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New buyer Survey

JAG1864

TUG Member
Joined
Sep 11, 2018
Messages
1
Reaction score
0
Points
61
Luckily I found this site and am able to recind our purchase. But we like the idea of Vacation ownership, I liked the Vistani system and locations alot, it gave us some flexibility to be spontaneous, and we liked the Cash Getaway program.


1) Is there a vacation destination you wish to visit most of the time or on a regular basis? if so where?
South West US, Hawaii.

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?
Visit home resorts

3) What are your 5 top trade destinations?
Bahamas, Hawaii,

4) How many people do you usually travel with? 2-4

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

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

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

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?
$2500

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?
$1000

11) Are you a detail oriented planner?
Whats a planner?

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
 

CalGalTraveler

TUG Review Crew: Veteran
TUG Member
Joined
Dec 21, 2014
Messages
9,736
Reaction score
8,270
Points
498
Location
California
Resorts Owned
HGVC, MVC Vistana
re: Southwest US. Do you mean Arizona or Vegas?

Your locations would lead me to Westin or Hyatt for Arizona and Bahamas but your budget does not allow most 4+ including Marriott Vacation Club because these run at least $1500 or more MF.

A $1000 maintenance fee will increase every year by 2 - 3% or more. Your buy-in budget is very tight for a hotel branded timeshare. Possibly Hilton (4+) if you buy a resale Vegas 1 bedroom or an EOY and get a good deal on a resale but that's even tight with closing fees which will run $1500 plus reservation fees which will increase your cost. The lower points on a 1 bdrm or studio will also give you limited trading unless you go EOY and borrow points. Hilton does not have Bahamas but is adding Barbados next year. However the points values are expected to be high for a trade and you may not have enough points given your budget. Given you are not a planner, I don't think HGVC is for you because you need to manage your tight points and carefully plan.

Check out Worldmark or HICV or another 3+ chain or RCI or II independent. I'll leave it to others who are more knowledgeable on these to respond.

Good luck.
 
Last edited:

rickandcindy23

TUG Review Crew: Elite
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
31,893
Reaction score
8,998
Points
1,049
Location
The Centennial State
Resorts Owned
Wyndham Founder; Disney OKW & SSR; Marriott's Willow Ridge,Shadow Ridge,Grand Chateau;Val Chatelle; Hono Koa OF (3); SBR(LOTS), SDO a few; Grand Palms; WKORV-OF (2),Westin Desert Willow.
I don't know of any Marriott resorts with fees $1,000 or under. My 2 bed Willow Ridge Marriott is $1,179 for 2018 and goes up every year.

The best resort to own for that part of the country (SW) with cheaper MF is Sheraton Desert Oasis, if you want a unit that is a good trader, high quality, and every one of those is a lock-off, meaning you can get two trades for one MF + two exchange fees. You can get internal trade preference with Interval International, my favorite exchange company, and that preference includes the Westins on Maui and Kauai (mostly not during school vacations).

I would take a studio at the Westin on Maui over many other resorts because you get all of the amenities of the brand, including the great beds, the adequate kitchen (which they call a kitchenette but is better than other resorts offer) and there is a washer/dryer-even in the studios.

I never tell people to buy anything exclusively in RCI. Not anymore. I have learned how to get some things in RCI that are worthy, but mostly I am not into the areas that are their specialties. I love the Hilton resorts in the U.S., which trade with RCI, but there are one-in-four rules, meaning you cannot exchange into any one resort but every four years. I decided to heck with that nonsense and started using II exclusively for my Marriott and Vistana Orlando stays.

I love the flexibility of II with the retrade option (costs a little more) because sometimes I cannot talk Rick into going somewhere I booked, and I have to re-book something else.
 
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