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New Owner

Ianneyan

TUG Member
Joined
Apr 5, 2012
Messages
257
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Location
Beautiful San Diego!
Resorts Owned
HGVC and Vistana
We just closed on an annual 2BR platinum @ WKV, which we acquired for just under $9800, including closing costs (seller was allseasonstravel). It took less than a month to close - quickest closing for us so far! We are excited to check out this resort one day, but I imagine that we will primarily use the SOs to stay in Maui and Mexico. We believe that it will be a wonderful complement to our HGVC timeshares. :) I am so grateful for TUG resources! :cheer:
 

pgizzi

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How many star options come with that purchase at WKV?

Are there specific views or seasons i should buy at WKV if I intend to trade into Maui? Appreciate your insights. Also wondering if you considered SVV in Florida compared as an alternative to WKV and why did you ultimately choose WKV?
 

Ianneyan

TUG Member
Joined
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Messages
257
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Location
Beautiful San Diego!
Resorts Owned
HGVC and Vistana
How many star options come with that purchase at WKV?

Are there specific views or seasons i should buy at WKV if I intend to trade into Maui? Appreciate your insights. Also wondering if you considered SVV in Florida compared as an alternative to WKV and why did you ultimately choose WKV?

I am not by any means an expert, but I’ve read a lot of stickies and threads on this Vistana forum to determine what was best for us. High (usually platinum season) is usually the way to go for most TS systems due to the allotment of points for the same MFs (i.e., MFs are based on the room size, not the season, so you usually get more for your $ with high season contracts). WKV 2BR platinum comes with 148,100 SOs, which is the same # of SOs for a week in a 2BR in Maui, most likely island view (ocean front requires something like 176K SOs). Since I can travel during the shoulder season (we usually travel to Hawaii in the fall - September/October) it shouldn’t be too difficult for me to trade into. Many folks go by the “buy were you will travel” mantra, but it seems that it really depends on the system, location and time of year.

While SVV is cheaper up front, the MFs cost more for the # of SOs you get, so we opted to pay more up front knowing that in the long run it’s actually more cost effective. It depends on where you want/need to save. You need to determine the # of SOs you will need (there is a SO chart on here somewhere that you can reference), how much you are willing to spend, when you need to travel (if high season in Maui, you may just want to purchase there) and go from.

I hope this helps (probably clear as mud?!?) Read tons here on TUG (above stickies, use the search tool for specific topics, etc) and you’ll definitely have the knowledge to make an informed decision. Good luck!
 
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Ianneyan

TUG Member
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Location
Beautiful San Diego!
Resorts Owned
HGVC and Vistana
That seems to be a very good price for WKV Platinum Plus. Did you get 148,000 Staroptions?
Yes, it did! We really intended to get an EOY contract, but for that price we couldn’t pass it up. I was waiting for something to go wrong (estoppel to be inaccurate — loan or MFs still owed on the contract...), but luck was on our side and here we are!
 

Saaz124

TUG Member
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Jan 29, 2014
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MN
That is an amazing price for that unit. Congrats
 

celica7101

TUG Member
Joined
Aug 5, 2018
Messages
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138
Resorts Owned
WKORV/N, Westin Nanea, Westin Flex
I think it also helps that there is no ROFR at WKV

But a good deal definitely!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 

Sea Six

TUG Member
Joined
Oct 15, 2005
Messages
4,045
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Location
Marco Island, FL
Resorts Owned
Club Regency - Marco Island
Lagunamar - Cancun
Vistana Villages Key West (2) - Orlando
We go to WKV almost every year, late January, for the Barrett-Jackson car auction at West World in Scottsdale. Usually we then head over to Maui for the whale watching. There are many nice activities at the resort, including a LONG day trip to the Grand Canyon. Two things we like about WKV is the shuttle ride to the downtown shopping area, and the Westin Hotel next door which has restaurants and other things to do. Temps that time of year reach low 70's in the afternoon, down to low 60's at night, which means you have to take a variety of things to wear. There is an electric fireplace in the units which comes in handy when you get chilly. Temps in the summer are more like 110. But, it's a dry heat.
 

andysnovel

TUG Member
Joined
Aug 18, 2008
Messages
213
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Location
Clayton, NC
Resorts Owned
Sheraton Flex, Vistana Bella Section, BlueGreen Charleston,SC
Exactly! Just one of the many reasons I couldn’t pass this one up!
May I ask what is the MF?? Just curious what 148,000 so runs!!!
 

Ianneyan

TUG Member
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Messages
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Location
Beautiful San Diego!
Resorts Owned
HGVC and Vistana
May I ask what is the MF?? Just curious what 148,000 so runs!!!

At WKV it’s about $1565, excluding SVN membership fee, and $1710 with it. As you probably know, the same number of points can vary based on location. There is a sticky up top of current MFs for various Vistana resorts if you are further curious about the cost of MFs by location.
 
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TUGBrian

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that is a staggering amount of savings!

congrats!!
 

Ianneyan

TUG Member
Joined
Apr 5, 2012
Messages
257
Reaction score
52
Points
239
Location
Beautiful San Diego!
Resorts Owned
HGVC and Vistana
We just closed on an annual 2BR platinum @ WKV, which we acquired for just under $9800, including closing costs (seller was allseasonstravel). It took less than a month to close - quickest closing for us so far! We are excited to check out this resort one day, but I imagine that we will primarily use the SOs to stay in Maui and Mexico. We believe that it will be a wonderful complement to our HGVC timeshares. :) I am so grateful for TUG resources! :cheer:

BTW, this timeshare was acquired on eBay. I thought that I included this info in my original post, but I see that that info is lacking.
 

pgizzi

TUG Member
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BTW, this timeshare was acquired on eBay. I thought that I included this info in my original post, but I see that that info is lacking.

I am curious as to how the process works buying on eBay. Did you do any research regarding the specific time share you were going to bid on in the auction or did you have time after winning the auction before completing the transaction?

How were you able to confirm the StarOptions were correct, that maintance fees were not in arrears, etc.

I guess I am just curious as to the time line from the beginning to closing if you would be willing to share I would appreciate it.

I am trying to learn how the process works in general when buying resale.

Appreciate any input from you and other tuggers.

Thanks
 

alexadeparis

TUG Review Crew
TUG Member
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Jun 1, 2008
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Location
Phoenix, AZ
Resorts Owned
Points: Hilton EVEN, Hyatt ODD Annual: WSJ, HRA
Not to highjack the thread but I have bought all but one of my resale timeshares on eBay. You can get some excellent, and I mean absolutely outstanding deals on EBay, but you MUST know what you are bidding on, as well as the relative value of what you are trying to buy. Do NOT trust that ANY of the MF details or transfer costs, etc will be listed right, because they probably won’t be. These resellers post a lot of auctions and are generally well versed in the major systems but don’t know every quirk of every resort and unit. As a recent example I bought a fixed week / fixed unit (of which there are only 7 units at that resort I would accept) that said it was a floater. Technically you can float with other owners within the same season, but the practical chances of that are just slightly above Winning the lottery. Also I knew the MF was not right at all. If I had bought based on those false claims I would have been disappointed. Fortunately for me I did the research here and knew better. I knew my unicorn unit (one of the 7) for my PERFECT week was FINALLY on the table. I ended up winning for a price I was ok with, and probably would have spent more, TBH.

Sometimes the resellers will give you an estoppel, sometimes not. The estoppel will tell you if there is a mortgage, if MF are current, the transfer fee, the unit / week, or the amount of points, etc. Personally, I have never bid anything up so high on EBay that I would not be willing to walk away from the money, as a worst case scenario. Never had that happen though. However, I did have a closing take 11 months, but it finally closed. My final thought is not to count on any “free use” advertised, because by the time it closes the “use” period may be gone. So bid on it accordingly. Good luck!
 

dioxide45

TUG Review Crew: Expert
TUG Member
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May 20, 2006
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47,374
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Location
NE Florida
Resorts Owned
Marriott Grande Vista
Marriott Harbour Lake
Sheraton Vistana Villages
Club Wyndham CWA
Not to highjack the thread but I have bought all but one of my resale timeshares on eBay. You can get some excellent, and I mean absolutely outstanding deals on EBay, but you MUST know what you are bidding on, as well as the relative value of what you are trying to buy. Do NOT trust that ANY of the MF details or transfer costs, etc will be listed right, because they probably won’t be. These resellers post a lot of auctions and are generally well versed in the major systems but don’t know every quirk of every resort and unit. As a recent example I bought a fixed week / fixed unit (of which there are only 7 units at that resort I would accept) that said it was a floater. Technically you can float with other owners within the same season, but the practical chances of that are just slightly above Winning the lottery. Also I knew the MF was not right at all. If I had bought based on those false claims I would have been disappointed. Fortunately for me I did the research here and knew better. I knew my unicorn unit (one of the 7) for my PERFECT week was FINALLY on the table. I ended up winning for a price I was ok with, and probably would have spent more, TBH.

Sometimes the resellers will give you an estoppel, sometimes not. The estoppel will tell you if there is a mortgage, if MF are current, the transfer fee, the unit / week, or the amount of points, etc. Personally, I have never bid anything up so high on EBay that I would not be willing to walk away from the money, as a worst case scenario. Never had that happen though. However, I did have a closing take 11 months, but it finally closed. My final thought is not to count on any “free use” advertised, because by the time it closes the “use” period may be gone. So bid on it accordingly. Good luck!
This has been my experience with eBay also. Most sellers will provide the estoppel and I have only been turned down when asking for it only once.
 

Ianneyan

TUG Member
Joined
Apr 5, 2012
Messages
257
Reaction score
52
Points
239
Location
Beautiful San Diego!
Resorts Owned
HGVC and Vistana
Not to highjack the thread but I have bought all but one of my resale timeshares on eBay. You can get some excellent, and I mean absolutely outstanding deals on EBay, but you MUST know what you are bidding on, as well as the relative value of what you are trying to buy. Do NOT trust that ANY of the MF details or transfer costs, etc will be listed right, because they probably won’t be. These resellers post a lot of auctions and are generally well versed in the major systems but don’t know every quirk of every resort and unit. As a recent example I bought a fixed week / fixed unit (of which there are only 7 units at that resort I would accept) that said it was a floater. Technically you can float with other owners within the same season, but the practical chances of that are just slightly above Winning the lottery. Also I knew the MF was not right at all. If I had bought based on those false claims I would have been disappointed. Fortunately for me I did the research here and knew better. I knew my unicorn unit (one of the 7) for my PERFECT week was FINALLY on the table. I ended up winning for a price I was ok with, and probably would have spent more, TBH.

Sometimes the resellers will give you an estoppel, sometimes not. The estoppel will tell you if there is a mortgage, if MF are current, the transfer fee, the unit / week, or the amount of points, etc. Personally, I have never bid anything up so high on EBay that I would not be willing to walk away from the money, as a worst case scenario. Never had that happen though. However, I did have a closing take 11 months, but it finally closed. My final thought is not to count on any “free use” advertised, because by the time it closes the “use” period may be gone. So bid on it accordingly. Good luck!

Agreed! You have to go into auction sales with your research behind you. I backed out of an eBay deal that I bid and won on because it was mislabeled as a float vs. fixed week (the MFs were also listed incorrectly, but like alexadeparis, I knew better and didn’t allow the misinformation to misguide me). The seller allowed me out of the sale willingly and without eBay intervention because the listing was inaccurate. Good luck!!!
 
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