# does it matter which location to buy with the worldmark points?



## babyboomer (Jul 22, 2010)

Hi tuggers, I need help, I'm thinking of buying my 1st WorldMark timeshare about 10k to 12k pts. and Dopoe Bay, Oregon is our choice its about 5 hrs. drive.  we've been to cannon beach and we like it, but would probably go to some other places.

My first question, Is dopoe bay a good timeshare location?

And would I be having a hard time exchanging this location for my other future destination like hawaii?  

are there any other good location/timeshare nearby dopoe bay to buy instead?  (prefer oregon).


Thank you and your suggestions will always be remembered as long as we are on vacation.

jeff


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## Shon_t (Jul 22, 2010)

Hi Jeff,


For extensive understanding of how a Worldmark Timeshare works, you should go to their main website and read the handbook under owner education:

https://www.worldmarktheclub.com/education/

A short answer to your question is that Worldmark is points based system, so there is NO home resort. Your 12k in points allows you to book in ANY Worldmark resort upto 13 months in advance. There are 60 resorts in the portfolio, so you can book at Depoe Bay, or Hawaii, or Fiji, and you don't have to exchange if you don't want to (although that IS an option as well)

Resorts are often listed on Ebay with a home resort (like Hawaii or Depoe Bay) due to Ebay's rules about how accounts are listed, but it really doesn't matter which one you get, as long as it is Worldmark.

Worldmark is a good trader, and depending on whether you use RCI or II, Disney Vacation Club, Mariotts, Four Seasons Avaria, are frequently traded into, using Worldmark.


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## DeniseM (Jul 22, 2010)

Shon_t said:


> Worldmark is a good trader, and depending on whether you use RCI or II, Disney Vacation Club, Mariotts, Four Seasons Avaria, are frequently traded into, using Worldmark.



Shon t - how many exchanges have you made into DVC, FSA, or Marriott?


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## LLW (Jul 22, 2010)

DeniseM said:


> Shon t - how many exchanges have you made into DVC, FSA, or Marriott?



I don't know how many times Shon has traded into those, but there is one  owner on WMOwners who has traded into DVC 9 times (he's a DVC owner himself but using DVC points is more expensive). There are more DVC fans (who go at least twice a year) on WMO, but I don't know how many times they have traded in. Many WMO members have traded into FSA 5 or 6 times (some at Christmas and Thanksgiving). Many others have traded into Marriotts at least 5 or 6 times. Different owners have different preferences - I have only traded into Disney 1 time, FSA 3 times (cancelled 1; have also traded into Troon North), Marriott 3 times (cancelled NCV for Christmas booked about 9 months before). Most of us have learned how to exchange on WMO, which has been in existence for about 6 1/2 years. Some of the aforementioned exchangers are newer members.


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## LLW (Jul 22, 2010)

babyboomer said:


> My first question, Is dopoe bay a good timeshare location?
> 
> And would I be having a hard time exchanging this location for my other future destination like hawaii?
> 
> ...




Depoe Bay is a great location - every unit is oceanfront. Many people keep the windows open there at night so that they may hear the waves crashing against the rocks. As Shon said, you can directly book it at the same time others can book, as WM has no home resorts. But if your vacationing is limited by school schedules, you have to be a well-educated WM owner in order to beat the competing owners in booking it for school holidays. Booking off season is easier.


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## Rent_Share (Jul 22, 2010)

Although I agree that WM is a good choice, if you hadn't figured out that there is not a deed and not a "home location" for your points you are at last 6 months if reading and asking before making a purchase.

eBay confuses the issue requiring the WM points to be listed at one of the 55 addresses, or they cancel the listing since it doesn't fit in the section with deeded ownerships. The sellers comply, the informed know what is going on and the casual passer by is confused,

We just did our first trade in March, Westin Kaanapali (<60 Days II) don't know about request first, I haven't tried that, but shopping around the availability means being able to jump at very short notice on the 60 day window in II.

before making a TS purchase keep in mind  with WM toget use out of your purchase:

*ABLE TO LOCK IN YOUR VACATION TRAVEL PLANS @  13 Months*
You should be able to get access to almost anything withi the system, there are a couple of resorts that would require some tricks, because there are savy users that deploy the same tricks to get a slight advantage on the 13 month window

*BE ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF LAST MINUTE AVAILABIITY*
There us a 90 day window at full rate and a 14 day window at discounted rate - (Another exeception, but that's for later)  - These are either off season, or what falls out of the cancellation process after fulfilling the waiting list.  Many users report great sucess in using the waiting list provision to gain reservaions

*Cancellation Policy*  WM has one of the best cancellation policies, a standard reservation can be cancelled with no risk, (the points may eventually expire but with the actual travel dates involved that can be a very long time) up to 30 days before departure at no costs, and more as you do more research . . .

I suggest you visit wmowners.com and cruise read, read and read


​


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## cotraveller (Jul 22, 2010)

On the exchange part, we've exchanged into Orlando Marriots 3 times, a fairly easy exchange.  Also the Shearton Desert Oasis in Phoenix.  All of those were in March, a nice time of year for those warm climates, especially if you live in a colder area.  We've done a number of other exchanges also. WorldMark has good trading power.

With WorldMark you have confirm first, you do not have to make a deposit before you complete the exchange.  The new (last month) online seach feature for RCI confirm first exchanges means you can look online and see what is available, no more calling on the phone.  II has had that capability for quite some time.

I agree with the previous post, at 13 months in advance you can book most any WorldMark resort.  At 90 days there is usually still a fair amount of availability except for the summer months and for the more popular resorts.  If you can't do the 13 month planning you need more flexibility on where you are willing to go.


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## Shon_t (Jul 22, 2010)

DeniseM said:


> Shon t - how many exchanges have you made into DVC, FSA, or Marriott?



None.

There are so many wonderful resorts in the Worldmark Portfolio, I'm still having fun using those. Once I get bored in a few years, I might start looking at exchanges (I don't belong to RCI or II) , but for right now, I am too much of a cheapskate!

It doesn't cost me anything extra to use WM in Orlando, or closer to home, but if I want to exchange, I am paying membership fees and exchange fees. To me, the ability to exchange is like icing on the cake...but I don't always eat icing.

As LLW said, there are several members at the WMOwners forum that exchange into those resorts quite a bit, I'm content to use the resorts I already own, at least for the time being.


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## LLW (Jul 22, 2010)

Shon_t said:


> None.
> 
> There are so many wonderful resorts in the Worldmark Portfolio, I'm still having fun using those. Once I get bored in a few years, I might start looking at exchanges (I don't belong to RCI or II) , but for right now, *I am too much of a cheapskate!*
> 
> ...



Once you have discovered how you can use II exchanges cheaper than using WMs (in areas where there are both WMs and non-WMs, and when you want a week instead of just 3 or 4 days), there will be no going back.  Too bad one  of the abilities to trade up in RCI using depositing has just been lost with the new WM/RCI change. But even using full WM credits is still a trade up after you add up MF, and membership and exchange fees.


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## deedman (Jul 23, 2010)

I've read that it is best to buy 6000 credits and rent the rest as it would be cheaper than the MF, but as I do the numbers it doesn't appear to be so, can anyone clarify this.


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## LLW (Jul 23, 2010)

deedman said:


> I've read that it is best to buy 6000 credits and rent the rest as it would be cheaper than the MF, but as I do the numbers it doesn't appear to be so, can anyone clarify this.



The MF gets cheaper as the account gets larger, because there is a fixed component and a variable component. At 6000 the MF would be 7.9 cents per credit. The market price for rental credits is about 5-6 cents, cheaper than 7.9. At 10K credits the per credit MF is 5.85 cents, close to the rental price. But you won't have the upfront purchase price.


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