[ 2011 ] Welks Resort Timeshare Help PLEASE!!

[nhernan1986]

Hello everyone. My wife and I just bought a timeshare from then on Friday and are panicking a bit. Truthfully we were unprepared because we knew nothing about timeshares prior to our meeting. We are committed vacationers (both 25 and I'm leaving the US Navy in October to move back to Florida). DID WE MAKE A MISTAKE?? We are still within our rescinding period of 7 days as stated in our contract. Here is what we were offered...

1br Villa 180,000 points value for total purchase price of 17,000. (1st offer was at 24,000). The interest was ridiculous at 14.9% and was non-negotiable. Payments are 250 on a 10yr loan which we plan on paying off in 3yrs to save. In addition, they told us that if we didn't stay at the Welk Resort that we would get 3 weeks of vacation time per year as an incentive...

Questions:
*Is this a good timeshare to buy?
*Did we pay too much?
*We are not concerned much with staying at Welk resorts, we are really interested in traveling worldwide so how useful is this amount of points?

Thank you so much for your help!!

 

[DeniseM]

You should absolutely rescind - you can buy the same thing for 75%-90% less on the resale market.

Here are some Welk resales on ebay, starting at $1 - http://realestate.shop.ebay.com/i.h...kw=&_osacat=15897&_trksid=p3286.c0.m270.l1313

The last 2 weeks that sold went for $425 and $750 (one for $2,000 got zero bids) - http://completed.shop.ebay.com/Time..._dmpt=Timeshares&_fln=1&_trksid=p3286.c0.m283

Here is an article about rescinding - it was written for a different resort, but everything else applies to you - http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=74493

 

[Passepartout]

Time's a wasting. Rescind asap. You can buy what they are selling for pennies on the dollar.

If you are still interested in TS, after you catch your breath and have your money back, come back. Folks here will REALLY show you how to be dedicated vacationers.

But first things first. Do exactly what your contract states to rescind. If it says US Mail, don't sent the letter Fed-Ex. You don't have to say anything fancy. 'I hereby exercise my right under law to rescind contract #xxxx effective 8/22/2011' Or words to that effect.

Oh, to answer your question, I think there are better point systems. Why would you want to have a 'home resort' and pay extra to exchange when you live in Florida? TUG wisdom is 'buy where you want to vacation at least 1/2 or more of the time.'

Good Luck!

Jim Ricks

 

[nhernan1986]

Thanks a lot for the responses. I'll cancel tomorrow. We will absolutely (my wife and I) be coming on here to learn more about timeshares and which one will suite us best. We are definitely committed vacationers. So final questions are do timeshares truly save money on vacationing or could I do just as well with planning them personally?? Also what type of timeshare would you recommend we look into? This website is great and we really appreciate the responses!

 

[Passepartout]

So final questions: do timeshares truly save money on vacationing or could I do just as well with planning them personally?? Also what type of timeshare would you recommend we look into?

You can certainly vacation cheaper by driving out of town and rolling out a sleeping bag. But if you like space to stretch out with 1-2-3 bedrooms, washer/dryer, pools, activities, etc. for something akin to what you'd spend for a week at a middle-of-the line hotel room, owning time in a TS resort and pre-paying for your vacations makes some sense.

Far be it from me to suggest what is right for you. It depends on how many of you there are? How much time can you vacation? Are there kids- so that you are tied to a school schedule? You say you are leaving the Navy (Thank You for your service!), do you have work lined out that will provide you both disposable income and time to vacation?

Right now, timeshares are literally a dime a dozen. Look on eBay. Those $1 TS with no bids are for real. There are some gems there, but many aren't worth the asking price. And remember, someone did what we saved you from and paid a developer thousands or 10's of thousands for every one of those. While right now, TS are easy to buy, the maintenance fees go on forever, increase every year, and are usually payable in a fairly large lump sum just after Christmas.

I'd say, stick around TUG for a while. Rent some TS weeks. Attend a couple of 'owner updates' (sales presentations). By then you'll be fully indoctrinated to the mantra of 'only buy resale'.

Pretty soon, you will begin to see what works for you and some nice little TS will appear from the Marketplace, or eBay, and you'll want to make it your own. And the sleeping bags that you vacationed in can take their place in the garage.

Jim

 

[mjm1]

Welk is a quality system, but I would recommend buying resale. Please note that the Welk units typically sold on eBay are not in their Platinum Points program, but are very good and can be traded very well in Interval International. Glad to hear you are cancelling, especially since you are new to timesharing. Do a lot of research and find the resort and/or systemt that works best for you. You will enjoy many many years of fun vacations. One thing we learned after buying our first one, which was before kids, is buy something that provides flexibility as your family grows. Good luck.

 

[cwn]

Welk/ new to BBS / invite advice

I am new to the BBS but not new to TS, so glad I found you all!

I have read a few threads about Welk, and Welk Platinum Points because I have been looking at resales, and you are right, there are some for very low (all the way to very high). I am reading up on the platinum points and trying to decide if it is better to purchase that instead of weeks.

I notice so many on here own several TS and although I can find some great resale deals, my concern is having thousands of dollars every year in maintenance fees. Some are reasonable around 500, while others are over 1000 at properties I really like. (Marriot is high...)

I need to learn more abut trading power as well. The person selling the Welk Points said they can trade 120,000. (which I found to be the lowest points at Welk and only enough for one week in a one bedroom- trade on II for 2 bedrooms + and get two separate 6 weeks for the points. I find that hard to believe. At what kind of resort would they trade the value of one week for 12 weeks?? (if it's too good to Be true, it probably is)

I only have experience trading weeks, I have not worked with points.

I would like feedback on this please. I would use the TS to stay and to trade if I purchase it. The fees are a bit higher than I like. I am also looking at Marriott which of course as really high fees.

The Welk seems to be valuable as far as trading power...

Thanks!!
cwn

 

[cwn]

I am new here and looking at Welk on resale. So glad you got on here and got good advice!

 

[zcrider]

Where you want to buy is as different as what kind of food is best...depends on your tastes. IMO one the best ones to own if you mostly want to trade and rarely go the same place twice is World Mark points b/c they trade high for not too many points and the MF's are very reasonable. This system also gives you axcess to both II and RCI. Once you own one timeshare you can buy "getaway" weeks from these two exchange companies for great prices (often less then the MF of owning the week and with no upfront cost either)! so use them and try many places, then if you have a favorite later and you want that one resort with ocean front view that high demand summer week you can look for it and buy it. But from what I hear you saying you want to see the world....so I would start my search in the World Mark system. It is one of the best for what you want to do, you can start off with a very low point package and low costs, do getaways and try lots of different resorts with out a huge comitment.
This is by no means the only system that is good for trading with, it is just one of the best in my opinion. I don't own it, but I wish I did for just that reason! Most of the world mark resorts are along the west coast, but that doesn't matter if you want to trade them in II or RCI anyway. They are not as posh as the Welk resorts, but they still give you very good trade power for lower maintance fees. So you will be exchanging into the same resorts for less money!

 

[cwn]

@ Mjm1, I see that you own in the Welk Platinum program, do you stay there often in Escondido? If so, how do you like it? I was also wondering how you like the points program, and if 120,000 points is enough to enjoy.
Thanks!

 

[mjm1]

Bottom line, we enjoy the points program. For background:

We switched to the points program in late 2009, and prior to that we had traded into the older section of the resort (the units have been remodeled) many years. We then bought a resale unit in 2000. Those are all 2 BR units with no lock-offs. Big and beautifully decorated units. We loved those units, but there were two downsides for us. They are fixed weeks, so if you want a different week, you have to trade via II or RCI (the resort has dual affiliation), or an independent. The other downside is they can't be locked off. Our kids are grown, so we are travelling by ourselves for the most part. We never stayed in the Villas on the Green, but have viewed them. The points program gives us more flexibility, including short stays if we want them. You can make reservations for a full week 15 months in advance, and for a partial week 4 months in advance. Partial weeks that include a holiday can be reserved 2 months in advance, which may put you in Villas on the Green rather than the Mountain Villas.

We have now stayed in the Moutain Villas twice. Once in the larger side (180,000 points) and once in the smaller side (120,000 points). I refer to the smaller side as such rather than a lock off because of the way it is set up. It actually has a small living area that includes a kitchen with a stove top, but no oven, a hide-a-bed, and dining table, with a high-def TV mounted on the wall. It also has a bedroom with a sliding door, I believe a queen sized bed, and TV. And of course a full bathroom. These units also have a small balcony. It is certainly enough space for two adults, and most likely two kids.

We stayed in the larger unit in early August and really enjoyed it. I completed a review on TUG with details. Nicely decorated with a large 1 BR.

The overall property is very well maintained. The only downside that I see to the property is if you want to be closer to the beach. But, other than The Hyatt Aviara in Carlsbad, I don't think you will find the same quality near the ocean. You can drive to the beach in Carlsbad in 30-35 minutes, so it isn't bad. It is close to the wine country in Temecula, and 40-45 minutes to San Diego for the zoo, Seaworld, etc. Plenty of golf courses in the North County area too.

We are planning a trip to the resort in Cabo for next year to experience that resort. However, it does require more points than the Escondido, Branson or Palm Springs resorts.

The quality of the Welk resorts is very good and I would say other than Palm Springs rivals Marriott, which we also own.

If you own 120,000 points, that equates to a 1 BR for trading purposes in II. Welk also currently has agreement with II that an owner will receive an accommodation certificate for another week if you deposit your week with them.

I haven't seen any resales on the platinum program points in quite some time, but that would certainly be a less expensive way to go.

I hope this helps. Glad to share any insights I can.

 

[cwn]

Thank you for your detailed reply! I haven't been to Welk in Escondido since they were under construction years ago. I do not own Marriott but love the quality and decor and have stayed in some. I would like to own in Palm Dessert or Newport, but I have to be careful of having more MF's than I can afford.

I travel with my two kids usually, but they are teens and not wanting to go as much. For cost reasons, I prefer close to home for now. I am looking at buying 120,000 points, and that would be about $800 /year - not sure if buying Marriot is better for just a few hundred more in MF. which has better trading power?

I am also considering Windham now that I have read a Few posts, because of trading power that I read about, I am looking into it where I had not considered it before. Maybe in Oceanside as a home resort.

I do like the beach. I stayed at all the Carlsbad TS by Monarch.

I really appreciate your input!

 

[cwn]

What do you think about the comments about World Mark? I haven't had much experience with them, but the description is about points being valuable for trading power.

Also, do you belong to both II and RCI?

 

[mjm1]

The Marriotts in the desert have lock-off units, but the Marriott Newport Coast is just dedicated 2 bedrooms. As far as trading power, you will definitely have higher trading power with a platinum week (red week) than the other seasons, but the cost to purchase is more. The Marriotts in the desert red weeks seem to sell on resale for $4,000 to 5,000 on eBay, whereas white weeks (June and Sept-early Dec) go for less than $1,000. However, the MFs are the same.

We have gotten very good trades out of both Welk and our Marriott. One advantage of Marriott is you have priority for trying to trade into another Marriott. You should read the threads on the changes at Marriott and their Destinations Club (points program) that started last year.

Generally speaking, most people recommend buying at a resort that you would use if trading were not an option.

Good luck.

 

[Liz Wolf-Spada]

We own Welk points (300,000) and did the points conversion in 2007 after owning the fixed week since 2000. We loved our older 2 bedroom unit, but we liked the flexibility of the point system. We can deposit 120,000 points in II and that equals a one bedroom, leaving us enough points to book a smaller one bedroom to trade or rent or use and an additional 60,000 points to use or roll over to the next year. They aren't selling that number of points now. It was so our two bedroom could also go for the 2 bedroom at the new Mountain Villas, because as a lock off that is 300,000 points. I like the Welk Mt. Villas and we stayed there for a few days in June. We haven't stayed at Villas on the Green. It has good trading power with II and SFX. However, there are point system with many, many more resorts than Welk. Keep studying.
Liz

 

[mjm1]

I agree with Liz that there are other point system that provide more resorts. We really like the San Diego resort and the Welk property in particular, so that is why we bought there.

I forgot to respond to your question about the exchange companies earlier. We only belong to II. We tried RCI many years ago, but prefer II because you can do a "request first" rather than only a deposit first approach.

As Liz mentioned, I would also recommend doing a lot of research on what you want and explore the various programs. With the economy the way it is now, prices shouldn't be going up any time soon.

 

[cwn]

Thanks! It is important for me not to get overly excited and take my time to research. I love Lagonita Lodge, it is like a second home for me and I have exchanged with Dial an Exchange for Hawaii twice. I uses bonus time and go there all year. The rooms are not Marriott quality but the location and place itself has become so much a part of my life and my kids growing up.

I already have MF there of close to 1000 with my two weeks. So I have to be careful.

There is someone selling 120,000 Welk points for next to nothing, but I can only get a one bedroom there with that, so I am not sure. Years ago when we went my whole family was bored. My husband doesn't golf- actually he doesn't travel much either! It's usually me and the kids, so I am stuck with August and Holidays for four more years.

I love the Marriotts in the dessert and Newport
and have found some great prices, still holding out because of the steep maintenance fees.

I could try exchanging in with my Big Bear week, but Marriott is tough from what I have been told.

Anyone exchangevwith Plainum and stayed in Ca at anywhere good? I love Laguna Shores, if you see anything there for less than 1000, let me know! It's not at all fancy, but works for me for a quick get-away.

What about Trading Places, ever used them?

I am really wanting a week at the beach and a week in the mountains instead of two mountains, but maybe I should just work on exchanging into the beach instead of buying for now.
This iPad is tough for typing long posts - please excuse typos!!
Open to thoughts…

 

[cwn]

I forgot to respond to your question about the exchange companies earlier. We only belong to II. We tried RCI many years ago, but prefer II because you can do a "request first" rather than…

I agree! Much better.

 

[Blueboyz79]

What are the benefits of owner multiple timeshares?

Bottom line, we enjoy the points program. For background:

We switched to the points program in late 2009, and prior to that we had traded into the older section of the resort (the units have been remodeled) many years. We then bought a resale unit in 2000. Those are all 2 BR units with no lock-offs. Big and beautifully decorated units. We loved those units, but there were two downsides for us. They are fixed weeks, so if you want a different week, you have to trade via II or RCI (the resort has dual affiliation), or an independent. The other downside is they can't be locked off. Our kids are grown, so we are travelling by ourselves for the most part. We never stayed in the Villas on the Green, but have viewed them. The points program gives us more flexibility, including short stays if we want them. You can make reservations for a full week 15 months in advance, and for a partial week 4 months in advance. Partial weeks that include a holiday can be reserved 2 months in advance, which may put you in Villas on the Green rather than the Mountain Villas.

We have now stayed in the Moutain Villas twice. Once in the larger side (180,000 points) and once in the smaller side (120,000 points). I refer to the smaller side as such rather than a lock off because of the way it is set up. It actually has a small living area that includes a kitchen with a stove top, but no oven, a hide-a-bed, and dining table, with a high-def TV mounted on the wall. It also has a bedroom with a sliding door, I believe a queen sized bed, and TV. And of course a full bathroom. These units also have a small balcony. It is certainly enough space for two adults, and most likely two kids.

We stayed in the larger unit in early August and really enjoyed it. I completed a review on TUG with details. Nicely decorated with a large 1 BR.

The overall property is very well maintained. The only downside that I see to the property is if you want to be closer to the beach. But, other than The Hyatt Aviara in Carlsbad, I don't think you will find the same quality near the ocean. You can drive to the beach in Carlsbad in 30-35 minutes, so it isn't bad. It is close to the wine country in Temecula, and 40-45 minutes to San Diego for the zoo, Seaworld, etc. Plenty of golf courses in the North County area too.

We are planning a trip to the resort in Cabo for next year to experience that resort. However, it does require more points than the Escondido, Branson or Palm Springs resorts.

The quality of the Welk resorts is very good and I would say other than Palm Springs rivals Marriott, which we also own.

If you own 120,000 points, that equates to a 1 BR for trading purposes in II. Welk also currently has agreement with II that an owner will receive an accommodation certificate for another week if you deposit your week with them.

I haven't seen any resales on the platinum program points in quite some time, but that would certainly be a less expensive way to go.

I hope this helps. Glad to share any insights I can.

I just bought a Welk Platinum. I see that you own one as well as many others. Why do many people own so many? Do you make profit from renting them out?

 

[mjm1]

I just bought a Welk Platinum. I see that you own one as well as many others. Why do many people own so many? Do you make profit from renting them out?

Welcome to TUG. You came to a great place to learn more about timesharing.

First, a couple of questions. Did you buy directly from Welk and if so, are you still within the rescission period (7 days)? If so, and you aren't sure this is right for you, you should seriously consider rescinding your purchase, do more research, and then buy into a system that works best for you. You can always buy directly from the developer or via resale.

We, like a lot of people, love the lifestyle of vacationing in timeshares. Over time we traded into various resorts and started to learn about the various systems. We sold the first two resorts we purchased and then started buying into systems that we liked based on vacations and learning from people here on TUG. Some people like a particular system (Marriott, HGVC, Disney, Starwood, Hyatt, Worldmark, Wyndam, etc) and buy a lot of weeks/points to get to an "elite" level that provides certain advantages. Others like to own time in the various systems that enable them to vacation in a variety of locations and systems. For instance, Marriott has over 50 resorts. HGVC has fewer locations and are concentrated in certain locatoins. Both are high quality. Each system has it's pro's and con's. Welk Resorts started in Escondido and has expanded to Palm Springs, Branson, Cabo San Lucas and Northstar near Lake Tahoe. They also bought land in Colorado and Poipu on Kauai. They haven't started building on the last two yet, but are starting to expand the resort at Northstar, which they bought from Hyatt. It is a good small system that most would consider to be a very good quality, but not as high quality as Marriott, HGVC, Starwood/Westin, Disney and maybe a couple others.

People buy timeshares for various reasons. Most use them for their personal vacations, but some buy them to rent them out for profit (hopefully, depending on supply and demand and the related rental rates they can get). Some people use them for a combination of personal use and renting them when they can't use a particular unit/time frame.

I think everyone would agree that timeshares should not be viewed as a traditional investment. It is really an investment in a lifestyle. That said, some people do make a good business out of buying and renting them out.

Timesharing can be addictive as well. Be careful and consider not only the initial cash outlay, but also the ongoing annual maintenance fees. They seem to increase each year.

I hope this information is helpful. Others will be able to chime in as well. Good luck and please let us know if you have other questions and what you decide to do with your ownership.

Best.

Mike

 

[Blueboyz79]

Welcome to TUG. You came to a great place to learn more about timesharing.

First, a couple of questions. Did you buy directly from Welk and if so, are you still within the rescission period (7 days)? If so, and you aren't sure this is right for you, you should seriously consider rescinding your purchase, do more research, and then buy into a system that works best for you. You can always buy directly from the developer or via resale.

We, like a lot of people, love the lifestyle of vacationing in timeshares. Over time we traded into various resorts and started to learn about the various systems. We sold the first two resorts we purchased and then started buying into systems that we liked based on vacations and learning from people here on TUG. Some people like a particular system (Marriott, HGVC, Disney, Starwood, Hyatt, Worldmark, Wyndam, etc) and buy a lot of weeks/points to get to an "elite" level that provides certain advantages. Others like to own time in the various systems that enable them to vacation in a variety of locations and systems. For instance, Marriott has over 50 resorts. HGVC has fewer locations and are concentrated in certain locatoins. Both are high quality. Each system has it's pro's and con's. Welk Resorts started in Escondido and has expanded to Palm Springs, Branson, Cabo San Lucas and Northstar near Lake Tahoe. They also bought land in Colorado and Poipu on Kauai. They haven't started building on the last two yet, but are starting to expand the resort at Northstar, which they bought from Hyatt. It is a good small system that most would consider to be a very good quality, but not as high quality as Marriott, HGVC, Starwood/Westin, Disney and maybe a couple others.

People buy timeshares for various reasons. Most use them for their personal vacations, but some buy them to rent them out for profit (hopefully, depending on supply and demand and the related rental rates they can get). Some people use them for a combination of personal use and renting them when they can't use a particular unit/time frame.

I think everyone would agree that timeshares should not be viewed as a traditional investment. It is really an investment in a lifestyle. That said, some people do make a good business out of buying and renting them out.

Timesharing can be addictive as well. Be careful and consider not only the initial cash outlay, but also the ongoing annual maintenance fees. They seem to increase each year.

I hope this information is helpful. Others will be able to chime in as well. Good luck and please let us know if you have other questions and what you decide to do with your ownership.

Best.

Mike

I bought in June 2014 and I already booked a trade for Marriot ko olina in Hawaii, I'm also booked for Las Vegas in December using the accommodation certificate and my wife a child has been using the day use pools throughout the summer.

I should have bought resale then just upgraded to more points through the developer to have day use.

But so what happens when you buy other resorts and don't use it? Is renting it out enough to cover your maintenance fees?

 

[mjm1]

I bought in June 2014 and I already booked a trade for Marriot ko olina in Hawaii, I'm also booked for Las Vegas in December using the accommodation certificate and my wife a child has been using the day use pools throughout the summer.

I should have bought resale then just upgraded to more points through the developer to have day use.

But so what happens when you buy other resorts and don't use it? Is renting it out enough to cover your maintenance fees?

Don't feel bad about purchasing directly from the developer. A lot of people even here on TUG started out that way, because we didn't know about TUG, or it didn't exist when we first started timesharing. The key now is to learn how to maximize the value of what you have. Sounds like you already got a good trade and made good use the AC that you received. That is a nice benefit of owning Welk. We have used them as well.

As far as owning and renting other resorts, it really depends. It really is supply and demand. If you get a good resort in a good location and a high demand time of year, yes, you can rent it for a profit and recover your purchase cost in a number of years. However, some people just hope to breakeven with their annual MFs. Check the rental and purchase costs on redweek.com to get an idea. But, don't forget, prices listed are the asking price. Even for those that sell or rent, you don't really know what the final price was.

 

[Blueboyz79]

Don't feel bad about purchasing directly from the developer. A lot of people even here on TUG started out that way, because we didn't know about TUG, or it didn't exist when we first started timesharing. The key now is to learn how to maximize the value of what you have. Sounds like you already got a good trade and made good use the AC that you received. That is a nice benefit of owning Welk. We have used them as well.

As far as owning and renting other resorts, it really depends. It really is supply and demand. If you get a good resort in a good location and a high demand time of year, yes, you can rent it for a profit and recover your purchase cost in a number of years. However, some people just hope to breakeven with their annual MFs. Check the rental and purchase costs on redweek.com to get an idea. But, don't forget, prices listed are the asking price. Even for those that sell or rent, you don't really know what the final price was.

I'm planning to buy Marriot Ko Olina or HGVC Lagoon Tower. But I'll have to do my research first.

Just called Welks. It seems like there is a big disadvantage buying resale.
It seems like there is a lot benefits retail buyers have vs resale buyers.
It's cheaper in the long run if you buy retail. You just have to use your negotiation prowess to drive the price down down down.

But I guess it really depends on the lifestyle of the person.

 

[mjm1]

I'm planning to buy Marriot Ko Olina or HGVC Lagoon Tower. But I'll have to do my research first.

Just called Welks. It seems like there is a big disadvantage buying resale.
It seems like there is a lot benefits retail buyers have vs resale buyers.
It's cheaper in the long run if you buy retail. You just have to use your negotiation prowess to drive the price down down down.

But I guess it really depends on the lifestyle of the person.

Sounds good.

We really liked Ko Olina so bought and EOY ocean view unit. We won't be able to enroll it in their DC point program, but we figured we would go there EOY, so it doesn't matter. It is a beautiful resort.

HGVC is very friendly to resale buyers. We have never stayed in HHV in Waikiki, but it is definitely a different feel being in the city. My understanding is you will have access to the entire HGVC system as a resale owner, which is a benefit if you want to try other HGVC resorts without going through an external exchange company.

There is definitely a lot of information about both systems here on TUG, so happy researching.

With regard to Welk, what did they say were the differences between buying points resale and directly from them?

Thanks.

Mike

 

[Blueboyz79]

Sounds good.

We really liked Ko Olina so bought and EOY ocean view unit. We won't be able to enroll it in their DC point program, but we figured we would go there EOY, so it doesn't matter. It is a beautiful resort.

HGVC is very friendly to resale buyers. We have never stayed in HHV in Waikiki, but it is definitely a different feel being in the city. My understanding is you will have access to the entire HGVC system as a resale owner, which is a benefit if you want to try other HGVC resorts without going through an external exchange company.

There is definitely a lot of information about both systems here on TUG, so happy researching.

With regard to Welk, what did they say were the differences between buying points resale and directly from them?

Thanks.

Mike

The one that's really big for me is the bonus nights. It's $199/night for a 2 bedroom no matter what week at the San Diego resort. This translates to 50% off during week 51 and 52. When a 2 bedroom is renting for $430/night.

Then there's the rental. Retail can rent out their points 18 months in advance as opposed to 15 months. That means I could rent out the Lake Tahoe resort 3 bedroom at $1500/night before fees during week 51 and 52. Since there not that very many 3 bedroom in Lake Tahoe. I would have a 3 month advantage of grabbing these rooms for myself to rent.

Lake Tahoe only has 2 studios available. Given the 18 month advantage as oppose to 15 months, I have a 3 month advantage of grabbing these room and renting them out for myself. Which is renting out at $470/night before fees during week 51 and 52.

Another benefit was Retail owners get a 10%, 20%, 25% discount in the points that we use. So, if a resale owner wants to get a 3 bedroom it would cost them 360,000 points. Where as a retail owner would only cost them 288,000 points with the 20% point discount.

For people that live in San Diego, Retail owners can also use the child care services at the resort while Mom and dad go to the spa. Retail basically has access to the facilities.

In summary, the representative said. Resale only gets the points but not the benefits.

In my opinion, it really depends on the lifestyle of the person. The biggest beneficiaries of Welk retail are owners who live in San Diego. The best way to get into the system would be to buy resale then upgrade through retail so that you would have country club access.