# New HGVC owner, advice appreciated!



## Balke1 (Sep 14, 2020)

Hi, I just came across this forum, and now realize I should’ve done my research before the presentation lol.  I’m still in my rescission period and would really appreciate any advice.  I wasn’t expecting to buy but the HGVC program seemed like it would fit my needs well and the perpetuity seemed very valuable to me. I asked the sales folks about resales and they acted as if RedWeek, resales etc are all scams. How can one be certain resale packages are legit? I bought 3400 gold annual points with an 8k point sign on bonus for $20k (Technically for the Tuscany resort in Orlando, but apparently that only matters for the home week early booking window) Looking at resale values on here and RedWeek, that seems like a lot but I looked at the reservation system and it looked like I could use points to cover my two big annual vacations plus a short one or two during low demand seasons. How can I ensure apples to apples when looking at resale packages? Thank you!!!


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## giowop (Sep 14, 2020)

Balke1 said:


> Hi, I just came across this forum, and now realize I should’ve done my research before the presentation lol. I’m still in my rescission period and would really appreciate any advice. I wasn’t expecting to buy but the HGVC program seemed like it would fit my needs well and the perpetuity seemed very valuable to me. I asked the sales folks about resales and they acted as if RedWeek, resales etc are all scams. How can one be certain resale packages are legit? I bought 3400 gold annual points with an 8k point sign on bonus for $20k (Technically for the Tuscany resort in Orlando, but apparently that only matters for the home week early booking window) Looking at resale values on here and RedWeek, that seems like a lot but I looked at the reservation system and it looked like I could use points to cover my two big annual vacations plus a short one or two during low demand seasons. How can I ensure apples to apples when looking at resale packages? Thank you!!!



Quickly...

1. Pay $15 for an annual membership to TUG. Best use of 3-Starbucks-Coffees money ever.

2. RESCIND! RESCIND! RESCIND!!! Never buy from the developer. You can get 3400 gold points for $500 or less without breaking a sweat on the resale market! Your maintenance fees at Tuscany would probably make it tough to GIVE your 3400 points away eventually - a bitter pill to swallow after a $20k investment.

3. Apples to apples comparison are going to involve:
a. MAINTENANCE FEES. Once purchasing, you are required to pay these annually as long as you own the deed. Find your desired point value but seek listings with the lowest maintenance fees (generally the Vegas properties)
b. SEASON OF POINTS - platinum vs gold. Platinum points listings generally cost more but result in lower maintenance fees (for the same point values) and have higher resale value. Gold is generally the converse of each part of the previous sentence.
c. LOCATION. A handful of properties are more difficult to reserve than others. It can be of benefit to own at a certain location depending on needs. Your Mileage May Vary on this one.
d. CLOSING COSTS. Some listings on eBay, TUG or Redweek have sweeteners like “seller pays closing costs” or “seller pays transfer fees”. 

4. Lots of reputable sellers on TUG and Redweek especially. Some good ones on eBay also but check the seller ratings for those auctions. Stay away from anyone with only like 5-10 ratings.

5. Once you get past the smarmy tactics of their sales department, HGVC is a fantastic timeshare company that treats its owners (even those via resale like me) very well. 

6. Did I mention paying for a TUG membership?? SOOOO much information and so many quality, experienced contributors.

Happy Hunting and follow the recission instructions!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## DazedandConfused (Sep 14, 2020)

that is worth about $1500 on the resale market

My suggestion is to rescind and then buy HGCV resale, 7,000 points Platinum week or so


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## Balke1 (Sep 14, 2020)

DazedandConfused said:


> that is worth about $1500 on the resale market
> 
> My suggestion is to rescind and then buy HGCV resale, 7,000 points Platinum week or so



Thanks for the replies...what am I missing here?? Why would someone sell two to three weeks of vacation per year forever for $1500?


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## Hobokie (Sep 14, 2020)

You pay annual maintenance fees which covers the cost of the vacations! Also, 2-3 weeks MY BUTT! With 3400 annual points?? Haha! Those sales people are at it again (lies!)

100% agree with the advice given above, especially the “Your maintenance fees at Tuscany would probably make it tough to GIVE your 3400 points away eventually - a bitter pill to swallow after a $20k investment” comment from @giowop

RESCIND IMMEDIATELY!!! Do your research! Trust us, even if you (foolishly) decided you wanted to buy this small contract from the developer later on, this “deal” will still be there when you are ready! RESCIND NOW!!!

Btw, I am an HGVC owner (love my HGVC) and purchased my 3500 Platinum Studio loaded account (had all points for the current year available and maintenance fee already paid by prior owner so I got 3500 “free points” as compared to your 8k points bonus) at Elara in Las Vegas for $147.50 on eBay last year...


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## Balke1 (Sep 14, 2020)

Hobokie said:


> You pay annual maintenance fees which covers the cost of the vacations! Also, 2-3 weeks MY BUTT! With 3400 annual points?? Haha! Those sales people are at it again (lies!)
> 
> 100% agree with the advice given above, especially the “Your maintenance fees at Tuscany would probably make it tough to GIVE your 3400 points away eventually - a bitter pill to swallow after a $20k investment” comment from @giowop
> 
> ...



Thanks! When you buy on eBay how do you ensure it’s a valid “deed”? And then how do you load those points to your HGVC account?


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## GT75 (Sep 14, 2020)

First things first, you only have a very limited time to rescind (I agree with previous advice already given).    Let's get that done first.    You have plenty of time to research resales after that is done.    As for purchasing resales, then I would suggest purchasing from a reputable TS resales broker.

HGVC Resale Sources: The TUG Marketplace (see link above), Redweek and...
These reputable TS brokers...
Judi Kozlowski -- www.judikoz.com
Seth Nock * crew -- www.sellingtimeshares.net
Diane Nadeau -- www.timesharebrokersales.com
Syed Samad -- www.advantagevacation.com
Carl Thomas -- www.timeshare-resale.com
.
@Grammarhero, but please don’t check my post for grammar or spelling errors.


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## semicycler (Sep 14, 2020)

And your next question:  Resales are really cheap compared to buying from the developer directly.  What's the catch?

Yup, buying directly from the developer costs as much as 10X more than buying resale.  There is one and only one difference.  Buying resale does not count towards Elite membership.  You need to purchase points directly for them to count towards Elite.  Elite starts at 14000 annual points.  Elite Plus is 24000 annual points.  Elite Premier is 34000 points.  That's a ton of required points and annual maintenance fees that go along with it.  The added benefit of Elite?  You get a special check in line and special room key.  Yup, silly huh?  OK, yes there are other benefits like Gold Hilton Honors instead of Silver and a small open season discount.  But in reality these are tiny "favors" for overpaying for Elite.  See the Elite benefits here:  https://www.hiltongrandvacations.co...-hilton-grand-vacations-club-membership-tiers

Yes there are ways to buy resale and have it count towards Elite but you need to buy at special affiliated resorts.  Most people do not go this route though.  Rescind and buy resale.  The program is great overall.  Buying directly from the developer is not though.


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## DazedandConfused (Sep 14, 2020)

^^^^^ I 100% agree that your FIRST HGCV buy should be from a established broker and NOT eBay as too many mistakes can be made buying a timeshare on eBay for a newbie


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## Hobokie (Sep 14, 2020)

Balke1 said:


> Thanks! When you buy on eBay how do you ensure it’s a valid “deed”? And then how do you load those points to your HGVC account?


@Balke1 , the acct is loaded automatically by HGVC (Hilton Grand Vacations Club). what I meant is the previous owner whom I purchased this from paid the annual maintenance fee (due at end of the year prior to the next year starting) so when I got it the owner had paid the year’s MF but had not used any of the points. 

100% agree with @GT75 , stop writing to us for now and go RESCIND IMMEDIATELY! I know you may be skeptical and trying to decide “who’s right? These people on this website or the HGVC sales people?”.... who do you think has more to gain from your inaction (you not cancelling), a group of folks who don’t know you and have absolutely no financial gain when they give you advice OR the salesperson who just earned a commission off you $20k purchase? RESCIND ASAP and come back and ask all the questions in the world and do your research and then buy again! Any offer you got from HGVC will be available later!! But trust me, you won’t go back to them...


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## Hobokie (Sep 14, 2020)

DazedandConfused said:


> ^^^^^ I 100% agree that your FIRST HGCV buy should be from a established broker and NOT eBay as too many mistakes can be made buying a timeshare on eBay for a newbie


Agree! My transaction went smoothly, but I should point out that I knew the seller (found good reviews on them here, they just also happen to sell on eBay) and I even called them and chatted about the unit I was purchasing.


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## Talent312 (Sep 14, 2020)

*1. RESCIND, now!*
The scam is the absurd prices that the timeshare systems charge for a retail-sale.
A 3400-point unit is quite a low number of points and limits your flexibility.
HGVC resale buyers get the same benefits as a retail, except only counting for elite.
You should only have to pay $0.50-$1.00 per point. Some sellers are very motivated.

*2. Get an Estoppel.*
For a fee ($70), HGVC will issue an "estoppel" which shows the status of the seller.
It's not the same as title insurance (expensive), but shows if it's paid up to date.
The closing agent should supply that to you.

*3. HGVC is a good system.*
Apart from the sales division, the system is very flexible and consumer friendly.
Resorts are uniformly high quality, well-staffed and well-maintained.


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## jabberwocky (Sep 14, 2020)

Just as a point of reference, if you are patient you can get some very good deals for much less that what you’ve paid. I bought 7000 platinum points resale for a total cost of about $3000 including all fees and extras such as title insurance.


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## CalGalTraveler (Sep 14, 2020)

3 Rs of Timeshares:

1) *R*escind Now. You only have a few days or you are stuck forever and will regret. You can always buy that later if you change your mind.
2) *R*esearch what you want to buy
3) Buy *R*esale (or *R*ent)

HGVC is a great system. Many of us (including me) purchased our first with developer and were too late to rescind. I still kick myself for this. We now buy resale and own 2 HGVC; 1 Vistana. With $20k you can lose 75% you've lost $15k almost guaranteed. If you spend $4k on a resale and lose 75% you've only lost $3k but the likelihood of such a loss is smaller. Which is the bigger risk? losing 15k Developer? or losing 3k resale?

Maintenance fees and rights to the units are the same if you buy developer or resale but like all real estate you need to research which property you buy. Rescind and then we can help you get the best bang for your buck.


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## giowop (Sep 14, 2020)

jabberwocky said:


> Just as a point of reference, if you are patient you can get some very good deals for much less that what you’ve paid. I bought 7000 platinum points resale for a total cost of about $3000 including all fees and extras such as title insurance.



Still bitter... 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## BK2019 (Sep 14, 2020)

People give away Gold season units. You can get a boat load of HGVC points on the resale market for less than $20K, plus you will have something that you should be able to get most if not all of your money if you sale in the future.


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## Balke1 (Sep 15, 2020)

Thanks for all of the awesome information! This forum has saved me a great deal of money and I’m sure even greater headaches. Smh. Live and learn. I’m looking at eBay listings and see a few good deals. Based on everyone’s experience, is now generally a good time to buy? (Is there somewhere I can go for historical data other than sold eBay listings on HGVC sales like MLS or Trulia for home sales?) thx!


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## Balke1 (Sep 15, 2020)

jabberwocky said:


> Just as a point of reference, if you are patient you can get some very good deals for much less that what you’ve paid. I bought 7000 platinum points resale for a total cost of about $3000 including all fees and extras such as title insurance.



Thanks for the tips. I am looking in the ballpark of 5k to 7k annual points in the HGVC program. I also read another thread in this forum about getting in low with MVC and then renting points for reservations to avoid upfront capex. I’m not sure which way to go but eBay looks like it has more HVGC than MVC listings.


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## semicycler (Sep 15, 2020)

Balke1 said:


> Based on everyone’s experience, is now generally a good time to buy?



Yes it is.  The best advice is buy the most points for the least cost - up front and ongoing.  For most this translates to buying platinum 2-bed 7000 pts, platinum 1-bed 4800 pts, or gold 2-bed 5000 pts at a property with low maintenance fees like in Vegas.  Historically these weeks go for about $1 per point or more on the resale market.  Today they seem to sell for just under a $1 per point, varying based on location and maintenance fees (low mf resorts or desirable locations are higher).  This gets you the highest points with the lowest annual cost.  But there is the upfront buy in cost.

If you want to minimize up front costs, there are gold, silver, or any season every-other-year (EOY) resale properties for cheap, sometimes people even giving them away with you paying just closing costs.  This is a great way to get into the program but the total points can be low with higher annual maintenance fees.  And when you want to eventually sell it you will have some problems finding a buyer.

Owning at a particular resort lets you book the full week you own at the 12-month mark.  All other bookings are at 9-months out (any other property or other than the full week of what you own at the location you own).  So location matters for some if you want to ensure you can get that week at your home resort before the rest of the club starts booking at 9-months out.  Otherwise the saying is "points are points", meaning it doesn't matter where you own, but you compete with everyone for reservations 9-months out.  It's only a problem in high demand locations.

So yes, now is a buyers market.  I'm guessing it will remain this way at least through the winter.  So take your time, research properties, do the upfront vs ongoing cost analysis, and eventually dive in.


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## Balke1 (Sep 15, 2020)

semicycler said:


> Yes it is.  The best advice is buy the most points for the least cost - up front and ongoing.  For most this translates to buying platinum 2-bed 7000 pts, platinum 1-bed 4800 pts, or gold 2-bed 5000 pts at a property with low maintenance fees like in Vegas.  Historically these weeks go for about $1 per point or more on the resale market.  Today they seem to sell for just under a $1 per point, varying based on location and maintenance fees (low mf resorts or desirable locations are higher).  This gets you the highest points with the lowest annual cost.  But there is the upfront buy in cost.
> 
> If you want to minimize up front costs, there are gold, silver, or any season every-other-year (EOY) resale properties for cheap, sometimes people even giving them away with you paying just closing costs.  This is a great way to get into the program but the total points can be low with higher annual maintenance fees.  And when you want to eventually sell it you will have some problems finding a buyer.
> 
> ...



Thank you for the information.  What are the high level steps for purchasing on eBay? I just want to make sure I don’t make a glaring error like I was about to do buying retail.


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## jabberwocky (Sep 15, 2020)

Balke1 said:


> Thank you for the information.  What are the high level steps for purchasing on eBay? I just want to make sure I don’t make a glaring error like I was about to do buying retail.


I would maybe focus your first purchase through a broker. RedWeek often has good listings, and there are other sites available. 

eBay has a lot of risks with shady sellers - with a broker you at least have someone to follow up with in the transaction and you’ll be walked through the steps. 

Once you’re more experienced and know what to watch for in listings and the estoppel, eBay may be a good platform. I’ve bought three timeshares resale on RedWeek and would do so again. I’m still watching eBay for the occasional contract that I may be interested in.


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## semicycler (Sep 15, 2020)

Balke1 said:


> Thank you for the information.  What are the high level steps for purchasing on eBay? I just want to make sure I don’t make a glaring error like I was about to do buying retail.



The first thing you need to research is HGVC's Right of First Refusal (ROFR) policy for resales.  Basically all resale units submit a contract to HGVC listing what is being sold and for how much.  The seller or the closing company takes care of this.  HGVC then has the option to buy that property for that exact price from the seller, as a priority over the buyer.  If they pass up on the opportunity then the sale continues with the original buyer, often referred to as "passing ROFR".  This process can take 30 days or more at times.  The ROFR process is a way for HGVC to buy back properties on the cheap and resell them to others at highly inflated prices (like your 'almost' purchase from the presentation you went to :O ).  It also has the benefit of keeping the resale prices from sinking to zero.

I haven't kept up with ROFR stats in a while but HGVC tends to go in waves - periods where they exercise ROFR on almost everything followed by periods where nothing seems to get snatched up by HGVC.  The best properties at insanely low prices always get snatched up by HGVC though.  So if you see a historical sale of a platinum 3-bed in Hawaii or NYC for a really cheap price, chances are that one did not pass ROFR.  Same thing with eBay sales that seem way too low - I really doubt it passes ROFR.

There are a few timeshare realtors out there that are really good at knowing what properties and what prices will pass ROFR.  Judi's name comes up often, there are others (see GT75's post #7 above).  My first TS was bought through Judi.  My other two through eBay a few years later.  You can't go wrong using a realtor on your first purchase.  It definitely gives you security and piece of mind knowing you are not being scammed.  And honestly the price you pay through a realtor is really close to going it alone.  And it's still resale so WAY CHEAPER than buying direct.  I highly recommend going this route for your first purchase too.


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## PigsDad (Sep 15, 2020)

I second the recommendation of working with a broker.  I have bought 4 contracts, 3 through brokers recommended above and never had an issue.  You can find very good deals through brokers and you can always negotiate from the asking price.

However, I will respectfully disagree that one needs to research the ROFR trends -- just find and make an offer that you are comfortable with, and the closing company will handle the ROFR process with HGV.  If it passes, great!  If not, you are not out any money and you just find another deal.

Kurt


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## dayooper (Sep 15, 2020)

PigsDad said:


> I second the recommendation of working with a broker.  I have bought 4 contracts, 3 through brokers recommended above and never had an issue.  You can find very good deals through brokers and you can always negotiate from the asking price.
> 
> However, I will respectfully disagree that one needs to research the ROFR trends -- just find and make an offer that you are comfortable with, and the closing company will handle the ROFR process with HGV.  If it passes, great!  If not, you are not out any money and you just find another deal.
> 
> Kurt



I agree with @PigsDad about ROFR. It costs you nothing to put an offer in and if it gets taken, so be it. There have been some strange reports where one deed has been taken and the exact same deed at a lower price was not. There seems to be no rhyme or reason except they seem of exercise less later in the year.

With all of that being said, my understanding is they aren’t really exercising right ROFR right now. Make an offer and have at it. If you are really worried about ROFR (you shouldn’t be), purchase at The Flamingo. They don’t have the right to exercise. Most of the affiliates don’t either, but the MF’s tend to be higher there.

We bought our deed through Redweek and the process was fine. It was slow and their title company they were using wasn‘t very good, but they aren’t using them anymore. The TUG marketplace has a section for sold deeds, but I’m not sure how accurate it is.


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## giowop (Sep 15, 2020)

Being aware of the possibility of ROFR is probably sufficient. As was said, You shouldn’t be out any money if it doesn’t pass.

My recent purchase passed ROFR in a week. My eBay seller was buyandselltimesharescom 


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## CPNY (Sep 15, 2020)

Balke1 said:


> Hi, I just came across this forum, and now realize I should’ve done my research before the presentation lol.  I’m still in my rescission period and would really appreciate any advice.  I wasn’t expecting to buy but the HGVC program seemed like it would fit my needs well and the perpetuity seemed very valuable to me. I asked the sales folks about resales and they acted as if RedWeek, resales etc are all scams. How can one be certain resale packages are legit? I bought 3400 gold annual points with an 8k point sign on bonus for $20k (Technically for the Tuscany resort in Orlando, but apparently that only matters for the home week early booking window) Looking at resale values on here and RedWeek, that seems like a lot but I looked at the reservation system and it looked like I could use points to cover my two big annual vacations plus a short one or two during low demand seasons. How can I ensure apples to apples when looking at resale packages? Thank you!!!


Rescind now stop going back and forth. Rescind now and get your money back now. You don’t have much time. You’ll be saving 20K then buy resale.

did you rescind yet? Do you know what to do? Send it certified USPS and have it postmarked before the end of the rescission period. You don’t have much time


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## CPNY (Sep 15, 2020)

@Grammarhero 20K


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## Balke1 (Sep 15, 2020)

semicycler said:


> The first thing you need to research is HGVC's Right of First Refusal (ROFR) policy for resales.  Basically all resale units submit a contract to HGVC listing what is being sold and for how much.  The seller or the closing company takes care of this.  HGVC then has the option to buy that property for that exact price from the seller, as a priority over the buyer.  If they pass up on the opportunity then the sale continues with the original buyer, often referred to as "passing ROFR".  This process can take 30 days or more at times.  The ROFR process is a way for HGVC to buy back properties on the cheap and resell them to others at highly inflated prices (like your 'almost' purchase from the presentation you went to :O ).  It also has the benefit of keeping the resale prices from sinking to zero.
> 
> I haven't kept up with ROFR stats in a while but HGVC tends to go in waves - periods where they exercise ROFR on almost everything followed by periods where nothing seems to get snatched up by HGVC.  The best properties at insanely low prices always get snatched up by HGVC though.  So if you see a historical sale of a platinum 3-bed in Hawaii or NYC for a really cheap price, chances are that one did not pass ROFR.  Same thing with eBay sales that seem way too low - I really doubt it passes ROFR.
> 
> There are a few timeshare realtors out there that are really good at knowing what properties and what prices will pass ROFR.  Judi's name comes up often, there are others (see GT75's post #7 above).  My first TS was bought through Judi.  My other two through eBay a few years later.  You can't go wrong using a realtor on your first purchase.  It definitely gives you security and piece of mind knowing you are not being scammed.  And honestly the price you pay through a realtor is really close to going it alone.  And it's still resale so WAY CHEAPER than buying direct.  I highly recommend going this route for your first purchase too.



Thank you!!


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## Balke1 (Sep 15, 2020)

CPNY said:


> Rescind now stop going back and forth. Rescind now and get your money back now. You don’t have much time. You’ll be saving 20K then buy resale.
> 
> did you rescind yet? Do you know what to do? Send it certified USPS and have it postmarked before the end of the rescission period. You don’t have much time



yes, overnight with signature required as well as snail mail, all postmarked well before the 5 day deadline. Holding my breath now...


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## CPNY (Sep 15, 2020)

Balke1 said:


> yes, overnight with signature required as well as snail mail, all postmarked well before the 5 day deadline. Holding my breath now...


The snail mail.......was it certified? USPS certified mail with proof is key. Did EVERYONE who’s signature is in the contract sign the rescission letter? That’s also key


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## Hobokie (Sep 15, 2020)

Balke1 said:


> Thank you for the information.  What are the high level steps for purchasing on eBay? I just want to make sure I don’t make a glaring error like I was about to do buying retail.


Ha, since I'm the one who opened the eBay can of worms.... I will say I 100% agree with the folks recommending you buy through a broker. I, in essence, bought through a broker who just happened to list on ebay, but I want to reiterate that I CALLED THEM and chatted with them about the unit PLUS I had researched the seller/broker on here (TUG) and seen good reviews, hence I felt ok taking the chance... Also, I was buying a small contract (3500 annual studio plus platinum Elara), so I thought "eh, smaller risk? But honestly, I don't recommend the "jump in" strategy, like others have said, TAKE YOUR TIME! I waited a solid year from idea inception (should we buy a timeshare???) to the time I placed my bid. I studied over 60 hrs on this forum, not even kidding ya... TAKE YOUR TIME, research  In the meantime, maybe rent to see if you even like the feel/accommodations?


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## Balke1 (Sep 16, 2020)

CPNY said:


> The snail mail.......was it certified? USPS certified mail with proof is key. Did EVERYONE who’s signature is in the contract sign the rescission letter? That’s also key


I sent it overnight fedex delivery with signature required. Should I send another one certified?


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## Balke1 (Sep 16, 2020)

Balke1 said:


> I sent it overnight fedex delivery with signature required. Should I send another one certified?


Yes I alone signed both


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## CPNY (Sep 16, 2020)

Balke1 said:


> I sent it overnight fedex delivery with signature required. Should I send another one certified?


I would. Some systems may reject fedex or UPS. It is common practice to send USPS certified mail. Obtain proof of the mailing. Spend the 10-20 bucks or however much it is and resend it. Overkill is better than losing 20K! Include the contract numbers, you’re exercising your right to rescind effective the date you sent it. HGVC is reputable so you shouldn’t have a problem. Don’t call the sales office to ask about status, they will lie or try to talk you out of it. They don’t have to tell you that they accepted your rescission. But you’ll get your money refunded.


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## Balke1 (Sep 16, 2020)

CPNY said:


> I would. Some systems may reject fedex or UPS. It is common practice to send USPS certified mail. Obtain proof of the mailing. Spend the 10-20 bucks or however much it is and resend it. Overkill is better than losing 20K! Include the contract numbers, you’re exercising your right to rescind effective the date you sent it. HGVC is reputable so you shouldn’t have a problem. Don’t call the sales office to ask about status, they will lie or try to talk you out of it. They don’t have to tell you that they accepted your rescission. But you’ll get your money refunded.



thanks!! I’ll follow up to this thread with an update when I have one. Thanks for all the great info.


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## Talent312 (Sep 16, 2020)

You must mail it to the address stated in the contract (not the sales office).
They are not the folks who process rescissions.
So, do not accept calls from the salesman trying to save his commission.

State law on rescinding likely specifies U.S. Mail (thus FedEx is not effective).
You should get proof of mailing; hence, the suggestion for certified mail.

If you do it right, HGVC will honor it. By all reports here over the years,
they are a stand-up company and will do the right thing (as they must).

.


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## Balke1 (Sep 20, 2020)

Talent312 said:


> *1. RESCIND, now!*
> The scam is the absurd prices that the timeshare systems charge for a retail-sale.
> A 3400-point unit is quite a low number of points and limits your flexibility.
> HGVC resale buyers get the same benefits as a retail, except only counting for elite.
> ...


Thanks for the info! Do I need to request an estoppel from the seller or closing agent or is that “standard”? Based on experience, what amount and duration of resort days do you think I could realistically get with 7k platinum points (Studio would suffice). I usually take two weeks off in summer, one in winter and long weekends here and there. Thx again!


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## GT75 (Sep 20, 2020)

Balke1 said:


> Do I need to request an estoppel from the seller or closing agent or is that “standard”?


The broker or the transfer company should handle it.



Balke1 said:


> what amount and duration of resort days do you think I could realistically get with 7k platinum points (Studio would suffice).


Depends, but this is fairly typical (standard point values).


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## alwysonvac (Sep 20, 2020)

As others have stated, take some time to do some research. 

Don’t make any decision based on what you heard at a timeshare presentation. There are lots of folks that buy timeshares without understanding the pros /cons and whether it will work for them.

Here’s a link to the HGVC documents:
2020 Club Rules & Fees (link)
2020 Point Charts and Open Season Cash rental rates (link)

Just keep in mind, the one-time Purchase price is just one factor to consider. The ongoing ever increasing fees are just as important to consider (maintenance fees, club dues, reservation fees, banking fees, exchange fees, etc).

The sales folks are known to stretch the truth. For example
- *401v is an awful idea.* Don‘t hoard Hilton hotel points. They will continue to lose value overtime.
- *Open Season cash booking only apply for HGVC resorts* (not Hilton hotels) and the cash rates vary by locations, unit size and season.
- *RCI Last Call is the low cost cash getaways reserved 45 days or less*. These weeks are normally the leftovers (the lowest demand weeks). You generally won’t find a top resort or a high demand week under Last Call. For example, you’ll won’t find ski resort during ski season or beach resorts during the summer. You can find last call in overbuilt timeshare areas such as Orlando and Las Vegas. Here’s a link to one of many TUG discussions (link)
- *Use HGVC points for HGVC resort stays. *HGVC allows you to apply your points towards other options such as cruises but it doesn’t save you money. You’ll most likely end up paying more out of pocket using HGVC points vs paying cash.
- *Timeshares exchanging requires planning.* If you‘re thinking of visiting timeshare locations via RCI, it is important to understand that exchangers only have access to what is deposited and not all weeks are deposited. The number of deposits vary by resort. Some destinations will be harder to exchange into than others. It depends on supply and demand. There will be lots of exchange competition at destinations were most folks want to visit (beach areas in the summer, major city, ski resorts during ski season, national park areas, etc). One should expect high owner occupancy during this time which generally means less exchange deposits (NOTE: Some timeshares owners would rather rent their high demand week than deposit it with an exchange company). With exchange requests, it's best to be as flexible as possible on your requested unit size (there is more competition for larger unit sizes) and travel dates (like any time during the summer) and even then you may not snag a week at your requested resort. With RCI, it's wise to always research the properties that are listed in the RCI Directory to make sure it meets your vacation needs in terms of location, quality, amenities, etc. Depending on the RCI choices, you may decide to visit this location via some other means (hotel/resort stay, etc).


*In any event, I’ll repeat what I have posted many times before.*..
_Whatever you decide, don't put all of your future vacation dollars into timesharing._
_This will give you the flexibility in the future to choose the best way to visit your desired destinations. There might not be a timeshare at the location that you want to visit or if there is a timeshare it may be very hard to get an exchange. You may also want to visit a destination in an entirely different way via a cruise, hotel/resort stay, special discounted travel package, tour company, beach house rental, etc.

I also don't believe that one should put all of their eggs into one basket. _
_HGVC and timesharing in general doesn't satisfy all of my vacation needs so I don’t spend all of my vacation money in timesharing. It’s only part of my annual vacation budget._

Good Luck and Welcome to TUG


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## vacationtime1 (Sep 20, 2020)

Balke1 said:


> Thanks for the tips. I am looking in the ballpark of 5k to 7k annual points in the HGVC program. *I also read another thread in this forum about getting in low with MVC and then renting points for reservations to avoid upfront capex.* I’m not sure which way to go but eBay looks like it has more HVGC than MVC listings.



Marriott is another world (which you can explore on the Marriott forum), but there is no free lunch.  You can buy certain Marriott weeks cheaply (resale, of course), but that won't get you into its points system.  

Both Hilton and Marriott are excellent systems but do your research before buying either. 

My universal advice for prospective timeshare purchasers is to rent a couple of time first.  It will help you decide what is important to you and what you are willing to pay for:  quality level (HGVC and Marriott are both at the top), size of unit, location, amenities, view, etc.

Take your time; resale prices are not going up.


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## simon63 (Oct 2, 2020)

Today was sold HGVC Hilton On The Boulevard 7000 Annual Points Platinum Las Vegas Timeshare for $3,550 at eBay, I think it was a good price.


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## Balke1 (Oct 2, 2020)

simon63 said:


> Today was sold HGVC Hilton On The Boulevard 7000 Annual Points Platinum Las Vegas Timeshare for $3,550 at eBay, I think it was a good price.


Did that include closing costs?


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## simon63 (Oct 2, 2020)

*TOTAL DUE:
Closing Cost: $149.00 (Paid By Buyer)
Transfer Fees: $471.00 (Paid By Buyer)
Maintenance Fees-2020: $0.00 (Paid By Seller)
Winning Bid!!*


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## jabberwocky (Oct 2, 2020)

We will see if that one exists. I wouldn’t go with that one with a 10 ft pole. Just a warning to anyone thinking of jumping on the active HGVC listing by this seller, that one is a 3BR Gold week, not a 2BR Plat week.

The advertisements are nearly identical and you wouldn’t notice unless you carefully read what is being offered. It wouldn’t surprise me if the buyer of the auction that just closed suddenly gets a 3BR Gold deed worth 7000 points instead of a 2BR Plat worth 7000. Alternatively the second listing could have been the real one with the first set up to confuse bidders.

I know we frown on posting about active eBay bids, but there are concerns about this seller and the deal on the second isn’t that great. I think the service value of flagging this for TUG users to try and keep them from getting scammed should be paramount.


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