# EBAY sighting:  SVN Mandatory



## reddiablosv (Oct 30, 2005)

I know some of you tuggers are still looking to add a few more staroptions to your portfolios.  Checkout item# 4414497461.   95.7K staroptions for 3k at current bid.  Not bad.  Ben


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## LICAL3 (Oct 31, 2005)

*Bidshares SVN units*

there's a couple of SVN mandatory units on bidshares too.......

it must be getting close to the time for the MF bills to start going out!


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## reddiablosv (Nov 7, 2005)

Just an update for those tuggers who keep track of Starwood Mandatory Resale prices.  A Vistana Villages 2 Bedroom L/O  high season unit just sold on ebay for $3000.  It was an annual unit worth 81K staroptions.  That is the lowest price I have seen.   Sort of makes you question even the resale prices many of us paid for the units we now own.  If exchanged thru the starwood system those 81k options will get you a two bedrooms at the Harborside, 3 bedrooms at St. johns or a one bedroom in Maui at 1/10th the price of many resale purchasers and with a lower MF too.  Too bad all you had to do is buy it from laman34.  Ben


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## seenett (Nov 7, 2005)

reddiablosv said:
			
		

> Just an update for those tuggers who keep track of Starwood Mandatory Resale prices.  A Vistana Villages 2 Bedroom L/O  high season unit just sold on ebay for $3000.  It was an annual unit worth 81K staroptions.  That is the lowest price I have seen.   Sort of makes you question even the resale prices many of us paid for the units we now own.  If exchanged thru the starwood system those 81k options will get you a two bedrooms at the Harborside, 3 bedrooms at St. johns or a one bedroom in Maui at 1/10th the price of many resale purchasers and with a lower MF too.  Too bad all you had to do is buy it from laman34.  Ben



recognize the buyer of that unit?  

Just has to go through FROF.....


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## Avery (Nov 8, 2005)

I'm new to the SVN info, but have been peripherally considering. I got this response from another ebay seller to a question about Starwood points; doesn't quite wash in view of the previous posts on this thread. Forgive me if I've missed some basic archived info, but can someone (briefly) explain the response below?

"Hi, 

Thank you for your interest. This is not affiliated with Starwood points because Starwood does not allow points to transfer in the resale market. They are only sold when you purchase directly from the Starwood. Please let me know if you have any other questions. 

Regards, 

Doug"


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## reddiablosv (Nov 8, 2005)

seenett said:
			
		

> recognize the buyer of that unit?
> 
> Just has to go through FROF.....



Seenett, I don't think you have to worry about FROR, but you might want to check out the thread over on the Buy, Sell, Rent, Board regarding Vacation Solutions, LLC.  aka Laman34 the seller of your timeshare purchase.  The contents of that thread certainly has given me a lot to think about in regards to the means by which the seller acquired the timeshare you just purchased. At the very least I think you will find it interesting reading. Frankly, It made me angry.  If after you read the thread you decide to go ahead with the deal then  Good luck, with your new purchase. I hope you sleep well at night, as they say, everyone has a price.  IMHO, Ben.


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## reddiablosv (Nov 8, 2005)

Avery said:
			
		

> I'm new to the SVN info, but have been peripherally considering. I got this response from another ebay seller to a question about Starwood points; doesn't quite wash in view of the previous posts on this thread. Forgive me if I've missed some basic archived info, but can someone (briefly) explain the response below?
> 
> "Hi,
> 
> ...



Doug,  staroptions and starpoints are not the same thing.  Staroptions are used for timeshare  exchanges within the starwood system.  Staroptions do transfer with resales of mandatory resorts, but not with optional resorts.   Starpoints never transfer with resales.  I hope this helps.  Ben


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## Denise L (Nov 8, 2005)

seenett said:
			
		

> recognize the buyer of that unit?
> 
> Just has to go through FROF.....



I didn't see this one. The last one I saw went for $7600 and it was for 95,700 Staroptions!


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## seenett (Nov 8, 2005)

reddiablosv said:
			
		

> Seenett, I don't think you have to worry about FROR, but you might want to check out the thread over on the Buy, Sell, Rent, Board regarding Vacation Solutions, LLC.  aka Laman34 the seller of your timeshare purchase.  The contents of that thread certainly has given me a lot to think about in regards to the means by which the seller acquired the timeshare you just purchased. At the very least I think you will find it interesting reading. Frankly, It made me angry.  If after you read the thread you decide to go ahead with the deal then  Good luck, with your new purchase. I hope you sleep well at night, as they say, everyone has a price.  IMHO, Ben.



Ben - 

I don't know if you meant for your last sentence to sound as insulting as I interpreted it, but I'm giving it the benefit of the doubt.  

I just looked at the Buying, Selling, Renting and found the thread you were referring to. You're right, it is interesting and I don't care to do business with them.  I found the auction just a few minutes before it ended least night.  I saw a unit worth 81,000 StarOptions with an unknown reserve from a seller with over 400 feedbacks (over 98% positive). I put in a ridiculously low bid just for kicks - I really didn't think it would meet the reserve.

I have no problem buying a unit like this from an owner (or seller's agent) who has not taken the time to understand the value of what they own.  I am NOT comfortable with this same transaction knowing the "agent" probably got the owner to PAY THEM to take the unit off their hands under fraudulent circumstances.  So I am going to pass on this unit and risk negative ebay feedback.  

As always, TUG is a wealth of information.  Knowledge is power.  Often that power can lead to finding great, legitimate deals - but it also carries the responsibility to pass on the great sounding shady deals.

Just out of curiosity, you mentioned you had purchased units from this seller in the past - and it made you angry.  Are you planning on divesting those units now that you know their circumstances?


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## reddiablosv (Nov 8, 2005)

seenett said:
			
		

> Ben -
> 
> I don't know if you meant for your last sentence to sound as insulting as I interpreted it, but I'm giving it the benefit of the doubt.
> 
> ...



Seenet, I apologize for the tenor of my comment. It is obvious by the your post you had no knowledge that you were providing the payoff of a scam.  In my case,  if I could undo  transactions already completed I would.  But, I doubt if Laman is likely to return my money.  In my case, his payoff is already complete.  Ben


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## baz48 (Nov 8, 2005)

seenett said:
			
		

> So I am going to pass on this unit and risk negative ebay feedback.
> 
> QUOTE]
> 
> I admire your actions.  It takes someone with strong convictions to pass up such a deal.  I hope I'd do the same in your shoes.  Let us know how it goes with ebay.


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## grgs (Nov 8, 2005)

I'll second that!

Glorian


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## EileenSRN (Nov 10, 2005)

Seenett,
I had been following that auction and the thread which had exposed the scamsers. It's funny how you get to feel you know people here on TUG after reading many, many posts by them. When I saw you had won, it hit me in the gut. I thought, wow, did I have him pegged wrong. I'm glad to know my first impression was the right one. It takes a lot of moral fiber to walk away from a great deal when we're all so into timesharing. I have no doubt you will be rewarded for your actions. I hope that group drowns in unsold stolen weeks.
Hip, Hip, Hooray for you!!!!
Eileen


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## msweaver (Nov 11, 2005)

reddiablosv said:
			
		

> Just an update for those tuggers who keep track of Starwood Mandatory Resale prices.  A Vistana Villages 2 Bedroom L/O  high season unit just sold on ebay for $3000.  It was an annual unit worth 81K staroptions.  That is the lowest price I have seen.   Sort of makes you question even the resale prices many of us paid for the units we now own.  If exchanged thru the starwood system those 81k options will get you a two bedrooms at the Harborside, 3 bedrooms at St. johns or a one bedroom in Maui at 1/10th the price of many resale purchasers and with a lower MF too.  Too bad all you had to do is buy it from laman34.  Ben



I was interested in this sale.  I emailed the seller about the unit and asked if Staroptions came with it.  He said NO.  I was surprised, but nonetheless I did not bid.  Perhaps that explains the low price.

MW


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## Denise L (Nov 11, 2005)

msweaver said:
			
		

> I was interested in this sale.  I emailed the seller about the unit and asked if Staroptions came with it.  He said NO.  I was surprised, but nonetheless I did not bid.  Perhaps that explains the low price.
> 
> MW



Vistana Villages is an SVN mandatory resort. A resale there HAS to come with Staroptions, which this one did/does.  If it was lock-off, then it comes with 81K. If it was a regular 2-bedroom, it comes with 67,100 (both during high season).


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## reddiablosv (Nov 12, 2005)

msweaver said:
			
		

> I was interested in this sale.  I emailed the seller about the unit and asked if Staroptions came with it.  He said NO.  I was surprised, but nonetheless I did not bid.  Perhaps that explains the low price.
> 
> MW



Msweaver, Denise is correct, the listing was for a lockoff unit at a mandatory resort.  The seller is probably confused between starpoints and staroptions, and quiet frankly probably hasn't spent the time to figure the Starwood system out.  I am relatively certain in this case the sellers main goal is to get clear title to the property and turn it  thru a quick ebay sale as rapidly as possible.  All Vistana Villages units come with Staroptions.  That is why they call it a mandatory resort.


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## grgs (Nov 12, 2005)

reddiablosv said:
			
		

> The seller is probably confused between starpoints and staroptions, and quiet frankly probably hasn't spent the time to figure the Starwood system out.



I think you're absolutely correct--I don't think they understand at all what they're selling.  If they did, they would have noted that you could trade into the other Starwood timeshares with this unit.  I think if they had just mentioned "Starwood" somewhere in the description, they might have had much higher bids on this property.  However, given that their method of acquiring the property seems suspect, I don't suppose I feel bad about them not getting more money.


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## biswassb (Nov 22, 2005)

reddiablosv said:
			
		

> Seenett, I don't think you have to worry about FROR, but you might want to check out the thread over on the Buy, Sell, Rent, Board regarding Vacation Solutions, LLC.  aka Laman34 the seller of your timeshare purchase.  The contents of that thread certainly has given me a lot to think about in regards to the means by which the seller acquired the timeshare you just purchased. At the very least I think you will find it interesting reading. Frankly, It made me angry.  If after you read the thread you decide to go ahead with the deal then  Good luck, with your new purchase. I hope you sleep well at night, as they say, everyone has a price.  IMHO, Ben.



I have been following timeshares for sevral years.  It is a truly dishonest business.  Timeshare agents new sales or resales normally make a living by screwing the buyers.  What I read in this thread that these guys like laman34 are making a living by screwing the sellers.  Interesting!!


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## reddiablosv (Nov 23, 2005)

biswassb said:
			
		

> I have been following timeshares for sevral years.  It is a truly dishonest business.  Timeshare agents new sales or resales normally make a living by screwing the buyers.  What I read in this thread that these guys like laman34 are making a living by screwing the sellers.  Interesting!!



Biswassb, yeah and just wander over to the exchange board and read the thread on RCI rentals and learn how RCI is screwing timeshare owners by renting our exchange weeks instead of placing them into the exchange pool. And then renting them for less than our MF to the general public. Or go over to the Hawaii board and learn how Maui County is doubling the property tax rate on timeshares because we are the only property owners in the county that don't vote in the county and then trying to place a transient tax rate on us on top of that for kicks.  I guess buying a timeshare is like putting a big sign on your back that says "sucker".   Ben


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## aslsigner (Feb 20, 2006)

reddiablosv said:
			
		

> I know some of you tuggers are still looking to add a few more staroptions to your portfolios.  Checkout item# 4414497461.   95.7K staroptions for 3k at current bid.  Not bad.  Ben



I've been lurking on this site since buying WKORV and I am trying to add to my portfolio of Staroptions as well   
What makes a TS mandatory? This eBay listing doesn't say it IS mandatory.
Is it the type of unit owned? Is it the location? I know the Sheraton Broadway Plantation can't get Staroptions on resale which makes me think it's property specific.

Thanks


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## DeniseM (Feb 21, 2006)

aslsigner said:
			
		

> I've been lurking on this site since buying WKORV and I am trying to add to my portfolio of Staroptions as well
> What makes a TS mandatory? This eBay listing doesn't say it IS mandatory.
> Is it the type of unit owned? Is it the location? I know the Sheraton Broadway Plantation can't get Staroptions on resale which makes me think it's property specific.
> 
> Thanks



There are certain resorts which are designated SVN mandatory.  This article by Tugger Chis Nettleton has all the details:  http://www.tug2.net/advice/Starwood_Vacation_Network.htm


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