# would like hyatt owner comment



## mikeben (Mar 30, 2008)

Based on the resale prices of 2200 pt units (annual) I would like to ask if the following makes sense:
We already own several timeshares including a wk 52 ski wk and another ski wk, so we use most all of our vacation time until we retire in 8 yrs. So since we live in south florida and love the keys and hyatt plantation resort we thought we would buy 1400 point eoy and use it for weekends and midweek time. Then we would purchase an annual 1300 point somewhere (beach house?) in 5 or 6 years when we have more vacation and close to retirement. So we would have 2700 points (eoy), 2x maintenance fee but be purchasing these at low price points (low season goes for cheap these days). Working out the avg cost today of a 2200 pt unit resale plus maintenance vs. buying the above eoy and annual (spread out 5 years between purchases) ,  the avg point cost is almost the same as forking over $$$ now for an annual 2200 pt purchase (which we would have hard time using). Is there any drawback to buying EOY then 5 yrs later a annual both low season...combine the points and have lots of flexibility ...comments?


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## Carmel85 (Mar 30, 2008)

mikeben said:


> Based on the resale prices of 2200 pt units (annual) I would like to ask if the following makes sense:
> We already own several timeshares including a wk 52 ski wk and another ski wk, so we use most all of our vacation time until we retire in 8 yrs. So since we live in south florida and love the keys and hyatt plantation resort we thought we would buy 1400 point eoy and use it for weekends and midweek time. Then we would purchase an annual 1300 point somewhere (beach house?) in 5 or 6 years when we have more vacation and close to retirement. So we would have 2700 points (eoy), 2x maintenance fee but be purchasing these at low price points (low season goes for cheap these days). Working out the avg cost today of a 2200 pt unit resale plus maintenance vs. buying the above eoy and annual (spread out 5 years between purchases) ,  the avg point cost is almost the same as forking over $$$ now for an annual 2200 pt purchase (which we would have hard time using). Is there any drawback to buying EOY then 5 yrs later a annual both low season...combine the points and have lots of flexibility ...comments?




Mike,

Have you been to a Hyatt sales promotion? If you haven't I would go just to start to understand Hyatt system or go to KAL's website.



Why dont you just start buying a 1400 point every year week then add to it when you need more points. I personally would suggest buying a 2200 or 2000 point week every year or EOY but that is your choice.

I know for a fact you will not begetting into Hawaii or many of the other new resorts with such low points because there are very few if any 1 bedrooms at most of the new resorts and most of the resorts are going to be 2200,2000 or 1880 points who really wants to go during the other time during the worst season.

Buy now and buy BIG BIG point weeks you will thank KAL,MESA,MLC and myself in a few years.



What do you consider cheap 1400 EOY? Remember you still have FEES every year !!!!
carmel85


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## Kal (Mar 30, 2008)

Your approach is a great way to minimize initial capital costs; however, over time you are paying 2x maintenance fees.  The fee is the same if you own a 2200 point week or a 1300 point week.  Over time, that MF becomes an issue you deal with forever long after you forgot about the initial capital outlay.

One major problem is timing of the owned weeks.  To maximize options for points usage you want to have all your points available for unlimited usage (i.e. 12-month HRPP+CUP) when combined.  The idea way is to own the consecutive weeks.

The other issue is the low-end (1300 & 1400) point weeks are in low season.  If you want to stay in high season that will generally occur 6-months later.  This complicates getting available high-season units because others who own high-end point weeks are 6-months ahead of you in the annual cycle.  Your points have to be active when a reservation is confirmed so you would always be playing catch-up.  Now if you want to stay in low-season weeks, you would be fine.

The other problem is the new resorts will all require lots of points.  Using Florida as an example here is what has happened over time for points in the 2000-2200 range:

Key West resorts - 7 weeks
Coconut Plantation - 14 weeks
Siesta Key - 23 weeks


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## mikeben (Mar 30, 2008)

Again thanks Kal...we only plan to use mostly off season (mostly in florida) as we have other prime timeshares (not hyatt) for prime season. But we did want the flexibility every other year or so to go to a prime season hyatt and if we could time the points right combine the two purchases referenced above and go that route...The primary value is using our points offseason on florida (or elsewhere) for weekend and short stays and get the most out of the annual maintance cost...the last part of your reply was stating # of weeks at different resorts...are you saying hyatt is increasing the # of weeks requiring more points than originally? thanks again...


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## mesamirage (Mar 30, 2008)

Mike,

First... your making the right choice with Hyatt, thats the main thing  

As far as the approach I think as long as you go into it with "Eyes Wide Open" and your willing accept how your strategy short changes you in ways down the road versus the savings your getting up front and that allows you to enjoy Hyatt now... then there is nothing wrong with your approach should... and thats a BIG should... you purchase your weeks at the right values.

I have used a blended approach myself with starting out with large EY points and then added a smaller EOY points week so that we can have HUGE vacations every other year. (approx 4600 points on the EOY). We made those purchases based on #1 that we know we want alot of Hyatt points since its our favorite family of resorts. 

Here is the breakdown of positives and negatives I think you need to consider:

POSITIVES:
- Less Cash outflow now to get a taste of Hyatt
- EOY usage which seems to fit with you already owning other resorts
- MF EOY... only paid for during usage year (you do pay HVC club fees every year)
- Much better price per point in you bargin hunt than the higher points weeks

NEGATIVES:
- MFs are going to surpass your savings $$$ at some point, then you will be money behind from that point on.
- May be hard to sell the low point week in the future since they are continuing to become less attractive, even more so when you consider a small 1300 point week has same MFs as a 2200 point week.
- Difficult to get premium weeks down the road because you own offseason timeframes, so you points may not be avail at the right times to make reservations or get on the waiting list.
- Hard to find a matched week later that is in the same season so you can take the higher point vacations later when you purchase another week.
- Low point weeks are likely non-existent or rare in all the newer Hyatts coming online.  This may be a permanent shift in the Hyatt system, which will then continue to decrease the value/demand/desire for low point weeks.

Those are some of the good vs bad reasons in my opinion. I support what you are trying to do ONLY if you get the right value on the purchase to make it worth it. It you pay market value for a 1300 point week just because it seems cheaper, its likely not a good value. Now if you get a 1300/1400 point week for DIRT cheap and therefore its like free MFs for 3-5 years vs the cost of buying a higher point week then you may have struck a good value for the next 5 years.... just keep in mind you may not be able to sell that 1300 point week 5 years from now if the MF is $1,500 and it can't get the new buyer a week anywhere because all the new Hyatts are so high points for reservations. 

Make sense?? Happy Hunting!!

Mesa


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## Kal (Mar 30, 2008)

mikeben said:


> ...the last part of your reply was stating # of weeks at different resorts...are you saying hyatt is increasing the # of weeks requiring more points than originally? thanks again...


 
The point I'm making is that as Hyatt constructs NEW resorts, each new resort requires more points for a stay.  In my example for Florida, I'm showing that for 23 weeks (almost 1/2 the year) it would take 2000-2200 points to reserve a 2 BR unit at the newest resort on the books.  Prior to the construction of Coconut Plantation, only 7 weeks were in the high point range for the Key West Resorts.

This means there are increasingly very few options in using a limited number of points to get a 1 BR unit at newer resorts.


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## seatrout (Mar 30, 2008)

Mike.  If you can afford it- get the most point that you can and forget the hassel of ugrading later.  There is still cost of transfer fees, title, and at least 3 months lost during the transaction.  If you look hard enough, you will find reason to take one more week off (heck- it the same maintenance fees)

A 2000/2200 points account are similar to the platnium/platnium plus at Westin/Marriott.  My marriott Mountainside resale run 30K+. Any hawaii 2BR in hawaii are in the mid twenty and for florida- Ocean pointe platnium run  for around 24K-26K.  I would think most good location Westin are costing in the mid 20's .  So right now, with the major chain-  Hyatt is at a Bargain.


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## Carmel85 (Mar 31, 2008)

seatrout said:


> Mike.  If you can afford it- get the most point that you can and forget the hassel of ugrading later.  There is still cost of transfer fees, title, and at least 3 months lost during the transaction.  If you look hard enough, you will find reason to take one more week off (heck- it the same maintenance fees)
> 
> A 2000/2200 points account are similar to the platnium/platnium plus at Westin/Marriott.  My marriott Mountainside resale run 30K+. Any hawaii 2BR in hawaii are in the mid twenty and for florida- Ocean pointe platnium run  for around 24K-26K.  I would think most good location Westin are costing in the mid 20's .  So right now, with the major chain-  Hyatt is at a Bargain.



I agree with you 100% buy big 2200 or 2000 point weeks why wait your time with anything else!!!


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## Lingber (Sep 9, 2008)

Kal said:


> The other issue is the low-end (1300 & 1400) point weeks are in low season.  If you want to stay in high season that will generally occur 6-months later.  This complicates getting available high-season units because others who own high-end point weeks are 6-months ahead of you in the annual cycle.  Your points have to be active when a reservation is confirmed so you would always be playing catch-up.  Now if you want to stay in low-season weeks, you would be fine.



Hi,

Based on the above referencing timing of when points become available, I have a question about purchasing week 52 Diamond. If I am looking to use my week mostly in the summer for trades. Am I better off buying a summer week platinum somewhere so I won't be 'behind" in the trading cycle? 

Thanks!


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## Kal (Sep 9, 2008)

As a general rule I would always suggest you purchase a week very close to the time you prefer to travel.  That way your points will be on the same cycle as when you will use the points.  You want to have points readily available when the target units are made available to the Club.  This can occur anywhere from 12 to 6 months prior to occupancy.  In the event you don't get the desired resort you will have time for other options before the points go into LCUP.


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## Carmel85 (Sep 9, 2008)

Personally I think week 52 is a excellent week to buy because if you are looking for a summer week they usually come open 6 month out so owning week 52 you have all 2200 points to use.

Personally any week is great to buy as long as they are big point weeks 2200 or 2000 points this gives you many many nice vacations or 1 full 7day vacations during prime time weeks

Happy Hyatt Hunting


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