# Sheraton Vistana Resort, Orlando, FL



## KellyGirl (Jul 22, 2011)

Hello everyone!
Does anyone know about Fixed Weeks vs. Floating at the SVR? I've been told that only certain sections float and other sections are fixed weeks only.
Any help would be much appreciated since we are anxious to buy there and possibly use the time this October. 
Thanks in advance!
kellygirl


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## MommaBear (Jul 23, 2011)

Hi- I own in both Cascades (floating) and Courts (fixed). I am going to send you a PM (private message)


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## amanven (Jul 23, 2011)

Spas, Falls, Courts and I believe Springs are fixed weeks.  Fountains 1 and 2Cascades and Lakes are float weeks.  Not sure about Palms but I think it is fixed weeks.


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## DeniseM (Jul 24, 2011)

Hi Kelly Girl and welcome to TUG!   

Sheraton Vistana Resort is a Starwood resort, so I moved your question to that forum.

Each unit is deeded in a specific phase, so determine whether the unit is fixed or floating we need to know the name of the phase you are buying.

This is a nice resort - newly renovated, but because of the economy, these units are selling for $1 on the resale market.  If you are paying much more than that - you are paying too much.  In fact, several of these timeshares have been GIVEN AWAY on TUG - I actually got my SVR week for free.

*If you'd like to share the details of exactly what you are buying, you will get a lot of input - I HIGHLY recommend that you get some advice, before you commit to buying anything.*

For a good intro. to Starwood, please read the FAQ at the top of the Starwood forum, and let us know what questions you have.

Also - click on Starwood Owner Resources at the top of the Starwood forum, and you will find info. about SVR there, as well.


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## amanven (Jul 24, 2011)

Okay, I'm probably gonna tick off DeniseM and a few people on this forum  with this post and that is something I would rather not do considering how much good advice and help I have had from them on this forum in the past but I do have to say, I am getting tired of hearing Vistana Resort get denegrated the way it does in this forum sometimes.

Statements like this... "This is a nice resort - newly renovated, but because of the economy, these units are selling for $1 on the resale market. If you are paying much more than that - you are paying too much. In fact, several of these timeshares have been GIVEN AWAY on TUG"  may in fact be true to a certain extent but I don't think they do accurately reflect the value of Vistana Resort Timeshares especially to a Newbie.

I've looked over the ebay ads and yes there are some units avaliable for $1 but more often than not when you read those ads, if the seller is forthright about exactly what they are selling you may find that the $1 timeshares come with a few if, ands, and buts be it the season, the unpaid past maintenance fees or the fact that it's an EOY instead of an EY.

It does a disservice to both the newbies and the Vistana Owners to imply that Vistana units are out there just for the taking and that anyone who pays more than $1 for one is making a big mistake.

Denise, if you got your unit for free that's good!  you got lucky but I consider your case more of an exception rather than the norm and I say this as someone who bought their unit on the resale market not retail and after having spent a considerable amount of time learning first and then looking extensively for a long time.

To KellyGirl who asked the original question, by all means investigate the possibility of getting a Vistana unit at $1 or for free you might get lucky too but do so only after you have done considerable "homework" first on the timeshare market in Florida.  I would be the first to admit that the Florida timeshare market is saturated right now but to expect to suddenly walk into the market and get just what you want for $1 is a bit unrealistic so I would suggest you consider DeniseM's post more as a cautionary note rather than as the definitive value of a Vistana Resort timeshare.


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## sungandjudy (Jul 24, 2011)

amanven said:


> Okay, I'm probably gonna tick off DeniseM and a few people on this forum  with this post and that is something I would rather not do considering how much good advice and help I have had from them on this forum in the past but I do have to say, I am getting tired of hearing Vistana Resort get denegrated the way it does in this forum sometimes.
> 
> Statements like this... "This is a nice resort - newly renovated, but because of the economy, these units are selling for $1 on the resale market. If you are paying much more than that - you are paying too much. In fact, several of these timeshares have been GIVEN AWAY on TUG"  may in fact be true to a certain extent but I don't think they do accurately reflect the value of Vistana Resort Timeshares especially to a Newbie.
> 
> ...



I think what Denise is saying is that these units are available for a dollar (or few dollars) if you look and search enough. This is TRUE, so why would you pay more for this? Just like buying any items, people always look for sales or discounts and they become upset if they found out later that they over-paid. She does state that it's a very nice unit and I wouldn't hesitate to exchange into here if I were to stay in Orlando. Just because it's $1 doesn't mean it's a horrible unit. Heck, my SBP 2 br lock-off "only" cost $2.25 and I think it's wonderful place.


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## MommaBear (Jul 24, 2011)

I bought 2 2 br units (one a lockoff) at SVR for $1 total cost.


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## VacationForever (Jul 24, 2011)

I paid developer price on my Lakes (2BR L/O Annual) and I have never regretted one moment of it ;-).  The "value" of the trades and "pleasure" of the vacation over the years have made it worth every cent.  I have since found TUG and the advice here is invaluable, and I would not buy another developer unit w/o retro in mind and a resale unit in my hand for that purpose.  Back to the main point...I think MommaBear got lucky with $1 for a 2BR L/O in SVR, I have usually seen eBay sale price of around 1K for Lakes and Cascades and L/O would be in those 2 phases only.  

The decision that OP would have to make is L/O vs. non-L/O, floating vs. fixed.  If I were to buy SVR all over again, I would still only buy a floating L/O over a fixed non-LO.  I believe Lake and Cascades are the only 2 phases with L/Os, and the weeks float.


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## DeniseM (Jul 24, 2011)

SVR is routinely selling for $1.  You may see Ads for SVR on ebay for more, but if you check the completed auctions, you will find that the only ones that are selling - go for $1.  There have been several given away for free on the TUG Bargain Deals forum.  Yes, maintenance fees are often added to the sales price - but that is true no matter how you buy a timeshare, and it doesn't change the reality of the resale market.  As an owner, you may not like that, but it's a fact.

I'm not here to bolster the resale price of any resort - even a resort I own - and I own at SVR.  I see no reason that a newbie should be taken advantage of, just because she doesn't know the resale market.  I stand by my post - it is 100% doable to buy a resale at SVR for $1.  Why would you pay more?  YMMV


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## Ken555 (Jul 24, 2011)

I bought my two SVR weeks at $1 each. Of course, I also paid closing costs and some of the special assessment. In any case, thinking these units are somehow worth more than $1 on the open market is inconsistent with the last several years of sales history. 

Of course, I have to point out that I've gotten fantastic trades with my units and I don't regret buying them at all. I also know that when I'm ready to change to different units I will either give them away...or sell for $1.


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## amanven (Jul 24, 2011)

Well then I stand corrected!  

Kellygirl you better buy your unit for $1 or get it free because according to those on this board that is all it's going to be worth once you own it!


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## VacationForever (Jul 24, 2011)

There ARE SVR units that sell for $1.  What I am trying to highlight is that the more "desirable" units are selling a little more than $1.  You have to decide which phase you want to own.  You can always look at eBay completed listing on prices for units that were actually sold.  I saw a Cascades non-L/O unit that had many bids that was sold for around $800 and it has since rolled off as it was more than 30 days.


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## LisaRex (Jul 24, 2011)

amanven said:


> Well then I stand corrected!
> 
> Kellygirl you better buy your unit for $1 or get it free because according to those on this board that is all it's going to be worth once you own it!



Actually, you don't have to even bother with ebay.  There are two SVR units for sale right here on Tug for $1 each and one for $25.


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## Antonio 8069 (Jul 24, 2011)

*banked weeks*



KellyGirl said:


> Hello everyone!
> Does anyone know about Fixed Weeks vs. Floating at the SVR? I've been told that only certain sections float and other sections are fixed weeks only.
> Any help would be much appreciated since we are anxious to buy there and possibly use the time this October.
> Thanks in advance!
> kellygirl



Kelly Girl, the ? you want to ask if you would like to go to SVR in October is whether the 2011 week is available?  Also, whether the 2011 maintenance fees are paid?


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## LisaRex (Jul 24, 2011)

If you want to understand why SVR is selling for so low, consider this site, which is advertised on Pete Werner's Disney site:

http://www.dreamsunlimitedtravel.com/sheraton/vistana/svr-res.cfm

Their rates for a 2 bdrm range from $119 to $299 per night.  No contract required.  And for an extra $20 or so per night, you can get daily housekeeping.

Even Starwood itself is renting the SVR/SVV units for as little as $109/night, and that includes daily housekeeping.  If you sign up with Redweek, the average rental price for a 2 bdrm is ~$125/night. 

So it's not that the resort isn't very nice.  It is.  Unfortunately the rental prices have crashed and Starwood MFs are very high. And that perfect storm is creating a buyer's market for places like SVR.


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## YYJMSP (Jul 24, 2011)

*Cascades/Spas fixed/float*

There are definitely some weird combinations there, as our Cascades and Spas units are fixed at 12-8 months out, and then float.

This behaviour may be due to them being in SVN.


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## DeniseM (Jul 24, 2011)

sptung said:


> There ARE SVR units that sell for $1.  What I am trying to highlight is that the more "desirable" units are selling a little more than $1.  You have to decide which phase you want to own.  You can always look at eBay completed listing on prices for units that were actually sold.  I saw a Cascades non-L/O unit that had many bids that was sold for around $800 and it has since rolled off as it was more than 30 days.



So you'd recommend Cascades?  Why do you find it more desirable?  (I honestly don't know.)  Is the unit itself more desirable, or was the auction for a holiday week, that might attract higher bids?  

If the OP also wants to use this as a trader, the OP might want to consider a 2-bdm. lock-off, for more trading options.


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## VacationForever (Jul 24, 2011)

DeniseM said:


> So you'd recommend Cascades?  Why do you find it more desirable?  (I honestly don't know.)  Is the unit itself more desirable, or was the auction for a holiday week, that might attract higher bids?
> 
> If the OP also wants to use this as a trader, the OP might want to consider a 2-bdm. lock-off, for more trading options.



See my earlier post: "The decision that OP would have to make is L/O vs. non-L/O, floating vs. fixed. If I were to buy SVR all over again, I would still only buy a floating L/O over a fixed non-LO. I believe Lake and Cascades are the only 2 phases with L/Os, and the weeks float."

It's not a simple "Let's stick to a $1 price for SVR.  If you pay more, you would have paid too much.".  OP would have to make that decision on which phase to buy and what type of unit to buy after doing her own research.  Maybe $1 SVR is the right choice if OP has many children and does not perceive needing to trade or a unit with L/O capability, and also likes a particular phase that is not in the "higher" priced phase.  We are talking about a few hundred dollars difference, a drop in the bucket.


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## DeniseM (Jul 24, 2011)

sptung said:


> See my earlier post: "The decision that OP would have to make is L/O vs. non-L/O, floating vs. fixed. If I were to buy SVR all over again, I would still only buy a floating L/O over a fixed non-LO. I believe Lake and Cascades are the only 2 phases with L/Os, and the weeks float.



I saw that, but I still don't understand why this would be your choice?  Why Cascades?  Why a floating week?  Why a L/O?  (I'm not disagreeing with you, but it would be helpful to the OP know know why you would choose this.)

I would buy a fixed week 52 at SVR - a 2 bdm. L/O if possible.  (I'm not sure if they offer a fixed L/O though.)

*Why a fixed week?* - The II/Starwood trading rules don't apply to it:
- you can still deposit the actual week you own
-you can deposit it 2 years out instead of one
-you can do a true "request first" with II  
- A prime fixed week will also have higher trading value than a floating week

*Why Week 52? *- Week 52 has very high demand, so it would have higher trading and exchange value than a floating week.

*Why a lock/off?* - It can be split and used for 2 trades (2 weeks of vacation.)  *But I don't know if SVR has fixed L/O's.

Even if I wanted to visit in the fall, I would not buy a fixed or floating fall week, because fall is very off-season, and it would be a poor trader and renter.  It would be very easy to trade week 52 for any week of the year.  It would also be easier to get rid of the ownership if necessary, than a fall week.

You are correct - it isn't as simple as saying, "Don't pay more than $1," but that's why I asked the OP to come back and give us more info.  

The reason I did include that statement about not spending more than a $1 was in case she was ready to spend hundreds or thousands.  Maybe shell have to spend more than a dollar, but with a little patience, I doubt it.  (Of course maintenance fees and closing are additional fees, that may need to be paid, but it's not reasonable to call them the selling price - everyone has to pay maintenance fees, whether they sell their TS or not.)


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## VacationForever (Jul 24, 2011)

DeniseM said:


> I saw that, but I still don't understand why this would be your choice?  Why Cascades?



:hysterical: No Cascades for me.  With your advice, I bought SDO instead!  I paid a couple of dollars more than $1!


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## DeniseM (Jul 24, 2011)

sptung said:


> :hysterical: No Cascades for me.  With your advice, I bought SDO instead!  I paid a couple of dollars more than $1!



Ah - OK - in your earlier post you said that a Cascades week went for $800, so I thought you were saying it was a more desirable week.


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## VacationForever (Jul 24, 2011)

I read from other posts by several Tuggers who have stayed at SVR indicated that they prefer 1) Lakes (quiet and largest) 2) Cascades (newest) 3)....  I have personally never stayed at Lakes or Cascades as I bought pre-construction.


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## DeniseM (Jul 24, 2011)

sptung said:


> I read from other posts by several Tuggers who have stayed at SVR indicated that they prefer 1) Lakes (quiet and largest) 2) Cascades (newest) 3)....  I have personally never stayed at Lakes or Cascades as I bought pre-construction.



Since the whole resort has been completely renovated, do you think there is still a difference in "newness" between Cascades and the rest of the resort?

If Lakes is larger and quieter, that would be appealing to me, as well.


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## DeniseM (Jul 24, 2011)

amanven said:


> Well then I stand corrected!
> 
> Kellygirl you better buy your unit for $1 or get it free because according to those on this board that is all it's going to be worth once you own it!



You seem to be angry with posters, for posting well-known facts about the timeshare resale market.  I understand that you wish your SVR timeshare was selling for more on the resale market, but it's not logical to shoot the messenger.

I agree with you - this is a lovely, newly renovated resort.  It's a great place to stay.  But the fact is that it's selling for $1 on ebay - it's the economy - not the quality of the resort.  The Orlando timeshare market is FLOODED with nice resorts, and any time there is far more supply than demand, prices will go down.  It's simple economics.  Trying to hide that fact on TUG won't change it, and would be a disservice to new posters.


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## VacationForever (Jul 24, 2011)

DeniseM said:


> Since the whole resort has been completely renovated, do you think there is still a difference in "newness" between Cascades and the rest of the resort?
> 
> If Lakes is larger and quieter, that would be appealing to me, as well.



I was looking at Lakes and Cascades as possible addition a couple of months ago and hence I was paying attention to the price.  There was nothing special about the unit that was sold for ~$800 and it was not even a L/O.  I finally went with SDO after looking at Marriott's Canyon Villas as well.  It was a tough decision on whether to go outside of Starwood or not.  I also wanted something that was close enough that I could drive to if I decide not to fly.   I also looked at WMH but I have never been there before and the maintenance fee is quite a bit higher and I may still end up buying a resale there.  I will check it out soon...


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## YYJMSP (Jul 25, 2011)

DeniseM said:


> I would buy a fixed week 52 at SVR - a 2 bdm. L/O if possible.  (I'm not sure if they offer a fixed L/O though.)



Yes, I believe you are able to buy a "fixed" L/O -- we have a fixed/float week 51 (with a Fri check-in, which seems to include Christmas every year) 2BR L/O at Cascades.

The paperwork all says fixed, but we have the option to float due to SVN membership.


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## VacationForever (Jul 25, 2011)

YYJMSP said:


> Yes, I believe you are able to buy a "fixed" L/O -- we have a fixed/float week 51 (with a Sun check-in, which seems to include Christmas every other year) 2BR L/O at Cascades.
> 
> The paperwork all says fixed, but we have the option to float due to SVN membership.



Good point.  My Lakes also comes with fixed/float.  It's not an SVN thing but it's in the original deed.  They book it automatically more than 12 months ahead of the deeded date.  Last year, I get notified in email 12 months ahead that my deeded week was booked for me.  I had to call SVO/SVN to cancel my deeded week before I could deposit into II.  I said more than 12 months because for this year after I joined SVN, my StarOptions were automatically moved over to book the week 18 months ahead (for 2012).  I had to call to ask them to remove the booking of my deeded week.


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## KellyGirl (Jul 27, 2011)

*thanks!*

Thank you all so much for the information. I love all the debating and going back and forth since it's a great way to learn. And, learning I have done here with this awesome group!!!
I do not have any particulars to give though as I am still learning and researching and waiting for that "right" deal!
Special thanks to DeniseM as you have a great way to define, explain, and point out what I needed to know. IMO, your posts are filled with invaluable information!
I have spent hours upon hours here and hope to find two weeks, one at SVR since we have rented there before and have fallen in love with the resort. We stayed at Falls section which was great proximity to pool, gym, mini-golf, playground, main kids activity center and a short walk to the General Store. The second week is still up in the air.....I'd like to own a good trader but I'm not sure which way to go w/this week, maybe Wyndam points????
Thanks,
Kellygirl, aka newbie


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## DeniseM (Jul 27, 2011)

Kelly - I'm glad you made it back!  

Keep asking questions - we can help!

BTW- Starwood resorts are great traders.  With the exchange company Interval International, Starwood owners have priority for Starwood to Starwood trades, so you can use a modest resale to trade into all of the Starwood resorts - with the exceptions of holiday weeks, Westin St. John, and Harborside Atlantis - which are difficult trades.  Here is a list of all the Starwood resorts. - Click on Resort Collection.


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## LisaRex (Jul 27, 2011)

KellyGirl said:


> The second week is still up in the air.....I'd like to own a good trader but I'm not sure which way to go w/this week, maybe Wyndam points????



I really don't know much about Wyndham, but my advice would be to buy something OTHER than Starwood.  Starwood has great resorts, but even if you buy something just for trading (such as SDO), there just aren't that many Starwood resorts, which really limits the benefit of having a Starwood priority in II.  Given that you're already committed to buying SVR, which can be used for Starwood to Starwood exchanging, I'd recommend a system that has more locations to choose from.

Two years ago, I'd have recommended Marriott as the place to buy should you want to really explore the U.S.  One major downside to Starwood is that it has very few locations that people on the Eastern side of the United States can drive to.  Marriott, on the other hand, has many more options, which can be very important should gas prices continue to make air travel so expensive.  Marriott owners also enjoy a Marriott priority in II, but it's much longer (20 days?), plus they have ~65 resorts in their system vs. just shy of 20 in just a handful of distinct locations for Starwood.

(FYI, in case you haven't been pointed to this site, this gives you a nice summary of the Starwood resorts.  With SVR, you should be able to get into most of them via II, with the exception of perhaps Harborside and Westin St. John, although folks have reported getting into Harborside during hurricane season.)

http://www.starwoodvacationownership.com/starwood_vacation_ownership_resorts.jsp 

Anywho, back to Marriott: Since they introduced their new points system about a year ago, the dust hasn't settled on what that means for owners.  Some kept their home resorts and others converted to points, which means that they don't technically own anywhere specifically.  At this point, I have no idea whether it would behoove you to buy Marriott points or just buy someplace like Marriott Desert Springs, with the sole intention of trading it to other Marriotts.  Perhaps that's a question you could broach on the Marriott board.  It's possible that they won't have good enough data to make recommendations for another few years.  So Marriott remains a big question mark to me now. 

Hilton's program, HGVC, has very nice resorts, but like Starwood, it suffers from its limited locations. 

Wyndham, by default, may come out the winner just because they have a lot of resorts and their program is less vague than Marriott's.  I've heard that their resorts are nice, but I just don't know enough about them to recommend them one way or another. 

Good luck. And remember that there's no rush!  Wait for the best bargain you can get because (as they say), timeshares are like trains.  You miss this one and another one will come along in 5 minutes.


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## Mjasp (Jul 30, 2011)

sptung said:


> There ARE SVR units that sell for $1.  What I am trying to highlight is that the more "desirable" units are selling a little more than $1.  You have to decide which phase you want to own.  You can always look at eBay completed listing on prices for units that were actually sold.  I saw a Cascades non-L/O unit that had many bids that was sold for around $800 and it has since rolled off as it was more than 30 days.



There is a 2BR L/O in the Cascades section for sale for $25 and it's not on Ebay either, I personally don't like L/O's.  We like 2 BR units and like our family to be together in one unit, I feel with the L/O it's like you are separated from each other, but that's just my opinion.



DeniseM said:


> So you'd recommend Cascades?  Why do you find it more desirable?  (I honestly don't know.)  Is the unit itself more desirable, or was the auction for a holiday week, that might attract higher bids?


Denise...I know we are in the minority but my DH doesn't like the Cascades at all, he feels the units are too small and the one thing I do agree with him about is the verandah/patio or whatever you call the enclosed screened porch is tiny in the Cascades units.  In the Palms units the verandah is huge!  We had 8 people out there with room to spare.

The Lakes and Fountains units, never stayed there and I do have to say I hope I never have to stay there, because I like staying in the main area where all the action is.  Nothing like the super pool karaoke at night.


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## NEGreyhound (Jul 30, 2011)

*Cascades for me*

I own both the Lakes (1/1) and the Cascades (2/2/EOY Even l/o) and have never stayed in the Lakes section. I always book in the Cascades or trade/rent my unit. I agree the Cascades is near the action of the main pool and the bar and restaurant! I like the screened in patios with the Cascades but I'd love a patio that could have 8 on it. We just have 4 for breakfast or afternoon drinks on the Cascades patio.


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## KellyGirl (Jul 30, 2011)

Thanks for your input LisaRex....I visited the link to Starwood Resorts a few days back and found what you said to be true. I live in PA and there are not many resorts I'd drive to. I have friends who own Wyndam in Daytona Beach and they love the Wyndam, the resort, the ability to go to other Wyndam Resorts. Funny though, they are in Daytona Beach now and called me to let me know they visited a timeshare office for me there and I can get 150,000 points for only 14k....I had to laugh (to myself) and thanked them....I don't think they realize how the industry is working now....jeez, 14k, ha ha!!!


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## KellyGirl (Jul 30, 2011)

Thanks mjasp....we too like the action....which is why we like the Falls section since it's close to the pool w/slide, the work-out room, mini golf, playground, kids center and a quick walk to the General Store for ice-cream!!!


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## KellyGirl (Jul 30, 2011)

YYJMSP - wondering what is a SVN membership?


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## DeniseM (Jul 30, 2011)

KellyGirl said:


> YYJMSP - wondering what is a SVN membership?



It means that either you bought from the developer, or bought resale at one of the 5 resorts that have Staroptions when you buy resale.  See the Starwood FAQ at the top of the forum for all the details.


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## LisaRex (Aug 1, 2011)

KellyGirl said:


> YYJMSP - wondering what is a SVN membership?



It's a Starwood to Starwood exchange program.  It uses currency called "StarOptions" aka "SOs."  Each resort and villa type has a Starwood designated amount of SOs to spend.  The most recent SO chart is listed in the Owner's Resource tab above. 

As an example, my 2 bdrm WKORV/N is worth 148,100 SOs.  At 8 months out, I can choose any other resort and call SVN to see if it's available for exchange, provided I have sufficient SOs.  

As DeniseM indicated, SVN membership is limited to folks who bought from Starwood or at a resort where SVN membership is mandatory. 

SVN is the best, and perhaps the only, way to exchange to WSJ and HRA during high/shoulder season.  The other resorts, including Hawaii, usually make it to II except perhaps for very popular peak weeks. 

Hope that helps.


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## amanven (Aug 3, 2011)

DeniseM said:


> You seem to be angry with posters, for posting well-known facts about the timeshare resale market.  I understand that you wish your SVR timeshare was selling for more on the resale market, but it's not logical to shoot the messenger.
> 
> I agree with you - this is a lovely, newly renovated resort.  It's a great place to stay.  But the fact is that it's selling for $1 on ebay - it's the economy - not the quality of the resort.  The Orlando timeshare market is FLOODED with nice resorts, and any time there is far more supply than demand, prices will go down.  It's simple economics.  Trying to hide that fact on TUG won't change it, and would be a disservice to new posters.



So you are saying that no matter what the week #, fixed or float, Lockoff/ 2 bedroom/1bedroom, platinum or gold season,Week 51/52, anything or everything, all paid up and ready to use, whatever I want at Vistana will be on ebay for $1.  Sorry I don't buy that (pardon the pun).

I know the The Orlando timeshare market is FLOODED and that it is a well known fact but that does not guarantee you will get what you want when you want it with no strings attached AND get it for $1.

Kelly Girl has to decide what she wants and how bad she wants it and then go looking on ebay.  If it is avaliable on ebay for $1 and closing costs then lucky for her but by no means is ebay the be all and end all vehicle for purchasing a timeshare...it's merely an option that has the potential of working out if you do your homework first.  

BTW  I don't care whether my timeshare sells for more on the resale market or not.  I got mine resale for a very good deal with no hidden costs and it doesn't owe me a dime so if I had to sell it for $1 right now it wouldn't matter to me ... I have more than got my moneys worth out of it already.  What I took exception to was the raised expectations generated in those new to timesharing when posts about $1 timeshares show up, and the subtle implication in those posts that anyone who paid more than a $1 for a timeshare in Orlando was stupid .


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## LisaRex (Aug 3, 2011)

amanven said:


> So you are saying that no matter what the week #, fixed or float, Lockoff/ 2 bedroom/1bedroom, platinum or gold season,Week 51/52, anything or everything, all paid up and ready to use, whatever I want at Vistana will be on ebay for $1.  Sorry I don't buy that (pardon the pun).
> 
> I know the The Orlando timeshare market is FLOODED and that it is a well known fact but that does not guarantee you will get what you want when you want it with no strings attached AND get it for $1.



I'm a little taken aback by your anger and it's not even directed at me. No one here is calling anyone stupid.  We're trying to help the OPer, who is in the same boat that we all were at one time, get her emotions and "anxiety" out of the situation so that she doesn't overpay for her timeshare.    

I think a really good place for the OPer to start is ebay.  Below is a list of recently COMPLETED ebay sales at Sheraton Vistana.  Objectively speaking, that is going to represent the CHEAPEST market price.  Does that mean that a buyer is GUARANTEED to get that price? Of course not.  Does that mean that the buyer won't have to pay closing and transfer fees? Of course not.  It's the LOWEST data point.  And that is a great piece of knowledge to have if you're a buyer, whether that data point is $1 or $21,000.  

http://completed.shop.ebay.com/i.ht...ana&_osacat=15897&_trksid=p3286.c0.m270.l1313

I think that the best advice we could give the OPer, or anyone who is "anxious to buy," is to relax and take her time.  No matter what week she wants, no matter what season, no matter what SVR phase, she will be able to find one.  Or a hundred. That's the way timeshares work.  IF she can take her anxiety out of the equation, she can secure a really great deal.


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## amanven (Aug 3, 2011)

LisaRex said:


> I think that the best advice we could give the OPer, or anyone who is "anxious to buy," is to relax and take her time.  No matter what week she wants, no matter what season, no matter what SVR phase, she will be able to find one.  Or a hundred. That's the way timeshares work.  IF she can take her anxiety out of the equation, she can secure a really great deal.



Yes the above is good advice!  It's exactly how I went about getting mine.

I'm not mad at anyone but I confess that after seeing another of DeniseM's almost virtually identical posts about $1 Vistana timeshares on ebay that frequently appear when someone asks about Vistana has just started to grate on me a bit.  I feel it makes Vistana's resale pricing sound a little too black and white especially to a newbie so I posted a challenge to that contention and yah I probably got a little sarcastic from that point on.

DeniseM I am not looking to start a war of words here.  You frequently post "these units are selling for $1 on the resale market. If you are paying much more than that - you are paying too much."   Too me, as someone who already owns a resale timeshare, that statement has a slightly condescending tone to it and that's what set me off.


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## DeniseM (Aug 3, 2011)

amanven said:


> DeniseM I am not looking to start a war of words here.  You frequently post "these units are selling for $1 on the resale market. If you are paying much more than that - you are paying too much."   Too me, as someone who already owns a resale timeshare, that statement has a slightly condescending tone to it and that's what set me off.



You are reading something into my post that is not there.  I am an OWNER at this resort - I think it's a great place, but the facts about the resale market speak for themselves.

You are welcome to dispute my facts - but let's not make it personal, OK?


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## LisaRex (Aug 3, 2011)

amanven said:


> DeniseM I am not looking to start a war of words here.  You frequently post "these units are selling for $1 on the resale market. If you are paying much more than that - you are paying too much."   Too me, as someone who already owns a resale timeshare, that statement has a slightly condescending tone to it and that's what set me off.



I think everyone on this site, at some point or another, feels a little testy in re to their TSs.  That's kind of the nature of timeshares.  You pay an amount today and tomorrow it's worth half that amount.  And that makes us all feel a tad foolish.  It makes me feel foolish, anyway.  FWIW, I paid $50k for my WKORV-N.  $50 grand. Resale. It's worth less than half that now.  I could have bought 50 SDO's for what I paid for one week at WKORV/N.    

It bums me out that the resale value has plummeted.  But that doesn't mean that the resort isn't great. Nor does it mean that it's not worth owning it.  But it does mean that folks who want to buy now will get a much better deal than me, provided they're smart and listen to folks who are nice enough to offer honest advice even if it sticks in their craw a bit.  

Some days it's easier to let go of my emotions and be objective.  Other days it's no so easy.  Right around MF time, for instance.


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## STEVIE (Aug 3, 2011)

I have been reading this thread and I am wondering why there is so much tension and anger. No one needs to be on the defense. Most of us have paid full freight  prices and are trying to educate and help others so they may save some money in this horrible economy. Honestly, I would not ordinarily chime into a thread like this, but I felt emotions are getting out of hand. Denise M. is right. In this economy many wonderful timeshares are selling for just one dollar. I bought three timeshares at full price from the developer, two of them are Starwood,  before finding this web site.Since finding this site I bought Wyndham points on ebay for one dollar, yes one dollar, and with this purchase I have a reservation next summer for a three bedroom ocean front unit in Myrtle Beach, yes right on the beach in prime time. This is probably the best timeshare I have bought as far as trading and for staying at. I spent thousands of dollars on the other three I bought, and I know I will enjoy the one I bought for one dollar as much as the others or more. I have no regrets about buying the timeshares I own but I wish I had known about the resale market. I like to think this site is about educating and helping other tuggers to make the best decisions possible. Please be patient with each other and do not be offended, most of us have the best intentions when giving advice to those that ask.  Sue


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