# FAQ  & Links for Timeshare Point and Hotel Based ownerships



## Bill4728

HGVC 
Vistana Signature Experiences FAQ 
Vistana Signature Experiences information 
Wyndham Points FAQ 
Diamond Resorts International FAQ 
Shell Vacations Club 
Hyatt Residence Club 
Disney Vacation Club Points information 
Raintree Vacations/Whiski Jack/ Club Regina www.raintreevacationclub.com
Worldmark the Club information 
Club Intrawest CI 
And the Clubintrawest Wiki http://clubintrawest.pbwiki.com/
Monarch Grand MGV MGV bought out by Diamond Resorts International (formerly Sunterra) in Oct 2011 DRI 
Vacation Internationale VI 
Marriott Destination Points FAQ



Chart comparing the 4 major hotel based TS systems  chart of 4 hotel based sytems


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## Bill4728

OK, let the comments begin.

Also anyone who want to help with this, I really like the help.

Like a Bluegree FAQ or Advice and a Raintree or advice.

PS I'll be taking your advice and edit the earlier posts to keep this thing clean


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## smbrannan

I'm trying to keep clubintrawest.pbwiki.com up-to-date with info about Club Intrawest as an alternative to the TUG pages, which are quite stale.

S


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## luv2vacation

Okay, I checked the FAQ stickey at the top.  Any info yet on Bluegreen?


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## nyparadigm

*Raintree Users Guide*

I have a pdf version of the Raintree Users Guide which I can forward to you if you can post it.  It lays out the program and has a decent faq section.

Please let me know.

Chris


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## gomike

Do any of these point based systems come with a free II membership?


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## bccash63

How about the Amber Vacation Club--it is a pure points based system
thanx, Dawn


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## dtdt

*Wyndham points*

If we purchase Wyndham deeded points, can these be used on Wyndham hotels also??


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## tenthousandvolts

Bill4728 said:


> PS  Here is a document comparing the 4 major hotel based TS systems  chart of 4 hotel based sytems



Hi- just curious- is the above document up to date? I am wondering because I see some of the membership fees include memberships to II and they are lower than a regular II membership. Wondering if these prices have gone up or if the reduced fee is a perk of ownership.


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## jamstew

Bill4728 said:


> This thread will have links to advice article and FAQ for the many different point based TS systems.
> 
> Some systems I call "Pure Points"
> -these systems are more like stock in a TS system. You don't own a deed at a single resort but "points" in the TS system. The biggest of these is Worldmark but there are many others Like Club Intrawest, Vacations Internationale, Monarch Grand Vacations and others (I will add as I discover them)



This is probably going to be a really *stupid* question, but I'm gonna ask it anyway  If you don't own a deed at a single resort, how to you go about buying the points? I'm curious as to what I should be looking for, for example, on eBay. 

Obviously, I have zero experience with points.  

Second question. I'm assuming that if you own WM points and you want to stay in a non-WM property, you'd deposit your points with with RCI? Is that right? Would it be possible to get Bonnet Creek?


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## Bill4728

tenthousandvolts said:


> Hi- just curious- is the above document up to date? I am wondering because I see some of the membership fees include memberships to II and they are lower than a regular II membership. Wondering if these prices have gone up or if the reduced fee is a perk of ownership.


They may not be up to date. But some systems have a special deal with their exchange companies so there is a special price to belong.



> If you don't own a deed at a single resort, how to you go about buying the points? I'm curious as to what I should be looking for, for example, on eBay.


Instead of owning a deeded property you own "points" in the company which holds the deeds to the resort. So when you buy someones points, they have the ownership of those points transferred to you much like buying stock in a company.


> Second question. I'm assuming that if you own WM points and you want to stay in a non-WM property, you'd deposit your points with with RCI? Is that right? Would it be possible to get Bonnet Creek?


Yes, But with worldmark, you have access to both RCI & II. So you can use either exchange company.


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## Sou13

*Festiva Adventure Club*

What can you find for us about the Festiva Adventure Club?


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## LannyPC

Any information about RCI Points and how that system stacks up to other points systems?  What about the (dis)advantages aginst the RCI Weeks system?

We are currently on RCI Weeks but are contemplating converting to RCI Points.

Any advice or input?


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## Kdjk5467

*Updates.*

Im surprised at the age of most the overview docs. The forum is certainly active and I'll keep at it but it is sure difficult finding starter docs like this but up date. This did help and I am happy to have found it but I would love to see more comparison stuff like the benefits of the pure points versus deeded like rci versus Wyndham .

Thanks for time everyone, I know I'll get there eventually.


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## Bill4728

LannyPC said:


> Any information about RCI Points and how that system stacks up to other points systems?  What about the (dis)advantages aginst the RCI Weeks system?
> 
> We are currently on RCI Weeks but are contemplating converting to RCI Points.
> 
> Any advice or input?





Kdjk5467 said:


> Im surprised at the age of most the overview docs. The forum is certainly active and I'll keep at it but it is sure difficult finding starter docs like this but up date. This did help and I am happy to have found it but I would love to see more comparison stuff like the benefits of the pure points versus deeded like rci versus Wyndham .
> 
> Thanks for time everyone, I know I'll get there eventually.


RCI points isn't a TS system but a product that any TS can offer if the resort system signs up for it. THEREFORE this thread doesn't contain any info about RCI points.


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## Kdjk5467

Bill4728 said:


> RCI points isn't a TS system but a product that any TS can offer if the resort system signs up for it. THEREFORE this thread doesn't contain any info about RCI points.



Ah! Thanks. I think I am on the way to enlightenment. I tool RCI to be a "Pure Points" system as described above. Where "You don't own a deed at a single resort but "points" in the TS system. "

Don't worry, I'll be back with more newbie questions. 

Thanks again,
JK (One half of KDJK).


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## EliseRN

*How many points...is good number of points?*

Clearly I am new and researching...  so please bear with me.  I see, for instance, 12k WorldMark points on ebay with current price just less than 2k.  Then, on TUG, I saw  12k WorldMark points for 5k.   Then I see over 300k wyndom/fairfield  points advertised for 3k.  RCI 12k points for 11k.  The 300k sounds like a better deal of course...but how do you know?

Say you buy the 300k points with Wyndom/fairfield and want to exchange via RCI...what can you get for that?  

Does the maintenance fee go up with the # of points you buy....how do they determine that?

This is all a little elusive and imprecise it seems.  Your help is very much appreciated!


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## aliikai2

*A broad comparision of systems*

12,000 WM points is a 2 bedroom Prime Season at most resorts
for Wyndham 231,000 is the same 2 bedroom Prime Season
for RCI around 70,000 unless it is an RCI points resort, then higher.
Of these WM is currently the most expensive, with RCI points and Wyndham being almost given away on Ebay.

WM points can be found for around .25 
Wyndham for next to nothing
RCI points also almost free

The purchase price is only the down payment, the real cost is the annual fees and the trade costs. 

WM trades very well with RCI, there a 4000 is a Blue studio, 6000 is a red 1 bedroom, and 8000 is a red 2 bedroom. Their annual fees are better the more points you own.

Wyndham a 28,000 is a blue studio, 70,000 is a red studio, 154000 is a red 2 bedroom.

RCI points short notice weeks can be had for 7000-9500 points if you can travel on short notice and offs season. The exchange fees are still the same, but a 50,000 points ownership will get a lot of short notice weeks.

There is the rough comparison, there are many fine points to learn about each system.

Greg



EliseRN said:


> Clearly I am new and researching...  so please bear with me.  I see, for instance, 12k WorldMark points on ebay with current price just less than 2k.  Then, on TUG, I saw  12k WorldMark points for 5k.   Then I see over 300k wyndom/fairfield  points advertised for 3k.  RCI 12k points for 11k.  The 300k sounds like a better deal of course...but how do you know?
> 
> Say you buy the 300k points with Wyndom/fairfield and want to exchange via RCI...what can you get for that?
> 
> Does the maintenance fee go up with the # of points you buy....how do they determine that?
> 
> This is all a little elusive and imprecise it seems.  Your help is very much appreciated!


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## TUGBrian

fyi we are in the process of creating "resort review" pages for point systems that we can use to stockpile all of this data (links and such) on...as well as consolidate the rentals/resales listings for each specific points system too.

stay tuned =)


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## rickandcindy23

Does anyone have any info on California Vacation Club?  I am looking at listings that are basically free on ebay, zero closing costs.  I would love to see a points chart, but I cannot find anything.


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## 9391

*mgv points every year?*

MGV is trying to sell me 155 pts, deposited every year, $600 HOA, for $3600.
$12k - $9k credit they are giving me for my Riviera Beach and Spa

I would be converting my Riviera Beach and Spa, which I paid $1 for , for these 155 pts, everything i have seen are every 2 yr deposits and the same HOA per year. So for most it is $1200 for the 155 points, which is consistant with the poster that notes that it is cheaper to use escape time. I have until Saturday to decide. Advise please ??

I'm beginning to like this resort, nothing fancy but a great area.



Bill4728 said:


> This thread will have links to advice article and FAQ for the many different point based TS systems.
> 
> But first what is a "point based" TS system?
> 
> I'm going to define a "point based" TS system as a TS system which has a internal trading system which is based on points. ( so a Marriott would not be since you don't use "points" to trade within the TS system)
> 
> Some systems I call "Pure Points"
> -these systems are more like stock in a TS system. You don't own a deed at a single resort but "points" in the TS system. The biggest of these is Worldmark but there are many others Like Club Intrawest, Vacations Internationale, Monarch Grand Vacations and others (I will add as I discover them)Added Aug 2010- Marriott new point based TS system
> 
> Some systems are "Deed based" or resort based systems.
> - These system you own a deed at a single resort but are assigned "points" for use in doing internal trading within the TS system.  Points are assigned by the system based on the resort, season and size of the underlining TS. Hilton, Starwood, Wyndham/Fairfield, Disney, Diamond (Sunterra), Hyatt, Shell, Bluegreen are but a few examples of these systems.
> 
> These "deed based" systems are broken down more by the resale rights to use the system if you purchase resale.
> Some systems are designed so all resale buyers can use the point system no matter how they buy the resort. Other systems allow only those buyers access the the internal points system if the buy from the developer (or other special rules).
> 
> PS  Here is a document comparing the 4 major hotel based TS systems  chart of 4 hotel based sytems


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## sb23

*help*

i have two weeks at welk resorts escondido.  i dont want to just look at their web site as my only source of info especially after reading some unflattering stuff on this site about the sales pitches.  the one i read called the pitch they received the 'platinum overlay' package. this was posted in Nov. 2010.  is this the same as buying some points and converting your weeks into points?  i am interested in points.  the offer to me is $11K for 60K points then they convert my two weeks into points too.  its a lot of points in the end but its a lot of money too.  they said this is an old offer but they were making it available to me since i never knew about them changing over to points and we've owned there a long time.  any opinions are greatly appreciated.


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## Guitarmom

*Can't figure Welk's offer*

Hi sb23 -

We have been doing our best to stay away from Welk's "owner update" meetings. I just cannot imagine how paying $11,000 to get points could possibly be a good deal for us.

One of my thoughts is this: If you own points, you own Cabo & Branson & Palm Desert. But we *only* want to got to Escondido. Since Escondido is, I believe, the most popular Welk resort, wouldn't points make me compete with all those Cabo owners, etc.? 

What did they tell you that helped you feel like switching to points is a smart thing to do?


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## on-the-go

I can share with you why we won't be buying Points.  Just weeks ago, we returned home from a Flagstaff, AZ exchange into a Wyndham property where we got roped into attending a presentation.  We did get an education.  Our sales presenter-person (some level of manager, we are led to believe) advised us that all the properties are converting to the points-only system and, if we didn't get on the bus now, we would be left behind.  Weeks ownership will go the way of dinosaurs.  Furthermore, points owners get first crack at all the weeks-only properties (but never the other way around) and then the folks who want to buy time can also purchase from the inventory.  

What is to stop points-only venders from over-selling existing inventory?  What happens when so many points are sold and there are only a limited number of resorts?  With a deed, you at least have time at a real resort where you are an owner.  

To convert to points, you must surrender your deed and pay $$$ (thousands) and still get stuck with maintenance fees for the points, but you only have points, no deed, at that time.  They get the deed and, I suppose, Wyndham/RCI (both owned by Wyndham these days) become the owners of that time weeks people give up.  No deed, only points, and what is to stop Wynd-RCI from recalculating the value of points needed for exchanges in the future?  With a deed, you know you can go to your home resort and get priority reservations when your yearly anniversary comes up.

If I were to buy points, I would do so from other owners trying to cheaply unload theirs on any number of websites.   Avoid buying them for the inflated prices the timeshare sales staff sell them for.


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## MichaelRobinson

First there are many point base TS systems. WM is but one of these. .... aliikai2--Thanks for the link, I'll start reading immediately. snpperhd ...


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## TootToot

*What do you need?*



Bill4728 said:


> OK, let the comments begin.
> 
> Also anyone who want to help with this, I really like the help.
> 
> Like a Bluegree FAQ or Advice and a Raintree or advice.
> 
> PS I'll be taking your advice and edit the earlier posts to keep this thing clean



Hi, Bill.

I'm a total newbie but a Bluegreen owner. What do you need to know?


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## Daduke

*RCI trying to get me to convert to points*

RCI has been trying to sell me on the idea of converting my week to points. During the past 10 years, we have been able to exchange our week from hour home TS to other ones around the country. But this year RCI called us to see if we would convert our  week to points.  After spending an hour on the phone, they told us the cost, which was between $3000 to $4000.  We decided not to do it.  What is your opinion?


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## aliikai2

*Don't this would be a waste of your money.*

You can buy an RCI points ownership for under $500 all in, in fact there are some for free here on the bargain board.

Greg



Daduke said:


> RCI has been trying to sell me on the idea of converting my week to points. During the past 10 years, we have been able to exchange our week from hour home TS to other ones around the country. But this year RCI called us to see if we would convert our  week to points.  After spending an hour on the phone, they told us the cost, which was between $3000 to $4000.  We decided not to do it.  What is your opinion?


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## lestertravel

*Weeks converted to Points*

[IMGL][/IMGL]





LannyPC said:


> Any information about RCI Points and how that system stacks up to other points systems?  What about the (dis)advantages aginst the RCI Weeks system?
> 
> We are currently on RCI Weeks but are contemplating converting to RCI Points.
> 
> Any advice or input?



I have a similar question.  I am currently an RCI weeks member and have been offered the option to convert to points (at a price).  Is this a good idea?


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## aliikai2

*Like I just told the last poster*

No, this is not a good idea, RCI already uses a points system in weeks, why would you spend extra money to use something so similar to what you already have??? 

Greg



lestertravel said:


> [IMGL][/IMGL]
> 
> I have a similar question.  I am currently an RCI weeks member and have been offered the option to convert to points (at a price).  Is this a good idea?


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## susieginger

*Points Rental Liquidators...will change points into cash???*



jamstew said:


> This is probably going to be a really *stupid* question, but I'm gonna ask it anyway  If you don't own a deed at a single resort, how to you go about buying the points? I'm curious as to what I should be looking for, for example, on eBay.
> 
> Obviously, I have zero experience with points.
> 
> Second question. I'm assuming that if you own WM points and you want to stay in a non-WM property, you'd deposit your points with with RCI? Is that right? Would it be possible to get Bonnet Creek?



Has anyone had any experience with PRL?  I was coerced into signing up to pay $10,000 to buy a Sunset Harbor Resort TS with the promise that the RCI (and my Wyndham ) points would be converted into cash (to help pay my maintenance fees).  The charge was put on an RCI credit card, opened without my permission.  Nonone ever returned my call when I called to cancel.  Then my 6 days of recission was up.  Input, please!


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## wilcoxracing

Ok first of all Im not a timeshare owner. Ive been on numerous presentations. Westgate, Blue Green and Wyndam just to name a few. I love the idea of the timeshare ownership and who wouldnt love the resorts themselves but my question is what is the best type to buy into. I have no interest in going to the exact same place year after year or owning a certain time period somewhere. The points system sounds cool. We have no desire to leave the United States for one and most of the time our vacations are extra long weekends. Problem i saw with westgate was they didnt have that many resorts..Wyndam i was concerned with because alot of thier resorts i was told "could be" hotels/motels that Wyndam has bought and ive seen some of these and wasnt impressed. My sister in law bought into westgate and let it get forclosed on because anytime she tried to use it there was always an issue. I live near Daytona Beach and Orlando so theres a boatload of companies and programs. Id like to find something that fits our travel needs if we are just going away for a weekend, a long weekend or a full week vacation. Any suggestions?


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## csalter2

*Sounds like points for you...*



wilcoxracing said:


> Ok first of all Im not a timeshare owner. Ive been on numerous presentations. Westgate, Blue Green and Wyndam just to name a few. I love the idea of the timeshare ownership and who wouldnt love the resorts themselves but my question is what is the best type to buy into. I have no interest in going to the exact same place year after year or owning a certain time period somewhere. The points system sounds cool. We have no desire to leave the United States for one and most of the time our vacations are extra long weekends. Problem i saw with westgate was they didnt have that many resorts..Wyndam i was concerned with because alot of thier resorts i was told "could be" hotels/motels that Wyndam has bought and ive seen some of these and wasnt impressed. My sister in law bought into westgate and let it get forclosed on because anytime she tried to use it there was always an issue. I live near Daytona Beach and Orlando so theres a boatload of companies and programs. Id like to find something that fits our travel needs if we are just going away for a weekend, a long weekend or a full week vacation. Any suggestions?



Just from the post you made one would believe that a points timeshare would be good for you. However, I am not sure how much research you have done to truly consider buying a timeshare. You will still have to pay maintenance fees which will probably be a week's worth of points not a weekend's worth. Those fees go up every year. Do you vacation every year?  How large of a unit will you need? A one or 2 bedroom?  What time of year do you travel? What part of the country do you wish to have most of your resorts?  How far in advance can you make reservations? Is the resort suitable for kids? What kinds of acitivities does it offer for kids? etc., etc., etc.

These are just some of the questions you should be asking yourself before purchasing. I would suggest you go on a sampler for some ot the timeshares companies.  You basically will pay a small fee to stay at the resort for 3 or 4 days. Some even offer a week. This way you will get to see what the resort is like. They will require you to go to timeshare presentation.  So you know to go but DO NOT BUY. Since you have done it already then you should be fine. 

Then comeback and ask this us again. If you are going to buy then make sure you do it RESALE!!!!

I belong to Diamond Resorts and Marriott Vacation Club. I love them both, but there are advantages and disadvantages to both.  Both have points systems too. However, they offer me great vacations.


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## Quilter

Two things:

1)  I was looking up what information is available for Wyndham after a friend told me she bought into the points system when she was in Kauai.   She had already owned Marriott and enjoyed it so much she was swept up with the details in a sales presentation and now regrets the purchase.    

Any suggestions for making the best of the situation would be appreciated.

2)  When I clicked on the Wyndham/FF link it comes up a bit distorted with ads falling into the main body of the page.   Can someone fix this?

Thanks,
Quilter


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## susieginger

*Wyndham Points*

I have been on the Wyndham Points system for years and find it very user-friendly for my 5 children to use.  And yes, these points can be converted into RCI weeks but the exhange fee is almost $200 and then there is the guest fee on top of that for my children to use the TS.  So we have decided to stay within the Wyndham family.  I have found Wyndham properties to be of high quality, which is what you want when you pay maintenance fees. This year my maintenance fees were $1677 for 308,000 Wyndham points.  Wonder how this compares to other TS Companies?

There are a bunch of RCI Points fraudulant companies going around tricking people into buying yet another TS (with another maintenance fee every year) telling you this is the way to get into the RCI points program.  My experience was it was  a rundown TS "resort" that they couldn't sell any other way.  The slick TS salesman (all of them are)  tricked me into the sale, promising me he would convert my points into cash money to help pay my maintenance fees. Then when I called the numbers he gave me, he refused to return my calls until my 5 days of recission were over.  He had opened up an RCI credit card in my name and put the $10,000 charge for the rundown TS on it and I fought it for 8 months to get it off my credit,etc.  I still get phone calls every 2 weeks from similar companies.  There must be a lot of people like me that fall for these "slick" salesmen.  They are VERY GOOD at charming the public.  BEWARE!!!!


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## susieginger

*RCI Points System*



Bill4728 said:


> RCI points isn't a TS system but a product that any TS can offer if the resort system signs up for it. THEREFORE this thread doesn't contain any info about RCI points.



I keep getting phone calls baiting me to come to a restaurant and they will tell me how to lower my maintenance fees.  When I get there, it is simply RCI Points people trying to sell me yet another Timeshare in the RCI system.  They say this is the only way to be in the RCI Points system.

Yet you say any TS could get into the RCI Points System  "if the resort system signs up for it".  My question is "Is there a RCI Points System catalogue out there so I can tell if the 3 TS's I already own are eligible for the RCI points?  (What is wrong with the RCI Points TS's that they have to use such fraudulant means to sell them?)


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## Bill4728

susieginger said:


> I keep getting phone calls baiting me to come to a restaurant and they will tell me how to lower my maintenance fees.  When I get there, it is simply RCI Points people trying to sell me yet another Timeshare in the RCI system.  They say this is the only way to be in the RCI Points system.
> 
> Yet you say any TS could get into the RCI Points System  "if the resort system signs up for it".  My question is "Is there a RCI Points System catalogue out there so I can tell if the 3 TS's I already own are eligible for the RCI points?  (What is wrong with the RCI Points TS's that they have to use such fraudulant means to sell them?)


If you look on RCI at your three resorts it should tell you if they are RCI point resorts. BUT that generally is not a good thing. Because most of the time the resort gets into RCI points because a "company" has gone to them with a money making offer. The resort joins RCI points then the said "company" will try to get the owners to join points at a cost that is 5 - 20 times the true cost. So instead of charging the owners the $300 fee that RCI charges plus a small charge for doing the change, the resort will charge something like $3,000 - $5,000. The "company" get a couple thousand and the resort the rest. BIG TIME SCAM!!

Most people find that the simplest way to get a TS in RCI points is to buy a TS which the current owners are in points and the resort allows a buyer to continue in points.  Since many  TS resorts are now basically worthless, you can easily find a RCI pts TS owner who wants to sell/give away his TS and for almost no money you are a RCI points owner. 

There is lots of info here on RCI points read it before buying anything.

Good Luck


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## KGOOSE

so in general, after reading this thread, I am completely confused as to the point system and their value

it seems the fees and costs of trading and booking and exchanging is just like taking your money, buying tokens, and then doing the exact same thing you could have done with your money except at a more limited and expensive manor....

if you want to travel and have different times and locations, why buy points or a timeshare at all, seems like there are far better deals and less hassle just booking condos or hotels through traditional means vs. the points hocus-pocus......

the entire points thing seems like a scam, pyramid scheme that has limited value...   how/why has the timeshare concept evolved into this convoluted confusing system (I know, developer profit).

owing a deeded week at a place just seems to make more sense and actually have value


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## ronparise

KGOOSE said:


> so in general, after reading this thread, I am completely confused as to the point system and their value
> 
> it seems the fees and costs of trading and booking and exchanging is just like taking your money, buying tokens, and then doing the exact same thing you could have done with your money except at a more limited and expensive manor....
> 
> if you want to travel and have different times and locations, why buy points or a timeshare at all, seems like there are far better deals and less hassle just booking condos or hotels through traditional means vs. the points hocus-pocus......
> 
> the entire points thing seems like a scam, pyramid scheme that has limited value...   how/why has the timeshare concept evolved into this convoluted confusing system (I know, developer profit).
> 
> owing a deeded week at a place just seems to make more sense and actually have value



Heres my take on the evolution of the points systems

1) Fixed Weeks

Timeshares developed as a fixed weeks model.  Take a condo in a resort location and sell 52 shares, that entitle each owner to use it during their one week..   you own week 1, I own week 2 and 50 other people own each of the other 50 weeks of the year. and we all share the maintenance and operations costs associated with the place equally

Heres the problem with the weeks model:  Very few resorts are true 4 season resorts, with equally  enjoyable activities for the vacationer all year. A resort in a ski area might have 12 good weeks of skiing, several so-so and the rest are whats described as mud weeks.  And yet all 52 owners share equally in the expenses. Similarly a resort at the beach might have 13 good summer  weeks, but whats the point of owning here in the winter, especially when you have to pay the same fees as the guy that owns July 4th

2) Floating Weeks

Savvy developers and their salesman saw the problem. (probably when they realized they had to practically give away the mud weeks) and came up with the idea of floating weeks. Each owner would own a 1/52 share but what they own wouldnt be tied to a certain fixed week. Rather the weeks were assigned each year on a first come first served basis.. Some times you win, sometimes you lose, but everyone gets an equal shot at the best times

There are problems here too. because some one always loses. and the losers still pay exactly the same maintenance fees. as the winners. and if you lose too many times you are going to be one unhappy owner

3) Points..  

So developers took the next natural step, they combined several resorts into one large system. Every owner is granted a certain number of points based on what they own. And every week at every resort is given a point value based on the location and time of year.  The system acts like a group of hotels with locations at the beach, at ski resorts near golf courses and near theme parks, even in the big cities, like New Orleans and San Francisco that draw a lot of tourists. And points are the "money" used to pay for your reservations.  The best weeks will cost more in points to reserve than the bad weeks. 

So problems solved, everyone is happy...at least that was the plan. The fact is you cant please everyone. But points systems work for me. and its the best thing that developers have come up with so far


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## KGOOSE

thanks for an explanation...

with points, what stops the developer from just selling and selling and selling points?  with weeks, you have a fixed number that is finite...  when a developer first offers 1,000,000 points on the market, what stops him 2 years from later to just offer another 1,000,000?

and, as I've read before....  what stops the developer from just keeping some of the units as "unavailable" and offering them for rent to the general public, with the points people calling and requesting and the developer saying there is nothing available?


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## Bill4728

KGOOSE said:


> thanks for an explanation...
> 
> with points, what stops the developer from just selling and selling and selling points?  with weeks, you have a fixed number that is finite...  when a developer first offers 1,000,000 points on the market, what stops him 2 years from later to just offer another 1,000,000?
> 
> and, as I've read before....  what stops the developer from just keeping some of the units as "unavailable" and offering them for rent to the general public, with the points people calling and requesting and the developer saying there is nothing available?


There are laws which makes the selling of points that are not backed by real weeks illegal.  BUT!! There are ways around it. A developer could open a bad resort at a bad location and add that resort's weeks to a large TS system in order to get more week backed points into their system for them to sell. 

_*"what stops the developer from just keeping some of the units as "unavailable" and offering them for rent to the general public?"*_ 
Generally, once "week based point" is sold it then gets transferred out of the developers control and into the control of the management company which the owners hire to run the resort but since most developers are in control of the company which manages most resorts that really isn't true. 

That is why many TS owners buy into TS systems which are backed by big, brand name companies like Marriott, Westin (starwood), Hilton & Hyatt.   It is also why some companies call themselves things like "Holiday Inn Vacations"


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