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Vistana offer to “upgrade”

philbmnb

newbie
Joined
May 4, 2019
Messages
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Resorts Owned
Westin Princeville
As recommended in the newbie thread moving into Vistana:
Hi: Sorry that my first post will be very long, but, need advice from all the experience this group brings. I purchased a resale last year for the westin princeville for $7200, this past week I get a call from the Vistana group offering an opportunity for resale purchases to upgrade/buy and gain "full ownership benefits." so I receive the two offers below, all thoughts suggestions on this are much appreciated! I do not plan on financing at their ridiculous rate and option2 serioulsy sounds horrible, but, again need some someadvice/recommendations from the group. THANK YOU SO MUCH!
option1:
"As an owner of the Westin Princeville Ocean Resort resale week, effective May 1, 2019, for a limited time, I am happy toshare exciting news with you about an opportunity to enroll your resale ownership at a lower cost than ever before.
This initiative greatly reduces the current purchase requirements for resale week owners like you, so you can gain access to the Vistana Signature Network.
The original requirement had always been $20,000-$40,000 to get your current ownership enrolled with full privileges.
Now, for this limited time, it’s only $10,000.
we spoke about the idea of keeping your ODD year ownership which will be given an StarOptions valuation of 148,100 StarOptions.
Here’s a link to see the StarOptions Charts for all 23 of our resorts, so you will be able to see the Westin Princeville two-bedroom lockoff has this 148,100 StarOptions valuation, as well as our other resorts and the StarOptions each requires.
We spoke about your ability to become an “3 Star Elite” owner, with added privileges.
You may see these added privileges on this link. 3 Star Elite
To reach this 3 Star Elite status, yourcurrent ownership valuation is calculated at one-half the StarOptions, or, 74,050. By acquiring an annual 88,000 StarOptions you will become an 3 Star Elite Owner.
The current list price for these 88,000 StarOptions in this Westin Flex Club is $34,760 plus $845 closing costs.
By proceeding at this time, we will offer you an 15% discount, bringing your acquisition price to $31,284.
With an 10% deposit of $3,129 plus $85 of the closing costs….your monthly will be $435.83 over 10 years at 13.24%. This is set up as an automatic withdrawal from an checking account and there’s no penalty to pre-pay.
Your maintenance fee is $1,690 and it’s paid in September to cover the following use year. Your Vistana Signature Network membership dues, along with your “Gold” Bonvoy membership, and, your Interval International membership on this ownership is $145 per year.
Then, on your current ownership the duesare $50 per year.
Since you will be able to “convert” into Bonvoy Points each usage year, your current ownership will convert into 259,200 Bonvoy Points. And, this one will convert into 137,280 Bonvoy Points.
By going ahead now, we will give you 142,000 Bonvoy Points as an one-time gift with purchase. If we’re able to complete this acquisition next week, we will “double” this incentive to 284,000 Bonvoy Points!"
Option 2:
if you prefer to give back your Westin Princeville ownership toward the 3 Star Elite level, it will look as follows:
The current list price of 162,000 StarOptions is $63,990 plus $1,890 closing costs.
We will transfer $19,600 from your current ownership leaving an difference of $44,390.
Because of the price point, we will offer you an 15% discount leaving the balance at $37,732.
We will also offer an preferred rate of 10.99% on this acquisition if you do this upgrade.
This will give you an monthly of $542.97 over 10 years at 10.99%.
Maintenance fee is $3,112 plus the Membership dues of $195 to cover both packages of the StarOptions, as you’re basically going to have a deed for 2 packages of 81,000 StarOptions.
by proceeding now, we will give you 145,000 Bonvoy Points, which we will“double” to 290,000 Bonvoy Points if you let us know early next week on this, should this be your choice, to do the upgrade.
I will ask for approval to be able to give you the 2 Bonvoy Points Certificates to be able to purchase the Bonvoy Points of your choice, by December 15, 2020.
If you elect to convert all 162,000StarOptions into Bonvoy Points, you willreceive 252,720 Bonvoy Points.
 

DeniseM

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Absolutely not.

If you want Staroptions, buy a resale at a Mandatory resort for a fraction of the cost, but only if you can pay for it upfront. If you need any kind of financing, it's a deal killer.

a. If a resort is Staroption "Mandatory," it means that when the week is sold to a new owner (resale) the Staroption value of the week transfers to the new owner, and the new owner has the right to exchange his timeshare in the Starwood Vacation Network. These resorts are Staroption Mandatory:

* Harborside at Atlantis
* Vistana Villages (Bella and Key West phases only) - lowest upfront resale price
* Westin St. John (Virgin Grand - Hillside only)
* Westin Ka'anapali & Westin Ka'anapali-North
* Westin Kierland Villas - lowest maintenance fee
 
Last edited:

philbmnb

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May 4, 2019
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Resorts Owned
Westin Princeville
Thank you very much for the detailed response!!! This is very helpful!
 

dioxide45

TUG Review Crew: Expert
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Marriott Harbour Lake
Sheraton Vistana Villages
Club Wyndham CWA
The original requirement had always been $20,000-$40,000 to get your current ownership enrolled with full privileges.
Now, for this limited time, it’s only $10,000.
Interesting that they the new requirement is now only $10,000 but they proceed to make offers that require spending north of $30K...
 
Joined
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I'm not sure if that is cut and pasted from an actual offer letter or if it has been transcribed to post it on here? If it's the former, and I received a letter with as many grammatical errors then I'd seriously consider it to be a scam. Actually, thinking about it, it's a scam even if it's not a scam!
 

philbmnb

newbie
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Resorts Owned
Westin Princeville
This is an actual offer, cut and paste from an email. They tried to "sweeten" the deal by adding additional bonvoy points, lowering closing costs and applying this years maintenance fees to next year!!

Thanks again, glad I found this group.
 

philbmnb

newbie
Joined
May 4, 2019
Messages
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Resorts Owned
Westin Princeville
Is all this a haggling from Vistana due to a shortage of buyers, has Airbnb had an affect on their sales? They keep coming back with additional offers:

"Would you like to reconsider and acquire 44,000 StarOptions as an biennial ownership, for the lowest price we’ve ever allowed owners to “grandfather-in” a resale ownership? This is only $10,010.
This will give you current ownership full privileges with 148,100 StarOptions valuation and it will then convert into 259,200 Bonvoy Points.
The company has “never” offered this so low. It is a very good offer."
 

dioxide45

TUG Review Crew: Expert
TUG Member
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Location
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Resorts Owned
Marriott Grande Vista
Marriott Harbour Lake
Sheraton Vistana Villages
Club Wyndham CWA
For 10,000 you could buy several mandatory weeks at SVV to get you to the same 148,1000. Of course, you would be adding to your MFs.
 

CPNY

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SVV - Key West/Bella
WKV
Regal Vista at Massanutten
For 10,000 you could buy several mandatory weeks at SVV to get you to the same 148,1000. Of course, you would be adding to your MFs.
For 6k you can buy a 3bedroom SVV KW and get 139k options.
 

CPNY

TUG Member
Joined
Jun 18, 2019
Messages
7,508
Reaction score
4,392
Points
349
Resorts Owned
Harborside Resort at Atlantis
SVV - Key West/Bella
WKV
Regal Vista at Massanutten
As recommended in the newbie thread moving into Vistana:
Hi: Sorry that my first post will be very long, but, need advice from all the experience this group brings. I purchased a resale last year for the westin princeville for $7200, this past week I get a call from the Vistana group offering an opportunity for resale purchases to upgrade/buy and gain "full ownership benefits." so I receive the two offers below, all thoughts suggestions on this are much appreciated! I do not plan on financing at their ridiculous rate and option2 serioulsy sounds horrible, but, again need some someadvice/recommendations from the group. THANK YOU SO MUCH!
option1:
"As an owner of the Westin Princeville Ocean Resort resale week, effective May 1, 2019, for a limited time, I am happy toshare exciting news with you about an opportunity to enroll your resale ownership at a lower cost than ever before.
This initiative greatly reduces the current purchase requirements for resale week owners like you, so you can gain access to the Vistana Signature Network.
The original requirement had always been $20,000-$40,000 to get your current ownership enrolled with full privileges.
Now, for this limited time, it’s only $10,000.
we spoke about the idea of keeping your ODD year ownership which will be given an StarOptions valuation of 148,100 StarOptions.
Here’s a link to see the StarOptions Charts for all 23 of our resorts, so you will be able to see the Westin Princeville two-bedroom lockoff has this 148,100 StarOptions valuation, as well as our other resorts and the StarOptions each requires.
We spoke about your ability to become an “3 Star Elite” owner, with added privileges.
You may see these added privileges on this link. 3 Star Elite
To reach this 3 Star Elite status, yourcurrent ownership valuation is calculated at one-half the StarOptions, or, 74,050. By acquiring an annual 88,000 StarOptions you will become an 3 Star Elite Owner.
The current list price for these 88,000 StarOptions in this Westin Flex Club is $34,760 plus $845 closing costs.
By proceeding at this time, we will offer you an 15% discount, bringing your acquisition price to $31,284.
With an 10% deposit of $3,129 plus $85 of the closing costs….your monthly will be $435.83 over 10 years at 13.24%. This is set up as an automatic withdrawal from an checking account and there’s no penalty to pre-pay.
Your maintenance fee is $1,690 and it’s paid in September to cover the following use year. Your Vistana Signature Network membership dues, along with your “Gold” Bonvoy membership, and, your Interval International membership on this ownership is $145 per year.
Then, on your current ownership the duesare $50 per year.
Since you will be able to “convert” into Bonvoy Points each usage year, your current ownership will convert into 259,200 Bonvoy Points. And, this one will convert into 137,280 Bonvoy Points.
By going ahead now, we will give you 142,000 Bonvoy Points as an one-time gift with purchase. If we’re able to complete this acquisition next week, we will “double” this incentive to 284,000 Bonvoy Points!"
Option 2:
if you prefer to give back your Westin Princeville ownership toward the 3 Star Elite level, it will look as follows:
The current list price of 162,000 StarOptions is $63,990 plus $1,890 closing costs.
We will transfer $19,600 from your current ownership leaving an difference of $44,390.
Because of the price point, we will offer you an 15% discount leaving the balance at $37,732.
We will also offer an preferred rate of 10.99% on this acquisition if you do this upgrade.
This will give you an monthly of $542.97 over 10 years at 10.99%.
Maintenance fee is $3,112 plus the Membership dues of $195 to cover both packages of the StarOptions, as you’re basically going to have a deed for 2 packages of 81,000 StarOptions.
by proceeding now, we will give you 145,000 Bonvoy Points, which we will“double” to 290,000 Bonvoy Points if you let us know early next week on this, should this be your choice, to do the upgrade.
I will ask for approval to be able to give you the 2 Bonvoy Points Certificates to be able to purchase the Bonvoy Points of your choice, by December 15, 2020.
If you elect to convert all 162,000StarOptions into Bonvoy Points, you willreceive 252,720 Bonvoy Points.

Buy more if you want another 1500 annual maint fee at minimum. If you really wanted to deal with them. Tell them you’ll pay them 1k to bring the unit back into VSN and you don’t even want anymore options. Lol.
 
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