# How many points to live Full time in a Timeshare?



## Ridewithme38 (Aug 12, 2010)

I saw this auction on Ebay http://cgi.ebay.com/1-MILLION-WYNDH...D-CROWN-Timeshare-/370418411794?pt=Timeshares (its actually 1,715,000 points) and it brought that question to mind...I've seen 1br suites going for 77k points a week, that auction claims its $647 a month for the M/F. 1,715,000 points could keep you in a 77k room for 22+weeks....

I pay $1350 a month for my tiny 2br apartment...it looks to me like i could be living full time in timeshares and maybe even save a couple bucks...

Whats the minimum number of points you could use to live full time in a timeshare?
DOES anyone live fulltime in a timeshare off just points?


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## MichaelColey (Aug 12, 2010)

I don't know about Wyndham points, but if you wanted to stay full time in timeshares, you could probably do it with 4 Christmas Mountain Village UDIs at at annual cost of about $16,000 ($3600 in maintenance fees, $100 for an RCI account, $2900 in housekeeping fees, and $9300 in exchange fees).


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## rickandcindy23 (Aug 12, 2010)

Sure you can do this, but I think most people who do it are using RCI weeks with some of their points (depositing and exchanging up).  

I know one lady who travels by herself, unmarried, and she has been to some amazing places, using RCI exchange and 28K points.  I have never been able to get an RCI guide to do anything with my 28K deposits.  I did get a Dolphin's Cove 2 bedroom once, but the guide charged me 154K points.  Then I called to get a Nashville week, and the guide made me pay 154K points again! That was way too many points, compared to what she has been able to do with smaller numbers of points.  She actually had 12 consecutive weeks at Dolphin's Cove this last year, then she went to Kauai for several weeks, too, and all on exchange, and all for cheap points.  She has an amazing RCI guide, apparently.


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## jjmanthei05 (Aug 12, 2010)

rickandcindy23 said:


> Sure you can do this, but I think most people who do it are using RCI weeks with some of their points (depositing and exchanging up).
> 
> I know one lady who travels by herself, unmarried, and she has been to some amazing places, using RCI exchange and 28K points.  I have never been able to get an RCI guide to do anything with my 28K deposits.  I did get a Dolphin's Cove 2 bedroom once, but the guide charged me 154K points.  Then I called to get a Nashville week, and the guide made me pay 154K points again! That was way too many points, compared to what she has been able to do with smaller numbers of points.  She actually had 12 consecutive weeks at Dolphin's Cove this last year, then she went to Kauai for several weeks, too, and all on exchange, and all for cheap points.  She has an amazing RCI guide, apparently.




Are you using RCI nightly stays through Plus Partners? If so no matter what resort you go to a 2 bed prime through there is always a 154K. It is a fixed point conversion chart. RCI weeks you have to deposit the week first and then see what you can get. We got a 2 bed at palm aire in feb for 28K. The only reason I am thinking this is other posters on here have said they see no difference in trading power for anything over 105K so for them to require a 154K deposit seems high. The other thing the only way to look at whats available for 28K is to either have the deposit already made or do a search first with the points to see what you can get. I don't think there is a way to do a search to see what is out there without a deposit and then figure out how many points you need to get it. 

Jason


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## jjmanthei05 (Aug 12, 2010)

Ridewithme38 said:


> I saw this auction on Ebay http://cgi.ebay.com/1-MILLION-WYNDH...D-CROWN-Timeshare-/370418411794?pt=Timeshares (its actually 1,715,000 points) and it brought that question to mind...I've seen 1br suites going for 77k points a week, that auction claims its $647 a month for the M/F. 1,715,000 points could keep you in a 77k room for 22+weeks....
> 
> I pay $1350 a month for my tiny 2br apartment...it looks to me like i could be living full time in timeshares and maybe even save a couple bucks...
> 
> ...




If you look at some point charts in quiet season you can get 1 bedrooms for as little as 36K or less. I just looked up ocean blvd in Jan and it was 36 for a 1 bed lower for Jan and 56k for weeks 5-10. 

Jason


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## Ridewithme38 (Aug 12, 2010)

28k...Is it possible to book 52 weeks a year at 28k a week...if you don't care where you stay?

IF thats possible...you could essentially like in a timeshare 52 weeks a year with 1,456,000 points....Of course the exchange rates would kill you($200 an exchange at 52 exchanges(10,400) +($7,280) $5 per 1000points= $17,680/12 months=*$1,473 a month*

If not..Whats the least amount of points someone can use for 52 weeks? Do any resorts have Quiet Season during weeks 24-35? or are those two months going to be point heavy everywhere?


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## rickandcindy23 (Aug 12, 2010)

jjmanthei05 said:


> Are you using RCI nightly stays through Plus Partners? If so no matter what resort you go to a 2 bed prime through there is always a 154K. It is a fixed point conversion chart. RCI weeks you have to deposit the week first and then see what you can get. We got a 2 bed at palm aire in feb for 28K. The only reason I am thinking this is other posters on here have said they see no difference in trading power for anything over 105K so for them to require a 154K deposit seems high. The other thing the only way to look at whats available for 28K is to either have the deposit already made or do a search first with the points to see what you can get. I don't think there is a way to do a search to see what is out there without a deposit and then figure out how many points you need to get it.
> 
> Jason



No, I have never used Plus Partners for nightly stays.  I have always done deposits into weeks.  The guides at RCI seem to make me use my biggest deposits, when they are generic and I have to call.  I am sick of it.


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## jjmanthei05 (Aug 13, 2010)

One other thing to consider. If you book within 60 days some resorts offer between 10 and 40% off to anyone (not just VIP). This is basically dictated by availability. So especially in the off season this could save you some significant points and even in prime. I saw that most of the Orlando resorts have between 25% and 40% off in August and September.

Jason


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## am1 (Aug 13, 2010)

Not to start another debate but if one wanted to live full-time in timeshares using Wyndham points VIP Platinum would be the only way.


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## jjmanthei05 (Aug 16, 2010)

am1 said:


> Not to start another debate but if one wanted to live full-time in timeshares using Wyndham points VIP Platinum would be the only way.



I haven't spent the time to actually sit down and put this on excel but I would think it would take quite a few years to make up $100,000 (estimated low end purchase price of 1 million dev points) than to have 1.4 million resale points(to cover the 60 day VIP Plat booking discount) and pay some housekeeping credits and reservation transactions maybe. But I don't think HK credits would be an issue since you would be booking in full week increments and if you booked multiple reservations on the same day you wouldn't need Reservation transactions either. If you put MF at $5/k you are paying an extra $2,000 per year for the extra resale points. So it would be a payback of 50 years to make up you initial purchase price. So unless you already bit the bullet and paid the VIP Plat I don't see how that would be the most economical way to go let alone the only way to go.

Jason


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## flexible (Aug 16, 2010)

Ridewithme38 said:


> I saw this auction on Ebay http://cgi.ebay.com/1-MILLION-WYNDH...D-CROWN-Timeshare-/370418411794?pt=Timeshares (its actually 1,715,000 points) and it brought that question to mind...I've seen 1br suites going for 77k points a week, that auction claims its $647 a month for the M/F. 1,715,000 points could keep you in a 77k room for 22+weeks....
> 
> I pay $1350 a month for my tiny 2br apartment...it looks to me like i could be living full time in timeshares and maybe even save a couple bucks...
> 
> ...



We wouldn't want to be in the same climate except maybe Hawaii year round but we could use our Mayan 6 week x 2 bedroom contract for 24 consecutive weeks (12 in one bedroom/12 in studio). But we don't want to be without a kitchen.

With our El Cid contract (3.4M points) we could stay 22 weeks per year with advance reservations or 78 weeks a year if we reserve the 77K studios less than 45 or 60 days out (I forget the requirement) but then get upgraded to one bedrooms because we are Platinum with over 300K points. I think we could possibly get double upgrades too. But we ONLY use our El Cid points for cruises. It has almost paid the cruises in full (World Cruise in 2008 and many others). Taxes and some of the other fees require cash.

I noticed on our VacationInternationale contract the Sun Valley, Idaho needs very few points in the summer. We stopped by in July and the weather was nice. You might find points programs for ski resorts to be very low in the summer season where you can mountain bike, hike and enjoy the swimming pools. Just try to exchange directly with someone in their point system to avoid the exchange fees.

All sorts of 9K RCI points weeks came up last minute in Hawaii this winter. 

For the $1350 x 12 rent + utilities you could probably alternate between two or three timeshares a year fulltime but you would need to minimize exchange fees.


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## glypnirsgirl (Aug 16, 2010)

Ridewithme38 said:


> I saw this auction on Ebay http://cgi.ebay.com/1-MILLION-WYNDH...D-CROWN-Timeshare-/370418411794?pt=Timeshares (its actually 1,715,000 points) and it brought that question to mind...I've seen 1br suites going for 77k points a week, that auction claims its $647 a month for the M/F. 1,715,000 points could keep you in a 77k room for 22+weeks....
> 
> I pay $1350 a month for my tiny 2br apartment...it looks to me like i could be living full time in timeshares and maybe even save a couple bucks...
> 
> ...



I don't know if anyone lives fulltime just off of points, but I know that Ron and Joan (their user name) fulltime. And Wyndham points are one of the ways that they do it. They also have some other non-point resorts and they use some of the last minute exchanges and other plans to make up the balance.

I follow Joan's blog about full-timing. They travel alot but enjoy staying 2 weeks or more before moving to the next spot.

elaine


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## am1 (Aug 17, 2010)

jjmanthei05 said:


> I haven't spent the time to actually sit down and put this on excel but I would think it would take quite a few years to make up $100,000 (estimated low end purchase price of 1 million dev points) than to have 1.4 million resale points(to cover the 60 day VIP Plat booking discount) and pay some housekeeping credits and reservation transactions maybe. But I don't think HK credits would be an issue since you would be booking in full week increments and if you booked multiple reservations on the same day you wouldn't need Reservation transactions either. If you put MF at $5/k you are paying an extra $2,000 per year for the extra resale points. So it would be a payback of 50 years to make up you initial purchase price. So unless you already bit the bullet and paid the VIP Plat I don't see how that would be the most economical way to go let alone the only way to go.
> 
> Jason



1 million retail points can get you a lot more than 1.4 million resale would.  Would be closer to at least 2 million and that is with no upgrades.  Housekeeping and transactions would come into play if you wanted to stay more or less than full week increments at a resort at a time.   The flexability to be able to change where you are going would be very helpful.  The $100 000 is on the high side of what one could get a million retail points for.  

All of this would vary on the individual but still would be a very viable way to go.


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## jjmanthei05 (Aug 17, 2010)

am1 said:


> 1 million retail points can get you a lot more than 1.4 million resale would.  Would be closer to at least 2 million and that is with no upgrades.  Housekeeping and transactions would come into play if you wanted to stay more or less than full week increments at a resort at a time.   The flexability to be able to change where you are going would be very helpful.  The $100 000 is on the high side of what one could get a million retail points for.
> 
> All of this would vary on the individual but still would be a very viable way to go.



I don't know the ins and outs of retail points since I don't own them but to pay an extra $5,000 in HC and Transaction fees per million points on resale would seem to be astronomically high. Even then at the $100,000 initial price it would take 20 years to break even. As for purchase cost I called GC and talked to a "wonderful" salesman about what it would take to get 1 mil PR points paid for with cash. He said out the door would be $135,300 (which was a discount of $74,000 :hysterical. So a little negotiating could get you too around 100 or so. The best part of the call was when he asked someone else in the background what the cash price would be for 1 million points, the other guy busted out laughing. I thought that was classic!

Jason


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## am1 (Aug 18, 2010)

Good thing you are not interested as $100 000 would be more than you would have to pay and you would not really even have to negogiate.  

The annual savings would be more than $5000 as a platinum owernship almost doubles the use you can get out of your points saving you $5000 a year right there.


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## ronandjoan (Aug 20, 2010)

glypnirsgirl said:


> I don't know if anyone lives fulltime just off of points, but I know that Ron and Joan (their user name) fulltime. And Wyndham points are one of the ways that they do it. They also have some other non-point resorts and they use some of the last minute exchanges and other plans to make up the balance.
> 
> I follow Joan's blog about full-timing. They travel alot but enjoy staying 2 weeks or more before moving to the next spot.
> 
> elaine


We sure do! In fact, we're on the road now,so I can't write much.  It's cheaper than our mortgage was and for generally beach accommodations as we get some great bonus week
s and point stretching weeks.  If we did not have so many family obligations, we'd do even better!


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## sjuhawk_jd (Aug 20, 2010)

Ridewithme38 said:


> I saw this auction on Ebay http://cgi.ebay.com/1-MILLION-WYNDH...D-CROWN-Timeshare-/370418411794?pt=Timeshares (its actually 1,715,000 points) and it brought that question to mind...I've seen 1br suites going for 77k points a week, that auction claims its $647 a month for the M/F. 1,715,000 points could keep you in a 77k room for 22+weeks....
> 
> I pay $1350 a month for my tiny 2br apartment...it looks to me like i could be living full time in timeshares and maybe even save a couple bucks...
> 
> ...



Why would someone want to live in Wyndham timeshares full time and deal with Wyndham for all those reservations, beats me  

There are so many other systems that are better, cheaper, and more customer friendly.


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## mrsmusic (Aug 25, 2010)

sjuhawk_jd said:


> Why would someone want to live in Wyndham timeshares full time and deal with Wyndham for all those reservations, beats me
> 
> There are so many other systems that are better, cheaper, and more customer friendly.



Suggestions? I don't want to timeshare full time, more like half time


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## MichaelColey (Aug 25, 2010)

Anyone considering timesharing full-time or at least a significant amount of time might want to look at a Christmas Mountain Village UDI.  For one annual maintenance fee and $55 housekeeping fee per booked week, you can get a large number of weeks that you can deposit into either RCI (including up to 4 PFD weeks) or II.  You should be able to get a couple good Red weeks (deposited 6 months out), 4-6 good White weeks (deposited 4-6 months out), and a dozen or more additional weeks that are last minute deposits (3-6 weeks out).  If you can utilize last minute deposits to get last minute available inventory on RCI or II, you can make out like a bandit.  Even with just the good Red & White weeks, though, your MF and housekeeping cost per week can be as little as $150 (plus an exchange fee).

I don't want to take this thread off topic, but this can be a good option for some frequent timesharers.  There are several threads on CMV UDIs, so just search and you can learn more.


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## onthego (Aug 27, 2010)

We spend about half of our time staying in timeshares using 28K Wyndham  deposits into RCI.  You can check out our travel blog at 

http://onthego-timesharetravels.blogspot.com/


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## Ridewithme38 (Aug 27, 2010)

onthego said:


> We spend about half of our time staying in timeshares using 28K Wyndham  deposits into RCI.  You can check out our travel blog at
> 
> http://onthego-timesharetravels.blogspot.com/



Wow! Ok i hope you don't take offense to this! But i only hope that when i retire(I'm only 30) i'm healthy and Finacially stable enough to be able to travel like that! 200 weeks in 10 years, I'm impressed!


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## jennstall (Aug 28, 2010)

I"m not full-timing, but I do about three months out of the year in winter, mostly in Florida. In addition to using my DVC and Wyndham points, the bulk of my trip is done with Last Call Vacations on RCI. 

The rental prices are $259 and $284 for one and two bedrooms, respectively, so I think in the long run that would probably work out the cheapest way to full-time. Staying in a 1 bedroom costs around $1200 a month once you include taxes --- not bad for a fully furnished condo.


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## Carol C (Sep 2, 2010)

ronandjoan said:


> We sure do! In fact, we're on the road now,so I can't write much.  It's cheaper than our mortgage was and for generally beach accommodations as we get some great bonus week
> s and point stretching weeks.  If we did not have so many family obligations, we'd do even better!



Hi Joan!!!   Keep on truckin'!!!


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