# Thinking about buying wyndham points



## Tlarimer (Apr 26, 2020)

I have been looking into buying Wyndham points as we like to stay at the wilderness at the smokies a few times each year. I can not seem to see the benefit of having the time share points vs renting points/ booking through someone from Tug. Calculating how many points it would take to stay for a week at the wilderness during the prime season the maintenance fees and everything it does not seem to add up to save us any money. Am I missing some kind of discounts or reward points etc. that can be combined with wyndham points?


----------



## dgalati (Apr 26, 2020)

Tlarimer said:


> I have been looking into buying Wyndham points as we like to stay at the wilderness at the smokies a few times each year. I can not seem to see the benefit of having the time share points vs renting points/ booking through someone from Tug. Calculating how many points it would take to stay for a week at the wilderness during the prime season the maintenance fees and everything it does not seem to add up to save us any money. Am I missing some kind of discounts or reward points etc. that can be combined with wyndham points?


@Fredflintstone may have some insight to offer on this question. I was a owner and sold all my deeds after I found it is much cheaper to rent vs owning. Not being burdened with yearly increases in maintenance fees and being tied to only one club is also a plus for me.  I only need a one bedroom, travel on short notice and never book more then 60 days out. If you need a certain week and a certain room size during a high demand time you may find it more costly to rent.


----------



## Tlarimer (Apr 26, 2020)

dgalati said:


> @Fredflintstone may have some insight to offer on this question. I was a owner and sold all my deeds after I found it is much cheaper to rent vs owning. Not being burdened with yearly increases in maintenance fees and being tied to only one club is also a plus for me.  I only need a one bedroom, travel on short notice and never book more then 60 days out. If you need a certain week and a certain room size during a high demand time you may find it more costly to rent.



My wife and I are both teachers so we are locked into the school schedule. We like to take weekend trips to the wilderness at the smokies during the year and during our breaks but not necessarily a week the same week every year. We would be interested in a beach week every year during summer prime season though. The more I research and look on here it seems the best route for us may be to look for a timeshare week at a beach that we prefer and rent points for the smokies when we want to go. I just wasn't sure if there is a secret to the madness with wyndham when you book or if it would be beneficial to have points through them for a beach trip that we could also use at the wilderness.


----------



## HDiaz1 (Apr 26, 2020)

Tlarimer said:


> I have been looking into buying Wyndham points as we like to stay at the wilderness at the smokies a few times each year. I can not seem to see the benefit of having the time share points vs renting points/ booking through someone from Tug. Calculating how many points it would take to stay for a week at the wilderness during the prime season the maintenance fees and everything it does not seem to add up to save us any money. Am I missing some kind of discounts or reward points etc. that can be combined with wyndham points?



I believe the maintenance fees at the great smokies lodge are around $4.9/1000 + $.62 program fee you’re looking at fees at around $5.5/1000
1 week during high season is 154,000 @ $5.5/1000 = $847 for a week. 
a standard room (1 king or 2 queen) during high season runs for a little over $1,500 for a week after taxes or fees. posible savings of over $650

You can also rent from owners but expect to pay around $7 or $8/1000 for a regular reservation or you can risk it and try to get a cheap reservation from a VIP during the discount window.

In my opinion it comes down to preference. Renting would still save you money vs booking direct. Owning has its perks but also inconveniences as stated above.

I prefer to own because I like to be in control. We also always travel during major holidays so it’s almost impossible to get a cheap reservation from a VIP. If you travel a lot during the off season or are very flexible with your travel dates, then I recommend you to rent instead.


----------



## cbyrne1174 (Apr 26, 2020)

If you calculate it using CWA maintenance fees, I can see it costing you more to own vs. rent. Maybe use the covid crisis to score a cheaper contract? I'm a teacher too so I need to own because the best weeks for my schedule book 10 months out. 

To be honest I don't understand why you own CWA as 2 teachers. Does your state actually pay teachers decently? I can only afford low MF resorts on my income. I would have to rely on my husbands income for anything else.


----------



## T-Dot-Traveller (Apr 26, 2020)

Tlarimer said:


> I have been looking into buying Wyndham points ......everything it does not seem to add up to save us any money. Am I missing some kind of discounts or reward points etc. that can be combined with wyndham points?



1 ) what is your timelines - ( ie ) are you 35 years old or 60 years old .

2 ) read TUG to learn the low MF points within Wyndham . example - Canterbury  - San Francisco .
If due to current uncertainty - IF you could get a Canterbury or similar contract for well below the normal resale cost ,it could make sense to purchase , if your future travel window is 10- 40 years .

3 ) Delgati , HDiaz1, cbyrne1174 - have given you a range of information .
Other may add further perspectives .

Ultimately you have to decide what you are most comfortably doing .


----------



## dgalati (Apr 26, 2020)

T-Dot-Traveller said:


> 1 ) what is your timelines - ( ie ) are you 35 years old or 60 years old .
> 
> 2 ) read TUG to learn the low MF points within Wyndham . example - Canterbury  - San Francisco .
> If due to current uncertainty - IF you could get a Canterbury or similar contract for well below the normal resale cost ,it could make sense to purchase , if your future travel window is 10- 40 years .
> ...


I agree. Learn the system and make it work for your situation.


----------



## Fredflintstone (Apr 26, 2020)

Tlarimer said:


> My wife and I are both teachers so we are locked into the school schedule. We like to take weekend trips to the wilderness at the smokies during the year and during our breaks but not necessarily a week the same week every year. We would be interested in a beach week every year during summer prime season though. The more I research and look on here it seems the best route for us may be to look for a timeshare week at a beach that we prefer and rent points for the smokies when we want to go. I just wasn't sure if there is a secret to the madness with wyndham when you book or if it would be beneficial to have points through them for a beach trip that we could also use at the wilderness.



Personally, renting works better in all seasons. Here’s why:
1. Cash is King. This is especially true now during Covid and uncertainty over travel. A renter can cancel easily. An owner still is stuck with MF.
2. All points are currency designed by the developer. They always make it work for them in terms of getting the real currency; that being...your money. They make the trading rules and when you look at the contract you must sign before ownership, you will see the terms are all in their favour. With renting, I can shop around, say no, say yes and thus have the advantage of using the competitive rental market to my advantage. I am not beholding to a resort, HOA, developer, membership club or exchange club.
3. I buy WYND shares because as an investor I love the fact they have locked in owners forced to make payments year in and year out. Yes, I have been buying in the dips lately and feel good knowing they have 875,000 payers ready to make their MF and other yearly dues. I use the dividends they pay ME to vacation.
4. Because renting has competition, I have never had trouble renting a place at my chosen time, chosen price and chosen location. From my experience, the same cannot be true with using points and trading systems. Many times, I am left choosing other locations because the system says it’s not available. Funny though, if I have cash and don’t want to use points, the units are available. I could never figure that one out. 
5. Timeshares are hard to unload. Renting is easy to unload...just cancel the reservation.
6. If you buy retail, you are nuts. Invest 20 k plus and you will reap at least 1 k a year to vacation and still have your capital. Buy retail, get ready for MF, membership dues, exchange fees, special assessments, etc. With resale, you save a ton but still have multiple bills as listed above. 
7. With renting, the money remains in the bank until I actually want to vacation. No need to worry about expiring points, upcoming MF bills due right after Christmas, stupid owner updates where the resort tries to tell you you bought poorly and in need of an upgrade, etc.

 I think @dgalati rents as well for similar reasons. He may be able to add to the points I have made.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


----------



## Tlarimer (Apr 26, 2020)

cbyrne1174 said:


> If you calculate it using CWA maintenance fees, I can see it costing you more to own vs. rent. Maybe use the covid crisis to score a cheaper contract? I'm a teacher too so I need to own because the best weeks for my schedule book 10 months out.
> 
> To be honest I don't understand why you own CWA as 2 teachers. Does your state actually pay teachers decently? I can only afford low MF resorts on my income. I would have to rely on my husbands income for anything else.



We don't own anything at the moment. I almost got trapped into a contract after going to a presentation but luckily found this site and rescinded it.


----------



## dgalati (Apr 26, 2020)

Tlarimer said:


> We don't own anything at the moment. I almost got trapped into a contract after going to a presentation but luckily found this site and rescinded it.


@Grammarhero would be interested to know how much was saved by rescinding.


----------



## Tlarimer (Apr 26, 2020)

T-Dot-Traveller said:


> 1 ) what is your timelines - ( ie ) are you 35 years old or 60 years old .
> 
> 2 ) read TUG to learn the low MF points within Wyndham . example - Canterbury  - San Francisco .
> If due to current uncertainty - IF you could get a Canterbury or similar contract for well below the normal resale cost ,it could make sense to purchase , if your future travel window is 10- 40 years .
> ...





dgalati said:


> @Grammarhero would be interested to know how much was saved by rescinding.




Cant remember exactly how much it was for but I think it was around 50,000 for the contract. Way too much for 2 measly teacher salaries in VA.


----------



## T-Dot-Traveller (Apr 26, 2020)

Tlarimer said:


> We don't own anything at the moment. I almost got trapped into a contract after going to a presentation but luckily found this site and rescinded it.



Glad you found TUG . 
The best place to read and learn / and find out options .


----------



## Tlarimer (Apr 26, 2020)

Thanks for all your suggestions and info. It's really helped me see what to consider when thinking about buying or just continue to rent. At this point I think renting is probably best for us. So glad I found the great user's at tubs.


----------



## bbodb1 (Apr 26, 2020)

Tlarimer said:


> My wife and I are both teachers so we are locked into the school schedule. We like to take weekend trips to the wilderness at the smokies during the year and during our breaks but not necessarily a week the same week every year. We would be interested in a beach week every year during summer prime season though. The more I research and look on here it seems the best route for us may be to look for a timeshare week at a beach that we prefer and rent points for the smokies when we want to go. I just wasn't sure if there is a secret to the madness with wyndham when you book or if it would be beneficial to have points through them for a beach trip that we could also use at the wilderness.


@Tlarimer - one question that popped into my head is can you be happy with the Wyndham locations?
There are a good number of them in the eastern US but do those work for your vacation needs?


----------



## dgalati (Apr 26, 2020)

Tlarimer said:


> Cant remember exactly how much it was for but I think it was around 50,000 for the contract. Way too much for 2 measly teacher salaries in VA.


The developer price works for many here. If you buy up to VIP and can travel enough there is a payback or break even over time. If VIP is what you desire.@Richelle can help you get to VIP with a PIC purchase at a much lower cost then $50,000


----------



## Fredflintstone (Apr 26, 2020)

Tlarimer said:


> Cant remember exactly how much it was for but I think it was around 50,000 for the contract. Way too much for 2 measly teacher salaries in VA.



Wow. 50 k...

That’s a lot of rentals! If you invest 50 k, you will get conservatively 2.5 k each year to travel with and still have your 50 k. With TS, you lose 90 percent plus the minute you sign on the dotted line.

Good for you rescinding. 


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


----------



## dgalati (Apr 26, 2020)

Fredflintstone said:


> Wow. 50 k...
> 
> That’s a lot of rentals! If you invest 50 k, you will get conservatively 2.5 k each year to travel with and still have your 50 k. With TS, you lose 90 percent plus the minute you sign on the dotted line.
> 
> ...


Losing only 90٪ is a best case senerio.


----------



## Tlarimer (Apr 26, 2020)

bbodb1 said:


> @Tlarimer - one question that popped into my head is can you be happy with the Wyndham locations?
> There are a good number of them in the eastern US but do those work for your vacation needs?



Yeah most would. We live close to sevierville and frequently go to the wilderness resort. And myrtle beach is usually our beach destination. Other than that not a big deal for us.


----------



## harveyhaddixfan (Apr 26, 2020)

If you’re looking to buy, there’s a 382k contract at Panama City Beach on eBay right now. MF are listed at $162 a month. That’s just over $5 per thousand.

I have an EOY at Bali Hai and an EOY at Grand Desert. My average is about $5.15 per thousand right now. I mainly bought to go to Old Town Alexandria. Prime season, I can get a 1BR for about $90 a night. Probably can’t touch the Hilton next door for less than $150.


----------



## bbodb1 (Apr 26, 2020)

@Tlarimer - just a suggestion here but in the current marketplace you should be able to pick up a Wyndham contract for very little.  

Like you, we are tied to the school schedule as well but there are advantages to that from the perspective of knowing the calendar a year in advance.  (I am assuming your district sets their calendar a year in advance like ours does).  

You should know your long weekends and breaks in advance enough to pick up some stays that are drivable.   To me, the advantage of owning within the Wyndham system and being able to reserve dates as soon as booking windows open is worth something.

Might I suggest keeping an eye on the resale market for Wyndham here (TUG), eBay, and other sources for a bit?  If you could pick up enough points to equal a week and a long weekends worth of stays at the places you want to frequent,  that might be worth considering because you would have more control over your vacation reservations. 

To be clear, both @Fredflintstone and @dgalati make very solid points and I not suggesting their advice is lacking in any way, but as someone in a similar position as you are, ownership may be worth considering.


----------



## bbodb1 (Apr 26, 2020)

harveyhaddixfan said:


> If you’re looking to buy, there’s a 382k contract at Panama City Beach on eBay right now. MF are listed at $162 a month. That’s just over $5 per thousand.
> 
> I have an EOY at Bali Hai and an EOY at Grand Desert. My average is about $5.15 per thousand right now. I mainly bought to go to Old Town Alexandria. Prime season, I can get a 1BR for about $90 a night. Probably can’t touch the Hilton next door for less than $150.


@Tlarimer - you could do a LOT of vacationing with 382k points each year.


----------



## Grammarhero (Apr 26, 2020)

Tlarimer said:


> Thanks for all your suggestions and info. It's really helped me see what to consider when thinking about buying or just continue to rent. At this point I think renting is probably best for us. So glad I found the great user's at tubs.


You can buy for $1.


----------



## Tlarimer (Apr 26, 2020)

That's a decent deal. I'll look into it and see.


----------



## Tlarimer (Apr 26, 2020)

How does that work though. It's a co tract at Panama city beach but since its through wyndam I can use points for anywhere in wyndam resorts?


----------



## Grammarhero (Apr 26, 2020)

Tlarimer said:


> That's a decent deal. I'll look into it and see.


I got 353k pts for $4.


----------



## Grammarhero (Apr 26, 2020)

Tlarimer said:


> How does that work though. It's a co tract at Panama city beach but since its through wyndam I can use points for anywhere in wyndam resorts?


Pts are pts 9 months in advance.  Only advantage to having pts at a certain resort is booking 13 months out.


----------



## harveyhaddixfan (Apr 26, 2020)

Grammarhero said:


> I got 353k pts for $4.



But where’s the contract? The cheap contracts are usually at resorts with higher fees. You’re not getting a Bali Hai or PCB for nothing.


----------



## harveyhaddixfan (Apr 26, 2020)

Tlarimer said:


> How does that work though. It's a co tract at Panama city beach but since its through wyndam I can use points for anywhere in wyndam resorts?



It would give you priority at PCB 13 months out. Then at 10 months it’s good anywhere. 

You’ll pay a little more up front for a place like PCB, Bali Hai, National Harbor and a few others. To me it’s better to pay up front than be stuck with MF that are $6-8 a thousand. Even at $6.50, if you pay $2k up front, you’ll make it back in 4 years if you’re at $5 per thousand.


----------



## Fredflintstone (Apr 26, 2020)

Grammarhero said:


> I got 353k pts for $4.



$4.00?

You paid too much. Next time tell them you need that 4.00 to buy a value meal item at McDonald’s and your hungry. I bet you get it for zero. 


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


----------



## Fredflintstone (Apr 26, 2020)

Tlarimer said:


> That's a decent deal. I'll look into it and see.



Also look here if you really want a timeshare.







						Free Timeshares - Search Free Timeshares For Sale At Top Resorts
					

Search free timeshares for sale at Timeshare Nation, the largest online marketplace for free timeshares for sale. See hundreds of free timeshares at top resorts.




					www.timesharenation.com
				




Timeshares are free and transfer is free too. Take your time. New ones come up all the time. If you want Wyndham, wait for it and you will be rewarded with free everything.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


----------



## cbyrne1174 (Apr 26, 2020)

I teach in Tampa, FL and have been to the Panama City Beach location. It's a nice resort. I would buy that PCB contract if I needed more points. It's actually a perfect starter contract and a good summer/spring break location if you want the ARP. Myrtle beach is too cold during spring break. All the units are ocean front, which is why the point cost is high. Panama is rarely hit with hurricanes, which keeps the costs of insurance down. The annual maintenance fees are $4.87 per thousand including everything. 

It's actually cheaper to own than rent if you have a Panama City contract. For reference, a week in a 1 bedroom unit would only be $750 in the summer at the Smoky lodge. If you book at exactly 10 months out, you can usually score a 2 bedroom presidential there for $1461 a week. Those rooms are so much nicer if you can afford the splurge. 

Here is a video of the 2 bedroom presidential. They all have the same layout and view:





If you like to go to Myrtle Beach, Ocean Boulevard has the highest ratings of all the Wyndham resorts at that location. Here is a look at their 2 bedroom presidential:


----------



## Fredflintstone (Apr 26, 2020)

Here’s a Wyndham Star Island 3 bedroom for free with free transfer. There are currently 3 to choose from. 







						Free Star Island Resort Timeshare For Sale - FREE
					

Free timeshare for sale at Star Island Resort in Orlando, Florida. Pay $0 for a timeshare at Star Island Resort. 100s of free timeshares to choose from.




					www.timesharenation.com
				





Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


----------



## cbyrne1174 (Apr 26, 2020)

Wyndham Towers on the Grove 308,000 Annual Points!!  | eBay
					

Wyndham Vacation Resorts Towers On The Grove At North Myrtle Beach puts you directly in the Cherry Grove area, where you can relish in pure oceanfront splendor along the Atlantic, in beautiful North Myrtle Beach.



					www.ebay.com
				




This is another good contract to consider. I own at Towers on the Grove and get ARP at all the Myrtle Beach locations. I don't use it because it's only 96,000 points, but I've verified that I can book Ocean Boulevard at the 13 month mark. If you picked up this contract, your annual maintenance will be $1,712.48 for 308,000 points.


----------



## cbyrne1174 (Apr 26, 2020)

Fredflintstone said:


> Here’s a Wyndham Star Island 3 bedroom for free with free transfer. There are currently 3 to choose from.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Star Island is a crappy deed to own and a crappy Wyndham to stay at. Plus the ones you linked aren't affiliated with Wyndham. Wyndham only owns a few buildings of that sad excuse for a "3" star resort. The spa water when I was there was brown and my bed smelled like old lady perfume. It's also backed onto a trailer park. Look for yourself on google maps.


----------



## Tlarimer (Apr 26, 2020)

cbyrne1174 said:


> Wyndham Towers on the Grove 308,000 Annual Points!!  | eBay
> 
> 
> Wyndham Vacation Resorts Towers On The Grove At North Myrtle Beach puts you directly in the Cherry Grove area, where you can relish in pure oceanfront splendor along the Atlantic, in beautiful North Myrtle Beach.
> ...



That might actually be worth looking into. Can you use Wyndham reward points to book along with your timeshare points? We have some reward points from staying at Wyndham locations.


----------



## CO skier (Apr 27, 2020)

Tlarimer said:


> I have been looking into buying Wyndham points as we like to stay at the wilderness at the smokies a few times each year.


You do not say when (High season, Value season) and what size unit you are interested in.  Without this basic information, it is impossible to offer an opinion.

Then in later posts, you want a beach resort with an option at Wyndham Great Smokies.

You would do best with a Club Wyndham Access ownership for the points that fit your needs to give you Advance Reservation Priority at a number of resorts, including Wyndham Great Smokies.  Unless you can arrange your dates within the VIP 60-day window.  A VIP landlord Might (maybe) give you a better rental price than owning (within 60 days of arrival, but the dates would not be guaranteed until less than 60-days in advance.


----------



## dgalati (Apr 27, 2020)

CO skier said:


> You do not say when (High season, Value season) and what size unit you are interested in.  Without this basic information, it is impossible to offer an opinion.
> 
> Then in later posts, you want a beach resort with an option at Wyndham Great Smokies.
> 
> You would do best with a Club Wyndham Access ownership for the points that fit your needs to give you Advance Reservation Priority at a number of resorts, including Wyndham Great Smokies.  Unless you can arrange your dates within the VIP 60-day window.  A VIP landlord Might (maybe) give you a better rental price than owning (within 60 days of arrival, but the dates would not be guaranteed until less than 60-days in advance.





Tlarimer said:


> My wife and I are both teachers so we are locked into the school schedule. We like to take weekend trips to the wilderness at the smokies during the year and during our breaks but not necessarily a week the same week every year. We would be interested in a beach week every year during summer prime season though. The more I research and look on here it seems the best route for us may be to look for a timeshare week at a beach that we prefer and rent points for the smokies when we want to go. I just wasn't sure if there is a secret to the madness with wyndham when you book or if it would be beneficial to have points through them for a beach trip that we could also use at the wilderness.


 It looks like they have a pretty good idea of what will work for them.


----------



## capital city (Apr 27, 2020)

I dont understand all the hate for CWA. Yes its higher on the maintenance fees but it gets me what I want. I got 2 3brs pool view for Memorial day weekend at the Wilderness location, weekend for mardi gras, weekend for daytona 500, and a week in a 1br St Thomas location all this past year with my CWA contract. It does have its benefits too.


----------



## Tlarimer (Apr 27, 2020)

capital city said:


> I dont understand all the hate for CWA. Yes its higher on the maintenance fees but it gets me what I want. I got 2 3brs pool view for Memorial day weekend at the Wilderness location, weekend for mardi gras, weekend for daytona 500, and a week in a 1br St Thomas location all this past year with my CWA contract. It does have its benefits too.



So what is the difference between CWA and just regular points from a wyndham location or trust?


----------



## capital city (Apr 27, 2020)

Its Club Wynhdam Access and basically it is where Wyndham places a lot of contracts that they have taken back. Yes they have added a lot of high mf contracts that they probably couldn't sell kn their own which has driven up the mf cost of CWA. But it gives you access to most resorts at 13 months rather then 10. If I want Wilderness or Myrtle Beach for 4th of July I can get it and not just a 1br. I can look to see exactly what I could get in about 5 weeks from now to show you. 

Having said that if your not going to book high demand places over 10 months out I would stay away from CWA


----------



## Tlarimer (Apr 27, 2020)

cbyrne1174 said:


> Wyndham Towers on the Grove 308,000 Annual Points!!  | eBay
> 
> 
> Wyndham Vacation Resorts Towers On The Grove At North Myrtle Beach puts you directly in the Cherry Grove area, where you can relish in pure oceanfront splendor along the Atlantic, in beautiful North Myrtle Beach.
> ...



So if I bought this contract after the upfront cost of buying the points I would just have to pay the maintenance fees every year? Or are there other fees involed on top of that?


----------



## Tlarimer (Apr 27, 2020)

capital city said:


> Its Club Wynhdam Access and basically it is where Wyndham places a lot of contracts that they have taken back. Yes they have added a lot of high mf contracts that they probably couldn't sell kn their own which has driven up the mf cost of CWA. But it gives you access to most resorts at 13 months rather then 10. If I want Wilderness or Myrtle Beach for 4th of July I can get it and not just a 1br. I can look to see exactly what I could get in about 5 weeks from now to show you.
> 
> Having said that if your not going to book high demand places over 10 months out I would stay away from CWA



Gotcha. Booking 13 months out would be a plus but not a necessity. Can you book a room for just 2 nights or does it have to be 3 or more?


----------



## cbyrne1174 (Apr 27, 2020)

Tlarimer said:


> Gotcha. Booking 13 months out would be a plus but not a necessity. Can you book a room for just 2 nights or does it have to be 3 or more?



You are allotted a certain amount of housekeeping credits. Towers on the Grove is the only Myrtle beach location with studios. A studio costs 28 housekeeping credits and a 1 bedroom costs 63 housekeeping credits. If you are going to only stay 2 nights, you would want to book a studio or you will run out of housekeeping credits. If you own 308,000 points, you will get 308 housekeeping credits a year. I book a lot of last minute trips to Bonnet Creek and Ocean Walk when they are discounted 35% off, so if you look at my account below, I'm going to run out of housekeeping credits if I'm not careful next year. You are also allotted 1 free reservation transaction per 77,000 points you own. The Towers on the Grove contract will give you 4 free bookings a year and after that it will cost you $19 per booking.

The reason I am showing you my account for next year is because I used all my points for this year in 2019. I had made almost all of my bookings less than 90 days out, so I was able to use my 2020 points in 2019. I always do that just to be safe in case I can't go anywhere for a year, so my points won't expire. I only had 122,000/600,000 of my 2020 points left when Covid hit, so I carried them over to 2021. You also get 2 free guest confirmations. That allows someone else not on the ownership to use the ownership.

If you pick up a resale contract, my advice to you would be to only put 1 person on the contract. It isn't an asset, it's a liability. You get 2 free guest certificates anyways, so unless you are going to travel separately more than twice a year, there is NO BENEFIT to have both parties on the deed.


----------



## Eric B (Apr 27, 2020)

Fredflintstone said:


> Here’s a Wyndham Star Island 3 bedroom for free with free transfer. There are currently 3 to choose from.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



As @cbyrne1174 pointed out, those contracts are not in Wyndham points, they are listed on the web site as being fixed weeks.  You might be able to convert them to points, but there's no guarantee and that would be an additional cost.  A better URL to use in order to see what TSN currently has as inventory is below; the actual site is not updated as frequently and typically doesn't reflect additions and subtractions of decent TS. (The Star Island ones aren't there under Wyndham, but instead listed as Star Island Resort and Star Island Resort and Country Club Phase IV.)






						Bulk List Inventory - Google Drive
					






					docs.google.com
				




If you want Wyndham points, check the bulk inventory daily and some show up about every 1-3 weeks.  The fellow that runs the TSN site is Jared Farver <jared@timesharenation.com>; email him directly if you see something you're interested in.  He's fairly responsive and you can skip the messing around with filling in web forms to express interest.


----------



## Eric B (Apr 27, 2020)

cbyrne1174 said:


> ... If you own 308 points, you will get 308 housekeeping credits a year. ....



Think you mean 308K points....


----------



## dgalati (Apr 27, 2020)

Eric B said:


> As @cbyrne1174 pointed out, those contracts are not in Wyndham points, they are listed on the web site as being fixed weeks.  You might be able to convert them to points, but there's no guarantee and that would be an additional cost.  A better URL to use in order to see what TSN currently has as inventory is below; the actual site is not updated as frequently and typically doesn't reflect additions and subtractions of decent TS. (The Star Island ones aren't there under Wyndham, but instead listed as Star Island Resort and Star Island Resort and Country Club Phase IV.)
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Jared is very responsive and has been great to deal with.


----------



## Tlarimer (Apr 27, 2020)

cbyrne1174 said:


> You are allotted a certain amount of housekeeping credits. Towers on the Grove is the only Myrtle beach location with studios. A studio costs 28 housekeeping credits and a 1 bedroom costs 63 housekeeping credits. If you are going to only stay 2 nights, you would want to book a studio or you will run out of housekeeping credits. If you own 308 points, you will get 308 housekeeping credits a year. I book a lot of last minute trips to Bonnet Creek and Ocean Walk when they are discounted 35% off, so if you look at my account below, I'm going to run out of housekeeping credits if I'm not careful next year. You are also allotted 1 free reservation transaction per 77,000 points you own. The Towers on the Grove contract will give you 4 free bookings a year and after that it will cost you $19 per booking.
> 
> The reason I am showing you my account for next year is because I used all my points for this year in 2019. I had made almost all of my bookings less than 90 days out, so I was able to use my 2020 points in 2019. I always do that just to be safe in case I can't go anywhere for a year, so my points won't expire. I only had 122,000/600,000 of my 2020 points left when Covid hit, so I carried them over to 2021. You also get 2 free guest confirmations. That allows someone else not on the ownership to use the ownership.
> 
> ...



Wow I did not know about housekeeping credits. Thanks for pointing that out. The way our schedule is for school every year we would probably look at booking 3 to 4 times a year. Once in November (fall break) once in the spring (spring/easter break) and once or twice in the summer. So we would not have to worry about the booking fee but not sure about house keeping credits. How many housekeeping credits is a 2br at the Great Smokies lodge? Thats where we would probably go during our breaks. Summertime probably somewhere at myrtle beach.


----------



## Tlarimer (Apr 27, 2020)

Eric B said:


> As @cbyrne1174 pointed out, those contracts are not in Wyndham points, they are listed on the web site as being fixed weeks.  You might be able to convert them to points, but there's no guarantee and that would be an additional cost.  A better URL to use in order to see what TSN currently has as inventory is below; the actual site is not updated as frequently and typically doesn't reflect additions and subtractions of decent TS. (The Star Island ones aren't there under Wyndham, but instead listed as Star Island Resort and Star Island Resort and Country Club Phase IV.)
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Gotcha


----------



## Eric B (Apr 27, 2020)

Tlarimer said:


> So is that contract on ebay for 308K that I was looking at points just for that property or can they be used for any wyndham property? Im getting confused now lol.



They would be Wyndham points that you can use for any Wyndham property in the Club Wyndham system.  Wyndham has several different systems, which can make it confusing, but if you're looking on the East Coast typically the Wyndham that you're looking at has a better selection of resorts.

You might also check the TUG marketplace for points listings at:



			https://tug2.com/timeshare-classifieds/search/results.aspx?For-Sale-Points&ForSale=True&AdTypePoints=True
		


You can limit it to Wyndham ones and go through to see if any would work for you.  There's one Bali Hai EOY contract on there, for example; it looks like it was a converted week rather than an original Wyndham points contract, so the MF are a bit higher than others, but still on the low end.  The one at Zephyr Cove is another one with low MFs; also an EOY.  Those cost more than the higher MF ones initially, but if you'll be using it for a while might make more sense and will be easier to dispose of later.


----------



## Tlarimer (Apr 27, 2020)

Eric B said:


> They would be Wyndham points that you can use for any Wyndham property in the Club Wyndham system.  Wyndham has several different systems, which can make it confusing, but if you're looking on the East Coast typically the Wyndham that you're looking at has a better selection of resorts.
> 
> You might also check the TUG marketplace for points listings at:
> 
> ...



Ok I understand now. I have been looking at some on there. For our purposes we will probably need around 300 points to book what we would want every year. Few weekends at the Great Smokies lodge, and a beach trip. Dont want to pay too much upfront costs but I would rather pay the upfront and have lower MF since we will be using this for the next 20+ years probably.


----------



## cbyrne1174 (Apr 27, 2020)

Tlarimer said:


> Ok I understand now. I have been looking at some on there. For our purposes we will probably need around 300 points to book what we would want every year. Few weekends at the Great Smokies lodge, and a beach trip. Dont want to pay too much upfront costs but I would rather pay the upfront and have lower MF since we will be using this for the next 20+ years probably.




A 2 bedroom uses 77 housekeeping credits, so with 308,000 points you can book a 2 bedroom 4 times a year. The Towers on the Grove deed on Ebay probably won't go for very high. My guess would be $500 in all. Most people don't know the maintenance fees are low there because it's a small resort.


----------



## Tlarimer (Apr 27, 2020)

cbyrne1174 said:


> A 2 bedroom uses 77 housekeeping credits, so with 308,000 points you can book a 2 bedroom 4 times a year. The Towers on the Grove deed on Ebay probably won't go for very high. My guess would be $500 in all. Most people don't know the maintenance fees are low there because it's a small resort.



Can you buy more housekeeping credits?


----------



## Eric B (Apr 27, 2020)

Housekeeping Credits 
Housekeeping Credits are the method of payment used for the cleaning of a unit prior to your arrival. Housekeeping Credits are deducted along with your points when you make a reservation.

As part of your CLUB WYNDHAM® Plus Member benefits, you are awarded one (1) Housekeeping Credit for every 1,000 points you own. Your Housekeeping Credits expire at the end of your Use Year, just as your points do.

The chart below shows the number of Housekeeping Credits required based on the length of your stay and the number of bedrooms in the unit you reserve.
HOUSEKEEPING CREDITS

Length of Stay (Days)Hotel/Studio1 BR2 BR3 BR4 BRUp to 7286377140154Up to 1456126154280308
Important Information: 

Housekeeping Credits are used along with your points for the following transactions:
• CLUB WYNDHAM Plus Resort reservation
• WYNDHAM Club Pass Resort reservation
• Worldwide External Exchange deposit
• Points Deposit Feature
• Charitable Gift
  • Converting Points to Wyndham Rewards
Housekeeping Credits are deducted at the time of booking from the Use Year in which the travel occurs.
The amount of Housekeeping Credits required for a reservation is determined by the number of bedrooms in the unit and the length of stay.
If you run out of Housekeeping Credits, you may complete your transaction by purchasing additional credits at $2.25 per credit at the time of booking.
Housekeeping Credits may be borrowed during the Express Booking Window from the Use Year following the check-in date of your reservation.
When a reservation is canceled, in accordance with the cancellation policy, Housekeeping Credits are restored to the account in the original Use Year from which they came.
When a reservation using rented Housekeeping Credits is canceled, in accordance with the cancellation policy, you will receive a refund of those fees spent to the original source of payment. This also includes reservations made through WYNDHAM Club Pass. This applies only to reservations made and canceled after the launch of the upgraded system.
Reservations that were made prior to the launch of the upgraded systems that are cancelled in accordance with the cancellation policy, will result in the points and Housekeeping Credits being returned to the Use Year of the reservation.
Any unused Housekeeping Credits will expire at the end of the Use Year.


----------



## cbyrne1174 (Apr 27, 2020)

Tlarimer said:


> Can you buy more housekeeping credits?



Yes. They are $2.25 each. I would just plan better. If you book less than 90 days out, you can always borrow them from a future use year.


----------



## Eric B (Apr 27, 2020)

Five Wyndham points accounts were just posted on Timeshare Nation.  Most seem on the high side for MF, of course.


----------



## cbyrne1174 (Apr 27, 2020)

I was eyeing up the 2 grand desert deeds, but I already have too many points!!! >.<


----------



## dgalati (Apr 27, 2020)

cbyrne1174 said:


> I was eyeing up the 2 grand desert deeds, but I already have too many points!!! >.<


Trust me there will be more from where those came from. Deals are available every week.


----------



## dgalati (Apr 27, 2020)

Tlarimer said:


> Can you buy more housekeeping credits?


Good article posted on TUG.








						Buying a Timeshare Usually Isn’t the Best Route to Great Getaways
					

Many people enjoy their timeshares. But there are plenty of reasons why a timeshare shouldn’t be on your shopping list.



					www.checkbook.org


----------



## Tlarimer (Apr 27, 2020)

dgalati said:


> Good article posted on TUG.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Yeah we are not ready to buy anything. I just wanna make sure I know what i am getting into if we do decide to get into it. Using the examples everyone has provided has given me a better understanding of how wyndham works. If we can rent like we have been doing so far probably just keep going that route. Put money away that we would pay for maintenance fee and just use it to vacate.


----------



## dgalati (Apr 27, 2020)

Tlarimer said:


> Yeah we are not ready to buy anything. I just wanna make sure I know what i am getting into if we do decide to get into it. Using the examples everyone has provided has given me a better understanding of how wyndham works. If we can rent like we have been doing so far probably just keep going that route. Put money away that we would pay for maintenance fee and just use it to vacate.


If I could of owned for less I never would of sold. My purchase price was under $100 all in.  Unlike Wyndham math that never adds up my numbers @Fredflintstone added up to selling.


----------



## Fredflintstone (Apr 27, 2020)

dgalati said:


> If I could of owned for less I never would of sold. My purchase price was under $100 all in. Unlike Wyndham math that never adds up my numbers @Fredflintstone added up to selling.



You may be wise selling. Depending on how long this lasts, the points folks have will pile up. This translates into a mass rush to the booking portal to book for quite sometime. I can see less choices which truly defeats the purpose of having a TS because you can’t book what you want. Sigh, Montana in winter and Vegas in the Summer...yuck.

Also, as new standards in cleanliness come into force (which I have been reading a lot of resort articles on this), you could be looking at only 6 days but paying for a week. Plus, the Cleaning costs through hiring more cleaning staff will equate to MF pops. In my view, the value of owning a timeshare is becoming less attractive. 


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


----------



## Tlarimer (Apr 30, 2020)

Fredflintstone said:


> You may be wise selling. Depending on how long this lasts, the points folks have will pile up. This translates into a mass rush to the booking portal to book for quite sometime. I can see less choices which truly defeats the purpose of having a TS because you can’t book what you want. Sigh, Montana in winter and Vegas in the Summer...yuck.
> 
> Also, as new standards in cleanliness come into force (which I have been reading a lot of resort articles on this), you could be looking at only 6 days but paying for a week. Plus, the Cleaning costs through hiring more cleaning staff will equate to MF pops. In my view, the value of owning a timeshare is becoming less attractive.
> 
> ...





Eric B said:


> Housekeeping Credits
> Housekeeping Credits are the method of payment used for the cleaning of a unit prior to your arrival. Housekeeping Credits are deducted along with your points when you make a reservation.
> 
> As part of your CLUB WYNDHAM® Plus Member benefits, you are awarded one (1) Housekeeping Credit for every 1,000 points you own. Your Housekeeping Credits expire at the end of your Use Year, just as your points do.
> ...



If you rent out your time share are there any other fees involved for booking or putting the booking in someone elses name?


----------



## cbyrne1174 (Apr 30, 2020)

$99 guest certificate fee per reservation.  You get 2 free certs a year as an owner.


----------



## Fredflintstone (Apr 30, 2020)

Tlarimer said:


> If you rent out your time share are there any other fees involved for booking or putting the booking in someone elses name?



Usually an owner needs to pay a fee for a Guest Certificate. The fee amount ranges. I think a RCI is around 75 dollars. I do not know the fees charged in other systems.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


----------



## Fredflintstone (Apr 30, 2020)

cbyrne1174 said:


> $99 guest certificate fee per reservation. You get 2 free certs a year as an owner.



I think it depends on the booking system?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


----------



## paxsarah (Apr 30, 2020)

Fredflintstone said:


> I think it depends on the booking system?


I think since we're in the Wyndham forum people are assuming Wyndham.


----------



## drepublic (May 1, 2020)

You'll hear all kinds of thoughts and opinions from these boards, but here is my 2 cents as someone who lives in the State of Georgia, and who prefers to drive to desirable locations, has two preteen boys, and like Beaches and Amusement and Water Parks.

It's about how you equate value, when you need to go.  I know you are interested in Great Smokies but there are several good resorts within Wyndham that you or perhaps your family may want to go to.

I'd first research where you would want to go and get a good feel for the point cost you might need studying the point charts and looking hard on On Peak Vs Off Peak Times then maybe ask the kind people here if ARP is needed for when you want to go do your preferred locations AND IN YOUR PREFERRED ROOM SIZE.  Some desirable locations have low maintenance fee contracts (which is a win win for ARP and low maintenance fees) and some locations have different maintenance fee contract pricing (Ocean Boulevard Comes to Mind having some low fee and high fee contracts).

I Pay a Premium on maintenance for owning at Bonnet Creek but I want Presidential Suites at On Peak Travel Times (including Christmas).  Also for some reason Thanksgiving Week is in the "Value Season" for Bonnet Creek (almost half the point cost of Christmas stays), so to my family that is a good value to stay in large presidential suites at Thanksgiving (and even booking multiple rooms for family) given the cost to stay anywhere close to that location during Thanksgiving.  That said you can book deluxe rooms at bonnet Creek Thanksgiving week 10 months out with a low maintenance fee contract, but I want Presidential Rooms and pay a premium to have a better shot at getting them 13 months out.

There are some interesting things out there like the Myrtle Beach Resorts...owning at one gives you ARP to ALL with maybe some exceptions. So I picked up a low maintenance fee OB contract that gives me ARP to all Myrtle Beach Resorts but am happy to spend those points elsewhere, but I like having ARP at multiple resorts.

I own at Clearwater because I want 2 BR Presidential Rooms Spring Break Week and book it 13 months out.

I prefer own where I want to stay and travel at on peak times as my wife is a teacher and my kids are in school.  I generally get what I want when I want it but have to plan 13 months out, but I enjoy that planning process.  I own contracts at describable locations that should be unload able if I need to unload them.

If I had more flexibility and didn't care for the presidential suites I'd look hard at the lowest maintenance fee contracts out there for Wyndham, or if I were on a more limited budget I'd network with VIP's and rent from them at a desirable location to see what it is like and if you want to own there.


----------



## Richelle (May 1, 2020)

dgalati said:


> Jared is very responsive and has been great to deal with.


I can vouch for Jared too.  I got a free Margaritaville contract from Timeshare Nation.


----------



## bendadin (May 1, 2020)

I know where there is a 400k Canterbury available.


----------

