# Newbie Questions: Purchasing Multiple Resort Locations



## T-3 (Jan 26, 2011)

Hi Everyone, 

I am new to the site and have found a ton of helpful info so far! I have some pretty specific questions that hopefully someone can help me out with... 

I am considering purchasing a timeshare at one location, but the points value is lower than I ultimately would like. So my questions are: 

Can I purchase a second location, in order to increase my available annual points? 

Do the points get lumped together into a single account or would I have to juggle points between two separate accounts? What about maintenance or any other fees? 

Are the booking fees doubled because there are two locations? 

Sorry for all the questions, but I'm trying to get as much info as I can before jumping in head first!!   Thanks in advance!!


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## DeniseM (Jan 26, 2011)

First of all, there are all kinds of timeshare points - what kind of points?

If you are buying in two locations you would have to pay the maintenance fees for both locations.  

What booking fees?  Exchange fees?  

I'd suggest that you say exactly what you are thinking of - with all the details, resort names, etc.,  and we can advise you much more accurately.


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## T-3 (Jan 26, 2011)

Hi Denise! 

Sorry about that!  I am looking at RCI points and a Las Vegas location.

It would be enough points for right now, but our family is growing and we'd like to make sure we have enough points to cover a larger unit for vacations in the next few years.


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## DeniseM (Jan 26, 2011)

So you are buying deeded weeks and depositing them in RCI.

First of all, have you looked at the point values for RCI?  In general, Las Vegas has low trading power, because it's over-built.  I would not buy in Las Vegas myself - it's a really easy trade all the time.  And you can buy cheap Getaways too.

I would buy somewhere that I wanted to actually visit occasionally, and that has a good point value.  

You can put the deposits in one acct. and even add the points together for trades.  

Each resort has a maintenance fee - you pay it to the management company for that resort.   You don't get a MF discount for owning multiple weeks.

RCI has several different fees including yearly membership, and exchange fees, and I believe there is a fee for combining points.  Best to explore that on the exchanging forum - I don't have RCI.


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## vacationhopeful (Jan 26, 2011)

RCI Points are pretty good - they have a HOME RESORT booking advantage - but to get that 12 month out advantage and lower exchange fee all the points have to be from that 1 resort for combining HOME RESORT.

Say you have two deeds for 1 bdrs and you want a 2 bdr, which costs more points for your the same resort ==> you need HOME RESORT. My Home Resort booking is a $40 exchange fee vs $139 exchange fee.


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## T-3 (Jan 26, 2011)

DeniseM said:


> So you are buying deeded weeks and depositing them in RCI.
> 
> First of all, have you looked at the point values for RCI?  In general, Las Vegas has low trading power, because it's over-built.  I would not buy in Las Vegas myself - it's a really easy trade all the time.  And you can buy cheap Getaways too.
> 
> ...



I am still fairly unfamiliar with how this all works, do I need to find someone willing to trade with me? I was sort of under the impression (possibly wrongly) that you could deposit the point value into your RCI acct and pick another location pay the fee and go. If that is not correct can someone please break it down for me. Also, do any of you have a location that you feel would be more viable than Las Vegas?


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## DeniseM (Jan 26, 2011)

T-3 said:


> I am still fairly unfamiliar with how this all works, do I need to find someone willing to trade with me? I was sort of under the impression (possibly wrongly) that you could deposit the point value into your RCI acct and pick another location pay the fee and go. If that is not correct can someone please break it down for me. Also, do any of you have a location that you feel would be more viable than Las Vegas?



You deposit your timeshare(s) in RCI and get a certain point value.  You use those points to exchange for other timeshares.  To accomplish this:
1)  Someone else has to deposit the exact timeshare & date that you want to trade into.
2)  You have to have the required points for the trade.  

Let's say you get 15 points for your timeshare and the timeshare you want to trade into requires 30 points for the trade - that means you don't have enough points - i.e. - low trading power.

OK, so you buy 2 timeshares to combine the points and trade for the 30 point timeshare.  Sometimes that works, but that means you are paying for two weeks of timeshare and trading for one.  

The RCI points system is new, and everyone is still figuring it out.  I'd do a LOT of reading about it before I bought.  

Plus - there are lots of other options, besides RCI points.

If you'd like to answer these questions we can look at your options.  In timesharing there is no "one-fits-all."

New buyer questions:

1)  Where do you want your home resort to be?
2)  Do you want to visit your home resort at least half the time, or do you want to trade more than half the time?
3)  What are your 5 top trade destinations?
4)  How many people do you usually travel with?
5)  Can you travel any time, or are you locked into the school schedule?
6)  Can you make firm plans 12 or more mos. in advance?
7)  Can you vacation for a full week at a time?
8)  How much can you afford to spend upfront, without financing?
9)  How much can you afford to spend every year for a maintenance fee that will come due right after Christmas, and increase each year?
10)  Are you a detail oriented planner?
11) Do you understand that once you buy a timeshare, it may be very difficult to sell or give away, and you are responsible for all fees, until you do?


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## T-3 (Jan 26, 2011)

DeniseM said:


> You deposit your timeshare(s) in RCI and get a certain point value.  You use those points to exchange for other timeshares.  To accomplish this:
> 1)  Someone else has to deposit the exact timeshare & date that you want to trade into.
> 2)  You have to have the required points for the trade.
> 
> ...



I filled in the answers above...


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## DeniseM (Jan 27, 2011)

> 1)  Where do you want your home resort to be? *I am pretty open on this, hawaii, vegas, florida would all be nice*



Florida and Las Vegas have low trading power.  Hawaii has high trading power, but is expensive to own, so it's not a cost effective trader.  Hawaii has high maintenance fees and taxes.



> 2)  Do you want to visit your home resort at least half the time, or do you want to trade more than half the time? *I suspect we will trade more often than not*



Then the trading power of your resort is going to be important to you, so don't buy in Florida or Las Vegas.



> 3)  What are your 5 top trade destinations? *for now with us having small children we will likely be looking at orlando, anaheim, my wife and I enjoy Las Vegas*



Orlando and Las Vegas are very easy trades, if you are flexible Anaheim is pretty easy, unless you want to stay at the DVC resort - that is literally impossible.



> 4)  How many people do you usually travel with? *with our newest addition it will be 5*



You definitely need a 2 bedroom - I'd recommend a 2 bdm. lock-off so it can be split to make 2 deposits if you wish.



> 5)  Can you travel any time, or are you locked into the school schedule? *our travel dates will be pretty flexible*



Are your kids going to be home schooled?  If not, you will be locked into the school schedule.  School holidays have the most demand, and the least supply in exchanging.



> 6)  Can you make firm plans 12 or more mos. in advance? *in some cases, but never more than 12 mos.*



Timesharing works best with advance planning.  Most owners can make reservations at 12 mos. out, so school holidays get reserved really early.  If you snooze - you lose!



> 7)  Can you vacation for a full week at a time?*yes*



Good - timesharing works best in 1 week increments, most of the time - especially with trading.



> 8)  How much can you afford to spend upfront, without financing?*money is not really an issue*



Have you considered Disney Vacation Club?  That would get you into the Disneyland timeshares in Anaheim, Orlando, and Hawaii.  But it's too expensive to trade.  Marriott also has TS's in these locations.



> 9)  How much can you afford to spend every year for a maintenance fee that will come due right after Christmas, and increase each year?*see above*



OK



> 10)  Are you a detail oriented planner?*to some extent, but not to any extreme*



If you are real flexible about when and where you go, you can get away without doing much planning.  If you want to visit top resorts during school holidays, it takes more strategy.



> 11) Do you understand that once you buy a timeshare, it may be very difficult to sell or give away, and you are responsible for all fees, until you do?*of course, we're making a vacation committment*



Good!

With your wants and needs, and budget, you can go in a lot of different directions.  *I am not sure that RCI points is right for you with 3 kids who are going to be in school for the next 20 years or so.  School holidays are the most difficult trades*.  

If I were you, I would consider two every-other-year deeds in very different locations - like one on the beach and one in the mountains.  That would give you variety - and the security of being able to reserve school holidays without having to trade.  If you think you would go there every other year, one could be in Hawaii.  You could use the opposite year for a trader.

I'd buy resorts that I'd actually like to visit half the time.

I'd make sure to buy during the season that you want to travel and that allow you to reserve school holidays.

I'd buy a 2 bdm. lock-off.

I'd buy something with some trade value, since trading interested you.

I would not rush into buying - it's a buyer's market and there is no rush.  I'd spend 3 to 6 mos. doing a lot of reading here on TUG - it's very likely that what you would buy in 6 mos. is completely different from what you would buy tomorrow.

Since you aren't on a tight budget, I'd consider Disney, and the hotel based timeshare systems - they consistently get the top ratings:  Starwood, Marriott, Hilton, & Hyatt.

Good luck!


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## work4vacation (Jan 27, 2011)

Denise,
I'm also looking to buy more timeshare.  We were looking at Paniolo Greens in Big Island, Hawaii but from everything I'm reading we shouldn't buy in Hawaii.  Also we live in Florida, about 2 1/2 hours outside Orlando so we could buy there and use it off and on but....it's not recommended to buy in Florida for trade.  I do not want to spend much for timeshare....looking at free or small amount.  We have Royal Holiday Club points and have used that for Hawaii, probably 6 times, Puerto Rico, Costa Rica.  We are definately beach people as we love snorkeling, etc.  What would you suggest?


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## chalee94 (Jan 27, 2011)

work4vacation said:


> Also we live in Florida, about 2 1/2 hours outside Orlando so we could buy there and use it off and on but....it's not recommended to buy in Florida for trade. We are definately beach people as we love snorkeling, etc.



not denise, but while orlando is overbuilt, there are several FL coastal areas that are not as overbuilt.  you might want to take a closer look at timeshares in some of those areas.

a coastal fixed week when school is out should be a pretty good trader.  if you can find a lockoff, even better.


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## work4vacation (Jan 27, 2011)

thanks, I'll keep looking.  Maybe Cocoa Beach?


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## Steve NH (Jan 27, 2011)

First - original poster mentioned RCI points.  Is this the real "points" vs "Weeks" program.

The real RCI points , your deposited points get automatically combined.
With 'Weeks" the "trading Power" does not get automatically combined.

Either way one thing to pay attention is the "Points Value vs the Maint Fee"
 Or if weeks the "trading power" vs the maint fee.

Example two units up for sale (for this example location is irrelavent)
both have $ 700 maint fee.  

Unit 'a' has a trading power of 30 and unit 'b' has a trading power of 40.

Unless you plan on staying at unit 'a'  and never at unit 'b', location does not matter, Unit b has more trading power per maint fee.


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## DrBopp (Feb 3, 2011)

DeniseM said:


> So you are buying deeded weeks and depositing them in RCI.
> 
> First of all, have you looked at the point values for RCI?  In general, Las Vegas has low trading power, because it's over-built.  I would not buy in Las Vegas myself - it's a really easy trade all the time.  And you can buy cheap Getaways too.
> 
> ...



Denise,
 I don't own RCI Points , but it seemed to me that the OP was looking into owning RCI Points account rather than trading through RCI. Do you need to own a specific resort to use RCI Points? Please help ME with this because I had considered RCI Points.

Gordon


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## young@heart (Feb 6, 2011)

*Hawaii has high maintenance fees and taxes?*



DeniseM said:


> Florida and Las Vegas have low trading power.  Hawaii has high trading power, but is expensive to own, so it's not a cost effective trader.  Hawaii has high maintenance fees and taxes.



Um, OK, I admit I'm still pretty naive about how this all works, but I own a Wyndham/RCI points timeshare in Hawaii.  It's at Bali Hai Villas on Kauai.  While I will admit to "expensive to own" (original cost was over $12k), I'm not so willing to concede the last two.

This year's maintenance fees are $243.60, with a program fee of $89.04 for a total annual fee of $332.64.  I pay monthly so my monthly payment is $27.72.  Is that high?  I really don't know, I've never compared.  And taxes...hmmm, I just reviewed our sales paperwork and Hawaii state taxes were $13.90.

That doesn't seem high to me.  Am I missing something? (Oh, probably...)


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## DeniseM (Feb 6, 2011)

That is an unusually low maintenance fee.  Do you own an every other year deed at Bali Hai?  

I own at one of the other Pahio resorts (Kauai Beach Villas) and the MF is about $1,063 a year for a 1 bdm.  That is in the mid-rage as far as Hawaii MF's go.  The 2 bdm. I own at the Westin Ka'anapali on Maui has a MF of about $2,150.  

So yes, if your MF is accurate, that's unusually low!


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## ChristyK (Feb 6, 2011)

*Advice to the Newbie*

You are looking at resales, right?  I've found eBay offers the best values.

  Christy




> Hi Everyone,
> 
> I am new to the site and have found a ton of helpful info so far! I have some pretty specific questions that hopefully someone can help me out with...
> 
> ...


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## vamsee (Feb 7, 2011)

Hi, I had somewhat similar questions on combining RCI points.  Here's a really good answer from another Tugger.
http://tugbbs.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1053505&postcount=43

There is other good info as well in that thread.



T-3 said:


> Hi Everyone,
> 
> I am new to the site and have found a ton of helpful info so far! I have some pretty specific questions that hopefully someone can help me out with...
> 
> ...


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## Carole550 (Feb 7, 2011)

*Reply and another thought for T-3*

We owned a timeshare for over 25 years in Park City,UT  during a red week (ski season in March)
It traded well for 20 of the years until RCI started getting greedy and gave properties to agents instead of members.  There was a class action suit against RCI for their shady business.

We now own Worldmark credits and are happy.
The parent company is Wyndham and it is the same corporation that owns RCI but it is very separate.
We bought 6,000 credits on the re-sale market. 
Our  maintenance dues for that number of credits costs less than $500 a year. They also have bonus time for a small fee when properties are not taken.
There are no fees to book a week at any location available.
We usually book 13 months in advance and if we have to cancel can do it a month before travel without any penalty.
We are retired and are usually flexible on our dates. They have 3 locations in Vegas.
We did use II for one bonus time but WM has enough locations that we let our II membership expire.
 This type of a points system might work for you. 
Try to get one of their brochures without attending a pushy sales presentation. 
Otherwise their reviews of individual resorts should be on TUG.
I hope this helps.


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## brizone (Feb 7, 2011)

That's interesting, my friend just did the same thing in April of last year, and has the low maintenance fees as well.  He has EOY-Even.

It doesn't seem to be PAHIO (though I noticed they still have a website.  I'm confused about that, I thought that PAHIO was bought out by Wyndham when the previous owner of PAHIO died or something???)

Is this a bait-and-switch until they finish selling all the new units?  Then they jack the maintenance fees?


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## DeniseM (Feb 7, 2011)

It is still part of the Pahio group, and yes it was bought out by Wyndham.


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## equitax (Feb 8, 2011)

*Trading power mgv 3 bdr?*

Hi Denise. So was my buying a 3 bdr plat at mgv with the impression that it would be easily tradeable to go somewhere else wrong?  I am willing to take 2 bdr. Thanks. R


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## young@heart (Feb 10, 2011)

*Low Maintenance Fees?*



DeniseM said:


> That is an unusually low maintenance fee.  Do you own an every other year deed at Bali Hai?
> 
> I own at one of the other Pahio resorts (Kauai Beach Villas) and the MF is about $1,063 a year for a 1 bdm.  That is in the mid-rage as far as Hawaii MF's go.  The 2 bdm. I own at the Westin Ka'anapali on Maui has a MF of about $2,150.
> 
> So yes, if your MF is accurate, that's unusually low!



Sorry for the late reply, Denise.  Yes, I own eoy-odd.  MF's seem low to me too, but they are as quoted.


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