Is this Resale a good deal?

[elizabethnicole]

Hello!

I've been a lurker on TUG for quite a while, and love all the wonderful advice! My godparents own through HGVC, and they took me on a number of wonderful vacations (Hawaii, Orlando, New York, etc.)

I'm interested in purchasing one myself (resale, of course). I see I can purchase an HGVC for $400, with an annual 4200 points and $700 maintenance fee out of Myrtle Beach.

My questions are:
1) I'm not interested in going to Myrtle Beach whatsoever. However, the points would allow me to go to destinations I am interested in (Hawaii, Vegas, New Zealand, etc.)?
2) Are 4200 points adequate? I looked up points needed for different destinations, and it seems like I could do quite a lot.
3) My understanding is that I can pay a $69 fee to rollover points, no strings attached.
4) Can just anybody book at their resorts in Thailand and New Zealand, provided they have enough points?
5) Is it hard to get into competitive resorts, if I book 9 mo in advance?
6) When I am done with it, how hard would it be to sell it for $1 on the resale market?
7) If you're a HGVC owner, how satisfied are you?

This appears to be an affordable way to vacation, and I really like the aspect where it would "force" me to take one each year. Please let me know your thoughts!

 

[Talent312]

1... The resorts in New Zealand and Thailand are not "true" HGVC resorts, but rather affiliates with whom HGVC has a contractual arrangement. Availability may be limited. You should check out their point structure in the "Destinations" section of the HGVC website.

2... You can, if you are willing to book off-season, less than a week, or a smaller unit. But you may one day find it limiting.

3... 'Tis better to be a borrower than a banker (of points). It's okay to pay the fee to bank points once in a while, but you should not make a habit of it. Borrowing, OTOH, is free.

4... Points are a license to hunt, not a guarantee of availability. You'll have to call to book Thailand or New Zealand.

5... High demand locations like Hawaii or NYC require booking right at the 9-month mark. Some book 3N initially, then add a day, each day. Over-built locations like Orlando or Vegas are easy to book, 'cept for holidays.

6... A resale will go for more than $1 --Silver or Bronze season TS's or studios will be trouble to sell. MF's are assessed based on the size of the unit, not the season, so high-season units get more points/$1-fee and are thus, in higher demand. Also: HGVC holds ROFR on all its resorts 'cept Flamingo.

7... Except for whining about its clunky booking engine and pesky little fees, quite satisfied.

.

 

[Nomad420]

[Agree with Talent on the above. However, the price seems low and I suspect a HGVC MAY exercise its ROFR on that especially given what has recently been stated about HGVC getting "more aggressive" on this. If the sale goes through please post back.

 

[elizabethnicole]

[Agree with Talent on the above. However, the price seems low and I suspect a HGVC MAY exercise its ROFR on that especially given what has recently been stated about HGVC getting "more aggressive" on this. If the sale goes through please post back.

Will do!! Can I ask if you're an HGVC owner, what your favorite properties are?

 

[Talent312]

I own at Seaworld-Orlando & Plantation Beach Club @Indian River Plantation (an affiliate).
My faves are Miami Beach & I-Drive (Orlando) and Hilton Hawaiian Villiage (any tower).
... If I liked Winter sports: Valdoro.

 

[Nomad420]

Will do!! Can I ask if you're an HGVC owner, what your favorite properties are?

Recently bought at the Hilton Club NYC and relatively new so as of now my favorite properties are 57th Street in NYC and the Hilton Club in NYC. But have recently booked at Vegas at the Elantra (?sp) and in Cabo at the Fiesta. Will go to both later this year.

 

[1Kflyerguy]

I think we have owned for around 5 or 6 years, and currently own at Kings Land in Hawaii. I am pretty happy with the program. So far my favorite locations are Kings Land or Kohala Suites on the Big Island, and Elara in Vegas.

 

[elizabethnicole]

I think we have owned for around 5 or 6 years, and currently own at Kings Land in Hawaii. I am pretty happy with the program. So far my favorite locations are Kings Land or Kohala Suites on the Big Island, and Elara in Vegas.

Nice! I'd love to visit the Elara as well. Ideally, i'd like to go to Vegas each year.

How far in advance do you book for Vegas?

 

[elizabethnicole]

1... The resorts in New Zealand and Thailand are not "true" HGVC resorts, but rather affiliates with whom HGVC has a contractual arrangement. Availability may be limited. You should check out their point structure in the "Destinations" section of the HGVC website.

2... You can, if you are willing to book off-season, less than a week, or a smaller unit. But you may one day find it limiting.

3... 'Tis better to be a borrower than a banker (of points). It's okay to pay the fee to bank points once in a while, but you should not make a habit of it. Borrowing, OTOH, is free.

4... Points are a license to hunt, not a guarantee of availability. You'll have to call to book Thailand or New Zealand.

5... High demand locations like Hawaii or NYC require booking right at the 9-month mark. Some book 3N initially, then add a day, each day. Over-built locations like Orlando or Vegas are easy to book, 'cept for holidays.

6... A resale will go for more than $1 --Silver or Bronze season TS's or studios will be trouble to sell. MF's are assessed based on the size of the unit, not the season, so high-season units get more points/$1-fee and are thus, in higher demand. Also: HGVC holds ROFR on all its resorts 'cept Flamingo.

7... Except for whining about its clunky booking engine and pesky little fees, quite satisfied.

.

Thank you!! I would absolutely love to go to Bali and New Zealand, but I'm worried I won't be able to get availability.

 

[BA21]

6... A resale will go for more than $1 --Silver or Bronze season TS's or studios will be trouble to sell. MF's are assessed based on the size of the unit, not the season, so high-season units get more points/$1-fee and are thus, in higher demand. Also: HGVC holds ROFR on all its resorts 'cept Flamingo.

I am in the process of purchasing a HGVC Las Vegas Flamingo resale. Can you verify Hilton does not hold ROFR for Flamingo? If so, that is good news for my pending purchase.

 

[itradehilton]

Yes, Flamingo has no ROFR, that's how I bought mine.

 

[1Kflyerguy]

Nice! I'd love to visit the Elara as well. Ideally, i'd like to go to Vegas each year.

How far in advance do you book for Vegas?

I don't recall exactly how far in advance I usually book vegas. There are lots of resorts and rooms there, so its not that hard to get. Vegas is not that far for me, so i tend to book long weekends. I would guess its between 2 and 4 months in advance.

For Hawaii i usually book 9 months or as close to it as possible.

I noticed in original post you mentioned your looking at a 4200 point package. That's not a lot of points for HGVC, so one challenge you may face is that lower point rooms will book up first. That's partially because people are trying to stretch their points into as many days as possible, but also because there are more potential owners that can book those rooms. If you have 8400 points, you can book a 4200 point week, but can also book the higher point weeks too.

Just something to consider.

 

[elizabethnicole]

I don't recall exactly how far in advance I usually book vegas. There are lots of resorts and rooms there, so its not that hard to get. Vegas is not that far for me, so i tend to book long weekends. I would guess its between 2 and 4 months in advance.

For Hawaii i usually book 9 months or as close to it as possible.

I noticed in original post you mentioned your looking at a 4200 point package. That's not a lot of points for HGVC, so one challenge you may face is that lower point rooms will book up first. That's partially because people are trying to stretch their points into as many days as possible, but also because there are more potential owners that can book those rooms. If you have 8400 points, you can book a 4200 point week, but can also book the higher point weeks too.

Just something to consider.

I'll try to find an 8400 point package! I only want to vacation about 2 weeks per year, but it would be nice to have a 2BR even though its just me and my partner.

 

[elizabethnicole]

Yes, Flamingo has no ROFR, that's how I bought mine.

I didn't know that! How many pts do you have purchasing through the Flamingo?

 

[itradehilton]

We bought a one bedroom with 3400 points for $1000. If I could do it again I would buy the Platium season 1 Bdr as the maintenance fees at the flamingo location are as high as my. 2bdr at the Vegas strip location.