11200 HGVC points - EOY - Elara -- $1000 + closing costs. Good deal?

[CalGalTraveler]

@skepticalone If you book your home week, there is no booking fee. The $69 fee is if you trade in the HGVC points mini system club season for different room types or resorts.

 

[skepticalone]

@skepticalone If you book your home week, there is no booking fee. The $69 fee is if you trade in the HGVC points mini system.

Anything preventing HGVC from increasing this fee to $200 next year?

 

[CalGalTraveler]

Nothing to stop them but we have been in the system for 10 years and it has not increased significantly.

 

[dayooper]

That would be my plan. Looking for a TS that offers low MFs like the Elara and then would have access to the entire network with the points. I'm just skeptical at spending $5-$7K on this given the type of asset that it is

Those $69 booking fees are a bit annoying, given that you own the points

The fees don’t bother me. With what we paid upfront and MF’s, we can’t go on the trips we take with our ownership. We did Myrtle Beach this past month. We booked a 3 bedroom for 10 days and used about 17,000 of our points that amounts to roughly $1700. I always look at Hilton Hotels and that same trip would have cost us over $16,000 for those same 10 days. The $69 booking fee doesn’t bother me one bit.

 

[skepticalone]

The fees don’t bother me. With what we paid upfront and MF’s, we can’t go on the trips we take with our ownership. We did Myrtle Beach this past month. We booked a 3 bedroom for 10 days and used about 17,000 of our points that amounts to roughly $1700. I always look at Hilton Hotels and that same trip would have cost us over $16,000 for those same 10 days. The $69 booking fee doesn’t bother me one bit.

Or, you could have gotten a $199 timeshare package + gifts and added 7 more nights to it. Minus the presentation hassle, you'd have saved even more

 

[dayooper]

Or, you could have gotten a $199 timeshare package + gifts and added 7 more nights to it. Minus the presentation hassle, you'd have saved even more

Nope, no presentations for me.

 

[4TimeAway]

Or, you could have gotten a $199 timeshare package + gifts and added 7 more nights to it. Minus the presentation hassle, you'd have saved even more

We trap ourselves with getting the best deal and forget that vacations are a glorious way to waste money.

My way of looking at it is, $2,000 for a week in a 2-bedroom Timeshare at a place I want to go is worth it. For that kind of cost, the hotel options are not so great and as stated people spend 2-4x for something similar.

You’re also right there can be amazing deals on last minute on some of the exchanges, but you must be very flexible on timing. For us, the anticipation of the vacation is almost as powerful as the vacation itself.

At the Elara, I’d invest more for a higher floor unit. I think the premium you pay initially will be made up for in the fullness of time, but I have only stayed on the upper floors. Once as a TS Presentation offer, then for a weekend when traveling to the GC. I find the upper floors amazing. That said, the pool is a letdown, but we don’t usually use it anyway when we travel. I always say I’m going sit and do nothing…. Never seems to happen exactly like that. YMMV…


There are alternatives to buying... renting..
Red Week, SFX, afvclub (if you qualify), TUG, Koala, and many more.... I still prefer owning what we have, but buying more rights now seems harder to justify. It feels like the prices are coming down, but it might allow for buying premium weeks at insanely good prices. At some point, you just buy something, enjoy it, and move on.

 

[BingoBangoBongo]

That would be my plan. Looking for a TS that offers low MFs like the Elara and then would have access to the entire network with the points. I'm just skeptical at spending $5-$7K on this given the type of asset that it is

Those $69 booking fees are a bit annoying, given that you own the points

I've owned three EOY and one EY deed starting in late 2020. My stays started in April 2021 and since that time I have booked stays at eight different resorts for a total of 160 room nights. Some of these stays were with friends and family and ranged from a studio to three bedrooms. The average night has cost me $120 per night. I have two upcoming reservations in NYC for a total of 7 nights. With the current promo applied I am paying $147/night. One of the EOY deeds is bHC, so I can enroll in All Inclusive and don't pay any reservation fees. I wouldn't get hung up on the initial outlay if you expect to travel over a period of time that exceeds 5-10 years. If you understand the system and it fits you travel needs and budget, then you can find a good deal and start enjoying some great vacations.

 

[TimeshareTraveller]

Thanks for this. I don't own a timeshare and all this is making me rethink if I'd even take one for free lol

@skepticalone - Timeshares really shine when you purchase a week resale in a place that you love and return to. We own two that we constantly vacation in. One is a Massanutten mountain week that we purchased from the developer. We keep it as our 4BR unit and bring the entire family in for a summer holiday. We've only traded that one out to RCI four times in 25 years of ownership. We broke even on it over 10 years ago. The other is a fixed week at Myrtle Beach in a small beach front timeshare in one of my favorite spots and times of year that we purchased resale cheap. I broke even on it this year after 4 years of ownership. We'll probably go to that one every year also.

We own another jointly with my husband's brother and that one is traded in a lot and not a successful purchase. It was cheap to obtain, but my brother-in-law has no idea how to plan a vacation with a timeshare so it's a bust for them. I have it on my list because I'm likely taking it over to 'make it work.'

The reason why the closing costs have not been negotiable by your timeshare sales agent is that if HGVC steps in and takes over the purchase on the Right of First Refusal, then the owner would still be stuck paying the closing costs. By asking the Buyer to pay for closing, the Seller will not pay closing costs if HGVC steps into your shoes as the Buyer and takes the property for what you are willing to pay for it. In many of these timeshare brokers, the Owner actually paid the broker to take it off of their hands, so the Buyer's payment to the broker is pure profit. The broker won't want to pay closing costs and often the closing company is one of their agencies anyway.

 

[muscae]

Go to the main home page on HGVC after you log in. Click to go to the RCI Portal.

There are different ways to navigate, but look at the selector I have circled below, and change it to Last Call.

1BRs are $339, 2BRs are $379.

These are the last of the leftovers and last minute cancellations from RCI timeshare resorts. Don't expect anything in close to prime season, and be prepared to pay resort fees.

View attachment 97785

You can find RCI last calls available in Orlando 52 weeks per year. The quality is usually lower that a HGVC unit. For example, Club Seville is always or almost always available. $339 plus fees for one week in a 1BR. If you look, you could live in RCIs around the orlando perpetually. You'll have to move once in a while. But, they are available.

 

[curtheavyc]

Nope, no presentations for me.

I too am done with the presentations. A waste, always of 2-3 hours at the worst times and I always feel I've wasted significant time after one.

 

[curtheavyc]

I've owned three EOY and one EY deed starting in late 2020. My stays started in April 2021 and since that time I have booked stays at eight different resorts for a total of 160 room nights. Some of these stays were with friends and family and ranged from a studio to three bedrooms. The average night has cost me $120 per night. I have two upcoming reservations in NYC for a total of 7 nights. With the current promo applied I am paying $147/night. One of the EOY deeds is bHC, so I can enroll in All Inclusive and don't pay any reservation fees. I wouldn't get hung up on the initial outlay if you expect to travel over a period of time that exceeds 5-10 years. If you understand the system and it fits you travel needs and budget, then you can find a good deal and start enjoying some great vacations.

What are " the current promos"? Just curious if this is a presentation, RCI or a resale Owners thing? Haven't heard of it .
We currently have a Westin Desert Willow EOY and love the home location so it works great for us. Tried to get a second but prices are going up. Low inventory also.
I'd like to get an every year with with HGVC and be able to trade locations and have home base in Las Vegas because we have relatives that live there. Been trying to get another Westin

 

[curtheavyc]

We currently have a Westin Desert Willow EOY through Vistana and love the home location, so it works great for us.

I'd like to get an every year with with HGVC and be able to trade locations and have home base in Las Vegas because we have relatives that live there. but sounds like renting HGVC is tougher than my Vistana is. I have been trying to get another but prices are going up. Low inventory also.

Who uses about 7800 points on a yearly HGVC and has had great experience. Is it doable?

 

[skepticalone]

You can find RCI last calls available in Orlando 52 weeks per year. The quality is usually lower that a HGVC unit. For example, Club Seville is always or almost always available. $339 plus fees for one week in a 1BR. If you look, you could live in RCIs around the orlando perpetually. You'll have to move once in a while. But, they are available.

Do studios go for $199? Does anything go for $199 for a week or this is just a seller's lie?

 

[BingoBangoBongo]

What are " the current promos"? Just curious if this is a presentation, RCI or a resale Owners thing? Haven't heard of it .
We currently have a Westin Desert Willow EOY and love the home location so it works great for us. Tried to get a second but prices are going up. Low inventory also.
I'd like to get an every year with with HGVC and be able to trade locations and have home base in Las Vegas because we have relatives that live there. Been trying to get another Westin

New HGVC Discounts

New listing of HGVC discounts. I saved 4,620 bHC points by rebooking several days at The Quin in September. CALIFORNIA Grand Pacific Palisades Vacation Resort Book by September 11, 2024: 25% points discount for stays starting September 2, 2024, through December 19, 2024 Excluded dates...

tugbbs.com

See that thread and there are other similar ones through the past few years. 2-3 times a year HGVC offers 25%+ discounts to a few resorts. Generally slightly off or off season. I'd guess they do it to drive traffic for presentations, but one is not required as they are with packages that do. These discounts are available to all owners.