# [2010] This guy owns 20 weeks at the Westin Ka'anapali!



## rickandcindy23 (Nov 30, 2009)

http://honolulu.craigslist.org/mau/vac/1488584770.html

He also has ads posted for Marriotts in Hawaii.  

That's just too much money to have invested in timeshare.


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## DeniseM (Nov 30, 2009)

The link leads back to a Maui Real Estate webpage, so he probably is a rental agent, rather than owning all those timeshares.


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## DanCali (Dec 1, 2009)

How about the guy who has www.wkorv.com and www.wporv.com and www.westin-lagunamar.com? I guess if he rents at those rates he truly can retire on this strategy.


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## James1975NY (Dec 2, 2009)

DanCali said:


> How about the guy who has www.wkorv.com and www.wporv.com and www.westin-lagunamar.com...? I guess if he rents at those rates he truly can retire on this strategy.



I hope he contunies to be succesful. (That was not a typo)


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## califgal (Dec 3, 2009)

This isn't about those ads but since it's reguarding owning tons of weeks,  as a matter of interest, my former neighbor owns months at WKORV and they go and live there! They have lots of money and no kids.


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## DeniseM (Dec 3, 2009)

James1975NY said:


> I hope he *contunies* to be succesful. (That was not a typo)



OK, I will be the first to ask - Say what?


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## DeniseM (Dec 3, 2009)

califgal said:


> This isn't about those ads but since it's reguarding owning tons of weeks,  as a matter of interest, my former neighbor owns months at WKORV and they go and live there! They have lots of money and no kids.



Think of the condo or home they could have bought instead....


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## califgal (Dec 3, 2009)

> Think of the condo or home they could have bought instead



Yes!  That's what I think!  I think they probably also convert some of those weeks or months, into starpoints( I know....ouch!) I guess they like to throw their money around!


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## Ken555 (Dec 3, 2009)

califgal said:


> Yes!  That's what I think!  I think they probably also convert some of those weeks or months, into starpoints( I know....ouch!) I guess they like to throw their money around!



Owning a timeshare is much easier to handle for some than a "home". Much less administrative and time commitments, and that benefit is worthwhile to some to pay developer prices for peace of mind.


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## Henry M. (Dec 3, 2009)

There are lots of multimillion dollar vacation homes on Maui that only get used for a month or two every year. For example the homes in Kapalua Plantation are rarely occupied. I think to have a month or two worth of timeshare time is a viable alternative to owning full time if you have the money to do it.

You could probably outright own a vacation home in some remote lake a few hours away from the next major city on the mainland for what it costs to buy 4+ developer weeks at WKORV (which allow you to stay there 8 weeks if you lock them off). Double or more on the resale market. Depending on the state, taxes and insurance might be comparable to the maintenance fees, or a little less, but then you'd be liable for repairs and would likely spend part of every vacation fixing things and taking care of the property. If you hired someone to take care of it year round, now your costs are not far off from what the maintenance fees are.  If you can only use the vacation place a few weeks per year anyhow, then multiple timeshare weeks are not that outrageous.

You could buy a condo on Ka'anapali, but now you are talking over a million bucks to get something similar to a 2BR WKORV unit right on the beach, say at Ka'anapaii Ali'i or at the new place north of WKORV. There are two single-home, 1-acre bare lots next to WKORV being sold for over $9 million each!


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## LisaRex (Dec 3, 2009)

I own a lake cottage in Kentucky.  It was built by my great grandfather so it's not quite the luxury standard of WKORV  but I can tell you that owning is a lot more of a headache than renting a condo.  

I'd never own another vacation house unless I planned to be there for months at a time.  In Maui, my first preference would be to buy in as a fractional condo owner.  That way, I'd be able to get to know my neighbors and feel like it was really home vs. feeling like a transient.  

One of the biggest downside to timesharing vs. owning, aside from the timeshare tax (!) is that you can't leave your stuff in your timeshare.  When we rented the 2 bdrm at Kaanapali Shores from a private owner, it was great to have spices and condiments and beach stuff/snorkel gear already there vs. having to buy them or lug them there.  I think a fraction ownership would be ideal in that you could leave or store your stuff onsite.


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## califgal (Dec 3, 2009)

I'm sure my neighbors felt that since they have lots of money it was a lot less headache to buy all those weeks vs. keeping up a home in Maui.  I know they even had a storage area somewhere.  I don't know if they bought oceanfront or oceanview.  I guess it worked for them, everyones situation is different.


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## James1975NY (Dec 3, 2009)

DeniseM said:


> OK, I will be the first to ask - Say what?



I was just teasing. Go to the site and start the reservation request process. For some reason, typos on websites urk me


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## thomasro3 (Jan 7, 2010)

James1975NY said:


> I hope he contunies to be succesful. (That was not a typo)



Holy Peanuts! batman!  This guys site is actualy nicely laid out.  Good luck to him.  My preference is to use the unit myself or with family/friends.  I have however been able to rent out most of my units on craigslist when my travel plans change.  Sometimes the money is hardly worth the effort though.  I suppose it is still better than converting to points or eating the non use.

-T


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## Picker57 (Jan 24, 2011)

LisaRex said:


> I own a lake cottage in Kentucky.  It was built by my great grandfather so it's not quite the luxury standard of WKORV  but I can tell you that owning is a lot more of a headache than renting a condo.
> 
> I'd never own another vacation house unless I planned to be there for months at a time.  In Maui, my first preference would be to buy in as a fractional condo owner.  That way, I'd be able to get to know my neighbors and feel like it was really home vs. feeling like a transient.  .



 That might be the understatement of the decade.  Another big item - maintenance. We own a share of a townhome in a Colo. ski area, and finding local tradesmen -when you're only available on weekends - is a nightmare. 

Quick question: Does ownership of a DEEDED timeshare qualify as owning property in Hawaii? I'm idly wondering what it takes to be considered a 'local'. 

          Cheers,
                          Zach


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## DeniseM (Jan 24, 2011)

Zach - No, a TS does not make you a local.  To get local discounts you need a local driver's license.


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## Picker57 (Jan 24, 2011)

Thanks Denise. We're starting to spend 3 weeks at a time there now, so always on the prowl for inexpensive golf. 

           ----ZK


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## K&PFitz (Jan 24, 2011)

James1975NY said:


> I was just teasing. Go to the site and start the reservation request process. For some reason, typos on websites urk me



That should be "irk".


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## DeniseM (Jan 24, 2011)

Please note that this thread is from Jan. *2010*...


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## gregb (Jan 24, 2011)

I remember reading in the TS Owner's manual, a clause that explicitly says that staying in a Time Share does not allow you to qualify as a resident, no matter how long you stay.  I believe there is also a clause saying you can own/stay in the unit for no more than some number of weeks in one year, maybe 24 or so, I forget how many.  

Greg



Picker57 said:


> That might be the understatement of the decade.  Another big item - maintenance. We own a share of a townhome in a Colo. ski area, and finding local tradesmen -when you're only available on weekends - is a nightmare.
> 
> Quick question: Does ownership of a DEEDED timeshare qualify as owning property in Hawaii? I'm idly wondering what it takes to be considered a 'local'.
> 
> ...


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## RichardL (Jan 24, 2011)

I actually called this guy, Tom Lewis.  He seems to have his act together and he was quiet helpful.  He is my new retirement hero.


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## M&JJ (Jan 24, 2011)

Another danger when you own a vacation property in a location such as Hawaii and renting it out...  One of the ladies in my office has family that own a vacation home on Oahu.  They had been renting it out for times when they were not able to use it.  The renters decided that they would have a garage sale near the end of their rental period and sold everything in the house.  All the TV's, electronics, furniture, dishes, pots and pans were gone.


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## billymach4 (Jan 24, 2011)

M&JJ said:


> Another danger when you own a vacation property in a location such as Hawaii and renting it out...  One of the ladies in my office has family that own a vacation home on Oahu.  They had been renting it out for times when they were not able to use it.  The renters decided that they would have a garage sale near the end of their rental period and sold everything in the house.  All the TV's, electronics, furniture, dishes, pots and pans were gone.



:hysterical: :hysterical: :hysterical: :hysterical: :hysterical: :hysterical:


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## LisaRex (Jan 25, 2011)

Wow.  That's chutzpah!


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