How many points are REALLY needed?

[motherforce0517]

We went to a presentation recently and bought it, then panicked and canceled. I really did like the program and am looking at resales. How many points are really needed? We have a family of 4, so need at least a 1 bedroom platinum. We live near Myrtle Beach, but also within driving distance of Orlando, so those would be places we'd frequently visit. In the upcoming years, we'd also like to visit Washington DC, Hawaii, and Chicago. I love NYC, so would also likely visit there more than once. It seems like some properties use more than the standard points.
Should I try to get a home property at Myrtle Beach because it would be easy to use or does that not matter?
Thank you so much for any tips!

 

[HuskerATL]

Look through this section at the points guide. It shows the number of points needed by location, unit type, and season. The amount of points will depend on those three variables and each owner is a little different. If you have kids, then you are most likely looking at platinum season and with 4 people, you can get by with a 1 bedroom so the next question is where you think you will use it the most.

2026 HGVC, HCNY, HGV Max Club Rules, Fees and Tips

2026 HGVC, HCNY, HGV Max Club Rules, Fees and Tips (1) Hilton Grand Vacations Club (HGVC) 2026 Club Rules & Fees & Resorts Club Point Charts and Open Season Rates - Post #2 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, and 2026 Fee Change Comparison - Post #3 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, and 2026 Open Season Rate Change...

tugbbs.com

 

[Tamaradarann]

We went to a presentation recently and bought it, then panicked and canceled. I really did like the program and am looking at resales. How many points are really needed? We have a family of 4, so need at least a 1 bedroom platinum. We live near Myrtle Beach, but also within driving distance of Orlando, so those would be places we'd frequently visit. In the upcoming years, we'd also like to visit Washington DC, Hawaii, and Chicago. I love NYC, so would also likely visit there more than once. It seems like some properties use more than the standard points.
Should I try to get a home property at Myrtle Beach because it would be easy to use or does that not matter?
Thank you so much for any tips!

The question of how many points do you need is a big question. Your in the right place to start to learn more but actually you need to use the system to really answer that question for YOURSELF. The reason I capitalize YOURSELF is that it all depends on what you want to do. Some Questions: How many bedrooms do you want? How many weeks or days of vacation do you want to enjoy each year? Where do you want to go? After learning the system we bought enough points to vacation in Hawaii for the entire winter when we retired. That is alot of points, but we stayed in a small studio to stretch those points. You can't do that. You also probably can't vacation for the entire winter yet.

The HGVC system is great. Start small and learn it.

 

[Janann]

How many points are really needed?

I went through this exercise when I was buying Disney Vacation Club. I set up an Excel spreadsheet that would keep a running total of the number of points used in various what-if scenarios. I set up one sheet that assumed a particular resort on a particular date, and then subtracted the points to see what was left. You can do the same thing -- imagine you go to Myrtle Beach one summer, then the next summer New York. How many points are left? After you get one sheet worked out, duplicate it and change the vacation plans around. What if you don't use it all one year? What if you want to skip it one year, and take two vacations the next year?

Be sure to keep track of the point expirations each year. I would recommend having a five-year forecast on each sheet.

After running a few scenarios, the number of points you need will start to come into focus.

 

[Hobokie]

"Only the paranoid survive..." congrats on that panic that lead to you cancelling/rescinding!

I own a small HGV contract and love it. Agree with @Tamaradarann that the question of HOW MANY pts is truly a personal question and often you don't even get a clear answer until you are in the system and using it. I personally own a small contract because I was more interested in low MF, getting my feet wet in the system + just being a member of the club and using Open Season (cash option vs pts) to book... my 5600 annual contract works well for me, but then again I don't even expect to use my contract annually, I have other avenues to book travel (credit card points/miles, my other timeshare, Costco travel, airbnb, etc).

Maybe give us a few hypothetical scenarios of how you would plan to use your HGV this year (2023) if you had it and we can give you some thoughts and availability which may give you some new insights?

 

[dougp26364]

This is the eternal question with timeshare, how much do I need.

First, don’t just look at Hilton. With young children you’ll use those Orlando locations, but what about when the children are grown? Yes Hilton has other options but, I find their booking window doesn’t work well for us for at least half of those locations. The booking rules of bHilton doesn’t work for us. Hawaii can be a difficult location and we really don’t like Oahu all that much. We love Breckenridge but, after over 20 years of ownership, we’ve only managed ONE reservation in October. While we enjoy Hilton, it just doesn’t work for us as a system. We keep our week because, of all the timeshares in Las Vegas, we prefer Elara and, it’s been easy for us to book when we want to go. Without that location we’d have sold our week.

We enjoy our one HGVC contract, but we only own the two bedroom standard room at LV Blv. We originally bought an EOY contract at LV Karen Ave, then decided we needed a few more points and preferred the LV Blv location. there were two more towers planned and the neighborhood was going through a renaissance until the real eastate market collapsed. As time has gone on, we now own more than we need with Hilton. We never saw the expansion they promised. At the time it was essentially the big three of Orlando, Las Vegas and Oahu. Because of the lack of locations at the time, we expanded ourselves with another system that better fit our needs. As time has progressed we find we now own to much with Hilton and that old, original contract would have been enough.

Once you’ve settled on the system that works best for you, learn what restrictions are placed on resale buyers. Hilton is one of the best for a resale purchase with very few restrictions. Other systems make it impossible to use their system without making a retail purchase or paying “junk” fees that greatly increase your cost. This can be a major factor when looking at resale and can add thousands to your final cost.

Learn about the differences in the two major exchange companies, RCI and Interval International. They have some good to great rental deals that can get you into over developed locations like Orlando. This could decrease your need for more points and keep you off the hook for yearly MF’s that must be paid wether or not you’re able to use those points in any given year. CoVid really messed up our timeshare usage. So much so we used timeshare to book a cruise vacation, which is a notoriously poor economic usage of timeshare points. This was through a different system where we own far more than with Hilton. With Hilton we ended up booking a three bedroom, expensive unit, to burn points and invited friends to go with us. We had a great time, but what usage will an older couple get out of a three bedroom unit under normal circumstances. Renting getaways or last minute deals instead of owning can be a good option for a younger couple looking to stay in over developed locations such as Orlando.

There’s a lot of things to learn and a lot of angles to look at before making a purchase to find the right fit. Two of our TUG members have YouTube channels that look at the value and rules of different systems. Cliff, the Timeshare Travler has a channel that has great info in Hilton, Hilton MAX and I believe Wyndham. Jeremy has Destination Timeshare, which is heavier into the Marriott/Vistana/Abound systems but also has a lot of industry news. I’d spend time on both those YouTube channels learning how they use their ownership, looking at the different resort tours and figuring out what will work best for your family.

 

[TheDude]

How many points do you "need"? I would say zero. The real question is how many do you want for you future travel plans. I bought an annual 11,200 points and an EOY 8,000 points, both HGVC resales. I think that will be plenty for me. I travel for work and I also enjoy going on cruises, so those take up some of my travel energy, too. Based on my experience, I would say you should determine what you want out of the program and then think about whether or not your "wants" align with what you will/can actually do. You mention you live around Myrtle Beach, we also live close to a beach. We enjoy where we live and don't want to just take a vacation so we don't lose points. That feels like a waste of time and money. Too many people probably buy a timeshare(s) based on the "theory" of what they will do with it. Then the "reality" kicks in. Take your time and think about how realistic your plans are and go from there.

 

[letsgobobby]

yes how much time and money to travel to hgvc destinations do you really have each year? you can always buy more later. focus on one decent deed that can be resold later and see how it goes. I might aim in the 11,200 point range.

we started with 11,200 eoy because it was practically free to buy. quickly found a 13,440 annual where we want to use a home week booking and book 12 months out every year. and more recently added a West 57th 8400 for our annual trip to NYC and access to bHC and all inclusive reservations. this is plenty for now. We could see ourselves buying more in retirement. we can't drive to any hgvc resorts.

if going to myrtle beach on short notice is important then there is no reason to own at myrtle beach because you can use any points to book on short notice.

 

[ghgecko]

For us our first purchase was a two bedroom in Las Vegas 20 years ago. Las Vegas had lower MF’s and we bought when the kids were little but we new we would eventual need 2 bedrooms when they were older. Thus when they were young we would stretch our points and book a 1 bedroom. Then when they were too big to share a sofa bed we switched to booking the 2 bedrooms. Now they are grown and we are back to 1 bedrooms.

 

[dayooper]

Honestly, I wouldn’t suggest anything but a standard platinum 2 bedroom worth 11,200 points. You will eventually need a 2 bedroom with your family as the pull out couch won’t work for 2 older kids. Remember, you will pay about $1500 per deed to put in your name.

As far as where to buy, I would always suggest 2 bedroom platinum deeds at The Boulevard or Paradise. They offer the best upfront costs per MF’s. Flamingo 2 bedroom platinum deeds are less upfront, but cost more in MF’s.

If NY is important, then a deeds at W57th would be the way to go, but that’s an expensive way to stay in regular HGVC properties.

 

[ernststarhemberg]

Good thing is there are always more deeds out there. It sounds like you plan to utilize the system with some regularity, so maybe start with a couple of resale deeds (say, 15-20k points?) and try it out for a year. If you find you want to use the system more than existing points allow, buy more deeds!

Where to buy depends on where you want a home week advantage. If home week booking isn't a major concern, the Vegas properties mentioned above offer the most points for the lowest MFs.

 

[jabberwocky]

I think the sweet spot to start out is an 11,200 point deed such as a Las Vegas Blvd 2BR Plat which has relatively low maintenance fees as well as a reasonable initial purchase price.

With kids there will come a point where you’ll want a 2BR. 11,200 seems to do the trick or it will also allow you to take multiple trips if you are happy with 1 BR.

If you need more points you can borrow from the following year for free. If you consistently run short of points that is when you could look at adding a second deed.

 

[pedro47]

To the OP, I feel you will need a 2 bedroom unit for your family of four (4): with a full kitchen to truly enjoy your vacation time.

IMHO, purchase at the resort close to your home, that the whole family can enjoy. Think about the size of the unit, the resort onsite amenities, travel time to the resort and the yearly maintenance fee costs. Good luck.

 

[dayooper]

Where to buy depends on where you want a home week advantage. If home week booking isn't a major concern, the Vegas properties mentioned above offer the most points for the lowest MFs.

@motherforce0517 If you plan on using your week at Myrtle Beach in the exact unit you purchase for a week starting on checkin day (Saturday), I might buy that week. Here’s the thing, MB is pretty easy to get into at 7-9 months in Club season and you can choose the checkin day and length of stay in the club season.

The other issue is that Strand Capitol (not HGVC) owns the ROFR for all of the SC properties and they are very aggressive with buying them back. You will spend more for that MB deed than you would a Vegas deed.

 

[HuskerATL]

There are only a few properties that I would consider buying at for staying there due to the availablilty, like Ocean Oak and Valdoro, otherwise buy where the purchase price and MFs are the lowest and use the points at other places. MB, Orlando, Big Island, and similar are easy to book.

 

[dayooper]

There are only a few properties that I would consider buying at for staying there due to the availablilty, like Ocean Oak and Valdoro, otherwise buy where the purchase price and MFs are the lowest and use the points at other places. MB, Orlando, Big Island, and similar are easy to book.

This.

 

[mjm1]

Like mentioned by others a friend recommended buying a 2BR Platinum unit worth 11,200 points. We bought a unit at Flamingo due to the cost and relatively low MF’s. It also happened to be in Las Vegas where we live. We haven’t stayed there, but have used the points to stay at other resorts of interest. After getting used to the HGVC system and enjoying the resorts we decided to buy another 2BR Platinum unit worth 11,200 points at The Boulevard in Las Vegas. A little lower MF’s which is nice too.

So, get started, see how the system works for you and your family, and then expand as appropriate.

Best regards.

Mike

 

[dayooper]

Like mentioned by others a friend recommended buying a 2BR Platinum unit worth 11,200 points. We bought a unit at Flamingo due to the cost and relatively low MF’s. It also happened to be in Las Vegas where we live. We haven’t stayed there, but have used the points to stay at other resorts of interest. After getting used to the HGVC system and enjoying the resorts we decided to buy another 2BR Platinum unit worth 11,200 points at The Boulevard in Las Vegas. A little lower MF’s which is nice too.

So, get started, see how the system works for you and your family, and then expand as appropriate.

Best regards.

Mike

This is the exact same path we had. Flamingo after a friend suggested it and then a Boulevard.

 

[motherforce0517]

Thanks for all of the tips everyone. Lots to think about. I've started making a spreadsheet of properties I think we might use the most and see a resale for pretty cheap with 11,200, so I might start there.

How much do MF usually fluctuate or increase? Sounds like Vegas has low MF. Any other areas that are lower?

 

[HuskerATL]

Thanks for all of the tips everyone. Lots to think about. I've started making a spreadsheet of properties I think we might use the most and see a resale for pretty cheap with 11,200, so I might start there.

How much do MF usually fluctuate or increase? Sounds like Vegas has low MF. Any other areas that are lower?

Look at the MFs sticky and into the posts. There is one post showing MF by year over like 20 years.

 

[SFTechGeek]

We went to a presentation recently and bought it, then panicked and canceled. I really did like the program and am looking at resales. How many points are really needed? We have a family of 4, so need at least a 1 bedroom platinum. We live near Myrtle Beach, but also within driving distance of Orlando, so those would be places we'd frequently visit. In the upcoming years, we'd also like to visit Washington DC, Hawaii, and Chicago. I love NYC, so would also likely visit there more than once. It seems like some properties use more than the standard points.
Should I try to get a home property at Myrtle Beach because it would be easy to use or does that not matter?
Thank you so much for any tips!

The smartest thing you did was to rescind the contract. The next best thing you did was to get onto TUG. There are a lot of helpful and resourceful people to help you here. I just looked at the HGVC offerings for sale on TUG and was quite surprised at the bargains to be had. My word of advice is to not get carrried away with the hype. If you can't afford it, stay far away from a TS. I do not consider it as an “Investment”!

Buying at Myrtle Beach might be difficult as I’ve heard, as Hilton usually exercises ROFR. Oh and I would stay away from buying direct from developer. I look for lowest maintenance fees per point for HGVC when purchasing. UNLESS you need a home resort that requires that specific property, i.e. Maui, snow country, etc. points are points.

As for the number of points, 11K for our family of 5 is a good starting point. If I were to purchase again, or right now, I would consider, Las Vegas Flamingo, Mabrisa, or Orlando properties. Bay Club Waikoloa is great but as an affiliate, you’re going to pay that extra $600, one time fee, to add it to HGVC. Lots of Tuggers also like Craigendarroch, Scotland for exchange rate and lower MF.

I just looked and there’s an excellent spreadsheet to help evaluate maintenance fees per points. It's named,

2023 Hilton Grand Vacations Maintenance Fees​

Find a good mentor to hold your hand through this process and enjoy your vacations. I’m sure I will be corrected on a few things I’ve mentioned but this is truly a great board to start your research. Best of luck!

 

[Grammarhero]

We went to a presentation recently and bought it, then panicked and canceled. I really did like the program and am looking at resales. How many points are really needed? We have a family of 4, so need at least a 1 bedroom platinum. We live near Myrtle Beach, but also within driving distance of Orlando, so those would be places we'd frequently visit. In the upcoming years, we'd also like to visit Washington DC, Hawaii, and Chicago. I love NYC, so would also likely visit there more than once. It seems like some properties use more than the standard points.
Should I try to get a home property at Myrtle Beach because it would be easy to use or does that not matter?
Thank you so much for any tips!

Mind sharing the timeshare purchase price? As half of us initially bought developer timeshares, there is no shame.

 

[hgvcowner88]

We originally bought an Elara deed from the developer. We have upgraded the deed a few times to get a maintenance amount we wanted (while also taking family on vacation), and bonus points. I don't actually regret our developer upgrade. We did rescind on one upgrade and I'm glad we did. We also bought Tuscany Village resale and Boulevard. We have currently 37,440 points annually. And for us it's not enough. We have 5 kids and we end up taking our entire family on trips every year and it has worked out great. In February we're going to HHV and 30 people are going. And we've used all of our points for 2024 and 2025 already. So now need to buy more. Searching resale as we speak! Just watch out for scams in the resale realm.

 

[ernststarhemberg]

We have 63,440 annually.

We like to travel several times per year, frequently do Sun-Fri trips to save points, take advantage of seasonal discounts (Black Friday deals), low season differentials, and use guest certificates for family to travel with their kids. In all we probably stay at an HGV property on average 5-7 days every 2-3 months.

We've never had to borrow points, but we don't have many left over at the end of each year, either! Any leftover points get converted to HHonors @ 1:32, which funds our multiple Hilton hotel stays throughout the year.

I'd say right now we're comfortable given our use case.

 

[hgvcowner88]

We have 63,440 annually.

We like to travel several times per year, frequently do Sun-Fri trips to save points, take advantage of seasonal discounts (Black Friday deals), low season differentials, and use guest certificates for family to travel with their kids. In all we probably stay at an HGV property on average 5-7 days every 2-3 months.

We've never had to borrow points, but we don't have many left over at the end of each year, either! Any leftover points get converted to HHonors @ 1:32, which funds our multiple Hilton hotel stays throughout the year.

I'd say right now we're comfortable given our use case.

Curious what the ballpark is for your annual maintenance fees. Ours is around $3860 right now.