Looking to Buy

So my wife and I just got back from a marvelous vacation at El Cid Castilla is Mazatlan. But just narrowly avoided spending $15,000 dollars on a timeshare. Seemed like a good deal but I said no simply on the basis that (1) I could only see it being run on their mock-up website and (2) I had nothing to compare it to. Having discovering this site and the aftermarket I'm certainly glad I did!

Anyway my wife and I *DO* want to take many vacations (probably 2 trips totaling 2-3 weeks/year at this point). But we aren't really interested in any one spot (tropics, diving, castles & ruins are our main interests hence Mexico, Caribbean and Europe are our likely destinations). I like the ... permanence ... of a deeded point system (i.e. Wyndham) but I'm uncertain of the value importance of the resort/room, and so I can't help but wonder if a pure points system (i.e. Worldmark) is better for me.

Any tips for a newbie? I'm reading all I can do doing all the research I can.

Thanks!

Well you made the right decision not to buy that day. Whatever you end up with you will have made an informed decision before you buy. Warning timeshares are addictive- I own 3.5 now. People here will give you lots of great advice. You mentioned where you want to go but the season and size of unit will influence what you need. The general mantra is buy where you want to go since trading is a crap shoot. Some people will even recommend not buying and just renting exactly what you want. I'm from Calgary so if you PM me your phone number I would be able to call you if you want some ideas.

Joan

Welcome to TUG, you made one great choice already!
Just to echo the last response, buy where you will go and try to get high value weeks. We live in the north east and love to ski, so we own a few T/S's in Vermont - MLK and Presidents Day weeks most years.
If you like the beach buy a nice resort in the summer (or holiday periods). Basically buy to go, but with enough value that you could rent if you have to miss a year here and there.

Trading is not that easy - it takes a resort with a strong trade value, luck, knowledge of how the system works, and advance planning. For your first timeshare I'd buy a week that you really like, and won't mind using yourself, when you can't get trades.

Mexico is a really easy trade (DON'T buy there!) but the Caribbean and Europe are quite a bit more difficult.

Take your time - the timeshare market is going no where, and you have plenty of time to figure out what works for you - and we can help!

Hmmm, how much of a crap shoot? I don't know if I ever really intent to do to the same resort twice.

I can book years in advance so that isn't an issue.

So then I should look for points at high value resorts? Hawaii? Florida? How about Florida? I was looking at this one for a bit: http://tug2.com/TimeshareMarketplac...tingGUID=fd98007f-4928-48de-8ebd-d0e76d84767c but I'd only be buying for the points not to actually use that one.

Ah, PalmAire - the Pompano Beach resort located 6 miles INLAND.

Wyndham points are can be brought/found for free, with free closing, free resort notification, etc.

I was following a 310,000 pt Wyndham Daytona Beach Ocean Walk eBay auction which closed last night at $20.01. And that resort is on the beach, with tall towers, indoor pools, etc.

But buying almost anywheres in Florida will have a separate property tax bill, hurricane insurance helping to keep the MFs higher, and more maintenance as that salt water in the air does damage.

I recommend you keep reading about all the systems. Then rent a couple of times and/or visit resorts, to get a "feel" for the system, properties, fellow guests, and style of units. One resort I visit regularly might have strangers singing "Make New Friends" on a crowded elevator with everyone laughing while getting off on the ground floor. Another has a lobby area so quiet you would think there was a funeral in progress. Both is the norm for each resort, but you might consider either or both to be "off" as a vacationing spot.

A cheap inland property in Florida is not going to be a strong trader.

The maintenance fees in Hawaii are too high for a cost effective trader.

Yes renting points might be a good idea to start with.

Would the top 10 Wyndham list: http://tug2.com/RnR/ResortsGrid.aspx?TOP10=true&ResortName=Wyndham be a good place to start for strong traders?

But I'd worry about the strength degrading over time. Hmmm. Maybe renting points might be a good long term arrangement.

If you buy Wyndham points, you DO NOT choose the week to deposit with the RCI or II. Wyndham manages that; you get generic/blended book trader. So, where you own points does not influence trading power. If however you own a Fixed Week, you can deposit that week and your trading power is based on that.

Wyndham Palm Aire does have Fixed Week ownerships. The auction you referenced was a Points auction.

You can rent a reserved week from a Wyndham owner. You can rent points from Wyndham IF you have an ownership (member number) to finish a day on a reservation. You can not rent points and have those rented points transfer to your member number. (Used to, can't no more.)

This is the exact point that confuses me.

If I own X points at Wyndham resort Y, personally I don't care about Y at all. I may go there once, I may never go there - it's doesn't matter to me. It's unlikely I'll go there more than once in the next 10 years.

What I want is X to spend and go wherever within Wyndham or RCI.

But it seems that Y matters? In order to spend my X points I need to get people to want my week(s) at Y? Then why even have/talk about X at all?

Do I have weeks or points? Do I trade weeks or points? I ask this question in general and specifically with reference to the listed auction.

Maeltne said:

But it seems that Y matters? In order to spend my X points I need to get people to want my week(s) at Y? Then why even have/talk about X at all?

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The way you want to vacation, "Y" doesn't matter. Your "X" points can be used to book nightly or weekly vacations at Wyndham resorts.

Maeltne said:

Do I have weeks or points? Do I trade weeks or points? I ask this question in general and specifically with reference to the listed auction.

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If you purchase a points deed, you have points to use at Wyndham resorts (Wyndham also has fixed week deeds, some of which may have been converted to points.)

You can also deposit points with RCI and exchange within that system for weekly reservations.

I hope this helps.

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