# How do Home options differ from Staroptions?



## bobpark56 (Aug 31, 2015)

How do Home options differ from Staroptions?


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## DeniseM (Aug 31, 2015)

bobpark56 said:


> How do Home options differ from Staroptions?



Good question - I will start a list (if you are going to add to it, please copy the list and add on).

1.  At a resort where they are selling HomeOptions (WKORV-NN & WSJ) you buy HomeOptions, instead of a deeded week.

2.  You can use HomeOptions at your home resort to make reservations 12-8 mos. before check-in.

3.  At 8-0 mos., you can use HomeOptions to make Staroption reservations - as usual.

4.  Homeoptions cannot be banked or borrowed - *[THIS IS APPARENTLY INCORRECT]*

5.  Homeoptions are voluntary.


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## SMHarman (Aug 31, 2015)

3 only applies to the first owner. 

MF for HO is the blended value of the Underlying weeks MF.   There is no allocation by square footage of unit or similar. 

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## DeniseM (Aug 31, 2015)

SMHarman said:


> 3 only applies to the first owner.



Correct - that's #5 - it's voluntary


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## vacationtime1 (Aug 31, 2015)

DeniseM said:


> 2.  You can use HomeOptions at your home resort to make reservations 12-8 mos. before check-in.



Can you use HomeOptions to make a reservation at _*another*_ HomeOption resort 12-8 months before check-in (such as Sheraton Kauai, WKORV/N to the extent units are owned by the new entity, etc.)?

If yes, how can Starwood guarantee that someone who bought 176700  HomeOptions at Nanea ("the 2bd OF package") can actually reserve a 2bd  OF at Nanea?

If no, what is the real difference between the new HomeOptions and a voluntary SVN resort such as Princeville?  In each case, an owner can reserve at his home resort (only) at 12-8 months and anywhere within the SVN at 8-0 months (obviously there could be differences in MF's, banking, etc., but I am focusing on differences in actual usage).


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## DeniseM (Aug 31, 2015)

vacationtime1 said:


> Can you use HomeOptions to make a reservation at _*another*_ HomeOption resort 12-8 months before check-in (such as Sheraton Kauai, WKORV/N to the extent units are owned by the new entity, etc.)?



You can't make reservations at WKORV-N/S - until the 8 mo. mark with Staroptions.  But I wonder if this will occur in the future.  Sheraton Kauai is still in the future.



> If yes, how can Starwood guarantee that someone who bought 176700  HomeOptions at Nanea ("the 2bd OF package") can actually reserve a 2bd  OF at Nanea?



I am guessing they can't sell more points than weeks.  But reservations are always first come - first served.  Ocean front owners with deeded weeks at deeded resorts get shut out too - especially major holidays.



> If no, what is the real difference between the new HomeOptions and a voluntary SVN resort such as Princeville?  In each case, an owner can reserve at his home resort (only) at 12-8 months and anywhere within the SVN at 8-0 months (obviously there could be differences in MF's, banking, etc., but I am focusing on differences in actual usage).



My guess is that as they add the other 2 Hawaii resorts, they are going to create a home resort Hawaii group, like they did with Florida/SBP/SDO.


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## okwiater (Aug 31, 2015)

DeniseM said:


> 5.  Homeoptions are voluntary.


Not exactly. HomeOptions DO transfer upon resale -- they are representative of your inherent usage rights. It's the SVN membership that is voluntary, which means that your HomeOptions DO NOT convert to StarOptions.


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## DeniseM (Aug 31, 2015)

okwiater said:


> Not exactly. HomeOptions DO transfer upon resale -- they are representative of your inherent usage rights. It's the SVN membership that is voluntary, which means that your HomeOptions DO NOT convert to StarOptions.



Yes - that is the definition of "voluntary" - you still have your HomeOptions, but no Staroptions.

Just like traditional voluntary resorts - home usage - no Staroptions.


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## lizap (Aug 31, 2015)

Based on what David learned last week, I do not believe owners of the new resort will be allowed to exchange into WKORV N/S at 12-8 months.  I see the new resort as similar to WPORV, except with no deeded weeks.


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## DeniseM (Aug 31, 2015)

lizap said:


> Based on what David learned last week, I do not believe owners of the new resort will be allowed to exchange into WKORV N/S at 12-8 months.  I see the new resort as similar to WPORV, except with no deeded weeks.



I would bet that the 2 future resorts they have planned for Hawaii will be placed in a Home Resort Group with WKORV-NN.


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## lizap (Aug 31, 2015)

I think it will be paired with Sheraton-Kauai, if anything.  Certainly would be less disruptive for existing WKORV N/S owners as well as other mandatory owners this way.  Time will tell...




DeniseM said:


> I would bet that the 2 future resorts they have planned for Hawaii will be placed in a Home Resort Group with WKORV-NN.


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## vacationtime1 (Aug 31, 2015)

DeniseM said:


> You can't make reservations at WKORV-N/S - until the 8 mo. mark with Staroptions.  But I wonder if this will occur in the future.  Sheraton Kauai is still in the future.
> 
> We have been speculating for months that Starwood has been RORFing WKORV and WKORVN for its new trust.  We now see the trust (or at least pieces of it).  What will Starwood do with all of these WKORV/N units if not make them available to HomeOption owners at the 12-8 month mark?
> 
> ...



My thoughts are interlineated above in red.


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## bobpark56 (Aug 31, 2015)

*bobpark56*

It seems that home option can be banked...but once banked, they become no different from banked staroptions. At least that's my reading of this note received today from Starwood:

"Your Home Options can be banked, by October 1, every year <3-star elite>, for a fee of $79. The Banked Home/StarOptions would expire December 31, two years past the year banked and can be used to confirm nights in ownership resorts up to eight months prior to your desired date of arrival. Banked Home Options, like Banked StarOptions, cannot be used to confirm a reservation 12-8 months prior to the arrival date, even when returning to your home resort in the season purchased.

At eight months prior to your desired date of arrival, you may combine your Home Options with StarOptions from weeks packages to confirm reservations at SVN ownership resorts."


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## DeniseM (Aug 31, 2015)

Good catch, Bob - I was going by someone's post stating that they were told at their sales meeting that HomeOptions cannot be banked.


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## Sicnarf (Aug 31, 2015)

DeniseM said:


> Good question - I will start a list (if you are going to add to it, please copy the list and add on).
> 
> 1.  At a resort where they are selling HomeOptions (WKORV-NN & WSJ) you buy HomeOptions, instead of a deeded week.
> 
> ...




I own WSJ-CV (from developer) and as far as I know I'm able to borrow or bank my homeoptions just like Staroptions.  Statement #4 may be true for resale?


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## lizap (Aug 31, 2015)

There are a number of recent sales at WKORV N/S that indicate SVN is not exercising ROFR on all resales. 




vacationtime1 said:


> My thoughts are interlineated above in red.


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## vacationtime1 (Aug 31, 2015)

Perhaps true, but Starwood has certainly increased the frequency with which it exercises ROFR at WKORV/N in the past couple of years and it has also increased the price at which it exercises ROFR on these units.

What is Starwood doing with these units?  Starwood didn't buy them to rent them out (it contradicts its "asset light" strategy) and it doesn't have to; Starwood picks up rental inventory cheaply, such as StarPoint exchanges.

Starwood also didn't acquire these weeks to sell them as weeks; it would compete with the HomeOptions it is selling at Nanea.

So how do we reconcile Starwood's ROFR activity with the new program it rolled out?


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## bizaro86 (Aug 31, 2015)

bobpark56 said:


> It seems that home option can be banked...but once banked, they become no different from banked staroptions. At least that's my reading of this note received today from Starwood:
> 
> "Your Home Options can be banked, by October 1, every year <3-star elite>, for a fee of $79. The Banked Home/StarOptions would expire December 31, two years past the year banked and can be used to confirm nights in ownership resorts up to eight months prior to your desired date of arrival. Banked Home Options, like Banked StarOptions, cannot be used to confirm a reservation 12-8 months prior to the arrival date, even when returning to your home resort in the season purchased.
> 
> At eight months prior to your desired date of arrival, you may combine your Home Options with StarOptions from weeks packages to confirm reservations at SVN ownership resorts."



I wonder if this will be true for resale owners of these weeks. If so, it  - sort of- converts them to SVN mandatory resorts, albeit with a year delay. As if you weren't using it this year, you could bank and use the staroptions the next year.


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## lizap (Aug 31, 2015)

At this point, we can't reconcile it.  We have to wait... but, I suspect the ROFR that Starwood has been doing has to do with them wanting to keep prices at a certain level, given the new resort going up (this agrees with what the salesman told David), but again speculation.




vacationtime1 said:


> Perhaps true, but Starwood has certainly increased the frequency with which it exercises ROFR at WKORV/N in the past couple of years and it has also increased the price at which it exercises ROFR on these units.
> 
> What is Starwood doing with these units?  Starwood didn't buy them to rent them out (it contradicts its "asset light" strategy) and it doesn't have to; Starwood picks up rental inventory cheaply, such as StarPoint exchanges.
> 
> ...


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## tschwa2 (Aug 31, 2015)

I don't see it working that way.  If you aren't a member of SVN your only banking opportunity would likely be to bank the points with II which would probably use a crossover grid where a 1 br with a tdi of 135-150 would cost y # of points.


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## SMHarman (Aug 31, 2015)

bobpark56 said:


> How do Home options differ from Staroptions?





DeniseM said:


> Good question - I will start a list (if you are going to add to it, please copy the list and add on).
> 
> 1.  At a resort where they are selling HomeOptions (WKORV-NN & WSJ) you buy HomeOptions, instead of a deeded week.
> 
> ...


Isn't this a 2 part answer?  

For developer purchases they look a lot like a mandatory resort but allow check in and out on any day. 

For resale buyers they look a lot like a voluntary resort (or do they - what happens to the svn fee?) and they can be used to book home resort view in home resort time priority period12-8 months (more relevant for WSJ which is not 1-52) and home resort view for the 7-0 or used to create a banked week wot II or another exchange co. 

Resale buyers cannot bank or borrow and will not see them covert to so/ho at 8 month's (or will they)? 

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## DeniseM (Aug 31, 2015)

SMHarman said:


> Isn't this a 2 part answer?



I don't think we have the specific details about resale/voluntary usage yet, but it will be interesting to find out.


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## SMHarman (Aug 31, 2015)

vacationtime1 said:


> Can you use HomeOptions to make a reservation at _*another*_ HomeOption resort 12-8 months before check-in (such as Sheraton Kauai, WKORV/N to the extent units are owned by the new entity, etc.)?
> 
> If yes, how can Starwood guarantee that someone who bought 176700  HomeOptions at Nanea ("the 2bd OF package") can actually reserve a 2bd  OF at Nanea?
> 
> If no, what is the real difference between the new HomeOptions and a voluntary SVN resort such as Princeville?  In each case, an owner can reserve at his home resort (only) at 12-8 months and anywhere within the SVN at 8-0 months (obviously there could be differences in MF's, banking, etc., but I am focusing on differences in actual usage).


Only those with OF Home Options can book OF at 12-8 month's. Of course the any day check in makes a bit of a mockery of how all of them book their week. If two one week owners book a m-m and a th-th stay that leaves m-th and th-m for the other owner. 

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## VacationForever (Aug 31, 2015)

SMHarman said:


> Only those with OF Home Options can book OF at 12-8 month's. Of course the any day check in makes a bit of a mockery of how all of them book their week. If two one week owners book a m-m and a th-th stay that leaves m-th and th-m for the other owner.
> 
> Sent from my LT26i using Tapatalk



...and if no one books them, Starwood will rent them out.


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## DavidnRobin (Aug 31, 2015)

Met a few people here at WPORV that rented studies thru Expedia/Priceline/etc for pretty good rates.  Not ending in prime villas (but most do not care IME).


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## DavidnRobin (Aug 31, 2015)

SMHarman said:


> Only those with OF Home Options can book OF at 12-8 month's. Of course the any day check in makes a bit of a mockery of how all of them book their week. If two one week owners book a m-m and a th-th stay that leaves m-th and th-m for the other owner.
> 
> Sent from my LT26i using Tapatalk



They can do it by having enough villas (how many at Nanea?  280?) with some Owners using their SOs (from HOs) to exchange thru SVN thereby allowing some openings that people will get by exchanging and renting.  Remember, SVO tends to own a percentage of intervals., plus they sell them in weekly interval groups regardless of ability to book 7 +/- days.  I am sure there is an algorithm worked out to deal with the various checkin days and length of stays.


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## Henry M. (Aug 31, 2015)

I heard salespeople at WKORV were recently told there's finally new inventory to sell at WKORV and WKORV-N, so the ROFR units seem to be making it to the sales organization. They're not being hoarded exclusively for some other program.


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## okwiater (Sep 1, 2015)

bobpark56 said:


> It seems that home option can be banked...but once banked, they become no different from banked staroptions. At least that's my reading of this note received today from Starwood:
> 
> "Your Home Options can be banked, by October 1, every year <3-star elite>, for a fee of $79. The Banked Home/StarOptions would expire December 31, two years past the year banked and can be used to confirm nights in ownership resorts up to eight months prior to your desired date of arrival. Banked Home Options, like Banked StarOptions, cannot be used to confirm a reservation 12-8 months prior to the arrival date, even when returning to your home resort in the season purchased.
> 
> At eight months prior to your desired date of arrival, you may combine your Home Options with StarOptions from weeks packages to confirm reservations at SVN ownership resorts."



That is semantically the most confusing explanation I have ever seen. It's just not true that HomeOptions can be banked, because a resale buyer gets HomeOptions as part of their ownership but would be ineligible to bank them. Technically only a HomeOptions resort that is enrolled in SVN can bank -- and because SVN has no concept of "HomeOptions" that implies that they become StarOptions rather than HomeOptions upon banking.


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## GrayFal (Sep 1, 2015)

Sicnarf said:


> I own WSJ-CV (from developer) and as far as I know I'm able to borrow or bank my homeoptions just like Staroptions.  Statement #4 may be true for resale?



I am also curious as to how HomeOptions Maint Fee might combine?

Currently the fee is as follows for 97,500 Resort Season (May-December)
"2015 base fee" $787.52 
"2015 points assessment" $1,102.02 

And this jives with This post


carpie99 said:


> STJ Coral Vista
> 
> 148,100 Trust Options (1 Week 2 Bedroom May - Dec)
> 
> ...


As the fee quoted here would be base fee of $787 + $1670ish for the additional HomeOptions

If one purchased an additional contract to add on more HomeOptions in The same season, would you have to pay the base fee twice?

And does the base fee of $787 contain the SVN fee of $135ish that the resale owner would not have to pay.....

Lots of unanswered questions!


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## GrayFal (Sep 10, 2015)

okwiater said:


> Not exactly. HomeOptions DO transfer upon resale -- they are representative of your inherent usage rights. It's the SVN membership that is voluntary, which means that your HomeOptions DO NOT convert to StarOptions.



Correct, they stay HomeOptions only to be used at Home resort. In my case WSJ CV


tschwa2 said:


> I don't see it working that way.  If you aren't a member of SVN your only banking opportunity would likely be to bank the points with II which would probably use a crossover grid where a 1 br with a tdi of 135-150 would cost y # of points.



Correct, you can bank unused HO with II and exchange thru the II Points program with cross over grid. 



SMHarman said:


> Isn't this a 2 part answer?
> 
> For developer purchases they look a lot like a mandatory resort but allow check in and out on any day.
> 
> ...



Following answer from Starwood regarding WSJ CV HomeOption use ......

"It is always our pleasure to assist you! 

The new owner will have 95,700 Home Options with which he is able to reserve at The Westin St. John Resort and Villas, Coral Vista, in the Resort Season, 12-8 months prior to the desired date of arrival. 

Because the owner will not be part of the SVN, the Home Options will not transfer into StarOptions; however, at eight months out from the arrival date, the new owner will be able to reserve in either the Resort or Diamond Season, utilizing the 95,700 Home Options. "

So owners would be able to reserve in any season at the 8 month mark.... Not a bad thing


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## canesfan (Sep 10, 2015)

I didn't realize WSJ-CV is not part of SVN.  Is Nanae the same?


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## GrayFal (Sep 10, 2015)

canesfan said:


> I didn't realize WSJ-CV is not part of SVN.  Is Nanae the same?



They are both voluntary so a resale owner (like me) does not belong to SVN. 

However I can use the HomeOptions at 8 months in both seasons  at CV


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## canesfan (Sep 10, 2015)

GrayFal said:


> Correct, they stay HomeOptions only to be used at Home resort. In my case WSJ CV
> 
> 
> Correct, you can bank unused HO with II and exchange thru the II Points program with cross over grid.
> ...




It's this quote that has me questioning. So WSJ-CV and Nanae home options don't participate in SVN from the developer purchase? Am I understanding this correctly? If you buy from SW you can only reserve at your resort or have to use II?
I understand they are voluntary resorts but to me that applies when they hit resale and they are still new to market to see in resale.


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## GrayFal (Sep 10, 2015)

canesfan said:


> It's this quote that has me questioning. So WSJ-CV and Nanae home options don't participate in SVN from the developer purchase? Am I understanding this correctly? If you buy from SW you can only reserve at your resort or have to use II?
> I understand they are voluntary resorts but to me that applies when they hit resale and they are still new to market to see in resale.



The quote above is an email correspondence to me from Starwood.  I am a RESALE owner.  
I purchased from someone who bought from the Developer

So Nanea and WSJ CV are part of SVN to the original owner but resale owners can only use their HomeOptions at each respective resort

HTH


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## SMHarman (Sep 10, 2015)

The New in the quote refers to the New owner buying resale. 

The existing owner bought from Starwood and has SVN. 

The New owner buys from the existing owner and has home options and no SVN

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## canesfan (Sep 10, 2015)

Ok, that makes more sense then. It was contrary to what I understood to how they were selling it.


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## GrayFal (Sep 10, 2015)

SMHarman said:


> The New in the quote refers to the New owner buying resale.
> 
> The existing owner bought from Starwood and has SVN.
> 
> ...



Correct!


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## pathways25 (Sep 10, 2015)

canesfan said:


> "Because the owner will not be part of the SVN, the Home Options will not transfer into StarOptions; however, at eight months out from the arrival date, the new owner will be able to reserve in either the Resort or Diamond Season, utilizing the 95,700 Home Options. "



I'm a little surprised to see this.  I thought reserving out of the season that you own (if your ownership wouldn't allow you to book that season at 12-8 months) is a StarOption transaction and if you don't have StarOptions from not being in SVN, you wouldn't be able to change seasons at < 8 months.


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## canesfan (Sep 10, 2015)

pathways25 said:


> I'm a little surprised to see this.  I thought reserving out of the season that you own (if your ownership wouldn't allow you to book that season at 12-8 months) is a StarOption transaction and if you don't have StarOptions from not being in SVN, you wouldn't be able to change seasons at < 8 months.



I think this is a matter of wording at this point.  They have now introduced Home Options to us.  For me, I think of them as Star Options.  Whether you can use those SO in SVN is a matter of them being from a mandatory or voluntary resort.  I think SW/Vistana wants us to now start thinking of them as Home Options.  In this case, those Options at <8 months can be used to reserve a different room type or season than what was purchased, only at the resort where the Home Options reside.  Just like our deeded weeks. 

I wonder at what point our reservation system will no longer have StarOptions but HomeOptions at the top to indicate our total?  They obviously want to rewire our way of thinking, otherwise they would have left it as SO.


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## VacationForever (Sep 10, 2015)

canesfan said:


> I think this is a matter of wording at this point.  They have now introduced Home Options to us.  For me, I think of them as Star Options.  Whether you can use those SO in SVN is a matter of them being from a mandatory or voluntary resort.  I think SW/Vistana wants us to now start thinking of them as Home Options.  In this case, those Options at <8 months can be used to reserve a different room type or season than what was purchased, only at the resort where the Home Options reside.  Just like our deeded weeks.



Deeded weeks are not able to reserve outside of the deeded season.


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## SMHarman (Sep 10, 2015)

canesfan said:


> I think this is a matter of wording at this point.  They have now introduced Home Options to us.
> 
> I wonder at what point our reservation system will no longer have StarOptions but HomeOptions at the top to indicate our total?  They obviously want to rewire our way of thinking, otherwise they would have left it as SO.



It's not a matter of wording though it is all about MF numerator and denominators. 

Let's take a hypothetical resort (because I am typing on a phone not a pc)  

MF is 1000 per week 52000 per year. 

In deeded week/ SO world each of the 52 owners paid 1000 and got a week or a variable number of SO. So some got 148k SO for their 1000 and some got 37k SO. 

Now in HO world you calculate MF differently. 

Again for my brains mental arithmetic. 100k SO for 20 plat weeks and 75 for for 10 gold week's and 50 for 22 silver weeks. So total 2000 + 750 + 1100 = 3850 SO 

The 52000 is shared over the 3850 options so those with silver weeks pay 50/3850 * 52000 and those with platinum week's pay 100/3850 * 3850. 

MF is now more equitable. 

It's not about getting rid of one or the other but making silver weeks price and ongoing cost commensurate to their desirability. 

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## canesfan (Sep 10, 2015)

sptung said:


> Deeded weeks are not able to reserve outside of the deeded season.



After 8 months they can.


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## canesfan (Sep 10, 2015)

SMHarman said:


> It's not a matter of wording though it is all about MF numerator and denominators.
> 
> Let's take a hypothetical resort (because I am typing on a phone not a pc)
> 
> ...


Oh, don't get me wrong.  I get why they are doing it on an economics scale.  I'm talking about their use right now.  Not about their MF.


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## SMHarman (Sep 10, 2015)

canesfan said:


> After 8 months they can.


No they can't. It's a SO reservation or nothing if a voluntary week. 

In some circumstances the original plan had an option to pay to book outside your home period but not most. 


canesfan said:


> Oh, don't get me wrong.  I get why they are doing it on an economics scale.  I'm talking about their use right now.  Not about their MF.


And indirectly so am I. At this time I do not forsee how or why SVO would merge SO And HO. 

HO are for life. SO are for the first owner / mandatory owner. 

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## VacationForever (Sep 10, 2015)

canesfan said:


> After 8 months they can.



I don't know which Starwood resort you own, not the ones that I own.  I can only book weeks within the platinum season with a platinum season week, gold plus season with a gold plus week.  If I want season outside of the deeded season and if the week is not in SVN I have to trade through II.


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## canesfan (Sep 10, 2015)

sptung said:


> I don't know which Starwood resort you own, not the ones that I own.  I can only book weeks within the platinum season with a platinum season week, gold plus season with a gold plus week.  If I want season outside of the deeded season and if the week is not in SVN I have to trade through II.



First I'm not talking resale, I'm still referring to purchasing HO from developer.  But even so, I guess I'm misunderstanding how seasons work.  I own Maui, WLR and WSJ.  I've never had an issue making a reservation outside of the 12-8 month window, so I guess I was still in my season.


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## alexadeparis (Sep 10, 2015)

canesfan said:


> First I'm not talking resale, I'm still referring to purchasing HO from developer.  But even so, I guess I'm misunderstanding how seasons work.  I own Maui, WLR and WSJ.  I've never had an issue making a reservation outside of the 12-8 month window, so I guess I was still in my season.



And that seems to be the difference between HO and SO. With the new HO program, even a resale buyer can still change seasons within their home resort, where a straight SO-voluntary resale only can make a weeks reservation at the home resort in their original season. So therefore, the new HO's are more flexible than SO's, because it still allows use of the home resort out of season. Maybe it is best to think of HO's as SO's internal to the home resort only.


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## SMHarman (Sep 10, 2015)

canesfan said:


> First I'm not talking resale, I'm still referring to purchasing HO from developer.  But even so, I guess I'm misunderstanding how seasons work.  I own Maui, WLR and WSJ.  I've never had an issue making a reservation outside of the 12-8 month window, so I guess I was still in my season.


You can book your home resort season from 12-8 months on preference and then again from 7-0 months as well. As a retail purchase the latter would show as a SO ressie. As a resale purchase your latter would still be a week ressie. 

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## GrayFal (Sep 10, 2015)

alexadeparis said:


> And that seems to be the difference between HO and SO. With the new HO program, even a resale buyer can still change seasons within their home resort, where a straight SO-voluntary resale only can make a weeks reservation at the home resort in their original season. So therefore, the new HO's are more flexible than SO's, because it still allows use of the home resort out of season. Maybe it is best to think of HO's as SO's internal to the home resort only.



Yes, you have got it!
And I think it is great!
It does not affect Hawaii owners as it is all one season. 
But I can book any season at CV using HO at 8 months. A win win for resale owners. 

And I imagine that when some of the new resorts come online, they will have different seasons as well.


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## SMHarman (Sep 10, 2015)

But your HO will still onlywork at CV

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## LisaRex (Sep 10, 2015)

SMHarman said:


> But your HO will still only work at CV



...Cause she doesn't want to work on the mean streets of Cruz Bay.  

Ahem.  But even though you can exchange into any season, you are of course limited by the number of HOs that you purchased.  

So, for example, if you buy 148,100 SOs, that allows you to stay 7 nights in a 2 bdrm during platinum season, but only 5-6 nights in platinum plus season.  And no matter how you slice it, you're left with 6740 useless HOs (assuming you don't want to stay in a smaller unit), which increases your cost per point. 

If you stayed during gold plus season, you could stay up to 12 nights, but then you're left with an even clunkier 9,425 HOs.  That's a lot of HOs to leave on the table, so I'd buy with the intention of using them during one particular season in order to maximize their value.


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## SMHarman (Sep 10, 2015)

That 'change' certainly gives CV more wiggle room to manage those that change season's. 

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## GrayFal (Sep 11, 2015)

SMHarman said:


> But your HO will still onlywork at CV
> 
> Sent from my LT26i using Tapatalk


Correct. Only at CV in my season 8-12 months out and in all seasons (2) at < 8 months. 

Since there is talk of other new resorts which could possibly have two or three seasons and will be Voluntary, I think this added flexibility is a plus for Devoloper and resale owners.

Developer owners could always book out of their season at < 8 months using StarOptions. 
Now if they decide to sell, the resale buyer also has the option to use the ownership outside of the assigned season at that resort making it a more attractive ownership IMO. 
With all other Voluntary resorts, the resale owner can only book/reserve/stay during their assigned season. 

YMMV


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## GrayFal (Sep 11, 2015)

LisaRex said:


> ...Cause she doesn't want to work on the mean streets of Cruz Bay.
> 
> Ahem.  But even though you can exchange into any season, you are of course limited by the number of HOs that you purchased.
> 
> ...



Leave it to TUG to change HomeOptions to a  working girl. 
What was Starwood thinking? I had had the exact same thought every time I saw HO. 


Back on topic.......

Yes, it will certainly be costly to use out of season. But I like the flexibility. 

With 95,700, I can stay school vacation week 34 with the family in a 2BR loft.
Or any other time week 34-50 (planning week 44, 2016)
I can stay 9-10 days in a studio when LisaH is there week 32 or any other week 18-33
I can stay 2 weeks with DH in a studio 34-50 or get two studios for one week, using one and renting one. 
I could get a studio for 8 nights in Platium Plus/Diamond Season
I could get a 7 night studio week 34-50 and add 4 studio nights before or after my week 7 Hillside stay.

And a reminder that you can check in on any day leaving fewer Homeless HO

In my mind, I am taking the total MF and dividing it by the usage I can get. 
And I am okay with those numbers even if I end up with a few unused HO. 



SMHarman said:


> That 'change' certainly gives CV more wiggle room to manage those that change season's.
> 
> Sent from my LT26i using Tapatalk



i like the  wiggle room and flexibility of this ownership.
YMMV


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## LisaRex (Sep 11, 2015)

GrayFal said:


> i like the  wiggle room and flexibility of this ownership.



I like it, too, especially the flexible check-in days (which offers a lot of flexibility with airfare and will reduce the lines at check-in), but I think that they should offer you the option of banking HOs, too.


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## SMHarman (Sep 11, 2015)

LisaRex said:


> I like it, too, especially the flexible check-in days (which offers a lot of flexibility with airfare and will reduce the lines at check-in), but I think that they should offer you the option of banking HOs, too.


But if you bank HO you create the very real risk that a HO owner cannot book in their guaranteed use period as you have given a very specific banked asset rather than the more generic book anywhere SO. 

Sent from my LT26i using Tapatalk


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## GrayFal (Sep 11, 2015)

LisaRex said:


> I like it, too, especially the flexible check-in days (which offers a lot of flexibility with airfare and will reduce the lines at check-in), but I think that they should offer you the option of banking HOs, too.



For a Developer Purchaser, you can bank your HO, (they become SO) or use your HO as SO, booking other resorts at 8 months as usual.
But since this is a voluntary resort, as a resale owner, I never had that option. 



SMHarman said:


> But if you bank HO you create the very real risk that a HO owner cannot book in their guaranteed use period as you have given a very specific banked asset rather than the more generic book anywhere SO.
> 
> Sent from my LT26i using Tapatalk


When you bank your HO as a developer purchaser, they become SO.

I can not book time outside of my season until 8 months, same as anyone with SO. 
So if a HO owner has not booked by the 8 month mark, they would lose out to anyone with SO.


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## SMHarman (Sep 11, 2015)

LisaRex said:


> I like it, too, especially the flexible check-in days (which offers a lot of flexibility with airfare and will reduce the lines at check-in), but I think that they should offer you the option of banking HOs, too.





GrayFal said:


> For a Developer Purchaser, you can bank your HO, (they become SO) or use your HO as SO, booking other resorts at 8 months as usual.
> But since this is a voluntary resort, as a resale owner, I never had that option.
> 
> 
> ...


Maybe I am inferring to much in Lisa's post but I think she was wanting the option to bank HO to use as HO the following year at the 12 month mark. 

Not to have them automagically convert to SO which can be banked and used at the 8 month mark. Or SOHO the option a resale owner gets to use in an alternate season at the 8 month mark in their own resort only. 

Sent from my LT26i using Tapatalk


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