# How about this purchasing idea?



## cindi (Aug 26, 2007)

I have gotten the huge bug to buy a Westin. I was (and still am) doing as much reading about the Westin Maui and the Westin plan in genereal as I can find.

I got a suggestion from someone to purchase a less expensive Sheraton resort and trade into the higher priced ones that I want to visit, such as Maui and St. John.

In theory this is a great idea. But practically, does it work? I do know that I like the Vistana Village timeshares, but will they exchange into those resorts? I would like to find something I would use, at least occasionally. Problem with VV is that I already own two Marriotts in Orlando as well as Disney points I use to add onto my trips.

Is there another mandatory resort I should be looking at? Or is this just a bad idea/plan in general?


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## Denise L (Aug 26, 2007)

Exchanging internally with Staroptions could work, but you'd need to be flexible with your dates. We have school-aged kids and I don't have as much flexibility as to when we can go, so that 12-month home resort preference is critical. 

I think St. John and Harborside are the hardest to exchange into, given the small size of the resorts, high purchase prices, high MFs, and fixed week owners.  Maui availability has been fairly easy to come by for non-peak weeks, but not for holiday weeks. This could change as the WKORV-N villas are completed. I have no idea what to expect for WPORV availability. Also, if you don't care about your views or villa location, using SOs is fine.  As a SVN exchanger, you don't have any preferences, so you might get a parking lot view at the original WKORV.

If you are happy going to Vistana Villages if you can't get into another Starwood resort, then buying resale (or even developer) there is definitely less expensive. Westin Kierland is the other popular "mandatory" resort within SVN. You can buy 148,100 SOs there.


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## Twinkstarr (Aug 26, 2007)

Cindi,

Just from what I have read about St. John and Harborside, it's probably hard to get in during popular times if you are not an owner. To put in DVC terms, it's like trying to get BCV or BWV at 7 months for F&W or VWL for Xmas at 7 months.


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## cindi (Aug 26, 2007)

Thanks Denise,

I didn't think about the view, or rather lack of. If I were to go to a tropical vacation and spend huge $$ on airfare, etc. I would very much want the ocean view. Or at least not the parking lot view. I would be very very disappointed in a parking lot view.  

I think we would be more likely to use Westin Kierland than VV. Of course the prices are also much higher and we still wouldn't have the view. 

So much to think of!


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## Denise L (Aug 26, 2007)

cindi said:


> I didn't think about the view, or rather lack of. If I were to go to a tropical vacation and spend huge $$ on airfare, etc. I would very much want the ocean view. Or at least not the parking lot view. I would be very very disappointed in a parking lot view.



At WKORV-N, it is my understanding that there aren't any parking lot views. So you could try and exchange into that resort (though no full ovens) for a better view.  But it's never guaranteed. Would you be traveling off-season to Maui?


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## Transit (Aug 26, 2007)

Trading through SVN is possible but if your intention is travel during peak seasons buy at the resort and season you wish to use the most.


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## cindi (Aug 26, 2007)

I definitely want to travel during peak times. I want to get out of ND in the winter! 

I am only looking at platinum times for sure. 

Anyone thing there would be a possibility of direct exchanges if you had a popular place, as in Maui? I am guessing other owners would like to try Maui and be willing to swap at St Thomas, etc. 

I am not liking the idea of trading in II. Not if they give you any kind of place and season they what in place of your prime week.


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## DeniseM (Aug 26, 2007)

cindi said:


> Anyone think there would be a possibility of direct exchanges if you had a popular place, as in Maui? I am guessing other owners would like to try Maui and be willing to swap at St Thomas, etc.



Unfortunately, that hasn't been successful.  A couple of years ago, a Tugger set up a private board for SVN exchanges, and there was a lot of interest and a lot of sign-ups.   But, almost everyone wanted a private exchange for St. John, or wanted to exchange into Hawaii or Harborside, with a less in demand resort.  I don't believe a single exchange every materialized.  

The reason for this is that owner occupancy is extremely high at the St. John resort and if they don't use it they can rent for big bucks.  Generally, the owners at WSJ are east coasters and I also don't think there is as much demand for Hawaii from people who have to fly all that distance from the east coast.  

So, my golden standard is, "Buy where you want to go!"  (And the season and unit size you want, too!)

And just to play the devil's advocate.  You might want to consider some of the smaller resorts too.  One thing about the mega resorts is that we have found them to be too busy, noisy, and crowded - I guess that means we are getting old!    There are some great deals out there at far less than what you will pay for Starwood.  

We just bought 2 ocean FRONT 1 bdm., 2 bath units at the Pahio Kauai Beach Villas and paid $1,300 for one and $1,500 for the other.  It's true that they are not the top dog like the Westin is, but they're nice, the price was great, and the units are full ocean-front.  (You can see pictures if you click on the link to my webpage below my sig.)  As an added benefit, you can make a reservation 14 mos. out, and you can request a specific unit and if it is available, they will assign it to you on the spot - at 14 mos. out!


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## Transit (Aug 26, 2007)

cindi said:


> I have gotten the huge bug to buy a Westin. I was (and still am) doing as much reading about the Westin Maui and the Westin plan in genereal as I can find.
> 
> I got a suggestion from someone to purchase a less expensive Sheraton resort and trade into the higher priced ones that I want to visit, such as Maui and St. John.
> 
> ...



IMHO this iis a bad idea if you need peak season at one of Starwoods big 3 resorts then you need to buy there. Getting in through internal exchange or II is diifficult and sometimes impossible.


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## vacationtime1 (Aug 26, 2007)

Kierland will cost you $22,000 - $24, 000 resale for 2 bedroom lockoff Platinum, 148,100 StarOptions; the MF's are currently $1,047 + SVN's mandatory $99 fee.

WKORV will cost you $29,000 - $31,000 resale for a 2 bedroom lockoff Platinum ocean view, 148,100 StarOptions; the MF's are approximately $1,550 + SVN's mandatory $99 fee.

Kierland will likely exchange into WKORV if you don't need summer or Presidents' week, are very diligent about calling SVN at the 8 month mark, are somewhat flexible about dates, and follow up frequently if you don't get the reservation initially.  The problem will be guaranteeing your view.  You don't want to end up with a island view at WKORV (thereby risking a parking lot view).  This does not appear to be a similar risk at WKORV-N because it is configured differently.  *But there is no way to guarantee an ocean view at Westin's Maui properties unless you buy it.*

FWIW -- and that's not much -- we exchanged our Kierland into WKORV this June and got ocean view rooms; we considered ourselves lucky, which only enhanced our enjoyment of that excellent resort.


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## azsunluvr (Aug 26, 2007)

For your reference, I own at Sheraton's Desert Oasis, purchased through the developer, so I can trade via SVN. Since I live about 30 minutes from there, we have never and will never stay there. I've had 2 trades into Harborside, one over New Year's and one early next month; a trade to Vistana Villages (which I ended up having to rent out) in June; Myrtle Beach in July; Westin Ka'anapali in November & May/June. We've been really happy with everything. Even our "parking lot view" on Maui was pretty, since the waterfall/volcano was right in front of our unit. You probably SHOULD purchase where you want to go, but if you don't, it still can work!


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## DavidnRobin (Aug 26, 2007)

WKV has great value on so many levels - and if you ever decide to go there - a great resort and location (esp if you like heat).

WSJ has value also, but in another way - you really want to go to STJ on a regular basis and because that type of resort and its location fits your vacation desire (it is fabulous place, but not for everybody).  Our problem w/ WSJ is that we only have 1 week and not 2 weeks.

(btw - when visiting STJ - avoid anything that has to do with the 'police' getting involved - the USVI so-called justice system is totally corrupt - you will get no justice or satisfaction.  Don't get me wrong - we love the place, but don't hang out drunk/wasted in Cruz Bay after midnite - and/or attempt to walk back to WSJ. Like anyplace really - but don't get a false sense of security from the paradise it appears to be - and is...)

I don't buy not being able to exchange into WSJ.   In the 2 visits we have had there (mid-June) - there have been alot of vacant villas - and people staying for less than 7-days (SVO renters).  I think there is something more going on here (both SVO/SVN-wise and owner-wise) than 'meets the 'eye' and should be investigated.  Hopefully, with WSJ BV being built - exchanging will get easier.


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## oneohana (Aug 26, 2007)

cindi said:


> I definitely want to travel during peak times. I want to get out of ND in the winter!
> 
> I am only looking at platinum times for sure.
> 
> ...



Cindi,
Your peak times and most other people's peak times are different. If you are just trying to get out of ND in winter, you have a pretty good chance of getting the exchanges you want. Most people are tied down to a school schedule, so peak times are President's Day weekend, Sring Break, and Summer break. And of course Christmas and New Years weeks. Usually those last 2 are event weeks and are sold as such.


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## cindi (Aug 27, 2007)

DeniseM said:


> And just to play the devil's advocate.  You might want to consider some of the smaller resorts too.  One thing about the mega resorts is that we have found them to be too busy, noisy, and crowded - I guess that means we are getting old!    There are some great deals out there at far less than what you will pay for Starwood.
> 
> We just bought 2 ocean FRONT 1 bdm., 2 bath units at the Pahio Kauai Beach Villas and paid $1,300 for one and $1,500 for the other.  It's true that they are not the top dog like the Westin is, but they're nice, the price was great, and the units are full ocean-front.  (You can see pictures if you click on the link to my webpage below my sig.)  As an added benefit, you can make a reservation 14 mos. out, and you can request a specific unit and if it is available, they will assign it to you on the spot - at 14 mos. out!



You sure got a wonderful price on those timeshares. I am impressed.  My concern about the Pahio resorts is the lack of air conditioning. I am assuming they are all the same as Shearwater, so no air. 

Do you find it difficult at times without it? I totally can't sleep at night if I am too warm.


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## cindi (Aug 27, 2007)

azsunluvr said:


> For your reference, I own at Sheraton's Desert Oasis, purchased through the developer, so I can trade via SVN. Since I live about 30 minutes from there, we have never and will never stay there. I've had 2 trades into Harborside, one over New Year's and one early next month; a trade to Vistana Villages (which I ended up having to rent out) in June; Myrtle Beach in July; Westin Ka'anapali in November & May/June. We've been really happy with everything. Even our "parking lot view" on Maui was pretty, since the waterfall/volcano was right in front of our unit. You probably SHOULD purchase where you want to go, but if you don't, it still can work!



Sure sounds like what I was wondering about can be done! Great trades!


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