My Survey! Need some Help!

[LLLRH]

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

Resorts close to home- I live in Southern California but I would like to go

to Hawaii, Disney World

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 think I would rather have a time share with a point system



3) What are your 5 top trade destinations?

Hawaii

Caribbean

Mexico

Big Bear

San Francisco

4) How many people do you usually travel with?

4

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

School Schedule

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

Yes

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

Yes

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

3+

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

4K

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?

$800-1000

11) Are you a detail oriented planner?

YES, I love a plan

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!

 

[Passepartout]

You may need to adjust your annual fees up a bit. You'll need 2 bedroom units for 4 and for use during school holidays, in S. California, you'll not find much (if anything) with a MF of $800-$1000. Possibly inland. Las Vegas, Sedona? You mention Hawaii twice as a trade destination, you'll need lots of points, a better-than-average trader, and/or luck to pull that off. I think I'd look for a Grandview Las Vegas 2 BR that has been converted to RCI points and use it for a 'trader'.

Jim

 

[LLLRH]

How many points would you recommend? With what company.

 

[taterhed]

Not to simplify, but I'm a huge fan of Worldmark for West Coast and for exchanging via Interval.

Interval has amazing trade opportunities and WM trades strongly in Interval.
Worldmark has relatively low entry fees, low maintenance fees and is very easy to buy/use/sell.

Others may opine on Wyndham (or RCI resorts) which I think may have a higher learning curve and less 'fantastic deals' for the clever exchanger.
So, I'll just leave it at 'look at Worldmark as a possible entry/starting point.'

If you are really interested after some other inputs, pm or post me here and I'll repost some of my more loquacious (long-winded) posting material.

cheers and welcome.

 

[rhonda]

Second voice saying, "Hmmm, Worldmark might be a good fit."

Map of Worldmark locations. As you drill down by state, look only at the Red dots, do not pay attention to the affiliate properties.
Most 2BR units will run 10k-12k Worldmark credits in high season. You'll find the exact numbers on the resort info page as you play with the resort map.

 

[bbodb1]

Not to simplify, but I'm a huge fan of Worldmark for West Coast and for exchanging via Interval.

Interval has amazing trade opportunities and WM trades strongly in Interval.
Worldmark has relatively low entry fees, low maintenance fees and is very easy to buy/use/sell.

Others may opine on Wyndham (or RCI resorts) which I think may have a higher learning curve and less 'fantastic deals' for the clever exchanger.
So, I'll just leave it at 'look at Worldmark as a possible entry/starting point.'

If you are really interested after some other inputs, pm or post me here and I'll repost some of my more loquacious (long-winded) posting material.

cheers and welcome.

I am a Wyndham owner but I am going to agree with Rob and suggest you consider WorldMark because of their presence in the U.S. West (where Wyndham is not so present).
Check out WorldMark at https://www.worldmarkbywyndham.com/resorts/index.html

 

[CO skier]

How many points would you recommend? With what company.

I will second and third the Wyndham WorldMark recommendations. At your price points, it is really the only option.


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

4K


$4,000 will get you a 12,000 credit ownership in WorldMark

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?

$800-1000

Another nice thing about WorldMark is that the maintenance fees may be billed on a monthly basis -- less painful than the full amount once a year.

3) What are your 5 top trade destinations?

Per Week costs owning 12,000 WorldMark credits ($986/year in 2018 = $0.082/credit):

Hawaii – 1 Bedroom – 12,000 credits = $986, 2 Bedroom -- 14,000 credits = $1150

Caribbean – best option is to trade through Interval International – 2 Bedroom – 10,000 credits plus II membership and exchange fees = about $1100

Mexico – 2 Bedroom Cabo -- 12,000 credits = $986

Big Bear – 2 Bedroom – 10,000 credits = $822

San Francisco – 1 Bedroom – 11,500 credits = $945


Monterey, CA – Marina Dunes – 2 Bedroom – 10,000 credits = $822


Depoe Bay, OR – 3 Bedroom – 12,000 credits = $986 Located on a cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean – cannot be beat.


Hawaii, Marina Dunes, and Depoe Bay are tough to reserve for the summer, even at 13 months, but WorldMark offers a waitlist option. Get on it at exactly 13 months (if you are unsuccessful reserving directly), and it will work out. It might work out even better, because depending on when the waitlist comes through, you may be able to reserve less than 7 nights.

Unused credits automatically rollover to the next year. Credits may be borrowed from the next year, so up to 3 years of credits may be accumulated. With a 12,000 credit ownership you can easily reserve 2 excellent vacations every 3 years, if not every year.

 

[taterhed]

The extras from Worldmark:

Monday madness sales: bookings at reduced 'cash' rates with no housekeeping fees. Yes, usually shoulder or off season.
Summer or Winter sales: bookings at reduced 'cash' rates with no housekeeping fees. No restrictions. (looks like text copied below)
Inventory specials: ditto.....more offseason rentals with restrictions...

Interval exchanges 59 days or less.....are only 4000 credits!

The above methods give you lots of options to save credits and still have extra vaca.
The advice by other posters is great; I might consider a 7k or 10k account to start....you can always add more points (and combine) at a later date after you learn how to use your points and start to burn thru the banked points.



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