# Which week to buy (and other Hyatt questions)



## LurkerBee (May 25, 2016)

I did the survey in "new to time sharing," but am now focused exclusively on Hyatt.

Right now, I want to travel to somewhere warm and sunny the week before Christmas. So week 50. We actually like to stay in S. FL through Christmas, flying home on the 26th (past 5 years). But I'm OK extending via hotel. I can also see us wanting to go week 3 (MLK day and every 4 years Inauguration Day - I work in DC). I'm drawn to the Key West properties. Not really particular between sunset harbor and beach house - we are OK being away from action - our typical keys trips are Islamorada. Although, if any of them have a fishing pier - that would be a huge selling point. 

So that all said, I feel getting a gold week at Beach House would be the most practical thing for $mf/point. Week 50 is bronze, but I think it would make more sense to get more points for the mf. And from my research, I think it would be fairly easy to get a week 50 at one of the KW properties during club season (assume when it first opens). That would leave a few points for something else, or give us flexibility to go during other seasons. 

So that said, does aiming for a gold week in KW make sense? And I should aim for something before, say, week 20 (so 1-4 or 10-15) to ensure I have my points before club season for week 50, right? Also - just to confirm, the Hyatt transfer fee is $500, right? (One seller is saying $700).


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## DAman (May 25, 2016)

It used to be $500.  I looked and found the transfer fee amount to be $650 in the regs online.


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## LurkerBee (May 25, 2016)

DAman said:


> It used to be $500.  I looked and found the transfer fee amount to be $650 in the regs online.



Thanks! I looked at a club guide I found online, but it must have been out of date. Seems high, but I guess that one is what it is. At least the rest of the closing fees (for the week I'm seriously eying right now) are reasonable (and closing company recommended here)


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## TBipp (Jun 12, 2016)

For a fishing pier at your timeshare location, your best bet would be Beach House.


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## LurkerBee (Jun 13, 2016)

TBipp said:


> For a fishing pier at your timeshare location, your best bet would be Beach House.



Thank you! In the research I've done since this post, that seemed to be the case.  There is one review on trip advisor that specifically speak to the fishiness of Beach House 

I have also decided what I what to buy.  I don't want to post specifics, least it be seen as advertising.  But I do know that I want Beach House and the specific weeks I am interested in.  I've even found my first choice of week/unit, but based on my research over the past 6 weeks or so, I think the asking price is about double what it should be for the season/point value.  I hope to wait it out for a bit, then make an offer.


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## TBipp (Jun 18, 2016)

LurkerBee said:


> Thank you! In the research I've done since this post, that seemed to be the case.  There is one review on trip advisor that specifically speak to the fishiness of Beach House
> 
> I have also decided what I what to buy.  I don't want to post specifics, least it be seen as advertising.  But I do know that I want Beach House and the specific weeks I am interested in.  I've even found my first choice of week/unit, but based on my research over the past 6 weeks or so, I think the asking price is about double what it should be for the season/point value.  I hope to wait it out for a bit, then make an offer.



I hope Beach House works for you.  We really like it there, and I have recently noticed a surprisingly wide range of prices for Beach House resales.  Good Luck! :whoopie:


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## Kal (Jun 19, 2016)

LurkerBee said:


> I did the survey in "new to time sharing," but am now focused exclusively on Hyatt.
> 
> Right now, I want to travel to somewhere warm and sunny the week before Christmas. So week 50...



The Hyatt system is a bit complicated with regard to using the points you own.  Thus, you need to think carefully about how the points work and the target timeframe for when and where you would like to stay.

 The target timeframe will pretty much tell you how many points you will need for the reservation.  Also, you need to determine the size of the desired unit.

 Then you need to do some "what if" planning which would incorporate when you will receive your owned points and when the desired unit will become available to HRC members (i.e. generally 6 months prior to the occupancy date).  For planning, you have to have "active" points in your account at that time.  What that means is there will be a window where the account points and reservation confirmation doesn't sync.

 Unfortunately the ideal season to own might be a low season where you own too few points to confirm a reservation in high season.

 After all that thinking, you need to find the best deal.  If you are just buying points with no intent to stay at the owned unit, a good idea is to minimize the cost of the owned unit per point and the maintenance fee cost per point.

 Kinda makes one's head hurt!


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## LurkerBee (Jun 19, 2016)

Thank you, Kal!

Over the past month or so, I think I have it mostly figured out and have now identified target week, resort, and price. I also have a whole spreadsheet of listings where I have $/point and mf$/point figured out lol

I don't want to seem like I am advertising for a certain week, so I'm not going to use my exact target example. But here is what I am thinking:

I can purchase a gold (1880 pt) week at (target KW property). The point will hit my account in Jan, March, or April. Come June, club season will open up for week 50. I can reserved week 50 then. But, if (a) week 50 isn't available or (b) we decide to do something else, then I still have until July, September, or October to take my actual week that I could then rent or use myself. For this reason, its key that my home week is one I would want to travel.


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## Kal (Jun 19, 2016)

That scenario looks good!  That will give you some space for an alternate target stay week.  You might want to expand your target purchase week to give you a wider opportunity to get your price/resort.

 Now, finally, look carefully at the resort floor plans so you can eliminate certain units from consideration to purchase.  If you end up staying at your owned unit/week, it should be something you will like.  Bottom floors present some issues while the layout of a verandah might not be what you would prefer.  As an example, the Beach House units on the right wing are quite different from those on the left wing.  The staggering of units is something to consider.


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## LurkerBee (Jun 19, 2016)

Yes! I have a resort map to target certain units, too  although I did not realize there was an issue with first floor veranda. I know enough to know that beach house F34 is probably *the* best there 

Regarding the target weeks - there are probably 3 or 4 that would work. But some of the others get into fishing season up here, and my H is adamant that he will not leave his favorite Maryland fishing season.


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## Kal (Jun 19, 2016)

LurkerBee said:


> Yes! I have a resort map to target certain units, too  although I did not realize there was an issue with first floor veranda...



With a ground floor veranda you don't have privacy like you would on elevated floors. People walking by can check out everything you're doing.

For the F building, there could be considerable noise from the activities at that end of the property near the water. Day time, not so bad, but evenings is a different story.


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## clotheshorse (Jun 20, 2016)

TBipp said:


> I hope Beach House works for you.  We really like it there, and I have recently noticed a surprisingly wide range of prices for Beach House resales.  Good Luck! :whoopie:



I too am considering Beach House.  Can you provide some guidance on the pricing?  I have seen a range as well.


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## LurkerBee (Jun 20, 2016)

clotheshorse said:


> I too am considering Beach House.  Can you provide some guidance on the pricing?  I have seen a range as well.



I can tell you that I have seen prices between $2.10 and $5.75 per point. I've also had two gold weeks that the sellers were asking around $5k for - however, I withdrew from negotiations on both of those because they were too far outside my target week range. Well, and one guy insisted the transfer was $500 and he would handle all paperwork, which I knew the transfer was $650 and he refused my closing agent.

edit: I just double checked my spreadsheet.  The asking price range at Beach House is $2.40 to $6.65 per point.  Based on one or two posts about ROFR exercising (at pinion point), I feel like the ROFR threshold, if there is one at Beach House, is somewhere between $2.50 and $3 per point.


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