# I bought a Sunterra timeshare today.....



## az mom (Mar 15, 2007)

Hi all,

I bought a points package from the developer (boo, hiss) today, and I thought I went into it with my eyes open.

Here's the deal I got:  I paid $5050.50 for 2000 points AND my resale 4000 points was converted to Full Club, plus any 3 resales I buy within the next year will also be converted for free.  I figure I can find a few deeded 2 BRs with low maint. fees (perhaps Sedona Ridge or somewhere in the East - I'm not so familiar with that area)  If I pay around $2000 each and they convert to around 9000 points, I should get elite status.  Or maybe I have to buy at least 9000 as actual points to get elite at 15,000, I'm not sure.

Anyway, the sales guy told me something and now I think I'm seeing it isn't true.  So I'm asking for some enlightenment from the savviest group of timesharers I know - you!  He said that now all points that are sold resale must be converted before use for a fee of $6300.  When I bought my 4000 resale, I could use them within the Florida trust properties without conversion - I only had to convert if I wanted access to other Sunterra properties, longer advance booking windows, and free Interval privledges.  Now, he says, that is not possible.  But the stuff for sale on eBay doesn't say anything about that.

I bought today thinking that what he told me was true (I know, silly me).  I figured, if it is, it will depress resale prices.  But if it isn't, I could just buy more resale point packages and use them within the Trust.

Thanks in advance,
Stacy


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## daventrina (Mar 15, 2007)

*It'll soon be Diamond?*

You may want to check these out:

http://www.diamondresorts.com/
http://www.sunterra.com/acquisition/press_release.aspx


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## Spence (Mar 16, 2007)

There are no givens with Sunterra, that being said, $5050 for 2000pts plus conversion is on the low end of what they try to charge, what you did get 'extra' was the year to convert more.  Any converted points will count towards elite in my experience.  

If you buy anything on eBay you would have to convert for full Club use otherwise if it's Trust you get those 21 properties, or if it's deeded you get that resort.  There is one eBay seller who claims you get full Club, I don't understand that, maybe he negotiated some sort of special arrangement with Sunterra?



az mom said:


> Hi all,
> 
> I bought a points package from the developer (boo, hiss) today, and I thought I went into it with my eyes open.
> 
> ...


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## Eileen A. (Mar 16, 2007)

Hi Stacy,

What sales center did you buy at?  I recently converted a large resale to become plat elite with Sunterra.  I had some difficulty with the Scottsdale Sales Center so ended up buying/converting at Las Vegas.  Not sure what the $6300 fee is your salesman talked about. Scottsdale did tell us that we needed to spend at least $6,000 to convert. Did not have to spend as much in LV.  Please Private Message me and I can share further details.


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## az mom (Mar 16, 2007)

*Hi again*

Hi everyone, 

Thanks for your input!

Reading the current ads on eBay, I am convinced that I could have just kept buying resale points and using them within the Trust, as I had been doing, with no additional fees.  So the sales guy and his manager definately lied about that!

And yes, I'm aware of the Diamond deal.  I actually talked to the Sales Manager about that, as he met the head of Diamond at a meeting last week.  I asked what he was like and what his plans were.  Here's what he told me:

The guy is really cocky - but hey, he's a multimillionaire.  His plan is to upgrade the rooms, make them really cushy and classy looking so they'll be really easy to sell.  That is, upgrade the bedding, finishes, that kinds of thing.  He paid a 35% premium over what the shares were trading at so he sees value.  He's thinking of changing the name because of the bad reputation due to accounting "issues", the stock delisting, etc.  He bought both the US and Europe and is keeping both, so members can continue to trade to both continents within the system.

That all sounds good, but time will tell.

MY bottom line right now is that the salesmen's lies pushed me into buying when I might have waited longer, but I was planning on buying into the system to get Elite with conversions and I think my deal was pretty good, factoring in the conversions.  I'm hoping to find a points package to put me over the 15,000 point elite mark.  I don't know if the other two packages would be better to buy as deeded properties that they'll let me use as points (but would still have intrinsic value if Sunterra falls apart) or more points, so I could be a higher level of Elite.  I think I'll enjoy being able to trade into Marriot properties, which I understand I can do through Interval (no?)  And the Elite is important to get the free upgrades from Studios into 1 BRs.  So, overall, I think I'll get my money's worth over time.  But I hate being lied to!


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## madmitch (Mar 16, 2007)

Adding 2000 SunOptions for $5k and rolling 4000 you purchased at resale in with that is probably a very good deal.
Curious where you did this conversion?
I hear plenty of stories and they seem to be different depending upon where the conversion/upgrade is done.
Even with the changes in Sunterra/Diamond I plan to add more SunOptions, and will have to pay the fees to roll those into the full program.
But so far I have only stayed at the base CSV-1 resorts, although our plans are to utilize some of the others.
While we all don't know what's in the future for us, we can hope our choices and options will get better, adding more resorts and making our vacation investment something to look forward to.


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## daventrina (Mar 17, 2007)

az mom said:


> And yes, I'm aware of the Diamond deal.  I actually talked to the Sales Manager about that, as he met the head of Diamond at a meeting last week.


Thanks for the info!


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## Spence (Mar 17, 2007)

az mom said:


> His plan is to upgrade the rooms, make them really cushy and classy looking so they'll be really easy to sell.  That is, upgrade the bedding, finishes, that kinds of thing.


Whose money do you think pays for these upgrades?  My, isn't he magnanamous.


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## Spence (Mar 17, 2007)

madmitch said:


> I hear plenty of stories and they seem to be different depending upon where the conversion/upgrade is done.


It's always a moving target, no matter what location it's done at.


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## az mom (Mar 17, 2007)

*Reply*

Hi Mitch,

I did the conversion at the Villa Mirage in Scottsdale.  I think it was a pretty good deal but not the ultimate best.  And I'm still mad that the guy lied to me.

Stacy


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## madmitch (Mar 18, 2007)

I have to wonder if anyone in the business tells the truth.
I truly believe politicians start out to be honest and concerned about the people they serve, then they get caught up in the closed-door crap.
Timeshare salespeople are cut from used-car cloth, so they start out for the buck -- IMHO.

Cheers
Mitch
(Buying more Sunterra SunOptions at this time of great unknown!)




az mom said:


> Hi Mitch,
> I did the conversion at the Villa Mirage in Scottsdale.  I think it was a pretty good deal but not the ultimate best.  And I'm still mad that the guy lied to me.
> Stacy


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## Eileen A. (Mar 18, 2007)

Mitch,

I had good luck dealing with the salesmen in Las Vegas.  Where did you purchase?


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