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Add Points to Existing Account?

U

Unicornhouse

newbie
Joined
Jan 27, 2019
Messages
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Resorts Owned
Contemplating HGVC for the flexibility in destinations.
Hi there - new person here. I walked away from 2200 points in Orlando for $9000 at a presentation, knowing it wasn't on par with what I see here or on resale sites..I'm now scouting the web for deals.

Is it possible to buy a small/cheap package (3500 points for equivalent or less in $$), and then go back for more points later? I also did a presentation on 2017 in NYC (I wound up in Orlando on a second chance presentation) and I think they suggested it was possible, but my memory is fading. Or do you sell the small package and buy a bigger one?

Any help for this newbie is appreciated. Thank you!
 
Yes, points can be added. However, the maintenance fees you pay are per-contract, so two smaller contracts would, typically, have higher MFs than one larger one.

Cheers.
 
Unicornhouse said:
Hi there - new person here. I walked away from 2200 points in Orlando for $9000 at a presentation, knowing it wasn't on par with what I see here or on resale sites..I'm now scouting the web for deals.

Is it possible to buy a small/cheap package (3500 points for equivalent or less in $$), and then go back for more points later? I also did a presentation on 2017 in NYC (I wound up in Orlando on a second chance presentation) and I think they suggested it was possible, but my memory is fading. Or do you sell the small package and buy a bigger one?

Any help for this newbie is appreciated. Thank you!
Click to expand...
You can get 3500 points for free. I started with a 3400 point week for free, learned the system, gave it away and then got what I would use.

If you keep the original one and get a second one you will have a second maintenance fee. Sometime this scenario works. I have an affiliate week in Marco Island that is worth 3500 points which I use more then half the time. I want the guarantee of having this week to use so I kept it and acquired additional weeks.
 
If you bought two low-point TS's, you'd pay far too much in MF$ per point.
BTW, MF's are assessed on each TS, based on it's size, not it's season.
IOW, Platinum in any size will get you more points/unit than other seasons.
I'd buy a mid- to high-point unit, and later add another only if you need it.
.
 
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You can buy a 7,000 point contract for less than the $9,000 you were prepared to pay for 2,200 points. Buying 7,000 points now instead of adding on later means paying less in fees as HGVC has some pretty high activation fees per contract.
 
RX8 said:
You can buy a 7,000 point contract for less than the $9,000 you were prepared to pay for 2,200 points. Buying 7,000 points now instead of adding on later means paying less in fees as HGVC has some pretty high activation fees per contract.
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This. The HGVC transfer fee this year is $409 and potential activation fee of $609 (not sure if this is the correct amount, last year it was $599). You can get a 4800 point platinum 1 bedroom for around $4000 or, if buy right, even less. The 7000 point contract @RX8 mentions above is your best deal, though.

Edited for better accuracy
 
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GT75 said:
Where did you see that fee posted?
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I’ve seen it on several listings. They list the $409 transfer and the $609 enrollment fee. I guess I should edit it to say potential $609 fee.
 
Panina said:
You can get 3500 points for free. I started with a 3400 point week for free, learned the system, gave it away and then got what I would use.

If you keep the original one and get a second one you will have a second maintenance fee. Sometime this scenario works. I have an affiliate week in Marco Island that is worth 3500 points which I use more then half the time. I want the guarantee of having this week to use so I kept it and acquired additional weeks.
Click to expand...

3400 for free?? I like free!
 
3400 and free sounds great but a word of caution. you can't get much with those points and you may find yourself looking for additional points and now you have 2 MFs to pay lol

If you were willing to spend $9000 for 2000 pts then look at 7000 plat pts a year. Do your research and don't rush on a buy!

Good luck!
 
Okay, so my plan should be one HGVC membership, and try to get a higher point value. I was surprised by the similar "maintenance fees" across resale contracts (I'm used to pricing per square foot in my Canadian condo context) - smaller holders wind up subsidizing the use.

We're a young-ish family so I don't think I can go as big as my dreams would like. I saw a post from someone recently about holding out for place, points, and price point desired. That'll be the plan.

(Plan I think is to find a big points week at a location we can tolerate [EDIT: better maintenance fees], we'd likely change up vacation location every year/two/whatever, based on points accrued and desire that year. Big week in Hawaii, nice long weekend in NYC or Chicago as for sure plans.)
 
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Do some Research on HGV as the points can be used anywhere. Buying in Hawaii mean more $ and a higher MF, buying in vegas will be cheaper as well as MF will be lower.

5000 pts in vegas you can get for a few thousand and decent MF or 7000 pts will cost you a bit more and similar MF as the 5000 pts.

Lots to learn, so I would recommend reading the threads on here.

I joined in April and bought in Nov on my third try as Hilton exercised ROFR on 2 of them.
 
Unicornhouse said:
3400 for free?? I like free!
Click to expand...
They pop up occasionally here on tug in the bargain section, on the tug marketplace and eBay (very important to know the seller is legit).

If you go with anything under 7000 points I would suggest getting something you would actually use 1/2 the time.

For example. I got a week 50 fixed week at the hgvc affiliate Surf club for free from a fellow tugger who had it listed in the bargain section. It is worth 3500 points. I plan to actually use it most of the time and when I can’t I enrolled it in hgvc so I can deposit it and use the points within the hgvc system.

Another example I got was on eBay, it was a fixed New Years week worth 4800 points at another affiliate Plantation Beach Club at Indian River. It was free plus I got one year of mf included. Again this is a week I will use most times.

For points I will use within the hgvc system for other resorts I purchased an 8400 point week at Anderson as their maintenance fee to point cost was reasonable.

Important to figure out what you really want. A free bargain is only a bargain if it works for you.
 
Panina said:
They pop up occasionally here on tug in the bargain section, on the tug marketplace and eBay (very important to know the seller is legit).

If you go with anything under 7000 points I would suggest getting something you would actually use 1/2 the time.

For example. I got a week 50 fixed week at the hgvc affiliate Surf club for free from a fellow tugger who had it listed in the bargain section. It is worth 3500 points. I plan to actually use it most of the time and when I can’t I enrolled it in hgvc so I can deposit it and use the points within the hgvc system.

Another example I got was on eBay, it was a fixed New Years week worth 4800 points at another affiliate Plantation Beach Club at Indian River. It was free plus I got one year of mf included. Again this is a week I will use most times.

For points I will use within the hgvc system for other resorts I purchased an 8400 point week at Anderson as their maintenance fee to point cost was reasonable.

Important to figure out what you really want. A free bargain is only a bargain if it works for you.
Click to expand...

That's a smart strategy, @Panina - I have lots of research to do to get more specific on destination desires (we have really enjoyed Orlando, but enough to make it a thing?).
 
A friend of mine has a nice portfolio of timeshares. I asked him if he bought any from a developer and he said he bought them all very cheaply in 2009. He said wait for the next recession and "people give them away". Don't know how true this really is.
 
MikeinSoCal said:
A friend of mine has a nice portfolio of timeshares. I asked him if he bought any from a developer and he said he bought them all very cheaply in 2009. He said wait for the next recession and "people give them away". Don't know how true this really is.
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I think resale prices accelerated their downward trajectory in '08-'09 due to the recession, but honestly I think prices have been on a continual downward trend since then. Even in 2009, you had to do some searching to get Platinum weeks for $1/point. Now, you can get Platinum with good MF/point ratio for much less. I recently purchased a Platinum 12,400 point package at Valdoro (two 6200 point 1BR Plus weeks), including a fixed ski week(!) for $0.52/point.

Bottom line: I don't think you need to wait for another recession to get a great deal on a quality Platinum HGVC deed. Prices today are lower than during the last recession.

Kurt
 
PigsDad said:
I think resale prices accelerated their downward trajectory in '08-'09 due to the recession, but honestly I think prices have been on a continual downward trend since then. Even in 2009, you had to do some searching to get Platinum weeks for $1/point. Now, you can get Platinum with good MF/point ratio for much less. I recently purchased a Platinum 12,400 point package at Valdoro (two 6200 point 1BR Plus weeks), including a fixed ski week(!) for $0.52/point.

Bottom line: I don't think you need to wait for another recession to get a great deal on a quality Platinum HGVC deed. Prices today are lower than during the last recession.

Kurt
Click to expand...
I got a couple of EXTREMELY cheap properties (not HGVC) in 2008'ish. They clearly have gone up in price, not crazy high but more than I paid for them. Was going to add some HGVC properties (NOT from developer) this year but when I was told my points couldn't be used at my home property in NYC (HCNYC) I won't spend a penny with HGVC but that's another story. The TS industry is unfortunately full of ripoffs so be careful.
 
Nomad420 said:
I got a couple of EXTREMELY cheap properties (not HGVC) in 2008'ish. They clearly have gone up in price, not crazy high but more than I paid for them.
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My comments (and this thread) is regarding HGVC, and I will stand by my statement that HGVC prices have dropped, not risen, since 2008. Other timeshares obviously have a different track record.

Kurt
 
PigsDad said:
My comments (and this thread) is regarding HGVC, and I will stand by my statement that HGVC prices have dropped, not risen, since 2008. Other timeshares obviously have a different track record.

Kurt
Click to expand...
Agree, since I have been back to Tug (2015) HGVC prices have dropped giving me the opportunity to get what I want at prices that even if they go down I am ok with. Watching and having patience for the price you know is good, that has a chance of passing HGVC and immediately moving on it gets the best prices.
 
PigsDad said:
My comments (and this thread) is regarding HGVC, and I will stand by my statement that HGVC prices have dropped, not risen, since 2008. Other timeshares obviously have a different track record.

Kurt
Click to expand...
I was mostly referring back to the comment by MikeinSoCal that seemed to be more open ended and not just referring to HGVC properties. I have only been involved with HGVC for about 3.5 years so I admittedly don't have the data to say how HGVC pricing has gone since 2008 in the after market but I am sure it exists. In 2008 I bought property in Utah that the owner was basically giving away prior to defaulting. It was horrible then, you could go to the court house in
Salt Lake and buy TS's for back taxes owed.

To stay on topic with this thread I would again say be careful about adding points to your account. As I learned the hard way "points is points" is NOT always true.
 
Hsahota1 said:
Join Tug as well. It's $15. You will save lots and gain some great knowledge...
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It's also cheap entertainment (which will keep you off the streets).

.
 
No courthouses for me in Ontario. This has all been super-helpful. Thank you all for your points and tips. We'll have another family conversation tonight and will start browsing around!
 
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