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Trying to decide on best program

Riekl

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1) Is there a vacation destination you wish to visit most of the time or on a regular basis? if so where?

Ocean view properties are preferred, larger properties with restaurants nice pools etc.

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 could be sold on going to the same place if it was really nice, but like variety as well.

3) What are your 5 top trade destinations?

completely unknown :(

4) How many people do you usually travel with?

Often it will be just me and my partner, on occasion my 2 boys will join.

5) Can you travel any time, or are you locked into the school schedule?

Can travel any time

6) Can you make firm plans 12 or more mos. in advance?

I can, but frequently I want to be able to go with less notice.

7) Can you vacation for a full week at a time?

Easily

8) What level of accommodations do you prefer on a scale of 1 to 5 stars?

4*

9) How much can you afford to spend upfront, without financing?

$5000

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?

$2500

11) Are you a detail oriented planner?

Pretty much so yes!

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?

yes!
 

bizaro86

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Cat: Where are you going?
Alice: Which way should I go?
Cat: That depends on where you are going.
Alice: I don’t know.
Cat: Then it doesn’t matter which way you go

If you don't give us at least some idea of where you want to travel, it's pretty hard to make a recommendation. Do you prefer Hawaii, Carribean, Mexico, South Carolina, Gulf Coast FL, etc...
 

Riekl

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sure sorry :) Warm, ocean :) hahah Florida, CArribean, South Carolina would all be good. Not a fan of Mexico.
 

Passepartout

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We often suggest newbies rent in a few various systems. Attend some sales presentations (but DON'T BUY!!!) You can rent here on TUG in the Marketplace at the top of this page, or from Redweek.com or other sites. Often, rentals are available at lower cost than the underlying maintenance fees. You say you want 4 star accommodations. That pretty much relegates your choices to the hotel branded TSs. (Hilton, Marriott, Hyatt) They don't generally have lots of locations, but that doesn't seem to be an issue. Any of those will have enough trading power to go about wherever you desire. One thing that differs between TSs and hotels.TSs HAVE to be booked very early. A year is not too soon. There is very little 'last Minute' availability. Hotels can be happy with 65% occupancy, whereas TSs run close to full occupancy year round.

Stick around TUG. Do some reading on the forums. Get an idea where you'd like to go and check the rentals.

Happy hunting for the perfect vacation.

Jim
 

Passepartout

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sure sorry :) Warm, ocean :) hahah Florida, CArribean, South Carolina would all be good. Not a fan of Mexico.
You say you want warm, ocean, nice places with on site restaurants, yet are not a fan of Mexico. What you describe as desirable sounds exactly like the majority of all-inclusive Mexican resorts where they pick you up at the airport, and you never leave the resort until They return you to the airport. They are expensive, but the experience is pretty special.

Jim
 

CO skier

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1) Is there a vacation destination you wish to visit most of the time or on a regular basis? if so where?

Ocean view properties are preferred, larger properties with restaurants nice pools etc.

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 could be sold on going to the same place if it was really nice, but like variety as well.
I think Marriott would be a good fit for you. Lots of ocean front properties in the destinations you prefer.

Choose a location that you might want to visit during high demand times (Platinum ownership) and buy a resale deed at that property. Join Interval International in the years you want to trade to other destinations. Marriott has a preference window in II for other Marriott locations. Since you can travel anytime, put in an ongoing search at the resort(s) of your choice more than a year in advance, and you will likely get the exchange you want.

Marriott offers Destination Points ownerships, but I think deeded weeks are a better value.

Check out the Marriott forum and post some questions there.

https://tugbbs.com/forums/index.php?forums/marriott-vacation-club.29/
 

Panina

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I would look into HGVC and consider getting a southwest Florida affiliate as your home resort that can also trade in Interval to give you the most flexibility. Not all have restaurants on site but close enough to the resorts to go to them.
 

talkamotta

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Marriott has lots of locations on both coasts and hawaii. I've never been to a bad Marriott. Try to get a 2 bedroom lockoff. That way you can deposit the lockoff if it's just you and your partner. You will be able to get another week somewhere else. Check out ebay and put some of the places you like on a watch list so you can see what they are selling for. Always do platinum.
 

rboesl

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Vidanta Grand Mayan
Villa del Arco Cobo
Grandview Las Vegas
Vacation Village at Bonaventure
I would have a different suggestion. Find a low cost low maintenance fee resort that's part of the Vacation Village group. It's not one of the big sexy resort systems. But, they have locations in Orlando (VV @ Parkway), Ft. Lauderdale (VV @ Westin or Bonaventure), Williamsburg & McGaheysville (Massanutten), VA, as well as the Bershires in MA, and many affiliated locations in California. You can usually find a unit at The Grandview @ Las Vegas which has one of the lowest maintenance fees and gives good bang for the buck for dollars per point. But you will have to use RCI to do exchanges.
 

bizaro86

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For your desired locations, I agree Marriott is probably your best bet. Maybe get a 2 bedroom Grand Vista, and use the Florida club to trade into other Florida locations?

Years that doesn't interest you, you could trade using interval to myrtle Beach, Hilton Head, USVI, Aruba, or St Kitts.

I would comment that this plan requires you to make plans a year or more in advance for many destinations. Florida Club would be 6 months.
 

VacationForever

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Another vote for Marriott. High end resorts with lots of locations including close to the beach/ocean. Their Destination Club trust points are very expensive but offers maximum flexibility including partial week, any day check in and later bookings. Resale weeks will meet your purchase price budget. With resale weeks, you can only trade into other resorts through a 3rd party exchange company, i.e. Interval International but Marriott deposits get priority to be exchanged into other Marriott properties.
 
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talkamotta

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If you are looking at Marriotts, then watch the mfs. Some can be as much as $2600 and others are $1400 or less. There have been times when I have traded into a resort for less than a person's maintenance fees. Especially if they are over the $1600 mark.
 

CanadaGuyEh

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Hilton Grand Vacation - 2 platinums, Wyndham - 1 week, WorldMark 2 weeks
I would look into HGVC and consider getting a southwest Florida affiliate as your home resort that can also trade in Interval to give you the most flexibility. Not all have restaurants on site but close enough to the resorts to go to them.
I have Hilton HGVC points - you can put those into Interval?
 

CalGalTraveler

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Hilton only trades in RCI.

Except for HGVC affiliates in Florida, Scotland and (Edit to Delete: Calif) which also trade in II.

Can you buy a resale MVC past ROFR for less than $5k? You can buy HGVC in those locations for that.
 
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buzglyd

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HGV Lagoon Tower
HGV Carlsbad Seapointe
Gaslamp Plaza Suites
SVV Bella
Except for HGVC affiliates in Florida, Scotland and Calif which also trade in II.

Can you get a resale MVC past ROFR for less than $5k? You can buy HGVC in those locations for that.

What CA affiliate trades in II?
 

CalGalTraveler

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Doesn't Grand Pacific trade II?

If not, I stand corrected on Calif. Edited the post above.
 
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VacationForever

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Except for HGVC affiliates in Florida, Scotland and (Edit to Delete: Calif) which also trade in II.

Can you buy a resale MVC past ROFR for less than $5k? You can buy HGVC in those locations for that.
There are a few MVC resorts that have no ROFR. Even for those with ROFR, depending on the property there are many that can get past ROFR at $5K for red/platinum season.
 
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Panina

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I have Hilton HGVC points - you can put those into Interval?
If its an affiliate that chooses to be a member of Interval. For example I own at Surf Club of Marco Island and Eagles Nest of Marco Island and they both allow owners to trade in interval.
 

ontilt

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HGVC Valdoro x2
Worldmark
I think HGVC can allow you to get in at the price point you're looking for and there are a fair amount of properties to exchange. I've found the program to be very flexible as a point-based system and if you have flexibility and it's just two of you, you can generally get into places in the 30 - 90 day range. The points also allow you to downsize your unit selection so you can get more days out of the program. Lastly, within 30 days, there is also an open season option that allows you to pay cash for a unit at a fairly discounted rate. A 1BR may run around $150 a night, for example, which let's you take extra days if you're flexible on travel and don't want to commit to another deed.
 
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