Best Bang for the Buck!

[Carolyn]

Thought I would start a thread about the quality of a timeshare vs. the maintenance fee. I am particularly interested in those owners who feel their timeshare is not only a great place to stay but is also a good trader PLUS their maintenance fee is reasonable. I will start by saying my 1 BR Dikhololo is still a good trader (not great) for the mf (app $250). Of course I have never been there in person I even traded it for a 2BR Windjammer Landing in the wee hours of the morning a few years ago. It was a Sept. week and we even were upgraded to the Hibiscus Suites!! We did have some rain but not too bad. Anyone else...........?????

 

[rickandcindy23]

I don't really have a lot of bargain maintenance fees. Sheraton Broadway Plantation used to seem pretty reasonable, but now it's not at all true, and goodness knows what will happen in 2011.

Val Chatelle is a good value for a low maintenance fee, but it's Colorado summer and affiliated with RCI, so it doesn't trade all that well now, because RCI is RCI. The fees are $500 for a summer week and the units sleep 8 privately with the loft as a 3rd bedroom with twin beds.

Our newest purchase is a week in Myrtle Beach (new purchase, thanks to krmlaw's advice to buy there), and we are wondering if fees could go up next year, because the units have MF's of like $630 for a 3 bed lockoff. That's crazy low, so I expect an increase. Those two sides of the lockoff happen to trade very well. Might not last, either, because again, RCI is RCI.

Blue Ridge Villas has fees of $570 for 2010 and traded into Four Seasons Aviara through II. You cannot ask for more than that. We paid a SA of $570 this year, because they are upgrading the units, and I am okay with it, because hey, we get FSA.

Cannot say enough about II. They really treat our deposits well and give us back better value than we gave. I appreciate that as a person who watches daily for the good stufff.

None of our weeks are bargains, but we love all of them, even though we MUST get rid of some. It was all great while it lasted with RCI, but I am ready to move on and use II more, RCI less, and our SBP and SDO lockoffs will be great for some bargain exchanges, two-for-one.

 

[dundey]

I agree with your comments on II.
Never used them much, but I have 2 weeks that trade through both RCI & II and this year II is out doing what we can get at RCI in a BIG way. Just traded for great ski week in feb, in NH. RCI will never get those 2 weeks again, even though one is VRI affiliated.

On and the exchange fee at II is what, $4o less than RCI.

Now if I can only find a decent trading company for my 2 So Africa weeks, my RCI membership will expire! I want out! (of RCI weeks at least)

 

[JDF]

"Blindly" purchased my first timeshare in 2006, to see what timesharing was all about, so I'm pretty much a newby. MFs are 319 (smaller 2 bd. 1070') up in 4 yrs. from 310. Carries IIs highest rating (gold). We really like the resort, so used it the first 3 yrs. With exchange fee my total cost is 458.00 or 65.00/night. Exchanged the 2010 week for escapes to the gulf at Galveston (2 bd lock-off) 2/5-2/12. (IIs getaway price for the week was 812.00) Exchanged the 2011 week for Marriots Grand Chateau (2 bd. lock-off) 1/9-1/16 ( IIs getaway price is 797.00)
I would guess the exchange value is probably average, but it works well for us snowbirds. The low stable mfs are the result of being a sold out, board controlled resort, with a local independent manager. In my opinion, this type management stucture represents the best "value" for timeshares.

 

[dundey]

What resort is it JDF?

 

[Carolyn]

I guess it must be a secret

 

[Talent312]

What resort is it JDF?

AFAIK... "JDF" is an acronym for "Jamaican Defense Force"

 

[Rent_Share]

What resort is it JDF?

Kinda of like asking publically what your "Tiger Trader" is. Once posted and "deposited" it's majic kinda dispapears

 

[dundey]

Kinda of like asking publically what your "Tiger Trader" is. Once posted and "deposited" it's majic kinda dispapears

What can be gained, or lost by not revealing the resort? He was talking about low m/f not some magical trader. The statement was: "I would guess the exchange value is probably average".
I would think if the m/f are low posting the name would make sense since it will help the resort continue to be sold out in the future.

Personally the whole "tiger trader" concept is bogus anyway, and will disappear with RCI's new system. Everyone will know the rating of the resort.

 

[weh8625]

Interval Exchanges

RickandCindy,
Do you have better luck with Interval requesting or depositing first?

I just made my first exchange request last week for March, 2011 as a request first, and I'm eagerly awaiting results.

Thanks.

 

[Sebastopolskippy]

Interval Exchanges

It was a few years ago, (2005 or 2006) but I deposited 2 weeks with Interval at David Walleys resort in South Lake Tahoe, then I requested 2 weeks in Hawaii that were 2 bedroom and were back to back in the summer and I got them in a reasonable amount of time. We traded into a 2 BR at Hanalie Bay on Kauai and a 2 Bedroom at the Kona Coast resort.

 

[dmbrand]

AFAIK... "JDF" is an acronym for "Jamaican Defense Force"

Ha ha ha ha....read this in the TUG newsletter! Made for a good laugh.:rofl:

 

[mlnuwer]

Thought I would start a thread about the quality of a timeshare vs. the maintenance fee. I am particularly interested in those owners who feel their timeshare is not only a great place to stay but is also a good trader PLUS their maintenance fee is reasonable. I will start by saying my 1 BR Dikhololo is still a good trader (not great) for the mf (app $250). Of course I have never been there in person I even traded it for a 2BR Windjammer Landing in the wee hours of the morning a few years ago. It was a Sept. week and we even were upgraded to the Hibiscus Suites!! We did have some rain but not too bad. Anyone else...........?????

I am not sure what you feel is reasonable but I strongly endorse Lawrence Welk Resort in Escondido, Ca. The trading power is absolutely outstanding. I have done over 150 trades since I purchased our first week and I aways get what I want. As for maintenance, the current one is about $757. All weeks here are red. Last fall I purchased my 3rd one here for $1300, no closing costs. I have been to a lot of resorts and this one is about as perfect a place to spend or trade a week. The new phase is on points but the original units are much bigger and fixed time.

 

[mlnuwer]

RickandCindy,
Do you have better luck with Interval requesting or depositing first?

I just made my first exchange request last week for March, 2011 as a request first, and I'm eagerly awaiting results.

Thanks.

I have traded over 159 times with Both RCI and II. I always deposit first so I am not sure about the trades when you request first. II is less expensive and I have no trouble getting what I want. II has a better level of resorts, i.e, Marriott, etc. than RCI although I did get a week in SFO at the Hyatt Regency in Union Square this year but they told me it is just a hotel and not a timeshare. I do not know what they had going to include such properties. I am leaving RCI for II because I believe RCI gouges people with fees and their method of rating and trading sucks!

 

[Goofyhobbie]

Based on my experience over the last twelve months the biggest "Bang for my Buck" has turned out to be a combination ownership.

I own a 2-BR Fixed Week Unit (Mid-Summer Week) at New Bern, NC. When we bought it prior to construction in 1985 the "Sunk Cost" was $7,700. To that number I have added the finance cost of roughly $1,300 for a total "Sunk Cost" of $9,000.

Since we have owned it for 25 years and never not used it ourselves or exchanged it, my allocation for "Sunk Cost" of $360 for 2009 is reasonable.

I use the Unit as a Good Trader. My 2009 Maintenance Fee was $520.

The 2009 Unit was originally deposited with RCI in early 2008 and has retained it's good trading power.

Since it has good trading power, I use it regularly to confirm that inventory exist at the RCI Web Site and periodically report same at the Sightings Forum here on TUG. Periodically, I would see 2-BR Units that I felt met my needs. When that happened, I contacted RCI by phone and requested that one of my 28K Wyndham deposits be used to acquire the sighted Unit.

Naturally, I was not always successful, because the RCI VC would say my
28K Wyndham deposit could not exchange for the desired Unit.

There are a lot of varying reasons why a VC might say that my 28K deposit would not pull the desired Unit; but I was successful enough to get twelve Exchanges for 2-BR Units between August, 2009 and August 2010 with all but two (Wyndham Bonnet Creek) located Ocean Front in Florida or near Ocean Front in Hilton Head, SC.

We travel to Florida beaches in November, December, February and March and to Hilton Head, Island in August and September. So I guess you could argue that I use a lot of light shaded or shoulder RED Weeks; but all of the Resorts obtained would have rated 7.5 to 9.5 on TUG.

Those particular 336,000 points (12 x 28K =s 336,000) cost me .003629 cents per point including closing costs and other associated fees. The Sunk Cost for the 336K came to $1,219 in cash.

After amortizing that "Sunk Cost" over 25 years my "Sunk Cost" for the 12 month period and therefore my "Sunk Cost" attributed to the Exchanges was $49.00 total.

So, I figure my "Bang For The Buck" over a 12 month period broke down as follows:

Allocated "Sunk Cost" for the "Trader" to Search against: 360.00
Allocated Maintenance Fee Cost for the "Trader" in 2009: 520.00
Allocated "Sunk Cost" for the "Wyndham Points" (336K): 49.00
Allocated Wyndham Assessment (Maintenance) Fee on Points: 1,536.00
---------
$2,465.00

To the above number, I will add $189 per exchange x 12: 2,268.00

Since I have not actually exchanged my "Trader" I will
also include the eventual Exchange Fee for the 13th Exchange: 179.00
--------
Grand Total: $4,912.00

Obviously, if you take out the cost of acquistion and just focused on the
Maintenance Assessments and Exchange Fees the Grand Total drops
significantly to $4,503. However, I think it is appropriate to consider some allocation for "Sunk Cost."

13 Weeks in 2-BR Units in excellent locations
with most being Gold Crown Units. ($4,912 / 13) =s $378.00

Breaking that number down per night ($4,912 / 91) =s $54.00

All things considered I currently believe that buying Wyndham Points in the resale market and using those points to make RCI Exchanges provides an
Excellent "Bang For My Buck."

Overtime, my maintenance fee cost will go up as will my Exchange Fees; but given the alternative of Hotel Room cost vs. the cost of 2-BR well appointed Condos I sincerely believe that I am getting a great value.

 

[shar]

We own timeshares in two different places that I think have great "bang for the buck". Both are in complexes at the beach with weeks in prime summer season, have about 50% ownership of condos that are 100% owned and 50% TS. Both are managed by an independent management company. Neither is gold crown, but we have exchanged into gold crown. Both are one bedrooms and most of the time we exchange into one bedrooms, but we have obtained exchanges such as this past summer for a three bedroom at North Village in Orange Lake Florida. Although not gold crown both reosrts are kept up and furniture changed every several years. We have been able to exchange for gold crowns in the past. I think the key is that there is not much inventory as many people use the weeks they own themselves or rent them out through the independent managment company. We use and trade depending upon the year. Curious? Seatime in Ocean City, Md $380 and A Place at the Beach III in Atlantic Beach,N.C. $430. Hoping that RCI's new trading plan does not reduce the great trades that we have obtained.

Shar

 

[Rent_Share]

What can be gained, or lost by not revealing the resort? He was talking about low m/f not some magical trader.

I am particularly interested in those owners who feel their timeshare is not only a great place to stay but is also a good trader PLUS their maintenance fee is reasonable

As the thread evolved the trade power i the focus

 

[d2r4s]

Good Time Shares

That may be what we all look for; of the 7 time share companies and 20 weeks which I own it would seem the best bargen is Paradise Village in Nuevo Vallarta, Mx. We have the ability to stay any time of year in a studio up to a 2 bedroom and with a ocean or marina view depending on the time of year. Our maintences fee is $395 dollars and it trades very well in II which I have done from time to time. I put in a studio last time and traded for a 2 bedroom in a good resort in Scottsdale.