Questions about ownership

[Chaddy354]

Hey guys! I recently sat through a sales presentation on HGVC in Hawaii and while I felt it was a great program, my gut told me there must be a catch. And after browsing this forum for a couple days boy was I right! I am now super interested in the resale market but I have a few questions.

1) if I want to go to a different resort every year, does it matter where I buy? Or should I just hunt for a good deal/low MF?

2) if I buy an EOY points package is the MF paid EOY as well?

3) how hard is it to get a room at a resort that isn’t your home? It looks like the booking window is pretty wide but maybe they book up quickly.

Thank you so much for the help!

 

[brp]

Some answers:

1) Doesn't matter. Just get points. The only real exception that I know of is the by Hilton Club resorts. Look around, do some research and find out about them (mostly cities like New York, DC). Most off the resorts, no problem. Some on Oahu may be tougher, but we have no interest in that island, so don't know.

2) Yes. But don't get EOY - not enough points

3) Depends on location. We've never had issues going where we want to go pretty much when we want to go.

By the way, just noticed that you joined today, this is your first post and you're already a member. Very rare

Cheers.

 

[Chaddy354]

Some answers:

1) Doesn't matter. Just get points. The only real exception that I know of is the by Hilton Club resorts. Look around, do some research and find out about them (mostly cities like New York, DC). Most off the resorts, no problem. Some on Oahu may be tougher, but we have no interest in that island, so don't know.

2) Yes. But don't get EOY - not enough points

3) Depends on location. We've never had issues going where we want to go pretty much when we want to go.

By the way, just noticed that you joined today, this is your first post and you're already a member. Very rare

Cheers.

Thank you so much! Haha if I’m being honest I didn’t realize there was a difference between the forum membership and the $15 one but I totally feel like I’ve already got $15 worth of value. One more question if you don’t mind, if I bought enough points for say, a 3br annually, could I turn that into 3 weeks in a 1 br if I wanted to?

 

[Panina]

Hey guys! I recently sat through a sales presentation on HGVC in Hawaii and while I felt it was a great program, my gut told me there must be a catch. And after browsing this forum for a couple days boy was I right! I am now super interested in the resale market but I have a few questions.

1) if I want to go to a different resort every year, does it matter where I buy? Or should I just hunt for a good deal/low MF?

2) if I buy an EOY points package is the MF paid EOY as well?

3) how hard is it to get a room at a resort that isn’t your home? It looks like the booking window is pretty wide but maybe they book up quickly.

Thank you so much for the help!

Hi, welcome to TUG. Great you found us prior to purchasing.

Points are points but some resorts can be harder to get. I love southwest Florida so I got most of my hgvc at the affiliate resorts so I can be guaranteed going there. When I get somewhere different to go then I deposit my week and use the points.

I also purchased a July 4th week in Myrtle Beach with 8400 points knowing I will never go there and will use the points always elsewhere.

So my suggestion is if there is a area, resort you want to use at least half the time that is hard to get into due to limited availability in hgvc if you don’t own there, buy a hgvc at the resort and week you want not focusing on point value. If you just want points, focus on getting the highest point week you can afford with a good price/maintenance fee.

If you are not using your week and are just getting it for points you will not be using home advantage reservation thus you can get any size unit. Don’t assume a 3 bedroom will give you enough points for a prime week prime location one bedroom. You need to understand how many points are needed where and when you want to go.

 

[Chaddy354]

Hi, welcome to TUG. Great you found us prior to purchasing.

Points are points but some resorts can be harder to get. I love southwest Florida so I got most of my hgvc at the affiliate resorts so I can be guaranteed going there. When I get somewhere different to go then I deposit my week and use the points.

I also purchased a July 4th week in Myrtle Beach with 8400 points knowing I will never go there and will use the points always elsewhere.

So my suggestion is if there is a area, resort you want to use at least half the time that is hard to get into due to limited availability in hgvc if you don’t own there, buy a hgvc at the resort and week you want not focusing on point value. If you just want points, focus on getting the highest point week you can afford with a good price/maintenance fee.

If you are not using your week and are just getting it for points you will not be using home advantage reservation thus you can get any size unit. Don’t assume a 3 bedroom will give you enough points for a prime week prime location one bedroom. You need to understand how many points are needed where and when you want to go.

That’s awesome! Thank you so much! The only part that doesn’t make sense is the last part about unit size. I thought a 3br in platinum season was the same points cost at every resort. So if I bought a package with 8400 points I could get that unit at any resort (assuming availability) right?

Also what do you mean affiliate resort?

Thanks again!

 

[brp]

Not all resorts are the same, although a great many are. The point above was that a 1br is not necessarily going to be 1/3 the points of a 3br. So your 1 week in 3br may not equal 3 weeks in 1br.

Affiliate resorts are not fully HGVC, and some have different rules. One example I know well is Bay Club on Hawaii island.

Cheers.

 

[Panina]

That’s awesome! Thank you so much! The only part that doesn’t make sense is the last part about unit size. I thought a 3br in platinum season was the same points cost at every resort. So if I bought a package with 8400 points I could get that unit at any resort (assuming availability) right?

Also what do you mean affiliate resort?

Thanks again!

Points needed can vary at the different resorts especially with newer resorts needing a higher point value.

For example, I own a platinum 2 br plus which is beachfront worth 8400 points at Anderson in Myrtle Beach. If I want a 2 br oceanfront at the newer Enclave down the road it will cost me 9600 points. I can get a oceanview for 8400 points or no waterview for 7000 points. If I am willing to get a 1 br oceanfront it will cost me 8400 points thus for my 8400 points if I want beachfront and want to stay at the enclave I will only get a 1br instead of the 2br I own at Anderson.

Affiliate resorts are members of hgvc but owners at them have a choice if they will join hgvc unlike resorts that were developed by hgvc and membership is mandatory. For example all of my Marco Island Resorts are affiliates. If you read the hgvc info here on tug it will go into greater detail. One of the benefits of buying an affiliate is there is no right of first refusal by hgvc.

 

[Talent312]

I find that I am able to parlay 8400 points into 3 or 4 weeks of vacations. One year, by staying weekdays only (far less points per day than weekends), I booked 6 visits to Orlando, plus one other

Why so many Orlando trips, you ask? ... Annual Disney passes.

 

[buzglyd]

You're on the right path. Point values are different at resorts and you also have to consider the season. I own Platinum season points but I usually travel in Gold season so I get more bang for my buck. My son is an adult now and I'm not tied to any kind of school schedule.

Keep reading. HGV is a great system.

 

[brp]

I find that I am able to parlay 8400 points into 3 or 4 weeks of vacations. One year, by staying weekdays only (far less points per day than weekends), I booked 6 visits to Orlando, plus one other

Why so many Orlando trips, you ask? ... Annual Disney passes.

I hear that. We're not too far from retirement and are looking forward to doing more weekday stays. This is going to be particularly valuable with the W. 57th points.

For our Disney fix (we also have Annual Passes), we have a couple of DVC as well.

Cheers.