I completely agree. I also borrow every other year and never save/rescue to avoid the fee. I just do it in a way that is perfectly divisible :]
It also motivates you to plan ahead for vacations and take vacations regularly. I thoroughly enjoy the planning process and optimizing the math problem (if you all couldn't tell ha).
That's exactly it right there; regarding strategies it has jumped out that you basically want the whole-number-per-night-divisible point totals so as to not leave anything on the table. Sounds awesome, but now I'm seeing some different (close, but different) values of points that add some additional complication to the plan. Places like Kings Land, Trump Vegas, and New York will have, for example, points of 11,520 for some kind of 1BR, but other places have 11,200 for the 2 bed. SO close in terms of flexibility for intermixing things.
The other method is to be elite premier and then it is free to save, convert, book, etc.
Are these pre-Max statuses or post-Max statuses? I gather that Max has added it's own, but I haven't yet learned to differentiate between them. For me, I don't know that it will ever matter as I don't see myself working toward a status, but the more you know...
Elite Premier is part of the non-Max HGVC Legacy Elite program so either folks who were in HGVC before Max and have chose not to join it or new folks who only buy resale. They are classified by HGV as Legacy members. Legacy member that then join Max are HGV Max Legacy members, and new folks who buy retail are automatically in Max and labeled as HGV Max members.
You've kind of hit on my point with respect to strategy: as far as I can tell the Vegas properties you've listed are kidna the bees knees for MF to points maximization. For example, you end up with 7680 points for a 1 bed platinum at a pretty decent MF price. But the New York, Trump, and Kingsland (phase 1/3(?)) properties have this weird 'premium' tier that sites at 11,520 points for a 1 bedroom, which doesn't really divide all that nicely with the other options out there. Yes, you can do 7680 at Kingsland in platinum season for a 1 bed, but you'll be having your coffee next to the parking lot (this is the thing I bought and rescinded a week or so ago). Strategy-wise, it's hard to figure out a plan for points that doesn't leave extra points on the table once you start looking at exchanging into other properties if you are at 11,520. I'm still trying to figure that part out, and I don't know how borrowing works when it's every other year.
The "Kingsland issue" you've brought up a couple of times is annoying but not as much of a deal breaker as you might think.
If you own every even year, you won't be able to borrow from the old year (because you don't have any points to borrow). Personally, I don't like every other year contracts because of that reason. Now, if you have several deeds, then it doesn't matter.
It seems like you’re overthinking having extra points. If for some reason you end up with 400 points at the end of any year that would be about $40 left on the table. To your EOY question, while three of the four deeds I own are EOY’s, I wouldn‘t recommend that be your only deed, unless it’s a sizable one (15,000 points+). To me a great combo involves at least an 11,000 point EY deed and maybe supplement it with an EOY deed.
what's CONUS?
The military term for the contiguous 48 states.
Definitely this. We're in the midst of something like 10 trips in 2 months (a couple are driving). Just retired and the floodgates opened,
It was on the HGVMax tier levels initially (prior to implementation) but I don't see it on the current implemented program. The cost to purchase points was astronomical.
I have to agree. My wife and daughter want to go to W57 in NYC for a week every summer (gold season). If that's the pattern of usage, then a gold 1BR+ or 1BR PH deed is about $20k less than the same in Platinum. For the point differential, making up those costs by a better points/MF ratio would take forever.
It's not a pipe dream as long as you are willing to book as soon as allowed, 276 days before check out. 50k points is a huge amount to buy in at. Waikoloa is easy to get, some of the lower point units in Waikiki have greater demand.
but a STP Plat is cheaper still, has lower MFs, and still gives you more than a week per year in a 1 BR in gold season (albeit not a plus or penthouse unit).
