We are in Hawaii and of course I was more than happy to accept a $300 room credit to attend a timeshare presentation at the Marriott. The "new product"? "Destination points". We attended for two reasons; for the incentive of course, but also to learn something about a "more flexible program" that reminded me of Disney's points program. We are NEVER one to buy anything without researching the product, and this certainly qualifies as something that needs researching. The sales person could not answer a couple of specific questions;
1. Do previous owners have access to points with flexible spending/trading in the same way new purchasers do? If he answered it, it wasn't clear.
2. Why would anyone pay a developer full price if someone is selling the product on the secondary market? He answered that by saying that Marriott has been rebuying properties (points) and voiding sales by exercising their first right of refusal. If that is the case, no one should ever be trying to sell their time shares on a secondary market because Marriott would be snapping them up.
3. Would a Marriott timeshare in Florida have the same "value" as in Maui?
Why not buy a less expensive property if they can be exchanged with such ease as the salesman indicates.
4. Why buy at all if there are properties that can be rented for a bit more than the annual fees and taxes?
At some time I think we might want to buy a time share but choosing which one and how to buy it is something that we are going to have to analyze.
We do receive military discounts at many hotels and are eligible to stay at Military Recreational Centers, so we would have to realize a substantial savings to make timesharing attractive.
I hope that I am not sounding negative in these questions. They are legitimate concerns that I would rather ask well before a purchase than after. thank you.
1. Do previous owners have access to points with flexible spending/trading in the same way new purchasers do? If he answered it, it wasn't clear.
2. Why would anyone pay a developer full price if someone is selling the product on the secondary market? He answered that by saying that Marriott has been rebuying properties (points) and voiding sales by exercising their first right of refusal. If that is the case, no one should ever be trying to sell their time shares on a secondary market because Marriott would be snapping them up.
3. Would a Marriott timeshare in Florida have the same "value" as in Maui?
Why not buy a less expensive property if they can be exchanged with such ease as the salesman indicates.
4. Why buy at all if there are properties that can be rented for a bit more than the annual fees and taxes?
At some time I think we might want to buy a time share but choosing which one and how to buy it is something that we are going to have to analyze.
We do receive military discounts at many hotels and are eligible to stay at Military Recreational Centers, so we would have to realize a substantial savings to make timesharing attractive.
I hope that I am not sounding negative in these questions. They are legitimate concerns that I would rather ask well before a purchase than after. thank you.
