buying in Lugunamar

[ck1]

If I was thinking of buying a 2 bedroom platinum in Lagunamar would it be wise to try to buy a cheap resale in orlando (or anywhere)and have the staroptions requalified.

Sales also offered me 140,000 starpoints as well as the new options value.

CK1

 

[DeniseM]

If I was thinking of buying a 2 bedroom platinum in Lagunamar would it be wise to try to buy a cheap resale in orlando (or anywhere)and have the staroptions requalified.

Sales also offered me 140,000 starpoints as well as the new options value.

CK1

Depends - (I'm assuming you want a VV week for exchanging.) Just remember that exchanging isn't automatic and some exchanges are difficult. If you are very flexible about both when and where you go in the Starwood system, it's a good deal. But, if you aren't, then you should buy your resale at a resort that you can actually use. That way, if an exchange isn't available, you have a home resort that you want to visit, as well. If you can't make all the exchanges you want, would you be happy about staying at VV most of the time? If the answer is no, that means the years you can't make an exchange, you will then have to decide what to do with the week: deposit it with II? Rent it? Convert to Starpoints?

 

[ck1]

Actually I would be ok with VV. I have a small worldmark contract I could use for trading or last minute trips. My wife loves orlando. It sounds like VV is huge with alot of different areas. Which is the best for requalification?

Craig

 

[djp]

you would be better off if you are planning on a requal. buying at one of the "voluntary resorts". Cheap desert oasis weeks worth 81000 options can easily be had for $2500. Wheras a week at VV will be more than double, and all you are rewualifying is the starpoint and the elite status. If orlando is what you are wanting a week at Vistana (not villages) in the lakes or cascades section is the way to go for a requal as it will be much cheaper and when requalified will do all that a VV would do. While Denise knows more about the starwood system than me and many others here, I disagree with her as to the degree of difficulty in the starwood internal exchanges. I have had no problem getting Maui and Harborside in the summer, even July 4th. Did I have to wake up at the crack of dawn at 8 mos out? YES! Was it worth it ? YES!! Will that always work? I dont know. But with the number of great resorts in the pipeline I have no concern about always getting a good exchange with a little flexibility. JMO

 

[stevens397]

A pro is that they have apparently reassigned the number of StarOptions for the Cancun resort. It is now 148,100 like all the other top-of-the-line Starwood 2 bedroom lock-offs. They must have realized it was killing their sales.

In terms of your question, timing may be a significant problem. Purchasing a resale and getting it to closing can take months and months. Will the sales staff at Cancun be willing to guarantee you the sale until your resale is closed? Hard to imagine, but maybe they're really hard up.

Finally, altho there has been a major devaluation of Starpoints, 140,000 is a bunch. Is that all a sales bonus or are you having to pay the maintenance fee for a year or so before the units are built in order to get some of those points?

 

[ck1]

.
Finally, altho there has been a major devaluation of Starpoints, 140,000 is a bunch. Is that all a sales bonus or are you having to pay the maintenance fee for a year or so before the units are built in order to get some of those points?

That is all sales bonus points right now after I close. MF's start in 2008. I think they were $1000.

 

[vacationtime1]

If orlando is what you are wanting a week at Vistana (not villages) in the lakes or cascades section is the way to go for a requal as it will be much cheaper and when requalified will do all that a VV would do. JMO

A requalified Vistana Resort property (Lakes, Cascades, etc.) will do all that a Vistana Villages would do, but only for as long as you own it. When you eventually sell, a VR property will lose its requalification and become a voluntary property once again. So your sale price will reflect that (which is why a VV currently sells for more than a VR).

That said, I agree with djp's strategy to requalify a voluntary property rather than a mandatory property.

 

[duke]

That said, I agree with djp's strategy to requalify a voluntary property rather than a mandatory property.

I agree that for Requalification.......Voluntary is much better deal. However, you will do better with a Westin Mission Hills or Sheraton Mountain Vista as they have much higher StarOptions and StarPoints.

As well, they will get you higher in ELITE faster.

Duke

 

[DavidnRobin]

I would offer a different opinion (big surprise...).
Buy SVO Voluntary resale, and requal if you intend to get to 5* Elite - otherwise I would advise buying SVO Mandatory resale.
I have listed these reasons before (again IMO)

 

[ck1]

Do you think the sales person would wait for me to close on another resort before proceding?

Craig

 

[ral]

Reassignment of StarOptions for Lagunamar?

A pro is that they have apparently reassigned the number of StarOptions for the Cancun resort. It is now 148,100 like all the other top-of-the-line Starwood 2 bedroom lock-offs. They must have realized it was killing their sales.

In terms of your question, timing may be a significant problem. Purchasing a resale and getting it to closing can take months and months. Will the sales staff at Cancun be willing to guarantee you the sale until your resale is closed? Hard to imagine, but maybe they're really hard up.

Finally, altho there has been a major devaluation of Starpoints, 140,000 is a bunch. Is that all a sales bonus or are you having to pay the maintenance fee for a year or so before the units are built in order to get some of those points?

When did this reassignment occur? This is the first I have heard about it. The reason I did not purchase when they first started sales was because they were only offering 95,700 StarOptions vs. the 148,100 I was expecting for the two-bedroom lockout. The salesperson, after much research, could not come up with a logical reason. I wonder if this retroactively affects all those who purchased prior to the reassignmnet (If, indeed, there was a reassignment). Also, isn't Lagunamar a voluntary resort?

 

[ck1]

My salesperson told me that everyone that had already purchased was reasigned the the option value.

 

[BradC]

I just found the new StarOptions charts online on mystarcentral (dated 3/07), and it looks like there's another change as well. (I'd post the link, but it requires logon first.)

First, this does confirm the new values for Cancun.

Also, it looks like the 3br/lockoff in the new Amelia phase at Vistana Villages dropped from 139,700 (prime season) and 118,000 (high) StarOptions, to 125,000 and 104,100 respectively. Interstingly, the Vistana Villages - Key West phase 3br/lockoff units remained at the old values.

[EDITED TO UPDATE: looks like I was wrong -- upon further review, it appears the Key West and Amelia 3br StarOptions have always been different. Sorry, my mistake.]

That's the only other change I noticed.

 

[DavidnRobin]

Do you think the sales person would wait for me to close on another resort before proceding?

Craig

You want total control of the situation and should not show your hand too soon. If you intend to buy resale and then qualify with a SVO purchase - you would be better off just buying/closing/recording the resale deed with SVO Title - and THEN buy from SVO to requal. Paperwork alone for doing it this way is pretty involved (read the sticky - and read the link listed in the last post from duke (sorry about the length but I was having fun).

Added this complexity can end up burning you in a few ways - they need the resale docs in order to file the paperwork - so all you have is a promise - of which details would have to be well documented (read negma's post in same sticky - I used this text in order to make sure EVERYTHING was aligned - without 'say-so'. This is where other Tuggers have ended up (in their view) screwed by SVO [I say it this way because ome people take a TS Sales promise as a verbal contract - which does not exist by the terms of the contract]

Anyway... take your time - these TSs are not going anywhere - unless you just have to get pre-construction. Good Luck.

 

[grgs]

I'm at Westin Kierland this week, and I asked them about the increased units for Platinum at Cancun. They said they had just been informed about this at sales meeting that morning and confirmed that it was true. I let them know that it was already out on the "Internet" amongst timeshare owners (groupies?).

Glorian

 

[duke]

You want total control of the situation and should not show your hand too soon. If you intend to buy resale and then qualify with a SVO purchase - you would be better off just buying/closing/recording the resale deed with SVO Title - and THEN buy from SVO to requal. Paperwork alone for doing it this way is pretty involved (read the sticky - and read the link listed in the last post from duke (sorry about the length but I was having fun).

Added this complexity can end up burning you in a few ways - they need the resale docs in order to file the paperwork - so all you have is a promise - of which details would have to be well documented (read negma's post in same sticky - I used this text in order to make sure EVERYTHING was aligned - without 'say-so'. This is where other Tuggers have ended up (in their view) screwed by SVO [I say it this way because ome people take a TS Sales promise as a verbal contract - which does not exist by the terms of the contract]

Anyway... take your time - these TSs are not going anywhere - unless you just have to get pre-construction. Good Luck.

I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH DAVID!!

Please everyone reRead this post!!

DUKE

 

[ral]

New StarOptions Chart

I just found the new StarOptions charts online on mystarcentral (dated 3/07), and it looks like there's another change as well. (I'd post the link, but it requires logon first.)

First, this does confirm the new values for Cancun.

Also, it looks like the 3br/lockoff in the new Amelia phase at Vistana Villages dropped from 139,700 (prime season) and 118,000 (high) StarOptions, to 125,000 and 104,100 respectively. Interstingly, the Vistana Villages - Key West phase 3br/lockoff units remained at the old values.

[EDITED TO UPDATE: looks like I was wrong -- upon further review, it appears the Key West and Amelia 3br StarOptions have always been different. Sorry, my mistake.]

That's the only other change I noticed.

Any chance of forwarding the new StarOptions chart to the administrator in charge of the sticky? It would allow all readers to have up-to-date info on this important issue. Thanks.

 

[ral]

New StarOptions Chart

I just found the new StarOptions charts online on mystarcentral (dated 3/07), and it looks like there's another change as well. (I'd post the link, but it requires logon first.)

First, this does confirm the new values for Cancun.

Also, it looks like the 3br/lockoff in the new Amelia phase at Vistana Villages dropped from 139,700 (prime season) and 118,000 (high) StarOptions, to 125,000 and 104,100 respectively. Interstingly, the Vistana Villages - Key West phase 3br/lockoff units remained at the old values.

[EDITED TO UPDATE: looks like I was wrong -- upon further review, it appears the Key West and Amelia 3br StarOptions have always been different. Sorry, my mistake.]

That's the only other change I noticed.

Any chance of forwarding the new StarOptions chart to the administrator in charge of the sticky? It would allow all readers to have up-to-date info on this important issue. Thanks.

 

[saluki]

tried to attach StarOptions pdf but file size was too large...

 

[myip]

Star Option file

Here is the staroptions and starpoints info

 

[duke]

Why is there a difference in WMH SPG Points?

Here is the staroptions and starpoints info

In the attached StarPoints chart from myip look at Westin Mission Hills StarPoints.

What is the difference between SPG Weekly and SPG Retro StarPoints?
Why did some points go up and some down?
Why do the sum of the 1 br Prem and 1 br Studio not add up for Retro?

What does this mean???

 

[myip]

In the attached StarPoints chart from myip look at Westin Mission Hills StarPoints.

What is the difference between SPG Weekly and SPG Retro StarPoints?
Why did some points go up and some down?
Why do the sum of the 1 br Prem and 1 br Studio not add up for Retro?

What does this mean???

No ideas. This is what send out to me from sales (yesterday). Cancun is not updated.

 

[ck1]

Thanks for all the help.

I am going to try and buy a 2 bd Desert oasis this week and close fast. I already own a DVC so my family chose Arizona over florida again. Coming from MI anything warm is nice.

I am going to try a requalify with a developer purchase in Cancun. I hope my sales person can wait!

I will keep all updated on progress.

Craig

 

[rocky]

Of course your sales person can wait.... otherwise, just use another one later. Don't let them dictate the pace of the deal. The sense of urgency they communicate is utterly unwarranted, and is completely for their benefit, not for yours. Make every dollar and staroption work for you and take as long as you need. Cancun is absolutely not going to sell out in the next couple of months!

 

[ck1]

I am about to sign a resale PA for a 2 bedroom lock out at SDO. Hopefully Starwood comes through on the requalification. The salesman put it on the Lugunamar purchase order form that he would!