# Need advice on Holiday Inn Vacation Club



## Josi96 (Jan 29, 2016)

We had someone offer (not a family member) to give us their week at Orange Lake Resort Orlando.  It is a 3 bedroom for week 18, not sure which area.  She is tired of paying the maintenance fees. We know little about timeshares. 

I am reading that if she gives it to us, we will not be members of the club/have points and would really only be able to use it for that week at that resort, which wouldn't really work for us.  I read it may be an option to pay a fee to convert to points?  Cost? Have no idea how many points that unit/week would be worth.Then we could stay different weeks/at different resorts or exchange through RCI. 

I would appreciate any advice on how this might work for us.  It seemed like a good idea at first, but the more I am reading seems like we wouldn't really be able to use it without added costs of paying to convert to points, join ECI etc, in addition to the maintenance fees and whatever fees there would be to transfer.

Thanks in advance!


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## Passepartout (Jan 29, 2016)

If this week, at this resort doesn't work for you, pass. There are waaaay too many great vacation options available for free, or very low cost, that there it no reason to accept something that will cost nearly $1000 a year until YOU find someone else to 'gift' it to to end the ever increasing maintenance fees.

If the idea of timeshare intrigues you, stick around TUG and learn. Then you can be an informed user.

Jim


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## Tank (Jan 29, 2016)

If that week is not perfect for you, don't do it.
Orlando is pretty easy to get a great week at, or below cost most anytime you need it.


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## csxjohn (Jan 29, 2016)

Josi96 said:


> We had someone offer (not a family member) to give us their week at Orange Lake Resort Orlando.  It is a 3 bedroom for week 18, not sure which area.  She is tired of paying the maintenance fees. We know little about timeshares.
> 
> I am reading that if she gives it to us, we will not be members of the club/have points and would really only be able to use it for that week at that resort, which wouldn't really work for us.  I read it may be an option to pay a fee to convert to points?  Cost? Have no idea how many points that unit/week would be worth.Then we could stay different weeks/at different resorts or exchange through RCI.
> 
> ...



If you do a lot more research and decide this is the place for you to own and you want have points in the club, this is not the way to do it.  There are plenty of people giving them away that are already converted to points.  EBay is a great place to start looking.


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## Josi96 (Jan 29, 2016)

Thank you everybody.  Yeah, I knew it couldn't be that easy.


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## AmexBlack (Jan 30, 2016)

*Listing that is points converted already!*

http://www.ebay.com/itm/FREE-USE-HO...582268?hash=item1a0c9a347c:g:vjEAAOSwqrtWn6gh


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## skotrla (Jan 31, 2016)

3BR WK18 in West Village is only 133K points - maintenance is at least $920, making maintenance cost ~$7/1K points or more, which is definitely a pass.  

At a resort that transfers as a fixed week and not points (all but Lake Geneva, Smoky Mountain, and South Beach), if the maintenance cost was really low and the current owner was getting points for the week, you could try to do a couple of quitclaim deeds to get your name added to the deed and then their names removed.

-Scott
Owner, HICV Google+ Group


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## LannyPC (Feb 1, 2016)

Josi96 said:


> We know little about timeshares.



Then you should not even accept a free one until you do lots of research about owning one.  TUG is a great place to do research.  Some here recommend doing at least six months of research before buying or accepting a timeshare.

Anyway, I'm glad you found TUG and asked questions before taking on this "free" timeshare.


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## Sandy (Feb 1, 2016)

AmexBlack said:


> http://www.ebay.com/itm/FREE-USE-HO...582268?hash=item1a0c9a347c:g:vjEAAOSwqrtWn6gh



I looked at this listing, but it does not seem to be converted to points. Were you referencing another listing?


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## skotrla (Feb 1, 2016)

Sandy said:


> I looked at this listing, but it does not seem to be converted to points. Were you referencing another listing?



All South Beach units are automatically points.

-Scott
Owner, HICV Google+ Group


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