I own about a mile further north of Beachplace in Ft Lauderdale. It is not a Marriott but the MFs are almost 1/2 ($880) that of BP and the 2/2 units are ALL lockoffs. All the units are deeded fixed weeks (some converted RCI Points) ... and yes, I own a couple of Fixed Week 52s. (resort has FREE parking, too). Renting is harder every year. When I first owned these winter timeshares 12 years ago, most guests stayed between 3 to 6 weeks, usually from Canada; now all the guests stay for between 1 week BUT want a rental covering 2 weekends with the week in between OR they want a Wed to Wed week as airfare is cheaper.
Renting ANYTHING as a luxury for most families ... as people have less paid vacation time and flying a family plus a rental car gets more expensive. My sister rents her inlaw's Atlantic Ocean beachfront 2bdr condo in Maryland for the summer ... and more of these (drive to) rentals each year are happening in the 3 weeks or less before check than prior years. I even put 3 summer weeks up for rent on Redweek 2 weeks before checkin (building was copied .. one sold FULL ownership; other was a timeshare sold ... and her in-laws had brought a fixed TS summer week before they had the money for the Full share condo unit. My sister has been involved with those rentals for over 25 years ... and up to 10 years ago, she would just mail out the rental agreements to the prior year's guests ... get a check back with the rental paperwork or a call explain, they were not going but their FRIENDS would love to rent their week. And she was just dumbfounded that these PRIME summer beachfront weeks were lagged as unrented more and more the past few years.
