Hobokie
TUG Member
- Joined
- Aug 22, 2018
- Messages
- 610
- Reaction score
- 319
- Points
- 174
- Location
- San Jose, CA
- Resorts Owned
- Elara (HGVC) + Worldmark
TUG Community:
Thanks in advance for reading this and taking the time to respond! This is actually not my first post (whoops!) and I've already gotten quite a bit of help from you guys and gals in the short time I've been a member (shoutout to @Jan M. who's even taken the time to help me 1:1 with specific questions!) This is truly a community, I can already tell!
I recently (2.5 weeks ago) attended my first timeshare presentation (Hilton Elara) and am very intrigued (don't worry, I didn't buy developer!). I have since poured HOURS (at least 20!) into studying info on this site (mostly HGVC, but have now expanded into the II and RCI systems to better understand trading). Below is my survey...
1) Is there a vacation destination you wish to visit most of the time or on a regular basis? if so where?
For background, I moved to northern California 1.5 years ago, but am an East Coast gal and my entire family is on the East Coast which means I may move back in the next 5 years... To answer the question, as of today, Napa (I know this is tough), Vegas and Hawaii (probably in that order). HOWEVER, because I am far from family and they are mostly in South Florida, I could conceivably see myself taking a yearly vacation in Florida for a week in a multiple bedroom scenario and inviting them...
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 can't imagine we (I'm married) would do home resort more than 20-30% of the time... We like to switch things up. But again, if we stay out here in California, I could conceivably do an Orlando or South Florida vacation at the same spot annually...
3) What are your 5 top trade destinations?
In the US:
Hawaii
Vegas (love it but never more than 3 nights, who spends a week in Vegas???)
Napa
Tahoe (probably summer or winter/ski season)
Denver or CO (during ski season)
I feel like I need to add Orlando as 6th, but only in the context of booking a large unit and inviting family to join us...
OUS:
We'd love to explore the world!
4) How many people do you usually travel with?
Just 1 (hubby) but see above, I think this could work for me to have yearly vacations with family! Would like to have the flexibility of a system that allows me to do both studio/1 bd and 3 bedroom+
5) Can you travel any time, or are you locked into the school schedule?
Anytime, husband and I both work from home now. No children yet!
6) Can you make firm plans 12 or more mos. in advance?
Sure, but I honestly prefer not to. We are more spontaneous than 12 months of planning. Usually we see a good flight deal (i.e. just booked Tahiti on Delta for $630 in January) and then we start planning.
7) Can you vacation for a full week at a time?
Yes, but we like shorter trips more (unless going far). 1 week is probably the maximum amount of time we would vacation (we did do 2 weeks in South Africa 2 years ago and we wouldn't do less than 12 days if we are so far from home).
8) What level of accommodations do you prefer on a scale of 1 to 5 stars?
I am less picky, husband is definitely more of a 4 kind of guy.
9) How much can you afford to spend upfront, without financing?
If I feel like it is worth it, I would say up to $6-7k.
10) How much can you afford to spend every year for a maintenance fee that will come due right after Christmas, and increase each year?
If I feel like I am getting good value, I would say $1400 (plus other fees like annual fees, exchange fee, reservation fee, cancel fee, save points fee etc etc another $500-$700. So let's call it $1900-$2100 all in.
11) Are you a detail oriented planner?
Eh. Not really. We are more spontaneous, but as I mentioned above, he is pickier than I am with accommodations.
12) 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?
Yup, we've discussed the possibility of needing to "pay" to get out of a timeshare in the form of incentives for the buyer such as paying for the transfer fees, closing costs, etc. We have budgeted around $1,500 to get out of our timeshare when we feel it is time.
Thoughts on what TS could work for me/if any?
Thanks in advance for reading this and taking the time to respond! This is actually not my first post (whoops!) and I've already gotten quite a bit of help from you guys and gals in the short time I've been a member (shoutout to @Jan M. who's even taken the time to help me 1:1 with specific questions!) This is truly a community, I can already tell!
I recently (2.5 weeks ago) attended my first timeshare presentation (Hilton Elara) and am very intrigued (don't worry, I didn't buy developer!). I have since poured HOURS (at least 20!) into studying info on this site (mostly HGVC, but have now expanded into the II and RCI systems to better understand trading). Below is my survey...
1) Is there a vacation destination you wish to visit most of the time or on a regular basis? if so where?
For background, I moved to northern California 1.5 years ago, but am an East Coast gal and my entire family is on the East Coast which means I may move back in the next 5 years... To answer the question, as of today, Napa (I know this is tough), Vegas and Hawaii (probably in that order). HOWEVER, because I am far from family and they are mostly in South Florida, I could conceivably see myself taking a yearly vacation in Florida for a week in a multiple bedroom scenario and inviting them...
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 can't imagine we (I'm married) would do home resort more than 20-30% of the time... We like to switch things up. But again, if we stay out here in California, I could conceivably do an Orlando or South Florida vacation at the same spot annually...
3) What are your 5 top trade destinations?
In the US:
Hawaii
Vegas (love it but never more than 3 nights, who spends a week in Vegas???)
Napa
Tahoe (probably summer or winter/ski season)
Denver or CO (during ski season)
I feel like I need to add Orlando as 6th, but only in the context of booking a large unit and inviting family to join us...
OUS:
We'd love to explore the world!
4) How many people do you usually travel with?
Just 1 (hubby) but see above, I think this could work for me to have yearly vacations with family! Would like to have the flexibility of a system that allows me to do both studio/1 bd and 3 bedroom+
5) Can you travel any time, or are you locked into the school schedule?
Anytime, husband and I both work from home now. No children yet!
6) Can you make firm plans 12 or more mos. in advance?
Sure, but I honestly prefer not to. We are more spontaneous than 12 months of planning. Usually we see a good flight deal (i.e. just booked Tahiti on Delta for $630 in January) and then we start planning.
7) Can you vacation for a full week at a time?
Yes, but we like shorter trips more (unless going far). 1 week is probably the maximum amount of time we would vacation (we did do 2 weeks in South Africa 2 years ago and we wouldn't do less than 12 days if we are so far from home).
8) What level of accommodations do you prefer on a scale of 1 to 5 stars?
I am less picky, husband is definitely more of a 4 kind of guy.
9) How much can you afford to spend upfront, without financing?
If I feel like it is worth it, I would say up to $6-7k.
10) How much can you afford to spend every year for a maintenance fee that will come due right after Christmas, and increase each year?
If I feel like I am getting good value, I would say $1400 (plus other fees like annual fees, exchange fee, reservation fee, cancel fee, save points fee etc etc another $500-$700. So let's call it $1900-$2100 all in.
11) Are you a detail oriented planner?
Eh. Not really. We are more spontaneous, but as I mentioned above, he is pickier than I am with accommodations.
12) 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?
Yup, we've discussed the possibility of needing to "pay" to get out of a timeshare in the form of incentives for the buyer such as paying for the transfer fees, closing costs, etc. We have budgeted around $1,500 to get out of our timeshare when we feel it is time.
Thoughts on what TS could work for me/if any?