# [ 2007 ] SVO Rental Thread



## DavidnRobin

*As David has requested, let's keep this a "best practices" thread and not go off on tangents.  If you have a tangent, start a new thread! 

Thanks!
DeniseM
Starwood Mod.*

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As discussed in another thread...
http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=59744

I thought it would be good to have a SVO-centric thread about the ins/outs, best practices, and guidance of renting a SVO unit for SVO Tuggers (now that we have our own forum) :whoopie: 

I figured it could be broken down into a variety of parts that could be usable to other TS systems (I realize there is another forum for this), but really wanted to apply mainly to SVO.

Please - I know this is not realistic - but when an issue like whether or not to use RedWeek (as an example) is mentioned - let's not morph into an anti-Redweek thread (that subject has already been beaten to death...)

As I see it - renting can be broken down into parts that include - best ways to advertise the unit, what to state in the advertisement, the rental contract, and the processes involved in dealing with potential renters.  Please feel free to add things around these and others that come up.

I am going to start with the rental contract/agreement - because I have already shared with others.  btw, I used parts of rental contracts/agreements  I have seen here on TUG and other places.

So here goes...


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## DeniseM

Good idea David!  I will do my part by editing things out if we get off-topic!   As a newbie Mod, I need the practice anyway!


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## DavidnRobin

*SVO Rental Contract/Agreement*



DavidnRobin said:


> I am going to start with the rental contract/agreement - because I have already shared with others.  btw, I used parts of rental contracts/agreements  I have seen here on TUG and other places.



There has been some debate on whether a rental contract is needed or not.  Personally, I think it is wise to have some type of rental contract between the renter and Owner.  It states what is being rented, for how much, the processes, and the terms/conditions.

The first part of the contract is straight-forward (hopefully) - as such in generic terms. (I use Word to create this document):

Title Header: Rental Contract/Agreement

Today's Date: Month Day, Year
Rental Location: Name, Location, Phone #s, and Web-Address link (even can add a map link)
Rental Dates: Month Day to Month Day, Year (4PM Check-In; 10AM Check-Out)
Rental Type: e.g. Premium 1 Bedroom Unit (4-Person Occupancy; No Pets; No Smoking)

Owner Name(s):
Address:
City:
State:
Zip Code:
Day Phone:
Night Phone:
Fax:
E-mail:

Renter Name(s):
Address:
City:
State:
Zip Code:
Day Phone:
Night Phone:
Fax:
E-mail:


See... pretty easy so far.
One warning here - you are giving out information about yourself here - some of this info is the same that SVO uses to access accounts. Lots of options here, but you can put a protect 'password' on you account that will be asked when you call in to make or change a reservation.  Call SVO Owners to discuss and add this protection.  I think this is a good adea no matter what - of course, it may delay your call in for a 12-month reservation (at 6AM EST...)


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## DavidnRobin

*The SVO Rental Contract/Agreement (cont'd)*

Now the hard part - the processes and the terms/conditions. My text here is a little mixed up and could use some work.  Remember - I am not a Lawyer - just a geeky Scientist.  So please use cautiously - and if real issues come up - consult one (an attorney not a Scientist).  This is merely my stab at this.

Terms & Conditions:
1. $xxxx for the rental of a 'unit type' (e.g. Premium 1-Bedroom Villa) at the 'SVO Resort' from Month, Day, Year (xx/xx/xxxx) to Month, Day, Year (xx/xx/xxxx), for a total of 7 nights, as described above. The maximum occupancy of the rental unit is 4 persons. 
2. Renter,_______, agrees to pay Owner, ______, a xx% deposit ($xxx) of the total agreed rental ($xxxx) upon the Renters receiving a copy of a reservation confirmation from Starwood Vacation Ownership (SVO) Owners Services (representing SVO Resort) showing that a 'unit type' (e.g. Premium 1-Bedroom Villa at SVO Resort) has been reserved between xx-xx-xx to xx-xx-xx under the Owners names.
3. Upon the Owners receipt of the $xxx deposit, and a signed contract, the Owner will have SVO Owner Services transfer the reservation to the Renter, and forward a copy of the revised reservation showing the Renters name to the Renter.  
4. The full balance of $xxxx ($xxx deposit plus an additional $xxx) will be paid by xx-xx-xx by the Renter. Upon the Owner receiving the remaining balance ($xxx), the Owner will forward the original revised reservation to the Renter.   Failure to pay the full balance of $xxxx by xx/xx/xxxx will result in the automatic cancellation of the reservation with all monies paid being forfeited.
5. All payments are to be processed via PayPal using verified accounts, with the Owner sending the Renter a PayPal invoice, and payment from the Renter to the Owner transmitted via PayPal.  (NOTE: more on this later)
6. The Renter agrees to follow the 'SVO Resort' rules and accepts responsibility and liability for the use of the 'SVO Resort 'unit type' and resort property.  The Renter agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Owner due to any actions taken by the Renter, members of Renter’s named party, or the Renter’s guests during this reservation. No one under the age of 21 will be permitted to occupy the unit unless accompanied by persons 21 or older.  
7. The Renter will be responsible for all resort usage fees imposed by 'SVO Resort', and any costs charged to the unit during the reservation.  The Renter will be expected to supply 'SVO Resort' a valid credit card in the Renter’s name to pay for charges and usage fees upon check-in, and to be paid upon check-out.


Renter,_______ , and Owner, ________, hereby agree to the terms of this contract.

Renter Signature/Date:
Owner Signature/Date:

OK - I did my part.  I think the PayPal part should be discuused - there is a thread about this, 
http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=59747
but payment options in general should be discussed here.

Also - #6 gets into legal issues that should be discussed also.


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## DavidnRobin

OK - no comments?  A perfect document! (I don't think so) - the Terms and Conditions should modified somewhat into description of rental, payment process, documentation process, and then specific resort/villa terms and conditions.

For the payment process - there has been previous discussions on how best to do this.  Questions like - How much of a deposit should be made? Should the deposit be refundable?  When should the deposit be made?  When should the remaining balance be made? Should any part of this be refundable?  What are the best ways to requests payments?  And leading into how do the payments relate to the rental contract and reservation confirmation transfers?

As Owners we control the payment methods and the documentation.  It is the Renter who is making the monetary commitment and taking most of the risks.  Therefore, I believe it is in the best interest of the Owner to make the Renter feel as if everything is clear, as professional as can be, and that they are not being scammed.  (just like we want to protect ourselves from being scammed).

A clear and concise rental contract is the first part of this.  The second part is the money and document transfers.  Perhaps I am getting to far into the process, because in some part the rental needs to be set-up in the first place by reserving the unit, best practices in advertising the unit, and initial contact with a potential renter (and watching out for scams).

So it appears as if a discussion about setting up your SVO unit for renting should be discussed first. So...


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## DavidnRobin

*Setting-up a SVO unit for Rental*



DavidnRobin said:


> So it appears as if a discussion about setting up your SVO unit for renting should be discussed first. So...



So you decided to attempt to rent your SVO unit/week (VOI - Vacation Ownership Interval).  One of the first process is to reserve the unit via SVO/SVN during the 8-12 month window in your name.  In picking the best time to reserve the unit/week depends on the resort location, and the conditions of your VOI (unit type and season).

A best practice here (if you have decided to rent way ahead of time) is to reserve your VOI 12 months in advance during the most popular week of your season.  Generally these tend to be weeks where people have time-off. For example, Presidents Day week, Spring Break week (varies), July 4th week, July-August weeks in general, Thanksgiving week, week 51/52 (if you have a VOI in that week), Labor Day week, and those special weeks specific to certain locations.  I know that for WSJ - there is a Patriots week for the Northeast, and for WKORV/WKORV-N/WPORV there is a week in August that Japan (I believe) gets off.  You get the idea...

If you cannot get a reservation 12 months in advance - make sure you get your VOI reserved at least within the Home resort window (8 months for float weeks, 10 months for fixed weeks).  Related to this is the renters desire to change the date that you have already reserved.  Given that this seems to be a common occurance - if possible - it is probably best to reserve the week early in the year.  For example - Spring Break.  Importantly - it is good to know when Spring Break is for the region that may have interest in renting your unit.  For Hawaii - the west coast times for Spring Break becomes important.  They are usually grouped in one of two weeks. This way when you get a renter that wants to change the week to a point later in the year - it becomes more realistic.

Regardless - reserve a week that best fits your situation.  For us - we are prepared to use the week if I cannot rent, or use a SVN exchange (if possible).  But leave yourself time to move the week if you don't rent, or time to to a SVN exchange, or banking, or a SO-SP conversion.

I am sure I did not capture everything here - so please (please) chime in so I don't feel as if I am writing to myself.


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## Denise L

Hi!

Great advice here on renting. I have rented out a few leftover DVC points with a similar contract. I am also going to try and help my friend rent out her WKORV-N week.


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## tomandrobin

The one thing really emphasize with anything we rent is no refunds! 

We insist on a certified check or they can use an escrow service, paid for by the renter. 

We also try to make ourselves very accessible to any renter, it helps make the transaction smoother, but that is a personal choice.


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## DeniseM

One thing that I've done that makes it easier for me is to put my own Ad on my webpage.  That way when I advertise on various sites, instead of spending a lot of time building an Ad, I just put the basics and then a link to the Ad on my webpage.  In the Ad I have several pictures and a floor plan.

These are the terms I use:

Terms:

Rent - $xxx for 7 nights

Maximum occupancy - four per unit, 8 total.  This villa is 2 connecting units - a studio and a 1 bdm.  It can be used for 1 week by a maximum of 8 guests, or split, and used for 2 weeks, by a maximum of 4 guests.

All guests must be at least 25 years old, except for children accompanied by their parent(s).

It is not necessary to use all 7 nights of the rental period, but the resort must be notified in advance if you are going to check-in after the arrival date, and unused nights are not refundable.

Payment -
1)  All payments are to be made with *Paypal
2)  A $100 deposit is required to put the reservation in guest's name.
3)  As soon as the guest receives the confirmation from the resort in their name, the balance of $xxx is due in full within 24 hours.
4)  Payments are nonrefundable and the reservation is noncancelable for any reason.
5)  Guest is responsible for all charges to the room, incidental expenses, and any damages.
6)  Guest must present a credit card at check-in at the resort.

*Paypal Fees -

If you pay by e-check (transfer funds from a bank acct. to Paypal) Paypal charges me $5 and it will be free to you.

If you pay by credit card, Paypal charges me the 3% credit card fee, and you will need to add 3% to your payment(s).


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## DavidnRobin

tomandrobin said:


> The one thing really emphasize with anything we rent is no refunds!
> 
> We insist on a certified check or they can use an escrow service, paid for by the renter.
> 
> We also try to make ourselves very accessible to any renter, it helps make the transaction smoother, but that is a personal choice.



I agree that once the money is paid that there are no refunds.  When I rented WKORV I had the renter paid a 50% deposit (8 months in advance) and once the rest was paid (at least 3 months in advanced) and the reservation was placed in the renters name and sent to them.  I think the deposit and time for final payment depends on how far in advance the rental is.  If the renter were to back out soon enough - I would be okay with re-renting (or using ourselves).

It does bring up a few issues.  What % for deposit and when, then when to get final payment? I see flexibility depending on the situation.


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## DeniseM

DavidnRobin said:


> It does bring up a few issues.  What % for deposit and when, then when to get final payment? I see flexibility depending on the situation.



I'm not willing to be flexible   - I want to rent it and be done with it.  So I get $100 upfront, the balance as soon as they receive the confirmation and it's done.  So far, I've done about 7 rentals and that's worked for me.  If the market changes, I may have to adjust.  But right now that's working and I just don't want to have to worry about renters backing out sometime down the road.


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## Nicole D.

*Pricing?!?!?!*

I can never seem to figure out what to set my price? I figured a price to cover the maintenance fees would be great, but is that too low? Recently, I've just looked at the hotel rates of a similar property to gage a decent and fair price. Is this the best method? Or do you list your price as the lowest to beat out the competition?

Hopefully, this is along the lines of the topic...


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## DeniseM

Nicole - I think it depends on the property.  At the WKORV, Starwood rents for a Guh-zillion dollars a week, and the MF is about $1,400 a week.  I rented my week for about half-way in between.  I also own at Sheraton Desert Oasis and the MF is about $500 for a 1 bdm. and I've rented it for $700, but this year I have it reserved for Superbowl week and I am asking $2K.  So the secret is to do a little research on the various rental websites and see what the market is.  I think for most Starwood properties you should be able to get at least you MF, and frequently more.  Especially for Hawaii, Harborside, St. John, and special event weeks.


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## rocky

*another favorite contract clause*

One of my favorite clauses:

7.	LIABILITY:  Owners and agents of XXXXXX will not be held liable or responsible for any disasters, acts of God, accident or unforeseen event that may affect the vacation rental.  The renter should obtain personal travel insurance that would provide coverage for unforeseen events, from vendors like insuremytrip.com, accessamerica.com, etc.  Any interruption of services within the property, or inclement weather during your stay, will not serve to void or cancel your agreement. There are no refunds for early check out. The owners are not responsible for renter's personal property. Owner or agent may enter premises for effecting repairs and maintenance or for other necessary purposes


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## tomandrobin

DavidnRobin said:


> It does bring up a few issues.  What % for deposit and when, then when to get final payment? I see flexibility depending on the situation.



I have required 50% upfront, balance due 1 month after receipt of reservation. I don't want a renter to find a similar week two months later for $500 less and back out.


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## DavidnRobin

rocky said:


> One of my favorite clauses:
> 
> 7.	LIABILITY:  Owners and agents of XXXXXX will not be held liable or responsible for any disasters, acts of God, accident or unforeseen event that may affect the vacation rental.  The renter should obtain personal travel insurance that would provide coverage for unforeseen events, from vendors like insuremytrip.com, accessamerica.com, etc.  Any interruption of services within the property, or inclement weather during your stay, will not serve to void or cancel your agreement. There are no refunds for early check out. The owners are not responsible for renter's personal property. Owner or agent may enter premises for effecting repairs and maintenance or for other necessary purposes



I really like this clause and will add something like it to the generic contract.

I did have a renter not show up at the resort for their rental due to a family matter - they never came back to me about it - but this clause would cover it in case they attempted to.  I only found out about it because I emailed them to see how they liked the unit and resort.

I agree about keeping close contact with the renters - I give them my cell phone number and request they call me if there are any issues with the rental


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## DavidnRobin

Nicole D. said:


> I can never seem to figure out what to set my price? I figured a price to cover the maintenance fees would be great, but is that too low? Recently, I've just looked at the hotel rates of a similar property to gage a decent and fair price. Is this the best method? Or do you list your price as the lowest to beat out the competition?
> 
> Hopefully, this is along the lines of the topic...



This is totally in-line with this thread - and I was going to get to it after the reserving the week to rent, and the preferred/available rental sites, and wording the advertisment.

In pricing - here is where good research is required.  It is important not to over- or under-value the unit.  I tend to stay on the low side since I would prefer an easy transaction and that is worth something to me - of course any transaction can go haywire.

Pricing as compared to SVO rental prices is probably misguided - why rent form you versus SVO - when the confidence in the resort will be much higher than some stranger.  On the other side - pricing high enough to compete with other rentals at the resort, local resorts, and local hotels - taking into account the resort, season, and unit differences .  I like to be realistic in putting myself in the renters shoes.  How much would I be willing to pay if I were the renter?

This sort of leads to what are the rental sites available to get reliable data - and to list you rental on...


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## rocky

DavidnRobin said:


> I really like this clause and will add something like it to the generic contract.



It's handy because if you ever have a cancellation, you just say..... 

"oh, wow, bummer...  I'm so sorry.  I would be happy to draft a letter to your travel insurance provider to verify the monetary value and reservation specifics of the vacation week you rented.  I can provide a copy of your signed rental contract to them as well.  Please let me know where you would like me to send the documentation."

And the conversation about money back ends before it begins.  Works like a charm.


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## DavidnRobin

*Rental sites to use for renting your SVO unit*

There has been quite a bit of discussion on TUG about rental sites to rent TS units.

For me - the sites I use (so far) are TUG Classifieds (of course), Craigs List, my company's local intranet, BidShares (ty DeniseM), and Redweek.  

Eventhough Redweek is not free - in researching rental prices - I have found the most rental inventory on RedWeek. So for me (and perhaps not you), I find RedWeek to be worth the cost.  That said - I have never had a hit (in my limited experience) on RedWeek, but I have found it a very useful source for researching prices - and 'borrowing' rental language - and therefore worth the small price.  (Please let's not get into a discussion about RedWeek's business model - it's their model and their business).

TUG also costs money - but I believe membership in TUG is a bargain, and rental ads come with membership.  I have rented a unit thru TUG, but have also received a lot of spam and scams.  Watching out for scams is important for any rental sites - and perhaps will get discussed at some point.

Interestingly - I have the most hits with Craigs List (CL).  It really helps to open an CL account (free) to manage the ads. CL will only allow one ad per location - so you have to be a bit crafty in putting your rentals on CL at various locations.  I have found that changing the Title Line works.

I have had some hits with BidShares, but mostly just people putting in the smallest bid.  But it is still too early to tell if it is worth it.

I haven't used eBay, but I suppose this could be a good resource if used properly.

Are there other rental sites out there that others would to chime in on (or comment on these)?


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## Nicole D.

rocky said:


> One of my favorite clauses:
> 
> The renter should obtain personal travel insurance that would provide coverage for unforeseen events, from vendors like insuremytrip.com, accessamerica.com, etc.



I think the clause is valid, but when you make a suggestion of who they can use for coverage, do you open yourself up to potential problems? Say if the company goes under or has financial issues. I would opt to end the sentence at the word 'events' and then wait for the renter to ask questions about vendors. I would think I have put them on notice by stating they should obtain coverage on their own. What do you think?

In terms of pricing, research is key. In addition, timing is everything. I guess I need to figure out when non-timeshare owners plan their vacations. I would assume they plan within six to three months of departure. But that's just a guess.

In terms of sites to use to list your rental week, you never have a good idea of how many hits you get when you list it with any company. This has always been something that caused me to critically think of a way to see if I could figure out how to determine the number of people looking at my ads. Well, I think I have a strategy. I know it works for all of the junk I sell on craigslist, so it might work for renting a week. I created an account with a web photo-hosting company. Then I uploaded pictures of my junk. (It's nice junk.) Next, I created an ad in craigslist with a brief description and the web link to the web photo-hosting company for people to view. I renew the craigslist ad each week. Now, the great thing about the web photo-hosting company is that I can log in to my account and I get details about the number of views I have each week. So, for having the account for a month, I've had almost a 1,000 views. I think that's great considering that craigslist and the web photo-hosting company accounts are free. Let me know if you have a better way.


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## Cheryl OReilly

*Pay Pal Account*

*Paypal Fees -

If you pay by e-check (transfer funds from a bank acct. to Paypal) Paypal charges me $5 and it will be free to you.

If you pay by credit card, Paypal charges me the 3% credit card fee, and you will need to add 3% to your payment(s).



Does the renter need to have a Pay Pal account established in order to pay you through Pay Pal?


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## DeniseM

Cheryl OReilly said:


> Does the renter need to have a Pay Pal account established in order to pay you through Pay Pal?



Yes - but you can set up one up in about 5 min.  There is no waiting period or authorization required.


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## rocky

Nicole D. said:


> I think the clause is valid, but when you make a suggestion of who they can use for coverage, do you open yourself up to potential problems? Say if the company goes under or has financial issues. I would opt to end the sentence at the word 'events' and then wait for the renter to ask questions about vendors. I would think I have put them on notice by stating they should obtain coverage on their own. What do you think?



It's ok according to my lawyer who uses the same clause for his rental in Sonoma.  It's clear that it's an example through use of the word LIKE.  The websites referenced are simply selling insurance from large established travel insurance firms like Access America.  They allow the renter to veiw various policies and costs from the different companies so they can compare prices and coverage and then pick and purchase the one they like.  Sort of like a Kayak.com for travel insurance.  So even if the website died, the policy would be fine.


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## Cheryl OReilly

*Damage Responsibility*

Does anybody use any language in their rental agreement to make the rentor responsible for any damage they may cause?  Thanks.


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## DeniseM

Cheryl OReilly said:


> Does anybody use any language in their rental agreement to make the rentor responsible for any damage they may cause?  Thanks.



David has that stipulation in his contract posted above in post 4:

*6. The Renter agrees to follow the 'SVO Resort' rules and accepts responsibility and liability for the use of the 'SVO Resort 'unit type' and resort property. The Renter agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Owner due to any actions taken by the Renter, members of Renter’s named party, or the Renter’s guests during this reservation. No one under the age of 21 will be permitted to occupy the unit unless accompanied by persons 21 or older.
*


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## DavidnRobin

I will pick-up the thread when we get back - aloha!


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## DeniseM

DavidnRobin said:


> I will pick-up the thread when we get back - aloha!



Have a WONDERFUL and DRY trip!


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## Darwin

When renting our weeks we try to be flexible.  The renter can pay by paypal, regular check, or cashers check all fine with us.  Some renters want a contract, some don't.  Some want to pay the rent all up front. :whoopie:  The least we take is 50% upfront and balance due 60 days before arrival.  If the renters need to cancel we will make every effort to rent it out and refund them the difference minus any extra costs.  I think it is important to build a trust with the potential renter.

New renters (renting from owners first time) are more concerned and so we communicate over the phone more.  With old timers it can be done in 5 minutes.  They email us what they want.  We email them the contract if they want one.  We add the renters names.  They send us the money.  Remember we can change the reservation at any time.

I would also add www.vacationtimesharerentals.com to the list of rental sites to try.  We have received renters through this site every year for at least one of our weeks.  The key to pricing your week is to research the web sites and Westin's site and price yours accordingly.

Darwin


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## DavidnRobin

*SVO Rental Thread (cont'd)*

OK - time to pick this up again (now that we are back and on a short break from work for the Holidayz). :whoopie: 

Thanks for all the comments about the contract additions, deposit amounts and practices, and an additional rental site.  

I was a bit surprised that there were no more rental sites mentioned (are these truly the only reasonable sites?).  There is also VRBO - that is a popular one and I have known people to rent thru them, but (IMO) is only good if you have many weeks available for one rental because of the very high cost to list.

So far we covered contract text (if needed), best practices for obtaining funds from renters, and internet rental sites. Next I guess would be advertising the TS...


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## DavidnRobin

*Advertising your SVO TS*

In advertising a SVO TS there is potentially a lot of infomation to cover.  Some sites (like TUG) limit the amount of text that you can use - so in these cases you need to be succinct as possible and still cover enough information.

I tend to collect text (copy/paste) from ads that I like into a Word document and then edit the text to my liking,and then copy into the TS description.  Some people tend to be more descriptive and flowerly - while others (like me) tend to just stick with a bottom-line.  I will copy 'flowerly' text since others can write this better than me. Regardless, obviously you will want to cover the key points for your rentaland mae it as desirable as possible w/o being confusing.

Location - make sure that the name is complete and correct (it's not Weston) and not confused with a similar sister resort (WKORV vs. Westin Maui Resort & Spa- Ka'anapali, or WKV vs. Westin Kierland Resort & Spa) , and in addition - address, phone, web-site, and map (as available).
(capture in rental contract/agreement as necessary)

Dates - is it fixed already, or is it still flexible and allowed to float?  I like to fix it during a popular period (hopefully) - as stated before - but mention that it can be switch based on availability. Of course, with some unit types, if the date requested is less that 8 months away - the view catagory can be lost (like our WKORV OF Dlx studio) and that impacts its value - so I make this clear as I can. Along with check-in/out times. (capture in rental contract/agreement as necessary)

Unit Type - describe the unit type with the # of bedrooms (Bd) and baths (Ba). The layout type (Dlx, Prem) for the potential renter to check out layout on the SVO resort website.  The square feet (sqft) can also be useful for both the unit and the balcony.  Is it a LO? And other key factual info. (capture in rental contract/agreement as necessary)

Price - this also needs to be clear and precise.  What is the cost per week or cost per day?  Are there any other costs that the renter may have - like a per day resort fee that places like WKORV charge? (capture in rental contract/agreement as necessary)  As to how much one should charge can be difficult to determine.  I would suggest good research here on TUG and on the other rental sites where you can get this info.  There is no perfect answer to this. I prefer to stay on the low side so I may get more interest,but at the same time make it worth the effort.  It may also be useful to know what the resort charges - this can be used for reference in the ad if you think it adds value.  Note: the rsorts can get a lot more than you can since the resort has the resources and the added confidence from the renter.


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## rocky

DavidnRobin said:


> There is also VRBO - that is a popular one and I have known people to rent thru them, but (IMO) is only good if you have many weeks available for one rental because of the very high cost to list.



I use vrbo very successfully to rent my vacation home, but I don't think it's a great place to rent a timeshare week.  It's expensive and you are looking for the "needle in the haystack" client that wants the specific times you have booked for your week.  If you don't book dates and try and get float weeks when someone inquires on vrbo that's risky too.....  because you may not be able to get the week they want and the good weeks will be booked already.

I would stick with TUG, craigslist, etc.  VRBO is an awkward fit for the typical timeshare owner.


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## LisaRex

I've successfully rented from owners thru VRBO in the past and wouldn't hesitate to do it again.  It gives me peace of mind that the fee to advertise there is so high because it scares away scammers.  I actually discovered WKORV via VRBO as I was browsing the places to rent in Maui.  I wondered why the prices for this place were so high compared to others. Originally folks were asking outrageous prices, like $10,000 for a week in a deluxe unit. ( I guess they were trying to recoup their money in one year.   They've come down to earth since then, though some are still ridiculously high IMO.

To be honest, I didn't know about redweek or TUG before buying a timeshare and wouldn't have known to look here to rent.  Just do a "Maui Timeshare Rental" search and see what comes up. Certainly not TUG or Redweek.  (That's something both sites should remedy if they are interested in reaching a wider audience.)  And I know we don't want to revisit a sore subject, but as a prospective renter, I definitely wouldn't have paid a subscription fee to read ads.  So if you advertise on either TUG or Redweek, I think you need to reconcile yourself to the fact that you're limiting your audience to other TSers.  (That could be good or bad.)

I'm wondering if it would be conceivable for TUGgers who are interested in renting out their unit to pool their resources together to place just one ad for each location (e.g WKORV, WKV) on VRBO, using the calendar feature to advertise which weeks were available.  As a renter, I'd much rather look at one calendar with all available dates than to fish through all the ads and try to find the one with my preferred dates.   I have my OF unit avail for exchange in '09, but if I don't get any bites, I'll probably try to advertise it for rent so that I can use the proceeds to visit someplace else, such as the Caribbean.  So I'd be willing to be the contact person if people want to pool together....


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## ciscogizmo1

LisaRex said:


> To be honest, I didn't know about redweek or TUG before buying a timeshare and wouldn't have known to look here to rent.  Just do a "Maui Timeshare Rental" search and see what comes up. Certainly not TUG or Redweek.  ....



That's weird... when I do the search on google.. the first listing is Redweek.  I don't even see VRBO on my list.   I typed in "Maui Timeshare rentals"..  

I've used Redweek with great success.   The times I've listed on TUG I haven't gotten a single inquiry.


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## DeniseM

ciscogizmo1 said:


> That's weird... when I do the search on google.. the first listing is Redweek.  I don't even see VRBO on my list.   I typed in "Maui Timeshare rentals"..
> 
> I've used Redweek with great success.   The times I've listed on TUG I haven't gotten a single inquiry.



When I google "Maui Timeshare rental" - I get sellmytimesharenow.com first 
I didn't see Redweek or VRBO on the first page at all!  (Or anyone else I would use for a rental!)


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## saluki

DeniseM said:


> When I google "Maui Timeshare rental" - I get sellmytimesharenow.com first
> I didn't see Redweek or VRBO on the first page at all!  (Or anyone else I would use for a rental!)



Look at the first "sponsored link" at the top of the Google search page - it is redweek.com. (At least on the search I just did).


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## DeniseM

saluki said:


> Look at the first "sponsored link" at the top of the Google search page - it is redweek.com. (At least on the search I just did).



Now Redweek is first for me too - maybe they rotate the paid advertising?


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## DavidnRobin

*Rental Thread (cont'd)*

I didn't add descriptions to the TS advertising - I was going to copy/paste a few, but they are too personalized for my few rentals. 

Again - a good way is to look at how others did theirs and copy/paste what you like about about it.  Many of the resort web sites already have excellent text (since they paid to have it written).  Many times the space considerations will drive what you can state.  Whereas, something like CL or eBay you can go crazy.  I believe in being reasonably honest with a clear and concise text.

Good photos are important - I have taken photos of the TSs I own (and WKORV-N) for the purpose of potentially renting,  I have shared these and anyone can use these.  Being an Owner is a plus that a renter would likely feel more comfortable in renting from.  I will direct them a photo website (there are many of these) that has photos of both the units and a few of us (more of Robin because she is just so cute and photogenic...),  But this is really up to how much you care to share of yourself out there in cyber-land.

As always - practice caution.  I tend to look out for all potential mishaps (where Robin is the eternal optimist - she has to be married to me...).  I always look for the scam first (like that person that sent me PayPal funds for a rental before confimation...).


So... that about covers it from my side - at least for now.  Please continue to keep this thread alive - add what you may want to share of value.  I will also (of course)

I thought the idea of consoladating rentals at specific resorts is a great concept (e.g. VRBO).  One disadvantage we have as owners is that we are competing with a large industry and it would be great to get an edge on this.  I would be open to any ideas here as long as they are fair and cost-effective.  It would likely be hard to pull off, but you never know...

Importantly, I think that the most we can contribute is our own word of mouth - and this is just not for SVO Owners from TUG in renting their units, but also putting out there that there is this great, free resource of SVO TSrs looking out for each other.  (a first step in Tuggers overthrowing HOA boards...? you never know... )


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## DeniseM

I have an Ad with pictures and text for my WKORV rental on my webpage.  It's not OK to post the link to an Ad here, but if you want to see what it looks like, the link to my webpage is under my name below, and on my webpage, the links are on the far left in small letters.  I have an Ad for SDO there too.

When I post an Ad on a website, I just put the basics and then provide a link to my webpage for pics and more info.


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## DavidnRobin

DeniseM said:


> I have an Ad with pictures and text for my WKORV rental on my webpage.  It's not OK to post the link to an Ad here, but if you want to see what it looks like, the link to my webpage is under my name below, and on my webpage, the links are on the far left in small letters.  I have an Ad for SDO there too.
> 
> When I post an Ad on a website, I just put the basics and then provide a link to my webpage for pics and more info.



I like the idea of having a travel web page (and building one myself on freewebs) - this is a good idea for renting since it gives the renter a good idea that you are for real, and not a scammer.

I also (sometimes) direct people to TUG.  Again, when people see that you are a common poster on TUG like me (and ESPECIALLY our fabulous Moderator DeniseM) - they may be more comfortable - and perhaps learn a thing or two. Of course the downside is that they may find a similiar rental for less with their newly found knowledge.    But, overall, I think it benefits the renters and Tuggers in that there is a source like TUG out there - and rentals available beyond renting form the resorts (and paying way too much). Plus - picks up word-of-mouth for TUG.


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## DavidnRobin

*60-Day Cancellation Policy by SVO*

Another consideration that has recently been discussed - is to remember the 60-day cancellation policy by SVO.  If you plan to rent, and if not able to rent then plan to use as a SVN exchange - do not forget (like I did) that you use lose the ability to do a SVN exchange if the reservation is less than 60-days away. 

This can impact the flexibilty of renting, the timing of rental, the payments made by a renter. If the rental is less than 60-days away and you wish to cancel - then your only recourse is to use that week, or move back up to 60 days from the original check-in date. There is a $29 fee to do this.  You can still rent the unit using the modified date, but it is important to account for this 60-day cancellation policy.


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## Darwin

I had looked an DeniseM's website before and liked what she did.  I too will be setting up a freeweb site for when we rent our units.  Better yet may be I can hire DeniseM to do it for me. :whoopie:  May be she can have one site for all of us .  

 I see I'm having too much fun with these smilies.  Must be the lack of sun and cold weather.

Darwin


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## DavidnRobin

btw - do not miss the main TUG Rental post at
http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=43


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## DavidnRobin

*Renting on eBay*



DavidnRobin said:


> I haven't used eBay, but I suppose this could be a good resource if used properly.



A thing about renting on eBay and that is that you have to be a member of 'Square Trade' - that you have to sign-up for and of course costs money  (based on usage).  This makes it more costly to rent (along with paying all the associated eBay fees).

Doesn't cost as much as VRBO, but both sites are not as cost-effective unless you have lots of rentals.

I have seen people rent on eBay by surpassing 'Square Trade' by listing their rentals in the TSs for sale section - don't know if that would be wise choice for SVO weeks since the MFs are so high (and many people wouldn't look there).  This not unlike here on TUG with the LMR section - $100/nite max is less than alot of SVO annual MFs making it less useful for SVO VOIs. (but I digress...) :ignore:


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## DavidnRobin

I have had 2 recent successful rentals:

WKORV OF Dlx studio - 4th of July week (6/28-7/5/08) - $1950
WKV 1Bd Prem - SuperBowl week (2/2-2/9/08) - $1450

One from CL and one from RedWeek.  No hits at all with BidShares.  Many contacts from CL.  Only one form RedWeek - but it rented.

Both used Rental Contracts - and paid via PayPal.

I will be increasing the price of the WKORV OF studio next time (2009) to $2150 (most likely).

I probably could have held out for more for the WKV, but didn't want the hassle(s) associated with waiting.  I will likely rent before the 60-day SVO cancellation window from now on.


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## rocky

Great news.  CL is wonderful, but you typically can't expect to rent a unit at a year out..... more like 7 - 4 months out is when you get more action on postings.

And yes, my rental price is going up too.  The maintenance fees are too high, I need a better offset.  I will push for around $4200- $4400 for a 2bdrm lockoff next time.


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## Henry M.

I'm not sure if this is the right thread for my comments but I wanted to post about a scam that might affect those renting. The scam below affected a local band, but the same kind of situation has happened to at least one person in this forum - someone sends a significant quantity of money up front and then requests a refund due to some kind of emergency. After sending the refund the party scammed finds out the original money was not really there. I think the event reported on TUG ended OK due to the owner's caution. I tried to dig up the thread but couldn't think of the right search terms.

You can substitute "wedding gig for a band" with "timeshare rental". Here's what happened:

 *****

I'm miserable right now, and $2500 poorer. My band was the subject of 
internet fraud.

So rather than totally wallow in my own misery, I want to educate you on 
how it happened and how You can avoid this same problem. Because your 
band may be next.

In September, we go an email for a wedding gig. They found us through 
our wedding website. It was a little difficult for Andrew to work out 
the details with the folks getting "married". But we negotiated 
payment--$1500. And we would drive to Oklahoma.

We ask for a non-refundable 50% up front. So we waited and contacted and 
followed up with them to get payment. Finally they sent a check... for 
$2500. Then they called and told us their accountant sent the wrong 
amount. Could we send them the back the difference?

Sure, once the check clears. But before that happened. They canceled the 
wedding. The mother-in-law had a heart attack. They were pissed. They 
asked if they could have back the non-refundable money. We agreed. And 
after three days, the check seemed to have cleared. And Andrew sent 
money back via a Moneygram.

Today, five business days after the initial deposit, the check bounced. 
A little research revealed this is a typical scam.

So what are the listens to be learned.

1. Even in this day and age, it can take 7-10 days for a check to clear.
2. NEVER send money back hastily. If they are that urgent to have their 
money, then tough luck.
3. Even YOU can be scammed by something this stupid. So be on your 
guard. Lean on the side of caution to avoid losing big money.


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## tomandrobin

Again, reasons like that is why we have a no refund policy. The only exception to that rule is if "we" can not secure the rental.


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## DavidnRobin

It is the proper place to post - and it is a very well-known scam.  It is a reason I will only use PayPal - and if they do not go this route - I move on.  PayPal is not scam-free, but scammers would unlikely attempt to go this route since they have to give certain info to PayPal to use their system - and monies going thru them are either buy credit card or thru a bank source.


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## DeniseM

Sounds like another variation of the money-back scam.  I agree with David - Paypal is your friend!  But also notice that they violated their own "no refund" terms.  This exact same scenario could happen to a TS owner...


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## Henry M.

Most scams play with your emotions. In this case the family seemed to be in trouble/grief due to the supposed mother-in-law heart attack. The situation is often set up so that you might feel sorry or otherwise think you are doing something good by sending the money. It is sometimes hard to remain  dispassionate and avoid a foolish trap, even if in hindsight it is obvious that something wasn't right.

One thing to discuss in this thread is how to actually refund money. I might be inclined to help someone out if they were truly in this situation. As businesslike and cold as I can be, I also want to think I could have a heart. I guess the only thing to return money safely would be to wait three or more weeks to be sure whatever money you got has indeed cleared. No amount of urgency on the other parties part should change how fast you can return the money without the risk of being scammed.


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## DavidnRobin

emuyshondt said:


> One thing to discuss in this thread is how to actually refund money. I might be inclined to help someone out if they were truly in this situation. As businesslike and cold as I can be, I also want to think I could have a heart. I guess the only thing to return money safely would be to wait three or more weeks to be sure whatever money you got has indeed cleared. No amount of urgency on the other parties part should change how fast you can return the money without the risk of being scammed.



PayPal lets you refund money easily and reverses the fee charged.  I did this with the person that sent me rental money before confirming the terms (they wanted to re-rent...).


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## RLG

*Renting through Starwood*

If this is to be a reference thread on how to rent your Starwood weeks I would think it should discuss the how to and the pros/cons of having Starwood rent out your week.

(I vaguely recall that I've seen discussion of this before, but unfortunately, couldn't find it using search.)

I have two ski weeks at Sheraton Mountain Vista that are currently listed on Redweek and on Myresortnetwork (exact weeks not mentioned to avoid being construed as an ad.)  I'd be happy with 50% of Starwood's retail price.  It's not clear to me whether I should list with them and if so, how I do it.


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## DeniseM

Starwood take half the rental fee and you pay any costs - like commission to a Travel Agent, out of your half.

They do not guarantee that they will be able to rent it, and if they don't, you are just out of luck.

Starwood does not offer rental service to owners at some of the resorts - like WKORV for example.

If you go to www.mystarcentral.com and log in, there is a link for more info.


----------



## RLG

DeniseM said:


> Starwood take half the rental fee and you pay any costs - like commission to a Travel Agent, out of your half.
> 
> They do not guarantee that they will be able to rent it, and if they don't, you are just out of luck.



Does Starwood require an exclusive or do they let you try to rent it out yourself as well?  

If not, and if I'm happy with 50% of Starwood's price, is there a reason not to list it with them as well as directly?


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## DeniseM

Once you turn your week over to them - it's gone.  Whether it rents or not.


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## RLG

Wow, Denise, you're a 24 hour a day information source.  

That sounds like a pretty one-sided arrangement with Starwood.  Do they provide any info on their track record of getting the weeks rented?


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## DeniseM

Starwood is pretty closed mouth about the whole rental thing.  You will notice that there is very little info. online about it.  I am sure their success rate varies from resort to resort and season to season, but I would hesitate to accept any figures that aren't published.  

Have you tried renting your week yourself?  A popular season may rent for half of what Starwood charges at many resorts.  If you email Starwood, please let us know what you find out.

I'm off today so I was up late last night - don't expect 24 hour service all the time.


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## DavidnRobin

Time is running out for SuperBowl renting - and luck by anybody here?


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## LauraS93

RLG said:


> Does Starwood require an exclusive or do they let you try to rent it out yourself as well?
> 
> If not, and if I'm happy with 50% of Starwood's price, is there a reason not to list it with them as well as directly?



I used Starwood's rental service and I was very disappointed.  They sent me a document with a check showing that it rented 5 of the 7 nights for *well below* rack rates.  So much so, that I don't believe they only charged someone $390 to use our two bedroom villa.  Easily, they charge that for a motel room.

Securing a renter directly is much, much better.  And the money gets in your pocket a heck of a lot faster!


----------



## DeniseM

LauraS93 said:


> IThey sent me a document with a check showing that it rented 5 of the 7 nights for *well below* rack rates.  So much so, that I don't believe they only charged someone $390 to use our two bedroom villa.  Easily, they charge that for a motel room.



Are you saying that you only got $390 from Starwood for your 2 bdm. WSJ week?  

That's criminal!   Thanks for letting us know!


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## Transit

I hope thats 390 a night!


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## DavidnRobin

I recall this event.  I have found a few people on short stays at WSJ in a 2Bd TH.  I asked on how they got it and they said that they were upgraded from the Hotel because of some status (e.g. SPG).  Two woman that we meet by the upper pool said that they were going to stay in the standard WSJ hotel and were upgraded because her sister was in the hotel biz.  This was during a mid-June week (similar to LauraS93's week). I do not know the rate they were paying.

As I have before - they are a alot of short-stays in the studios and 1 Bds when we are there (week 24) - and empty units.  Alwayes seems strange since it seems so difficult to exchange into.  I have always felt that if you want to get to the 'shady' side of how SVO moves units/$$$ to their advantage (outside of the balance sheet) that WSJ would be the place to look.


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## DavidnRobin

Transit said:


> I hope thats 390 a night!



I'll let Laura clarify - but nope - not $390 per nite for sure - she would have loved to get that much.


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## Transit

DavidnRobin said:


> I'll let Laura clarify - but nope - not $390 per nite for sure


I don't want to be seen here as a cronic Starwood complainer but this it the kind of stuff from starwood that drives me crazy.


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## DavidnRobin

Transit said:


> I don't want to be seen here as a cronic Starwood complainer but this it the kind of stuff from starwood that drives me crazy.



No doubt - but also why it is important to know that if you plan to rent - then do it yourself as correctly as possible (thus one reason I started the Rental Thread) - and that takes effort.  She had attempted to rent without success - and... not to speak for her - likely wishes she would have lowered her price considerably (obviously).  The SVO rental program is not a benefit (and another reason to buy resale).

semi off-topic:
So far - renting ourselves has been beneficial, but has certainly taken effort and I have listed as what I consider to be very fair prices.  I have rented our WKORV OF studio twice and the 1Bd WKV once.  We have always planned to rent the OF studio (or have someone go with us) from the beginning (and why we bought OF).  We have always felt that you can easily rent our WSJ if we had to - but it does take balance between what you can get and what you think it is worth. That is a important consideration with renting.

With the internet (and Google)  so much used nowadays - people can go to the resort's webpage and find out what the going rates are (including rack rates) Hopefully with some smart searching - they can find ours for a lot less - and very fair compared to other rental prices.  It can also be used to establish the optimal rental rate.


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## LauraS93

*To clarify*

We aren't seasoned landlords.  We only own one unit in the world of timeshare.

Our unit has rented twice:  once in 2006 for $4500 and this year for $3800.
Since they rent for all 7 nights, that averages $543 to $643 per night.  And the cash for all of it hits my bank account more than 90 days before the beginning of their rented week.

Last year, it was May and there were no apparent takers.  So we signed it over to the powers that be to rent for us just for 2007.  In July, we got a check for approx. $989.  Thats 50% of the amount they claimed they collected, or $1,978.  The paperwork sent with it said they rented it 5 of 7 nights, and interesting, I remember Saturday night was one of the dates it wasn't rented.  So basically the Westin charged whomever $395.60 for use of our villa, but if you go to their website, I don't think you can touch a basic hotel room for that amount, let alone a two bedroom condo?


----------



## LauraS93

DavidnRobin said:


> As I have before - they are a alot of short-stays in the studios and 1 Bds when we are there (week 24) - and empty units.  Alwayes seems strange since it seems so difficult to exchange into.  I have always felt that if you want to get to the 'shady' side of how SVO moves units/$$$ to their advantage (outside of the balance sheet) that WSJ would be the place to look.



Shady - that is for sure!!!


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## Henry M.

How about adding a section here or in a separate thread about successful rental prices? Something like:

Resort:
Unit rented:
Check-in date:
Ad placement date:
Total rent:
Where renter found your listing:
How long did it take to rent:

I think people sometimes shortchange themselves when renting and selling their timeshares. Many come here to find the lowest possible price, but that sometimes helps depreciate what we own. Sure there are some people that sell/rent in desperation, but if you know the market and are patient, you can do better than give away your unit either on a sale or a rent for just the maintenance fees.

Sales prices should also be higher than they are, at least at some locations. For example, WKORV units should really be worth more than $40K based on the real estate value alone if people didn't just fire-sell their property. A 2BR condo of the caliber of these units is surely worth at least $2,000,000.  They go for more than that at the Ka'anapali Alii near Whaler's Village. That divided by 52 is close to $40K. A bare 1 acre lot next to WKORV sells for $10,000,000.

I'll post my recent rental experience:

Resort: WKORV-N
Unit rented: IV Studio
Check-in date: May 21-28 (mid week check-in possible within 90 days)
Ad placement date: Feb 22
Total rent: $1,800
Where renter found listing: craigslist.com
How long did it take to rent (from posting to finalizing transaction): 5 days


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## Henry M.

*E-Mail Confirmations*

When assigning the rental to someone else I learned the following two things from Starwood Reservations:

1.) If the reservation is in someone else's name, they can't get any of your Elite benefits. like early check-in or late check-out.

2.) If you leave your name on the reservation, then the renter can't check in without you.

3.) They have a problem with their e-mail confirmation system because many ISP's have blackmailed their server. This has been going on for a long time. It gets fixed temporarily only to happen again. 

In my case, my home e-mail (Road Runner) never received the confirmation but when they mailed the confirmation to my gmail and work accounts I got the e-mails with no problem. All were mailed within seconds of each other. They can also try to e-mail your renter while you have them on the line but there are no guarantees it will arrive!


----------



## TheUnitrep

emuyshondt said:


> ...They have a problem with their e-mail confirmation system because many ISP's have blackmailed their server. This has been going on for a long time. It gets fixed temporarily only to happen again.



Why then, do I receive all the other crap Starwood sends to my email account (special owner-only offers -- you know the ones that are priced as high as any travel agency would offer to someone walking off the street; SVO newsletters; and the announcement of new and exciting benefits -- translation: price increases and benefit reductions).

I'm sick of Starwood saying they are working on solving the email confirmation problem.  I have not received an email confirmation for the last three reservations I've made (the last being more than 18 months ago).  

And yes...I did log onto mystarcentral.com to file this complaint (as suggested in another thread).  That was on Friday.  I did receive a response today saying they had their IT department working on a way to outsmart the spam filter.  Still no email confirmation.

As I said previously, while I love the SVN resorts we've traveled to, I'm very disappointed with the customer service I received since first purchasing in 2004.

I really don't believe they care about keeping existing owners satisfied.  They already have our money, so they concentrate on chumming the water to attract their next catch.

Jerry


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## ascarborough

Resort: WKORV
Unit rented: Ocean View
Check-in date: 7/26/08
Ad placement date: 3/3
Total rent: $3500
Where renter found your listing: Craigs List
How long did it take to rent: hours

Used my free classified ad on TUG around Oct/Nov of 2007 and had zero responses.  I believe was asking $3800 at the time.  Placed an ad on myresortnetwork for $3500 and received zero responses.   Put an add on Hawaii CraigsList and got a response almost immediately.   It happened so fast I was very suspicious, but turned out legitimate.   Called them, got a check for the full amount, waited two weeks to make sure it cleared, called Westin and forwarded the renter the confirmation email.   I downloaded a rental agreement from one of the sites listed in the "how-to" rental thread.   Chose the $3500 amount based mainly on Denise's rental messages (thank you).   Having it all done early is well worth the few hundred dollars I might have been able to get extra.

This was our first time renting.   Purchased in 2006.   Went December 2006 and July 2007.   We love it at WKORV, but decided to take a break from the airfare this year.


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## ciscogizmo1

Okay.. here's my experience... However, I wasn't as successful money-wise.

Resort: WKORV 
Unit rented: Ocean View Studio
Check-in date: July 27 to Aug 3
Ad placement date: Nov 28th
Total rent: $1,375
Where renter found listing: Redweek
How long did it take to rent (from posting to finalizing transaction): 4 months a lot of inquires but no takers..

Reposted on Craigslist in mid February
Found a renter within a week

I had a couple of problems with my rental.  Originally, I was doing a trade from Maui to Princeville.  However, when I called at 8 months the only thing available was a one bedroom.  So, I accepted and decided to rent out the studio.  The rep then told me that I loss my view because she had to cancel and re-book.  I fought with Starwood on this issue for many months.  Finally, last week they decided to give me my view back.  Because the view was island view technically, I got a lot of people not interested.  Most wanted ocean view.  So, it was very difficult to advertise  since, I didn't know what the view would be.

The other thing is that I really dislike Craigslist.  It is a personal thing even though my unit rented quickly I have problems with the company morally.  I think next time I'll wait it out on Redweek longer.  After I rented to the Craigslist person, 2 people came back saying they wanted to rent from Redweek.


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## ciscogizmo1

ascarborough said:


> Resort: WKORV
> Unit rented: Ocean View
> Check-in date: 7/26/08
> Ad placement date: 3/3
> Total rent: $3500
> Where renter found your listing: Craigs List
> How long did it take to rent: hours
> 
> Used my free classified ad on TUG around Oct/Nov of 2007 and had zero responses.  I believe was asking $3800 at the time.  Placed an ad on myresortnetwork for $3500 and received zero responses.   Put an add on Hawaii CraigsList and got a response almost immediately.   It happened so fast I was very suspicious, but turned out legitimate.   Called them, got a check for the full amount, waited two weeks to make sure it cleared, called Westin and forwarded the renter the confirmation email.   I downloaded a rental agreement from one of the sites listed in the "how-to" rental thread.   Chose the $3500 amount based mainly on Denise's rental messages (thank you).   Having it all done early is well worth the few hundred dollars I might have been able to get extra.
> 
> This was our first time renting.   Purchased in 2006.   Went December 2006 and July 2007.   We love it at WKORV, but decided to take a break from the airfare this year.



Good job...

I agree with you regarding TUG.  I've placed two ads on TUG and got zero responses.  I don't even bother anymore.


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## GrayFal

Resort:Sheraton Broadway Plantation
Unit rented:1BR 'shotgun'
Check-in date:6/28/08
Ad placement date: February 15
Total rent:$895 - renter paying paypal fee
Where renter found your listing:Redweek.com
How long did it take to rent:1 month

With 'drive to' locations, people tend to wait until 4-6 months out to rent.
I hade several inquiries on Craigs List but nothing firm.


----------



## Henry M.

ciscogizmo1 said:


> The other thing is that I really dislike Craigslist.  It is a personal thing even though my unit rented quickly I have problems with the company morally.



I don't have much information about craigslist other than I rented my unit through them quickly, based on inputs here on TUG. What problems are there with them? Why are they morally objectionable?


----------



## LisaRex

GrayFal said:


> Resort:Sheraton Broadway Plantation
> Unit rented:1BR 'shotgun'
> Check-in date:6/28/08
> Ad placement date: February 15
> Total rent:$89 - renter paying paypal fee
> Where renter found your listing:Redweek.com
> How long did it take to rent:1 month
> 
> With 'drive to' locations, people tend to wait until 4-6 months out to rent.
> I had several inquiries on Craigs List but nothing firm.



Is that $89/night or $89 total?


----------



## tomandrobin

GrayFal said:


> Resort:Sheraton Broadway Plantation
> Unit rented:1BR 'shotgun'
> Check-in date:6/28/08
> Ad placement date: February 15
> Total rent:$89 - renter paying paypal fee
> Where renter found your listing:Redweek.com
> How long did it take to rent:1 month
> 
> With 'drive to' locations, people tend to wait until 4-6 months out to rent.
> I hade several inquiries on Craigs List but nothing firm.



$89 for a one week rental, in the summer?


----------



## DavidnRobin

emuyshondt said:


> I don't have much information about craigslist other than I rented my unit through them quickly, based on inputs here on TUG. What problems are there with them? Why are they morally objectionable?



Whatever you do - do not click on the 'Casual Encounters' section - ESPECIALLY in the SF Bay Area region.    what!!??? you did!!!??? 
that's a bit more 'diversity' than some may be able to stomach :ignore:

PS - editted as to not bring this topic to the top - and not to go off on a tangent about CL (or soft-porn on HBO for that matter...).  On the front page of the 'Casual Encounters' (adult) section of CL - there is a 'warnings&disclaimer' page that has a dedicated point (#4) - "I agree to report suspected exploitation of minors to the appropriate authorities." with a link to a variety of sources to report these crimes. Including the ATL special victims crime section that deals with sex & minors. To state that 85% of advertising for minors in prostitution is done thru CL - is certainly an vast over-statement - especially since you are not allowed to advertise as such (and police can track you down - and do... and has been reported on the news as a mechanism for capture of these sickos).  Try listed something forbidden on CL (even in the non-casual encounters section) and see what happens.  I am not saying that illegal activities do not occur on CL - and minors cannot be exploited on CL. But you cannot post on CL that you are looking for a minor to have sex with - or a have a minor post as such looking for sex.  Thus my comment as to the over-statement.  Prostitution as a whole is forbbiden on CL (but of course goes on...).  CL is run by about 6 people total - it is about the only community-based non-commercial non-profit entity internet forum in existance (the original intent for public use of the internet).  Yes, it is sad that there are such sickos out there (the same can be said about any criminals that prey on anybody).  Making CL a commercial-based forum would ruin it for the MANY for the few criminals (...yet again...).


----------



## GrayFal

LisaRex said:


> Is that $89/night or $89 total?





tomandrobin said:


> $89 for a one week rental, in the summer?


LOL, tough crowd  !

I edited my post - I lost a "5" - it was $895 for the week plus renter paid PayPal fee (I learned that from Denise M  )


----------



## tomandrobin

whew, $895 is much better.

I was thinking someone got a _*SUPER*_ deal.

My BIL is renting his SBP unit, or at least trying to rent it. If the going rate is $89, he was way over the market rate.


----------



## ciscogizmo1

emuyshondt said:


> I don't have much information about craigslist other than I rented my unit through them quickly, based on inputs here on TUG. What problems are there with them? Why are they morally objectionable?


  The site is heavily used for prostitution.  In the Atlanta area they discovered that 85% of advertising for minors in prostitution is done on Craigslist.  Many of the minors were the result of human trafficking.   

Another case in Oregon happened where someone had placed ads that all the things had his home were up for grabs.  Over 30 people showed up and took things from his house, barn and one person even tried to take his horse.   Alot of people drove off with his stuff prior to the police arriving.  Those items were never retrieved.  

Now, these are unfortunate things that probably happen through other mediums but there really isn't any save guards out there on Craigslist.  You don't provide a credit card, etc... so, there is not way to trace anything back to the original poster.


----------



## Henry M.

Thanks for the information. I wasn't aware of these things. It seems individuals are abusing a useful service.


----------



## Emerson613

*Hi SVO friends!*

Hello-
Thanks for all of the useful info here.
My husband and I own at SVV and have 2  3 BR lockoffs with our friends. We have extra options and booked a week at Atlantis and were learning how to rent. I have a question....

If it states that we cannot "rent" our time.... (it does, right?)  What is it that you are telling Starwood when you call to change the names on the reservation? How do you rent and not get into a bind with the company?

I see that it's happening all of the time- I'm just curious as we have only rented to people we know so far.

Thanks!

and if this is the wrong place for this ?- I apologize- I am just getting used to your site  

thanks!


----------



## DeniseM

Welcome to the Starwood board!  

Although it does say that you can't rent a Staroption exchange is some Starwood info., it's commonly done, and members of this board have even called owner services to ask if it was OK  and they said, "no problem."  

However, I feel no need to discuss my plans with Starwood, anyway.  I simply call up and say a guest will be using my reservation, please send them a confirmation.  I don't think you will have a problem.


----------



## Emerson613

Sounds good to me!

Do you rent frequently?

I am LOVING reading all of these threads-  just like when I found MouseBuzz... I am having a hard time getting up!

I put an Ad in the classifieds here.... then pulled it down- I wasn't sure if that  was my next step or if I had to join TUG- I got overwhelmed for a few minutes!!!

I think I will post that Ad here again and see what happens......

thanks much!

(I love that you get back to me so quickly!!!!)


----------



## Kildahl

Emerson613 said:


> Sounds good to me!
> 
> Do you rent frequently?
> 
> I am LOVING reading all of these threads-  just like when I found MouseBuzz... I am having a hard time getting up!
> 
> I put an Ad in the classifieds here.... then pulled it down- I wasn't sure if that  was my next step or if I had to join TUG- I got overwhelmed for a few minutes!!!
> 
> I think I will post that Ad here again and see what happens......
> 
> thanks much!
> 
> (I love that you get back to me so quickly!!!!)



Please join us. The modest fee is well worth it and supports all the great services provided by TUG and it's community.


----------



## DavidnRobin

Speaking of renting - it turns out that the person that rented our OF WKORV Studio for 4th of July week from us didn't make plane reservations at the time (big mistake) and now... here it comes... cannot afford to fly to HI.

They realize I have no obligation to help out, but being the nice guy that I am... I suggested that they 1) find another renter to replace them and I will transfer into their name, or 2) go later in the year via an SVN exchange, but only get a standard studio at WKORV since the 8-month point has passed, or 3) find a drivable SVO resort (e.g. WKV, WMH, WDW) and I could reserve via an SVN exchange for later this year using the 67.1K SOs.

Any other ideas - or watchouts?


----------



## LisaRex

DavidnRobin said:


> Any other ideas - or watchouts?



Here's an idea, but not sure you want to go through the hassle: 

Offer to re-list it at their expense.  If you get another taker, once you receive payment in full, you'd be willing to refund their purchase price less a reasonable cancellation fee ($250+).  If you do not get another taker, then they'll be out the full amount + the re-listing fee.  It's a risk to them, but it also gives them the opportunity to try and recoup some of their money.


----------



## Henry M.

Another successful rental:

Resort: WKORV-N
Unit rented: IV 2BR Lock-off + extra 1BR
Check-in date: April 11-18, 2009
Ad placement date: 4/21/2008
Total rent: $6,800 ($4,200 for the 2BR, $2,600 for the 1BR)
Where renter found listing: craigslist.com
How long did it take to rent (from posting to finalizing transaction): 7 days. 

I had been placing ads for a week I have this year when someone wrote to inquire about going next year. They answered within a couple of days of my last ad. 

The week I have for this year was reserved for July 5. Since there had been no takers I had to cancel the reservation to avoid being caught by the 60 day rule, whereby if you cancel the reservation within 60 days of arrival you can only make another reservation 60 days out. I have a prospect now for November, but I'm not sure if they'll come through. I had 0 interest in what I thought would have been a popular summer rental.


----------



## DavidnRobin

Congrats - which CL location was successful?


----------



## Henry M.

SF Bay Area.


----------



## DavidnRobin

CL SF Bay Area works best for us too.  Of course, SF Rocks!!! lol

I never heard back from my renter of WKORV - so I guess they got it worked out.


----------



## DeniseM

> Total rent: $6,800 ($4,200 for the 2BR, $2,600 for the 1BR)



WOW!  I am so impressed that you can get that kind of money in this economy!  

Were you asking that much for your 2008 week?  Maybe that's why it didn't rent.


----------



## Henry M.

I have someone wanting the 2008 WKORV-N week but we haven't finished the deal yet. My surprise is not that I haven't rented it. That will come. What surprised me was that a July 5 week, connected to the July 4th holiday wasn't of interest to anyone, not even an inquiry. So far April, May and November weeks have been of more interest to people. I guess you just have to find the right person and not worry too much about what week you have.

I did rent a studio at WKORV for the original asking price ($1,800). These prices are not unreasonable for the kind of accommodations that these resorts offer and for the cost of the units when you buy them. The rates are less than half of what it costs to rent the rooms from Starwood. It is also in line with what you see advertised on redweek.

I still have time to rent the 2008 unit and if it doesn't rent, I can get significant more value than my maintenance fees even through a simple Starpoint conversion, which I have until October 1 to effect due to my Elite status.

Many people seem to be shy or just impatient and unnecessarily undermine the value of what they have. This is a very nice resort.


----------



## botham

*Vistana Rental Scheme*

All the above posts seem to refer to privately advertised rentals. I understand that Starwood offer Vistana owners the opportunity to deposit their week in a rental scheme, administered by SVN.

Has anyone done this and what is the expected return?

Would I still have to pay the maintenance fee?


----------



## calgarygary

English Tim said:


> All the above posts seem to refer to privately advertised rentals. I understand that Starwood offer Vistana owners the opportunity to deposit their week in a rental scheme, administered by SVN.
> 
> Has anyone done this and what is the expected return?
> 
> Would I still have to pay the maintenance fee?



If you look at post #53, you will see DeniseM's take (and most of the rest of us) on having Starwood rent your week.  It may make a good selling point for the sales department but the execution in real life is bad for the owner.


----------



## Henry M.

With the SVN rental program, Starwood keeps 50% of the proceeds if they rent your unit at all and they deduct any additional expenses (e.g. travel agent fees) from that. 

I don't know how hard it is to rent an Orlando timeshare on your own.


----------



## James1975NY

rocky said:


> It's handy because if you ever have a cancellation, you just say.....
> 
> "oh, wow, bummer...  I'm so sorry.  I would be happy to draft a letter to your travel insurance provider to verify the monetary value and reservation specifics of the vacation week you rented.  I can provide a copy of your signed rental contract to them as well.  Please let me know where you would like me to send the documentation."
> 
> And the conversation about money back ends before it begins.  Works like a charm.



I like this statement Rocky....to make your statement even stronger, I would include some verbiage in the rental contracts regarding your "reccommendation to purchase travel insurance". Then you could say...."I am sure you followed the suggestion to purchase travel insurance per the rental agreement......."I would be happy to draft a letter....."


----------



## DavidnRobin

As an update to this thread - I thought I'd share that I just rented one of our 1Bd WKV Premium/Platinum weeks (reserved for mid-March - Spring Training) - and used the rental contract/agreement discussed here.

It was rented using Redweek - and I had 2 inquiries within 2 days of posting on RW.
Also, posted in the TUG Timeshare Marketplace - no inquiries, but it has only been 2 days.

No hassles at all - went smoothly - used PayPal.


----------



## Ågent99

D&R, thanks for the update.  I plan to work on posting my TS up for rent this weekend.  I thought I'd start with putting it on TUG and CL and wait a week for any response before trying any paid ad sites.

I have July 4-11 for the studio and July 11-18 for the 1-BD, all IV although I did ask for an upgrade, of course.  I'm hoping to rent both to the same person and will probably list for $4k.


----------



## DavidnRobin

Rental update:  We are in the process of renting our WKORV OF Dlx studio (we will be using the 1 Bd side) - this will be the 3rd year in a row we have rented the studio-side. Used RedWeek, PayPal, and the rental agreement/contract discussed here.  Posted just 2-3 weeks ago (TUG Marketplace and RW). I had a few people contact me (some for exchanges - nope), but no follow-up.  Smooth so far - renter is TSr (non-Starwood) - told them about TUG.


----------



## clsmit

Rental update -- I've rented the large 1 BR side of my SBR 2BR LO for 4th of July week 2009. This was my first ever rental! It was posted here (got a scammer email from that posting), on Redweek, and Craigslist Atlanta. The renter got it from Redweek.

I reserved the unit 12 mos out at 8:59 am. Because I reserved the whole thing at once but only rented half, when I called to change the name on the half they had to get that person (an SVV owner who I don't think is on TUG -- but I told him about it!) his own reservation number. Not a big deal but it took another day to complete because the inventory people have to do it and they don't work the same hours as the phone people.

Thanks to all of the advice here I was able to use Paypal and write a good contract!

If the DH keeps buying weeks I'll need to do a lot more renting! But I think I'm getting the hang of this...


----------



## tomandrobin

We had three rentals this year, two at HRA, one at SBP. The first HRA and the SBP both were rented from Redweek. The second HRA was rented from TUG. I had listed the units on CL, Redweek and TUG. I received alot of interest from CL, but the offers were ridiculously low. 

Overall, the past three years, we have had great success renting on redweek. CL gets alot of interest, but never a real offer. Tug gets so/so interest and only one sucessful renter. We have contracts for the units, but only once has someone wanted the contract.


----------



## DavidnRobin

rental update for WKORVN
http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?p=672728&posted=1#post672728


----------



## LisaRex

tomandrobin said:


> Overall, the past three years, we have had great success renting on redweek. CL gets alot of interest, but never a real offer. Tug gets so/so interest and only one sucessful renter. We have contracts for the units, but only once has someone wanted the contract.



I don't rent out my unit, but wouldn't you want a contract to protect you should the renter damage the villa?


----------



## DeniseM

LisaRex said:


> I don't rent out my unit, but wouldn't you want a contract to protect you should the renter damage the villa?



Starwood requires a renter to provide a credit card at check-in, and any damages or charges to the room would be applied to the credit card.

In what way would a contract protect you?  Lawsuit?  It would have to be a heck of a lot of damage to justify a lawsuit.

Also - rental damages are VERY rare - if they were common, you know we'd hear about them on TUG.

Just as an added protection, I don't rent to anyone under 25.


----------



## pointsjunkie

with the recession i have found rentals are very slow this year. only rented out 1 unit so far for a really cheap price. i have till 3/23 for all my harborside rentals to be put back into the system. we'll see.

rained in cancun today


----------



## clsmit

I was able to rent 1 1/2 of my units this year. The other 1/2 is now in II for my sister to use whenever she figures out where and when she wants to go someplace. Since she'll be paying me roughly was I was going to rent that unit for it comes out pretty much a wash. But both of my rentals had deposits put down last year, so that might have had something to do with it.


----------



## Robert D

I rented my Vistana Resort Cascades large 1BR and Desert Oasis large 1BR, both for the week of March 14-21.  Got them rented about a week ago, Vistana for $795 and SDO for $825 which was less than I got last year but still acceptable.  Was getting close to 30 days from check in so I was very motivated to get them rented.


----------



## cvelasco

We own Kierland, Princeville, and Vistana villages. I am thinking of renting in 2010. Which one of these should I try to reserve 12 months out for spring break? I have never rented our TS before. I was thining Orlando but woudl not get much rent for it. I think Kierland is pretty popular in the Spring and I am sure Princeville would be too. Just don't know the best way to go. Thanks!


----------



## DeniseM

cvelasco said:


> We own Kierland, Princeville, and Vistana villages. I am thinking of renting in 2010. Which one of these should I try to reserve 12 months out for spring break? I have never rented our TS before. I was thining Orlando but woudl not get much rent for it. I think Kierland is pretty popular in the Spring and I am sure Princeville would be too. Just don't know the best way to go. Thanks!



Hawaii gets higher rent in general, but travel to Hawaii is being affected by the economy.  I don't think you would have any problem renting Vistana Villages for spring break either - WDW is very popular for string break.  

What ever you decide, be sure you have a back up plan in case it doesn't rent.


----------



## DavidnRobin

hmmm... it seems as if we have missed post#1


----------



## malyons

agreed, back on point, i'm not sure if this is covered yet (don't recall seeing any real discussion of it), what is the best time to begin posting your week for rent?  Redweek for sure and maybe other sites go in 6 mo increments for rentals, so what is the so-called "sweet spot"?  I have a unit reserved for next March that I'm considering renting, when should I start posting ads?  It seems like now would be a bit early, especially in this economy.  My thought was post at about 9 mos out so I'd be covered from 9-3 months out, and if at that point it hadn't rented I'd consider using it or depositing w/ II before it's too late


----------



## DavidnRobin

w/o making it seem like an ad... I posted on RW just today for a float in 2010 (planning ahead) since I have that flexibility w/o reserving a week in advance. Also consider reserving a popular week early - so you can move it back if needed (or forward).  I did this last year and it worked out.


----------



## DeniseM

DavidnRobin said:


> hmmm... it seems as if we have missed post#1



Hi David - You are right and I helped with the hijacking!   

I am going to start a new thread with our OT posts!


----------



## DeniseM

malyons said:


> what is the best time to begin posting your week for rent?



I have rented at more than 6 mos. out several times, so especially on the cheap and free sites, I start my Ads at 12 mos. out.

In addition to the free TUG Marketplace (linked in the red bar at the top of the page) I personally use these cheap or free websites to post my Ads:

www.craigslist.org (free)

www.redweek.com
    * Membership $14.99 for 12 Months
    * Timeshare Rental Postings - $19.99/ea for 6 Months - $49.99/ea for 12 Months

www.myresortnetwork.com
    $19.95 posting fee ($24.95 for a float week ad)


----------



## DavidnRobin

*Rental Update*

I just rented a March 2010 week at WKV (1Bd Premium) via the TUG Marketplace. This unit was rented almost 12 months in advance and within a couple weeks of listing. Used the rental agreement that I drafted and posted on this thread. The renters were very good (no hassles), responsive and everything went smoothly.  Used PayPal

I had one other inquiry from someone through RedWeek - never responded back (had the tone of a scam anyway - and may have not heard back because they realized I had the anti-scam bases covered).

Nice to get it rented in advance since I don't have to deal with it anymore - and advantage of having a 'fair' rental price.


----------



## LisaRex

Great news, David, both that you rented your unit and that someone used Tug's ads!!


----------



## DavidnRobin

I just rented our other WKV week for 2010 - via TUG Marketplace.
No hassles - used PayPal - got paid in full upfront.
hmmm.... I may to buy another one of these so we can actually go to this great resort. lol
Now I just need to deal with the WKORV OFD studio for 2010.


----------



## Henry M.

So what is a "fair" price for WKV these days? 

I got a good price for WKORV-N this year but the agreement preceded the financial market meltdown. Fortunately my renters just completed their stay this past week and were very happy. I don't know what would be good for next year, though. Do you feel like the rates have come down significantly from what you've gotten before?


----------



## DavidnRobin

What I listed for in the TUG Marketplace ($1650) - about the same as previous years, but I believe this is on the low side from the other comparables (TUG, RW).  I also rented my 2009 WKORV OFD studio before the market collapse to someone is planning on going in May, and also rented WKV ( last month).  No takers on my 2010 OFD week, but still a ways to go -besides I may use this week, or exchange - but will not convert to SPs (I requaled WKORV)



emuyshondt said:


> So what is a "fair" price for WKV these days?
> 
> I got a good price for WKORV-N this year but the agreement preceded the financial market meltdown. Fortunately my renters just completed their stay this past week and were very happy. I don't know what would be good for next year, though. Do you feel like the rates have come down significantly from what you've gotten before?


----------



## Henry M.

Is that for the whole 2BR lock-off? It does sound like a good deal for the renter. My WKORV-N IV 2BR brought in $4,200.


----------



## DavidnRobin

No - the WKV 1Bd Premium (large)


----------



## DavidnRobin

Update: Just rented the studio-side of our OF Dlx at WKORV for 2010 w/o hassle (via Redweek).  I got less than last year's rental, but taken care of this w/o hassle made it worth it (and considering the tougher economic times).

Used PayPal and rental agreement.  I took a 50% non-refundable deposit now and will take the other 50% 4 months prior to the rental (due late October).

For WKORV owners - be aware that WKORV/SVO has messed up the naming conventions for the Deluxe and Premium Layouts - see website.
http://www.starwoodvacationownership.com/westin_kaanapali_ocean_resort_villas/villas.jsp

Both 1Bd and studios (Deluxe and Premium) when split from the 2Bd LO are now referred to just as 'Premium' - I have tried bringing this to SVO/WKORV attention with little luck (big surprise), but will keep on trying.  I guess I will have to update my WKORV studio rental agreement to attempt to capture villa type accurately.


----------



## ALapter

*SVO Rental Network?*

This is my first time posting on this site, so I do apologize in advance if this issue has already been discussed.

I am trying to locate a rental/exchange forum for SVN owners.  Specifically, I own one week in Hawaii but live on the East Coast, so for some years I would rather vacation closer to home.  Rather than going through Interval or Starwood directly, I would love to find other SVN owners who may own properties on the East Coast or in the mountains and swap with them.  

[Specifics deleted to comply with the TUG no-advertising rule - DeniseM Moderator]

Does anyone know whether this type of forum exists?  And if not, would others be interested?

Thank you.


----------



## pointsjunkie

[Please use the pm function for this. - DeniseM TUG Moderator]


----------



## tomandrobin

ALapter said:


> This is my first time posting on this site, so I do apologize in advance if this issue has already been discussed.
> 
> I am trying to locate a rental/exchange forum for SVN owners.  Specifically, I own one week in Hawaii but live on the East Coast, so for some years I would rather vacation closer to home.  Rather than going through Interval or Starwood directly, I would love to find other SVN owners who may own properties on the East Coast or in the mountains and swap with them.
> 
> [Specifics deleted to comply with the TUG no-advertising rule - DeniseM Moderator]
> 
> Does anyone know whether this type of forum exists?  And if not, would others be interested?
> 
> Thank you.



Welcome to the Starwood forum and Tug!!

You can post an exchange/rental ad here on Tug at the tug marketplace. Its free for registered users. Also, you can try redweek.


----------



## DeniseM

Welcome to TUG!  

We have a strict no-advertising rule on TUG, so I edited some details out of  your post, but we have a section in the free TUG Marketplace for direct swaps.  Please click on Marketplace in the red bar at the top of the page.


----------



## ALapter

tomandrobin said:


> Welcome to the Starwood forum and Tug!!
> 
> You can post an exchange/rental ad here on Tug at the tug marketplace. Its free for registered users. Also, you can try redweek.



Thank you for the information.  I will take a look.


----------



## ALapter

Thank you for the information.  I will take a look.


----------



## pointsjunkie

pointsjunkie said:


> [Please use the pm function for this. - DeniseM TUG Moderator]



sorry couldn't find his PM listed because he is a guest.


----------



## DeniseM

pointsjunkie said:


> sorry couldn't find his PM listed because he is a guest.



All you have to do is click on his (or anyone's) blue user name and you can send them a PM or email - even to a guest.


----------



## labonnevie

*WKORV Rental*

Doesn't seem to be much in the way of recent rental price updates here, so I hope this is the right thread.
We just rented our WKORV 1 bedroom premium oceanview for October 2nd at a price of $2325.
I followed all of the advice on TUG and set up a website (thanks Denise for your ideas here), at 
[link deleted - DeniseM]
 wrote a contract, etc.
Listed it on craigslist - sf and la, but got only spam responses although quite a few people did link to the website.
Actually rented it by doing an email blast to everyone on my  contacts list.
The renter had been on a cruise with us 2 years ago - you just never know!
I feel like we got lucky, that the craigslist route would not have gotten it rented.


----------



## DeniseM

Congratulations!  That is a very good rental price for a 1 bdm.!


----------



## ginja

*First time trying to rent my unit need help*

I was planning on going to our WKORVN OF unit spring break 2011 but only want to use the 1 bdrm side and wanted to rent  out the studio side. Wasn't sure if I should book the whole 2 bedroom unit and then add renter on as guest or make 2 separate reservations one right after the other for the same day (does Starwood let you do that?) or book 1 side for a Sat. arrival on one side for a different day arrival. I gues my main concern is if I add renter as guest an I am staying there too, how would I prevent them from charging things to the room I don't want to get our charges for drinks and meals combinded.


----------



## DeniseM

You do not have to rent the same week you are there.  I would book a high demand week, like maybe the 4th of July and advertise it, along with a statement that other weeks are available.  

When you rent it, you will have Starwood Owner Services send the renter a confirmation in their own name, and they will check themselves in with their own credit card.  

To avoid complications, I wouldn't even let them know I was there, if they happen to choose the same week you are there.  If they have issues, the resort should deal with them, not you.

Question - why don't you own week 50?


----------



## ginja

*Rental questions*

I was planning on going spring break to Hawaii and figured if I couldn't rent the studio side we would just spread out and use the whole unit. Considering the economy and the fact its first time I'm trying to rent I don't want to chance reserving a week that I wouldn't be able to use even if it was a highly desirable week since there would be a chance that week it would just sit empty. So what would be the best way to set up reserving the 2 halves. If I call a year in advance for the 1 bedroom do I hang up and make a separate reservation for the studio?


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## DeniseM

No - on the same call, tell them you want to reserve both sides, but you intend for a guest to use the studio side, and you want two different confirmations.  Later, when you have your renter's name, you can call back and have a confirmation sent to them, in their own name.


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## DavidnRobin

bump with a rental data point...

A friend of mine just rented a 2Bd LO WKORVN OF villa for $2600 (7 nites - 6 of them) from an Owner off of Redweek.  It worked out for her because it was the exact time they wanted to go (late June). I recommend that she negotiated the price because the Owner already had these dates reserved, and outside of his 8-month window for changes for 2010, but she didn't want to haggle.

They were about to rent from a West Maui Hotel for 5 nites at a cost of $650 per nite - luckily she mentioned it to me before she committed.  Unfortunately - the flights to OGG from SFO (and LAX) are expensive at this time.


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## DeniseM

Good for her, but not good for owners.  Isn't this less than your MF, David?


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## DavidnRobin

DeniseM said:


> Good for her, but not good for owners.  Isn't this less than your MF, David?



This was for an OF villa at WKORV-North (we own south) - if I recall correctly the MFs are around $2500-$2600 - so this Owner broke even.

We use the 1Bd side of our Deluxe OF at WKORV-south, and rent out the studio side to have cover some of the MFs (less and less every year - sadly).


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## DeniseM

DavidnRobin said:


> This was for an OF villa at WKORV-North (we own south) - if I recall correctly the MFs are around $2200 (?) - so this Owner made a few hundred dollars.



I missed that it was WKORVN - the MF is $2479.60, so they barely covered it.  Hardly worth renting!


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## DavidnRobin

DeniseM said:


> I missed that it was WKORVN - the MF is $2479.60, so they barely covered it.  Hardly worth renting!



I was wrong in my estimate of WKORVN MFs (corrected) - if the Owner planned to use the villa, then couldn't - getting back what you paid in MFs is a lot better than losing money (for sure), or having to II exchange it for an assumingly lessor villa (or SP convert it for 80K SPs - ouch).  These villas sold (via SVO) for around $70K.

The Owner told my friend that is what he paid for it and was the price was firm.  I told him about TUG (it was me who contacted him for her because I have a RW account) - not sure if he ever bothered to lurk here.

I do not know the Owner's situation - but (at one point) I would have been happy to rent our 2 weeks at WSJ for our MFs but got no takers (a few inquiries, but no follow-up) - we decided to go.


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## YYJMSP

DavidnRobin said:


> Unfortunately - the flights to OGG from SFO (and LAX) are expensive at this time.



My cousin from SFO is joining up with us at WKORV in Jul -- we found that if she went from SJC, it was almost $300 cheaper per person to fly to OGG (on Delta/Alaska) than from SFO.


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## tomandrobin

DavidnRobin said:


> I do not know the Owner's situation - but (at one point) I would have been happy to rent our 2 weeks at WSJ for our MFs but got no takers (a few inquiries, but no follow-up) - we decided to go.



Not sure if I mention this before, and right now I am too lazy to search, but we traded our 2010 St John week, for a WKORV week in July.


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## DavidnRobin

I think I recall you saying you did.

Someday I would like to go to HRA during the 1st week of January (poker tourney at Atlantis) - maybe I can exchange into using one of our VOIs.  I just need a 1Bd. What do you think would be easier - direct or SVN?


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## jerseygirl

I would think you can get a 1-BR through SVN for the first week of January (post NY's week).  The weather isn't necessarily great (cold water) so those who really enjoy the water attractions probably aren't clamoring to visit at that time of year.  Having said that, I will stand corrected if a lot of owners are into the poker tournament!


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## tomandrobin

jerseygirl said:


> I would think you can get a 1-BR through SVN for the first week of January (post NY's week).  The weather isn't necessarily great (cold water) so those who really enjoy the water attractions probably aren't clamoring to visit at that time of year.  Having said that, I will stand corrected if a lot of owners are into the poker tournament!



I will agree with JerseyGirl....The first few weeks in January probably has the same travel demand as early June. There is some availability, but not a lot and not for every day. Also, it will take a 9am phone call...7 months out.


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## DavidnRobin

bumpity bump...

I just rented both of our weeks at WKV (1Bd Prem/Plat) for 2011 via RedWeek (had it listed on TUG and MRN as well).  The renter wanted Prez Day week for both villas - so I changed it from our original weeks reserved for March.  No charge or hassle with SVO - very efficient (and made a location request...).  Used PayPal.

Nice thing about owning WKV is that it is a great rental during Spring Training.

Now just need to rent our OF studio at WKORV that I reserved for 4th of July week - probably will be closer to that week before I get inquiries, but I am going to wait it out.


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## DeniseM

I just rented my 2 bdm. at WKORV for 2011, too!


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## LisaRex

DeniseM said:


> I just rented my 2 bdm. at WKORV for 2011, too!



Can you divulge how much and where you posted it? Also, did you use the Rental Agreement here on Tug?  I'm not having much success with my direct exchange request.  Many people are interested in exchanging, but none are offering up where I want to go.


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## DeniseM

I got $3,500

I had it advertised on TUG, Redweek, and CL - but I'm not sure where they saw my Ad - I will ask.

I think the thing that helps me rent more than anything else is my webpage.  I have had my page up since 2005 and I have lots of info. and renter recommendations there, and I think it makes people feel safe about renting from me.

I don't use a contract, unless the renter asks for one - no one ever asks.  I ask for a $100 deposit to put the reservation in their name, send them a confirmation from the resort in their name, and then they pay the balance in full.  So far, everyone is happy with that and I do 3-5 rentals a year.


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## DeniseM

BTW - I checked and this was rented from my Craigslist Ad.


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## DavidnRobin

DeniseM said:


> BTW - I checked and this was rented from my Craigslist Ad.



Every time I have used CL - I get nothing but scammers and spam - plus the hassle of trying to keep the ad updated or different enough not to get flagged for posting at multiple locations.  What is your secret?


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## okwiater

I successfully rented out a week on eBay a couple of months ago for a week about 6 months out.


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## DeniseM

DavidnRobin said:


> Every time I have used CL - I get nothing but scammers and spam - plus the hassle of trying to keep the ad updated or different enough not to get flagged for posting at multiple locations.  What is your secret?



I create two different Ads and every 3 days I deleted one and respost the other.  If you create an online Acct. with CL, your old Ads are in your Acct. and can be reposted at any time - you don't have to rewrite the Ad each time.

My Ad takes them to my website where I have lots of pictures and info., which I think really helps.  

I get spam and scammers, too, but they are painfully obvious.  Since I only accept Paypal, that weeds out most of them.


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## DavidnRobin

Thanks - perhaps I will try this approach again - as well as get a website up (finally)...

and... OH YEAH! My 4000th post is of course in your honor...


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## DeniseM

DavidnRobin said:


> Thanks - perhaps I will try this approach again - as well as get a website up (finally)...
> 
> and... OH YEAH! My 4000th post is of course in your honor...



WOW!  Congrats Dave!


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## Henry M.

Most of my WKORV/WKORVN rentals have been through Craigslist too. Lately I've gotten a few referrals from previous renters who asked for units unsolicited. I tried TUG once but never got any bites. I haven't used other sites.

Craigslist does have its share of scammers, but as Denise pointed out, they are pretty obvious. Some don't even mention what it is they want to get, just that they want to send you lots of money to cover expenses or get you to unlist your item. They want to send you more than you asked for and then get money back, and things like that. It's not hard to tell wheat from the chaff. If it is not a straightforward deal that they want the unit on a fixed future date, with immediate payment, then just pass. I don't get many scammers so the effectiveness of finding renters far outweighs the potential for a scam.

I do the same as Denise in terms of payment. I use Paypal for the deposit and accept a check for the rest to avoid Paypal fees. So far the rentals  have been so far in advance that the check will clear long before the arrival date. I usually rent more than 60 days in advance so my Staroptions don't become restricted.

Not once have I rented the week I had reserved, even July 4th and such. Every time the renter has wanted some other random week, often in shoulder season, just before or just after the summer, or in the early part of the year. I don't worry about trying to reserve the best possible week in terms of resort demand. I just let the renter choose what they want and check if it is available. I think high demand weeks also mean high airfare costs so renters typically pick other times to go.


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## DavidnRobin

Just rented the studio-side of our OFD WKORV (4th July week 2011 - reserved at 12 months) - $1850 - RedWeek - PayPal - no hassles
woohoo...


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## DavidnRobin

delete - duplicate post


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## schubes

*Help Rental Question*

I am renting from an owner at SDO.  He requires no contract, but he is asking for the entire amount now since it is less than 6 months out.  He requires cash (check) sent to his *P.O. Box* and will change the name on the reservation upon receipt.

He emailed me a copy of his reservation confirmation so I know he has a reservation at his home resort for the unit and time frame we negotiated.

It appears that he has other timeshare units that he owns at other resorts and has those listed as well on Redweek.

Will the emails back and forth along with the canceled check suffice for proof of transaction?    What do you all think?


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## DanCali

schubes said:


> I am renting from an owner at SDO.  He requires no contract, but he is asking for the entire amount now since it is less than 6 months out.  He requires cash (check) sent to his *P.O. Box* and will change the name on the reservation upon receipt.
> 
> He emailed me a copy of his reservation confirmation so I know he has a reservation at his home resort for the unit and time frame we negotiated.
> 
> It appears that he has other timeshare units that he owns at other resorts and has those listed as well on Redweek.
> 
> Will the emails back and forth along with the canceled check suffice for proof of transaction?    What do you all think?



This sounds somewhat suspicious to me.

I've done a couple of rentals myself and have never requested all the money upfront even though one was less than 3 months out. I take a 50% deposit if it's less than 4 months out (20% deposit if more). I require the balance 1-2 after I change the name on the reservation. I figure, worst case is that they don't pay the balance, I keep the deposit, and rent it for half price quickly - but if someone paid 50%, they will pay the rest...

I also take money via Paypal which, even if you think Paypal gives just limited protection, at least allows the renter to dispute the charge with their credit card company. Yes, Paypal charges me 3%, but that's the cost of doing business.

Plus, I do require a contract that is fair and protects both sides (nobody ever asked me to change any of the terms)

I realize everyone has their own ideas of how things should be done but no contract and sending a check to a P.O. Box seems quite unusual. It leaves you with almost zero recourse if something goes wrong.


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## klatkiew

agree with DanCali!   The PO Box is the part the bothers me.

I've never had a problem with renters but i always use a very simple contract, ask for a deposit up front, and prompt payment of the balance once they confirm the reservation is in their name.   I have used paypal but my most recent renter wanted to send me a personal check - we spoke on the phone and traded some personal info so i felt pretty comfortable with the transaction.  I waited for the check to clear before i changed the reservations.

If you feel uncomfortable with this transaction - get on the phone with the person and see if you can work it out - if it doesn't feel right - don't do it.  it's not worth it.


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## DeniseM

Besides the P.O. Box, it doesn't sound suspicious to me - I ALWAYS require full payment upfront.

More info. - *How to make sure a rental is Legit.*


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## Ken555

Having a PO Box may be a sign to be cautious, but it's not unusual. I use a PO Box for my business transactions daily, though we also have a street address if absolutely necessary (specifically for FedEx & UPS deliveries). A PO Box is a legitimate method of sending mail via the USPS. IMO, it doesn't matter where you send the check to as much as knowledge of who you're sending it to... There are a number of risk factors to consider when renting from an individual, and this is just one of them.


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## okwiater

schubes said:


> I am renting from an owner at SDO.  He requires no contract, but he is asking for the entire amount now since it is less than 6 months out.  He requires cash (check) sent to his *P.O. Box* and will change the name on the reservation upon receipt.
> 
> He emailed me a copy of his reservation confirmation so I know he has a reservation at his home resort for the unit and time frame we negotiated.
> 
> It appears that he has other timeshare units that he owns at other resorts and has those listed as well on Redweek.
> 
> Will the emails back and forth along with the canceled check suffice for proof of transaction?    What do you all think?


 
If you are uncomfortable, tell the owner that you would like to rent the unit but that you are a little hesitant to send all of the money up front. If you explain that you'd like to propose an alternate solution that is fair to both sides, I'm sure he/she will accommodate. For instance, you could propose paying by Paypal and offer to cover the fee, or you could propose the 50% now, 50% upon changing the reservation option. Figure out what makes you feel good about the transaction, and if the owner is legit I'm sure they'll work with you.


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## schubes

Thanks all.  Every comment and suggestion are the same ones I have been going over in my mind.

I was thinking about sending 2 checks, one post dated to Jan.1, but some banks just deposit anything handed to them.

I am going to phone him.  I cannot find any info on him even using his phone number in a google search.

Deep down I believe he is legit.  It is just a weird request with no assurances on either end.


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## DanCali

schubes said:


> Thanks all.  Every comment and suggestion are the same ones I have been going over in my mind.
> 
> I was thinking about sending 2 checks, one post dated to Jan.1, but some banks just deposit anything handed to them.
> 
> I am going to phone him.  I cannot find any info on him even using his phone number in a google search.
> 
> Deep down I believe he is legit.  It is just a weird request with no assurances on either end.



Sending a check prior to him changing the name and then sending the balance is a pretty cosmetic thing. Ultimately the owner controls the reservation and if he has bad intentions he can always change the name back after receiving full payment. This is where having a contract and the ability to dispute a charge with either Paypal or a credit card company help.


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## DavidnRobin

excellent use of this rental thread...

The person who is doing the renting (renter) is certainly more at risk of money scams than the owner, but the owner also has some risk to money scams.  See this post:
http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=134998

The problem here was the tight turnaround time (17 days) between the owner and the renter - where the renter apparently used a stolen credit card via PayPal, and by the time the owner found out (via PayPal) - the scamming renter has already checked-in.   PayPal is now asking the owner to reimburse PayPal.  Interesting issue - since it was actually PayPal that accepted the stolen credit card and not the owner.  I was surprised that it would take 17 days for PayPal to realize that the credit card charge was fake.   Plus - the owner wasn't actually the owner, but renting an exchange - this can also lead to difficulties.

This owner could have protected themselves by not allowing a credit card to be used in a short turnaround transaction (btw, fraudulent checks and fake money orders also have the same riskes).  Also, the owner allowed the renter to pay via PayPal using another name.  Also in this case - the owner was afraid that the scamming renter would charge to the room, and they would be on the hook - but that seemed odd to me since it is the person at check-in is required to put up a credit card.  It would be pretty risky on the scammers part to use a fake credit card.

As mentioned - for a rental further out in time - the owner has control of the name on the reservation.  So if an owner is scammed by false money - they can remove the renters' name from the reservation.

Overall - as an owner it is wise to protect yourself with a rental agreement - make sure the money is cleared before the renter takes possession - do not accept money from someone who is not on the reservation - talk to the person on the phone to gauge their intent - and for me - I would not allow a PO Box to be used.

I do try and put the renter (sine they are the ones putting out the money) at ease by being open and accessible with them (as well as a rental agreement, etc.) - and tell them about TUG and my participation on the forum since it is unlikely that someone who has been contributing (#posts/#years) would be scamming them.

Regardless - both sides have some risk


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## RLG

DeniseM said:


> I ALWAYS require full payment upfront.
> 
> [/B]



I agree.

I also always require full payment because:

1) I want to know for sure whether it's rented or not.  
2) I don't want the extra work of needing to remember to chase a renter for the rest of the funds near the checkin date.

I take payment by  paypal and that enables renters to check out how long I've been a paypal user and how many people have paid me in the past.


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## abdibile

RLG said:


> I take payment by  paypal and that enables renters to check out how long I've been a paypal user and how many people have paid me in the past.



I also require full payment via Paypal and everyone I rented to was happy with that after I explained the process and they could dispute credit card charge.

How can a renter see (or I show him) how long I am payPal member and how many people have paid me through paypal?


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## RLG

abdibile said:


> How can a renter see (or I show him) how long I am payPal member and how many people have paid me through paypal?



Before you commit to sending a payment, you'll see a number next to the email of the recipient.  If you click on the number you'll get this info.


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## Robert D

I try to get full payment upfront but am willing to take half when I receive the booking and the balance 60 days before check in.  I don't put the reservation into the renter's name or change the reservation date to the date the renter needs ( if a change is required) until I get 50% of the rent. If check-in is within 60 days, then I require full payment at time of booking.

I think that if check-in is 6 months from now, 50% now and the balance around 60 days before check in should be acceptable.  I would insist on paying with a credit card so that you have some recourse if it heads south. When you receive a copy of the reservation in your name, I'd call the resort and confirm the reservation dates and names, and call them again once a  month (and again before making the final payment) to be sure nothing has changed. I'd call again right before leaving on your trip.  As you can tell, I like to be very cautious.  When I'm renting a unit I always give the renter my street address and phone number and am willing to do anything within reason (including a conference call with the resort to confirm I own the week and the reservation exists) to make them comfortable.

One thing I've never done is have a written contract or gotten a security deposit. The resorts I rent (including SDO) require a credit card imprint upon check in. However, my rental listings disclose the terms of the listing and I confirm this again via email with the renter, which I think acts as a contract.


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## schubes

Update:

I spoke to the owner on the phone.  The P.O. box was explained satisfactorily and he agreed to 1/2 of the fee immediately (check only) and the other half upon changing the name on the reservation.  

When I receive the updated reservation in my name, I will do as suggested and call SVN each month to check on the reservation.

The owner has several properties and is very laid back.  He says he used to do contracts, but in recent years has discontinued and has never had any issue with a renter especially since they must use a credit card at check in which holds the renter responsible at the property.

Right now I feel comfortable with the arrangements.  Hopefully I won't have to use that "smilies" icon with the hammer hitting the monitor next month.


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## DavidnRobin

I send the renter a signed rental agreement - so they are clear on the T&Cs.  I do not require they sign, but can if they want.


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## DavidnRobin

bumpity bump bump...

Inform:
I generally use PayPal for rentals - one big advantage is that the renter can use a credit card to pay.  But... recently I was renting our 2012 WKV villas to the same person I have rented to for the last 2 years (also using credit card PayPal).  However, this time when they went to use their credit card and were denied (nothing has changed on their part).  I called PayPal to inquire why and a supervisor told me that it was out of their hands and it was credit card processing security software program that denied usage.  The renter called their credit card provider (AMEX) and they were told that there was no problem with using their card from their side.  So... PayPal says it is beyond their control, and AMEX states there is no issue with their credit card.  Leaving us with no way to accept a credit card payment.  Of course - we can use an alternate method (eCheck via PayPal, or personal check) which is fine with me, but may be of concern for the renter.

Just a heads-up.  btw - Costco offers credit card payment services and if you are an Executive member - fees are waived.  Of course, for whatever reason, this credit card payment still could have been denied, but it does offer an alternative to using PayPal for credit card payments.


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## DavidnRobin

update for those who care...

It turns out that the computer security software was preventing the user from paying by credit card via PayPal while on the road.  They got home and the PayPal payment went through without a hitch.

I have now rented our 2 WKV weeks (1Bd Plat/Prem) for 6 years straight and have recouped approx 1/2 of our resale purchase price (and probably could have rented for slightly more with increased effort).  This is why WKV Plat has value in my not so expert opinion...


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## tomandrobin

DavidnRobin said:


> I have now rented our 2 WKV weeks (1Bd Plat/Prem) for 6 years straight and have recouped approx 1/2 of our resale purchase price (and probably could have rented for slightly more with increased effort).  This is why WKV Plat has value in my not so expert opinion...



Congrats! 

And agree.


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## Ken555

DavidnRobin said:


> I have now rented our 2 WKV weeks (1Bd Plat/Prem) for 6 years straight and have recouped approx 1/2 of our resale purchase price (and probably could have rented for slightly more with increased effort).  This is why WKV Plat has value in my not so expert opinion...



Excellent! It's also a relatively cheap way of visiting the other resorts... I just made a reservation today for later this year using the rest of my 2011 SOs from WKV.


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## DavidnRobin

I forgot (and before I get corrected...) - we did use 1 WKV week to get a 1Bd at WKORV.  I use the proceeds at WKV to offset our large MFs at our other SVO resorts - makes it sting a little bit less.

I have rented WKV to the same people for 3 years straight.


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## tomboyblu

Just curious what rental fee's you are getting at WKV?


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## DavidnRobin

I have been renting 1Bd Prem (large) for $1650/week during Spring Training.


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## vacationtime1

DavidnRobin said:


> I have been renting 1Bd Prem (large) for $1650/week during Spring Training.



You're renting cheaply, David.  I have rented mine for $1,800 or more each of the past five years.  The small side goes for about $1,300.

Some of the rental sites advertise rentals for $1,000/week more than I charge; I have no idea how many weeks they actually rent at _those_ prices.


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## DavidnRobin

vacationtime1 said:


> You're renting cheaply, David.  I have rented mine for $1,800 or more each of the past five years.  The small side goes for about $1,300.
> 
> Some of the rental sites advertise rentals for $1,000/week more than I charge; I have no idea how many weeks they actually rent at _those_ prices.



Robert - I do tend to rent low as to make it quick and easy.  What site are you using to rent?  And what lead time are you getting the rental?  I have listed higher on RedWeek, but get no hits until I have dropped it.  I was renting one of the villas to same person for 3 years - so I cut them a cost break.  Last March - I was getting very few inquiries and was getting nervous as the 60-day cut-off was approaching.


----------



## vacationtime1

DavidnRobin said:


> Robert - I do tend to rent low as to make it quick and easy.  What site are you using to rent?  And what lead time are you getting the rental?  I have listed higher on RedWeek, but get no hits until I have dropped it.  I was renting one of the villas to same person for 3 years - so I cut them a cost break.  Last March - I was getting very few inquiries and was getting nervous as the 60-day cut-off was approaching.



RedWeek and MyResortNetwork -- no surprises.

I have been lucky to have repeat renters also.  One of my March 2014 units is already rented.

I have no ability to command above market rents which is why I attributed the price differential to you renting below market.

I once had an problem with the small side unit not renting and the 60 day deadline approaching.  I cancelled 62 days in advance and used the StarOptions to go to WKORV later that year (off-season).  A nice thing about renting March weeks at Kierland is that should you need to bail, you have the rest of the year to use the StarOptions.


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## DavidnRobin

vacationtime1 said:


> I have no ability to command above market rents which is why I attributed the price differential to you renting below market.



But I have (in the past) put them up for $1850, and had to drop.  Also to compete with other renters on rental outlets (like RW).  Maybe your ads are just better than mine?

I generally reserve for 2nd week in March (or so) - is there a better time?


----------



## vacationtime1

DavidnRobin said:


> But I have (in the past) put them up for $1850, and had to drop.  Also to compete with other renters on rental outlets (like RW).  Maybe your ads are just better than mine?
> 
> I generally reserve for 2nd week in March (or so) - is there a better time?



I think you are doing everything right (most of us would be surprised if you weren't).  That you started at $1,850 and had to drop your price in the face of competition suggests too many of that particular week were for rent at that particular time.  In other words, poor luck.

The only time I rented anything other than a March week at Kierland was when I reserved Super Bowl weekend a year in advance; I believe it was 2008 when they played in Phoenix.  Because people don't reserve Super Bowl accommodations until their team is in the Super Bowl, no one rents more than two weeks in advance.  Although I ended up renting the two units for a total of $3,200, it was a nightmare of last minute eBay auctions and the like.   I will never do that again.


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## Mauiwmn

I had the exact same experience with Superbowl weeks in 2008.  I will never rent that week as well.  Few people plan a Superbowl trip until the teams are decided.  Way too stressful.


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## stocktones

*1st time post from a newbie...*

Hello & thank you in advance for any assistance you can provide!

My wife & I have a 2BR Lockoff every other year at the Westin Mission Hills in Palm Springs.  We've historically used half of it and banked the other half with Interval so the family could take a vacation each year.

As many of you undoubtedly have experienced, maintenance fees have more than doubled since we first purchased it. :annoyed:  We've been exploring the possibility of selling, but (after finding TUGBBS while searching timeshare resellers) it seems that perhaps rental is a better option.

I feel like when we first bought, they informed us that we weren't allowed to rent or sell...but I assume that's not how things work in practice?  Additionally (and I might not be remembering correctly), I recall usually being asked to provide a picture ID at time of check-in...if that's the case, does that present a problem if I rent out our unit?

Thanks for any illumination!  

Blessings- Norm


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## vacationtime1

You may rent your WMH week -- your home resort  -- during your ownership season.  You simply add your tenant's name to your reservation and they can check in (with their picture id and credit card).  You can actually add your tenant's name using the MyStarCentral website.  

You are not permitted to rent an StarOption exchange (per SVN rules) or an external exchange -- at least an Interval or RCI exchange.  That is probably the basis of your confusion.


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## DavidnRobin

Reviving an important thread...

You can rent and sell your WMH.  As you have probably found, WMH is not worth much on resale market, but at least has some value if Plat.

For renting - you need to reserve a popular week.  Then use info this thread for process.

WMH MFs have doubled?  didn't know that...


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## bobpark56

*Renting out a unit with date yet to be determined*

We are interested in renting out a WSJ studio unit in 2017...date still to be selected. Are there any special hoops we would need to jump through when doing this?

If we do select a week on our own, could we cancel that and select another if our renter wants a different date (subject to availability, of course)?

When selecting a week on our own (before finding a prospective renter), we have been advised that selecting Thanksgiving week might be a good idea. Do you concur?

(We have found several postings in this thread that have been quite helpful, but have not seen one that deals with date TBD...Thanks all!)


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## DeniseM

I do not think Thanksgiving is a good week for a rental - there are other timeframes that have much higher demand. Weeks [1-14*] have the highest demand.  _*corrected dates_

When you make a reservation that you intend to rent, it is exactly like making a reservation for yourself - the same Starwood reserve/cancel/change rules apply.  (Starwood does not get involved in owner's rentals at all - you simply make a reservation for yourself, as you normally would.)

Once you have a renter, you simply call Starwood Owner Services, or go online, and request a confirmation in the guest's name.  Starwood will email you a new confirmation within 48 hours, with the guest's name on it.  You also need their info. as listed on their ID:  first and last name, address, phone number, number of adults, number of children. 

I collect a $100 non-refundable deposit first, send them the confirmation, and then the balance is due in full.  No cancellations - no changes - no refunds.

Generally, by the time a renter contacts you and asks for a _different date_, the best dates are gone, so it's better to start out with a strong date, and advertise that date, because the majority of the time, you aren't going to be able to move it.

Travel Demand Index:  [Changed TDI to correct one]


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## Kildahl

Bump
Although this was discussed (briefly) years ago in this thread, is anyone renting their unit(s) using Airbnb?


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## DavidnRobin

wow! flash from the past!

Is Airbnb conducive to renting a typical VSE ownership?  iirc, I thought the fee is high, and perhaps the conditions challenging (except maybe for a fixed week).


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## suzannesimon

I’ve rented My Lagunamar fixed Christmas week on AirBnb. Also rented 2 Marriott weeks last year there.


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## suzannesimon

I have never made a Star Option reservation, but now I seem to have an abundance of restricted Options. Is it still true that we cannot rent SO reservations?


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## pacman777

suzannesimon said:


> I have never made a Star Option reservation, but now I seem to have an abundance of restricted Options. Is it still true that we cannot rent SO reservations?



Yes it is totally illegal to rent out StarOptions reservations. They will prosecute and take-away your ownership. There has been recent cases of owners getting caught and being sentenced to 10 years in prison without parole.


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## suzannesimon

pacman777 said:


> Yes it is totally illegal to rent out StarOptions reservations. They will prosecute and take-away your ownership. There has been recent cases of owners getting caught and being sentenced to 10 years in prison without parole.


Well that seems a little excessive.


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## daviator

pacman777 said:


> Yes it is totally illegal to rent out StarOptions reservations. They will prosecute and take-away your ownership. There has been recent cases of owners getting caught and being sentenced to 10 years in prison without parole.


I came across this and thought I should comment, I assume this response was intended as a joke?  But it doesn't come off that way and I don't want anyone to take it seriously.

There's nothing illegal about renting out a StarOptions reservation, and you're not going to go to prison for doing so.

But it does violate the terms of the VSN program that you agreed to when you bought (it's probably a deed restriction, I'm not sure.)  So Vistana would be within their rights to take action against you if they discovered that you were renting your SO usage... they might cancel the reservation (leaving you holding the bag) or perhaps even cancel your ability to make SO reservations outside of your home resort(s).  I haven't gone and read the terms to see if the potential repercussions are spelled out in detail.  They could sue you for damages, I suppose, but it would be difficult to imagine what they could claim their damages were.  So I don't think that would be likely.

Any dispute over how you use your SO-reserved reservation would be a civil matter between you and Vistana, you're not going to be hauled off to jail.


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## DavidnRobin

Apparently someone didn’t read the OP…
(Wow! 2007! I am old…)


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## tamu_bu

Firstly and most self centered-ly, congrats to me as I just completed review of all the previous 202 post on Renting Vistana.

I have only rented our WKV once before, years ago, via eBay. I am encouraged by the prospect of renting again based on all the great info here. Thanks everyone!

As it turns out, I have a June SO reservation for a 1br premium at WSJ this year that may not be used. Based on what I have gleened, renting the SO reservation is possible albeit a gray market according to Vistana rules.

Questions:
1. At this date, what would you suggest the chance of renting it would be? It's up the hill and I think it's call Virgin Grand but I could be wrong.
2. Does renting SO reservations give you regulars enough concern that you are reluctant or stay away from doing it?


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## DavidnRobin

This thread is from 2007 - but okay…
It is Virgin Grand Villas (Hillside) as this phase is the only one with 1Bd villas.

RedWeek may be best rental site - although there are some St John specific sites (Google search).
Also, you can message Tugger @NerdAlert - he may be able to help you.

Correct, you are not suppose to rent StarOptions - it states this on the Reservation Confirmation. But people do it - they just don’t discuss it.
Good luck.


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