions as best as I can. I appreciate the insights. Thanks!

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

In my mind I would like my home resort to be a ski area but we might not utilize it as such for a few years as the kids are a little small (3 under 5 yo) now and we haven't taught them to ski yet.

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?

When they get older I would be fine with half the time visit have the time trade.

3) What are your 5 top trade destinations?

Trading for "beach areas" maybe some international travel. My wife would like to go to Italy, Paris etc but from what I read airbnb would maybe be a good option for international travel. So I would probably be fine with trading for the north america destinations.

Ski areas if not my home resort
Florida Beaches
Grand Canyon
Smokey mountains
California Beaches
Tropical Areas

International areas we might be interested in
Italy
Paris
Alps
Australia
New Zealand
Phillippines (My wife is from there so we do need to visit her Grandmother there eventually)

4) How many people do you usually travel with?

2 adults 3 kids under 5 right now.

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

I work from home and we are going to homeschool the kids so in theory we have the ability to go anywhere at any time.

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

We can make firm plans 12 or more months in advance.

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

We can vacation for a full week at a time.

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

My idea with getting into this is if we can get 5* accommodations for 3* prices then that sounds good to me. But if we wanted to save points and get 3* accommodations for a better value for our money we might be willing to do that to get more trips if we were going to be in an area like a ski area where we wouldnt be spending much time in the hotel.

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

We could probably spend 20k up front.

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?

2 to 3k per year for a maintenance fee depending on how much value we can get from that maintenance fee. I have been looking at HGV and by my math with a 2300 MF for Valdoro we get the ability to take 7.6 weeks of trips to studio suites (when we don't make the trip to Valdoro). I was thinking I could give some weeks to my mother, mother in law, or brother/sister in laws etc or we could go someplace really high end and treat everyone to say a week in Florida at a resort where the kids can play on the beach every day.

11) Are you a detail oriented planner?

Yes

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

 

[elaine]

keep in mind that with 3 kids, you will likely need a 2BR. Most studios and even 1 BR only allow 4 persons. For HGVC, I believe there are preferences for your home resort. If you would be booking at a high demand time, that is something to consider.

 

[DaSoul]

Thing is they knew we had 3 kids and they were selling us a one bedroom and I paraphrase a bit because we could probably get by with a 1 BR with the really small kids until they get older. I asked them specifically about occupancy limits and they said its not a hotel there are no occupancy limits. More smoke screen and mirrors in the sales presentation I suppose. But ignoring the occupancy limits I was just curious if maybe some other program would be better suited for us.

 

[echino]

We have three kids, and I will tell you, 1br will not work. Not just because of occupancy limits, which may or may not be enforced. But also because of comfort. With 1br you will have to stick all three kids in one room, which at many properties means in one bed. It may work while kids are small, but definitely will not work as they approach about 10 years old age.

 

[DaSoul]

I understand that. Ignoring the occupancy limits do you have other input?

 

[GrayFal]

Most resorts will not allow you to check into a sleep 4 with 5 people. So you really need to revamp your numbers and then ask the question again. Sorry, it is just how it is. It is not like a hotel room sleep 4 where they allow. A rollaway.

 

[vacationhopeful]

Spending $20K on the resale market will get you a few timeshares weeks ... but ONLY spending $2,000-3,000 on MFs yearly? Not likely .. esp if your are interested in HGVC .. that MFs limit might be ONLY 2 weeks.

Many mid-range resorts (low 3 star) ... with a very good location ... fixed weeks .... 2bdr/2bath units run $925 +/- per week. (I own fixed weeks in that MF range at the Ft Lauderdale Beach Resort and the Shawnee Resort in the Poconos).

When you add in a points program into a mini-system PLUS the cost to run a points system, PRIME season, 2bdr/2bath units will cost you $1150-$1350 (Wyndham - 3 star; newest resorts/city resorts $1400-1800). In low season, these resorts will be about 40% lower. And with Wyndham, if you rent from a Mega-renter ... you might receive decent discounts as they get booking discounts from 25-50% AND maybe a unit size upgrade ... which those owners MIGHT pass some savings off to YOU.

Search the internet for both of my fixed week ownership web sites ... look at their pictures to get an idea of what those MFs get you. You can visit the wedsite for Wyndham Vacation Resorts for their resort pictures. Shawnee was recently purchased by Wyndham ... but there are still many privately owned weeks which can be brought privately from their current owners.

Disclourer: I am NOT selling anything. Just hoping to educate you as to WHAT your MFs for different types of ownerships cost. Points programs WILL cost more ... those reservation call centers and websites have to be paid for. Some resorts still have fixed weeks available on the resale market .. generally NOT sold by the resorts.

 

[DaSoul]

Spending $20K on the resale market will get you a few timeshares weeks ... but ONLY spending $2,000-3,000 on MFs yearly? Not likely .. esp if your are interested in HGVC .. that MFs limit might be ONLY 2 weeks.

Many mid-range resorts (low 3 star) ... with a very good location ... fixed weeks .... 2bdr/2bath units run $925 +/- per week. (I own fixed weeks in that MF range at the Ft Lauderdale Beach Resort and the Shawnee Resort in the Poconos).

When you add in a points program into a mini-system PLUS the cost to run a points system, PRIME season, 2bdr/2bath units will cost you $1150-$1350 (Wyndham - 3 star; newest resorts/city resorts $1400-1800). In low season, these resorts will be about 40% lower. And with Wyndham, if you rent from a Mega-renter ... you might receive decent discounts as they get booking discounts from 25-50% AND maybe a unit size upgrade ... which those owners MIGHT pass some savings off to YOU.

Search the internet for both of my fixed week ownership web sites ... look at their pictures to get an idea of what those MFs get you. You can visit the wedsite for Wyndham Vacation Resorts for their resort pictures. Shawnee was recently purchased by Wyndham ... but there are still many privately owned weeks which can be brought privately from their current owners.

Disclourer: I am NOT selling anything. Just hoping to educate you as to WHAT your MFs for different types of ownerships cost. Points programs WILL cost more ... those reservation call centers and websites have to be paid for. Some resorts still have fixed weeks available on the resale market .. generally NOT sold by the resorts.

Hey Linda,

Thanks for the response. I am not saying I would spend the whole 20k. For example though if I bought 16k points at Boulevard in HGVC the maint fee would be 1850 or so from what I can tell and that would get 7.2 full weeks of studio suites per year rough estimate booked during club season. It would give 2.4 weeks of 2BR club bookings per year. If we do not book the weekend it would get us even more. All this is during platinum season assuming availability. Not that I would use it all. I would probably give some of them away. At $1 per point would cost about 16k if I am lucky. But I will look further at what you mentioned here.

Most resorts will not allow you to check into a sleep 4 with 5 people. So you really need to revamp your numbers and then ask the question again. Sorry, it is just how it is. It is not like a hotel room sleep 4 where they allow. A rollaway.

Hey GrayFal,

I never mentioned anything about getting just a 1BR. That is just what they were trying to sell us. So please ignore all the talk about 1BR because the points, most likely, which I am looking the buy would certainly provide more than 1 BR of accommodations.

Thanks,

Scott

 

[GrayFal]

DaSoul. Glad to hear this. I am very active in online Bluegreen Owner Groups...another points based program. The developer sells people 4,000 points every other year and then wonders why people get frustrated when they can't book anything....because nice 2BR in prime time is going to be 9-18K points for a week. So these people can only get 3 nights mid week...not what they thought they were buying.

 

[DaSoul]

DaSoul. Glad to hear this. I am very active in online Bluegreen Owner Groups...another points based program. The developer sells people 4,000 points every other year and then wonders why people get frustrated when they can't book anything....because nice 2BR in prime time is going to be 9-18K points for a week. So these people can only get 3 nights mid week...not what they thought they were buying.

I may not buy as many points as I was stating at the start. What I think I want is at least a 2 BR in a ski area and then I can get more points outside that area later on with a lower maintenance fee or maybe in the same area if we end up wanting to more conveniently take more people to that area on those trips.

I checked out your website Pat and started looking at the Marriott program and it looks like they have quite a few ski destinations vs Hilton from what I can tell really just has Valdoro. Is that an accurate statement?

Also just curious on which program people think is more kid friendly. If one is more friendly than another.

 

[theo]

...just curious on which program people think is more kid friendly. If one is more friendly than another.

"Kid friendly" is subjective and specific to an individual resort property. No "program" or "system" is (...or is not) "kid friendly".

 

[presley]

There aren't many 5* timeshare resorts. In fact, I think we discussed it a while back and only came up with Four Seasons, which I believe only has a couple locations. HGVC is considered 4*, but keep in mind, it is still a timeshare and if you want someone to empty your trash and exchange your towels every day, you have to pay extra for it at the time.

I own HGVC and I do like it. They nickel and dime us for everything. You will pay a reservation fee and a guest fee whenever you want to book for someone else. If you don't use all your points one year, you'll pay a fee to bank them to the next year. Just some things to keep in mind.

When I was homeschooling, I didn't mind doing all the cooking, laundry and cleaning because it was part of the lesson plan. Nowadays, I don't like timeshares as much because I don't want to cook, clean and do laundry when I am on vacation. The HGVC resorts that are attached to a full service hotel offer room service and dry cleaning, etc for the same fees as the hotel rooms. The resorts that aren't part of a full service hotel, generally don't offer any of that stuff.

If you don't mind dropping down your standards, you may want to check out Worldmark or Wyndham. They both have a lot of locations (way more than HGVC) and may suit you, but now you are looking at 2 or 3*. Some of their locations are as nice as HGVC, but others are standard apartments.

My recommendation to you is to look at the points systems (HGVC, Wyndham, Worldmark, Marriott, Hyatt), figure out which one will suit you the best as far as booking policies and resort locations and then go stay in some of the locations to see if you really want to buy one.

 

[DaSoul]

"Kid friendly" is subjective and specific to an individual resort property. No "program" or "system" is (...or is not) "kid friendly".

Thanks I guess I should have asked if there were specific programs that had more kid friendly resorts.

There aren't many 5* timeshare resorts. In fact, I think we discussed it a while back and only came up with Four Seasons, which I believe only has a couple locations. HGVC is considered 4*, but keep in mind, it is still a timeshare and if you want someone to empty your trash and exchange your towels every day, you have to pay extra for it at the time.

I own HGVC and I do like it. They nickel and dime us for everything. You will pay a reservation fee and a guest fee whenever you want to book for someone else. If you don't use all your points one year, you'll pay a fee to bank them to the next year. Just some things to keep in mind.

When I was homeschooling, I didn't mind doing all the cooking, laundry and cleaning because it was part of the lesson plan. Nowadays, I don't like timeshares as much because I don't want to cook, clean and do laundry when I am on vacation. The HGVC resorts that are attached to a full service hotel offer room service and dry cleaning, etc for the same fees as the hotel rooms. The resorts that aren't part of a full service hotel, generally don't offer any of that stuff.

If you don't mind dropping down your standards, you may want to check out Worldmark or Wyndham. They both have a lot of locations (way more than HGVC) and may suit you, but now you are looking at 2 or 3*. Some of their locations are as nice as HGVC, but others are standard apartments.

My recommendation to you is to look at the points systems (HGVC, Wyndham, Worldmark, Marriott, Hyatt), figure out which one will suit you the best as far as booking policies and resort locations and then go stay in some of the locations to see if you really want to buy one.

I know HGVC extensively because I went to a presentation and I have been in the HGVC forum alot since that "almost" mistake. But I will guess I will try to learn the others as we are probably a year out from buying something assuming we buy anything at all.

Thanks!

 

[Ladycfp]

I have been offered a HGVC resale through a friend whose resale just fell through. They own what is described as: unit xxx (I don't want to say exactly what number) during Home week (fixed) 10 and during Home week (floating) and Home vacation period reserved by the Vacation Owner pursuant to established Reservation Procedures.

Further in the doc (from sale that fell thru) it describes HGV Club Points value as Annual 7000 + Fixed week reservation confirmed using 7000 points

It is a Valdoro Mountain Lodge 2 bedroom season Platinum and boxes are checked Ski Week and Summer week. User type fixed/float. The MF due for 2017 (they haven't paid since they thought it was sold) is $1900+/-

After reading here, I am thinking this may be a partial fee and there will be additional fee due in Spring?

The ownership is described as deeded in Hilton Grand Vacations.

Trying to give you all the details to determine if I should be interested in purchase, if so what is a fair price? I own a week in Las Vegas (Club de Soleil) and a week at Royal Dunes Hilton Head. We travel a lot and our kids are young adults we have and will continue to given use of what we don't use. We trade and bank thru Interval. We are also Hilton Honors members with healthy balances, and use those points and travel a ton with Hilton hotels.

Advice, things to consider, fair price to offer? My friends just want OUT.

 

[DaSoul]

The HGVC forum is probably a better place to post the question. Generally on the resale market buyers are looking for 1$ per point for the contracts. I think 1900 for the MF Is probably for the year that is my guess. If its a friend then you can just ask them. That being said anything at 14K and up is a fair price to pay. If they bought it from the Developer and sell it to you at that price they may feel ripped off and not sure you want your relationship soured by that. But that is up for you to determine I guess.

 

[GrayFal]

I would describe Westin resorts (Vistana Signature Experience formerly Starwood) as 5 star and most Marriott's as 4-5 Star. Both interesting systems.

 

[DaSoul]

I would describe Westin resorts (Vistana Signature Experience formerly Starwood) as 5 star and most Marriott's as 4-5 Star. Both interesting systems.

Thanks for the input. I am finding it hard to start trying to learn about the other non Hilton programs I may need a break from thinking about this stuff haha

 

[Ladycfp]

The HGVC forum is probably a better place to post the question. Generally on the resale market buyers are looking for 1$ per point for the contracts. I think 1900 for the MF Is probably for the year that is my guess. If its a friend then you can just ask them. That being said anything at 14K and up is a fair price to pay. If they bought it from the Developer and sell it to you at that price they may feel ripped off and not sure you want your relationship soured by that. But that is up for you to determine I guess.

Thanks for the input. I did not realize there was a forum for this. I will repost there. I think they'd be happy with whatever the were netting from the sale that fell through. I just need to know if it's valuable enough to me. Thanks again!