Converting fixed weeks to points without going broke (Wyndham)

[JustAllie]

I am so confused.

I have two fixed-week deeded timeshare properties in the Williamsburg area (Wyndham resorts) that my parents bought some years ago. The rising maintenance fees and special assessments are killing me, and it's harder and harder to rent the units out when I can't use them. This year I lost $500 by renting the weeks for less than my maintenance fees + special assessments.

Whenever I try to talk to the Wyndham people about converting them to points, they try to sell me more points. One guy wanted to sell me $35,000 worth of points at National Harbor (which would have left me with ~500K points, way more than I could ever use), another person offered to top me up to 280K points by hooking me up with a place in Panama (?!?) for $9,700.

I had thought that converting from fixed weeks to points would cost me only a couple of thousand bucks. I don't want more points, I just want to get out from under the inflexible and increasingly expensive fixed week system. I might actually use the timeshares if I could spend them on long weekends here and there. Or they might actually have some resale value if they were points instead of fixed weeks.

What should I do? Who should I talk to?? I feel really overwhelmed. The Wyndham sales people seem to be talking about needlessly complicated transactions and the dollar amounts are always couched in terms of monthly payments rather than the bottom line, so I feel like I'm being scammed.

 

[bnoble]

If I recall correctly, it's about $3400 give or take to convert two fixed weeks. This may or may not be worth it, though----depending on exactly what weeks you have, you might be better off putting your current weeks on an ebay $1 firesale, and buying points resale. This is especially likely if your MF/K will be over $5 after conversion.

 

[Bill4728]

If I recall correctly, it's about $3400 give or take to convert two fixed weeks. This may or may not be worth it, though----depending on exactly what weeks you have, you might be better off putting your current weeks on an ebay $1 firesale, and buying points resale. This is especially likely if your MF/K will be over $5 after conversion.

As Bnoble says: It may be cheaper to sell your current weeks ( even if it just a few hundred dollars each) and buy a resale TS which is already converted to points, than to pay the $3000 or so to convert your TS.

PS since this post is about Wyndham, I'm moving it to the wyndham board.

 

[Jya-Ning]

If it is not Prime week and more than 2 BD, you should sell it.

Jya-Ning

 

[lprstn]

I second the sell if you can (and purchase a points package with the proceeds), then if not, and only if not...then pay to convert them to points so that you get the usage out of it that you want.

 

[JustAllie]

If it is not Prime week and more than 2 BD, you should sell it.

Jya-Ning

These are 2 bedroom places (one lockout, one not) in weeks 16 & 17, which are "red weeks" but not really that great for trading or renting, because it's still during the school year.

Maybe I'll just read up on how to sell them and discuss the options with some friends and family. For the right person, they are great weeks to use because it's such a lovely time of year in Williamsburg, but I'm just not using them lately. Sigh.

Thanks for the input.

By the way, who do you even talk to about converting fixed weeks to points at Wyndham? Like I mentioned, everyone I've talked to so far has tried to upsell me rather than just convert what I have for the lowest cost possible.

 

[e.bram]

Hate to break the news to you.
Sell them?
It is even hard to give them away for free.

 

[Jya-Ning]

These are 2 bedroom places (one lockout, one not) in weeks 16 & 17, which are "red weeks" but not really that great for trading or renting, because it's still during the school year.

There is someone that can do the conversion directly.

It will give you 154k points with Patriot Place. So it is really not great. Good thing is it will be out of SA this year. Bad thing is MF is just in reasonable range not great range.

Unless you enjoy TS, it is really on the borderline.

If you decide to sell, sell yourself. Not everyone tries to get you on eBay completion price. But be prepared, it will be a long time to sell. But I believe there are enough people happy to take over it from you for free.

But the exchange value of it is not that bad, you can lock-it off and get 4 exchange. And the place has just been refurbished. I heard it does bring new look on it.

Renting will be hard to expect it get rented everytime on that time slot.

Jya-Ning

ps. You should get VIP along with the conversion. Which will let you take some short trip without worry about the House keep fee, and take some discount at very short notice.

 

[JustAllie]

Hate to break the news to you.
Sell them?
It is even hard to give them away for free.

Yeah, I'm painfully aware of that.

Has anyone had good luck selling (even for very low amounts) on RedWeek.com? I'm not sure if it's worth the cost of the classified ad to try there, or if I should try listing one of the places on eBay only.

 

[Jya-Ning]

Yeah, I'm painfully aware of that.

Has anyone had good luck selling (even for very low amounts) on RedWeek.com? I'm not sure if it's worth the cost of the classified ad to try there, or if I should try listing one of the places on eBay only.

Go to the sell rent forum and read how to sell (http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=44). There are sites listed. Some does not charge at all.

eBay do ask for listing price. So if you want to list on eBay, make sure you do set all your expection really low. Put the starting point even lower than your expection, then let the market carry it.

Redweek is good if you have some time frame in mind, usually it will be for rent. Since you will need longer time to sell even if you are willing to take lower than anyone listed on that site, it may need at least few pay period. Same for all the site that will charge you advertise fee.

The one I know does not charge are bidshare, craiglists, vacation timeshare rental. Tug also has bargin basement list. ts4ms allows you use point for ad.

Good luck

Jya-Ning

ps. if your expection become too low, talk to POA first.

 

[maximiles]

we are converting some weeks

I am so confused.

I have two fixed-week deeded timeshare properties in the Williamsburg area (Wyndham resorts) that my parents bought some years ago. The rising maintenance fees and special assessments are killing me, and it's harder and harder to rent the units out when I can't use them. This year I lost $500 by renting the weeks for less than my maintenance fees + special assessments.

What should I do? Who should I talk to?? I feel really overwhelmed. The Wyndham sales people seem to be talking about needlessly complicated transactions and the dollar amounts are always couched in terms of monthly payments rather than the bottom line, so I feel like I'm being scammed.

We are in the process of converting fixed weeks to points. It is $3400 plus an additional $190/year for Fairshare Plus membership. Since we have always paid the maintenance fee annually, we can just keep doing that - no monthly stuff to worry about. I just emailed Wyndham and said I wanted to convert without buying more points or properties. Someone called, gave me the option of buying another week, we said no and just have a contract for converting. We do end up with 280,000 points though, so it was worth it to us.

 

[JustAllie]

We are in the process of converting fixed weeks to points. It is $3400 plus an additional $190/year for Fairshare Plus membership. Since we have always paid the maintenance fee annually, we can just keep doing that - no monthly stuff to worry about. I just emailed Wyndham and said I wanted to convert without buying more points or properties. Someone called, gave me the option of buying another week, we said no and just have a contract for converting. We do end up with 280,000 points though, so it was worth it to us.

I think that I would end up with 154,000 points -- is that enough to do anything with in the Wyndham system?

I've only done one "weeks" trade with Fairfield and got a smaller unit in Sedona, but I figured Sedona might be a tough location. I've traded a few times in RCI weeks and have had some good luck. In fact I just checked what my banked Kingsgate week would get me in Vegas in January and it got me a comparable-sized unit. I'm wondering whether I'd really do better with points than I do with weeks? The big thing is that I have to use them a week at a time, while I guess points can be split up somehow. (So confusing....)

 

[Jya-Ning]

I think that I would end up with 154,000 points -- is that enough to do anything with in the Wyndham system?

I've only done one "weeks" trade with Fairfield and got a smaller unit in Sedona, but I figured Sedona might be a tough location. I've traded a few times in RCI weeks and have had some good luck. In fact I just checked what my banked Kingsgate week would get me in Vegas in January and it got me a comparable-sized unit. I'm wondering whether I'd really do better with points than I do with weeks? The big thing is that I have to use them a week at a time, while I guess points can be split up somehow. (So confusing....)

No, you will get 308k and VIP status. 154k for each week. Look at the sticky note in this forum, there is a directory about the points for each resorts.

Jya-Ning

 

[Bill4728]

No, you will get 308k and VIP status. 154k for each week. Look at the sticky note in this forum, there is a directory about the points for each resorts.

Jya-Ning

If you convert,

It will be $3400 and you'll get 305,000 pts (and because you converted, Wyndham will consider these developer bought points and you'll get VIP ( not worth much but better than a kick in the head)) And you will not have to deal with selling your weeks.

If you don't convert, but sell your weeks and buy an already converted week.
- You have to hassel with selling your weeks and may only get a few hundred for them.
- You have to hassel with finding and closing on a week or two (to get the same number of points)
- In the end, you'll likley spend about the same amount of money for 305K pts. ( buying the weeks with closing costs, ect)

IMHO, for around 150K pts I wouldn't convert
But for closer to 305K pts, converting may be worth it just to get rid of the "hassel factor". {You can find Wyndham pts for less than $0.01 a pt, but most Tugger say for wyndham about $0.01/pt is a OK price and that is about what you'd be paying}

Hope that helps

PS be firm with Wyndham. All you want to do is convert. You're not interested in any additional pts PERIOD!!

 

[JustAllie]

Hmm, all good points to ponder!

So e-mailing someone from the Wyndham website is the best way to avoid a sales pitch to buy more points??

 

[GrayFal]

Hmm, all good points to ponder!

So e-mailing someone from the Wyndham website is the best way to avoid a sales pitch to buy more points??

You can NEVER avoid a sales pitch - but be firm and insist you want to do the conversion only - ask them to send you the paperwork to do so.....once you have your conversion, you will have points/VIP status and lots of flexibility.

 

[JustAllie]

You can NEVER avoid a sales pitch - but be firm and insist you want to do the conversion only - ask them to send you the paperwork to do so.....once you have your conversion, you will have points/VIP status and lots of flexibility.

I still have not managed to get anyone at Wyndham to give me a straight story on the conversion thing. Today's saleswoman said it would cost me $2,395 per week to convert to points and another $2,395 per week to add Plus Partners, for a total for the two weeks of over $9000. That is nowhere near the $3,400 you folks mentioned earlier in this thread.

Talking to these folks on the phone feels like talking to scammers. Nothing ever seems clear or straightforward, and there's always this lingering threat of missing out on a special deal that's going to go away. :annoyed:

 

[timeos2]

Don't feed the Weasels - they'll only want more

I still have not managed to get anyone at Wyndham to give me a straight story on the conversion thing. Today's saleswoman said it would cost me $2,395 per week to convert to points and another $2,395 per week to add Plus Partners, for a total for the two weeks of over $9000. That is nowhere near the $3,400 you folks mentioned earlier in this thread.

Talking to these folks on the phone feels like talking to scammers. Nothing ever seems clear or straightforward, and there's always this lingering threat of missing out on a special deal that's going to go away. :annoyed:

That could be due to the fact tat they are a very very small step removed from scammers! How can anyone that isn't a scammer sell unsuspecting vacationers the great Wyndham FSP system at a price that is 90%+ more than they could buy elsewhere? You cannot have a heart or conscience knowing full well that the couple with the young kids that just agreed to pay $30,000+ could have easily found the exact same product for $5000. The $25,000 difference is pure greed as there is no additional value just layers of rich salaries and perks to be paid to the sales weasels.

Again - best advice - don't even try to deal with them. Buy it resale, get the best price. Sell your fixed weeks and in the end you will pay far less than any conversion they may dream up. You are dealing with weasels afterall.

 

[shorts]

We converted several weeks at one time without making another points purchase. The 1st week was $2395 and each additional week was $995. So for two weeks it should only cost you $3390 to convert to points.

I would not pay $2395 for Plus Partners ... not worth the money ... and you do not have to enroll in PP in order to convert your weeks.

Where is this saleswoman located? I would be firm with her and tell her you KNOW that it only costs $3390 to convert 2 weeks when done at the same time ... and that you don't need Plus Partners. You only wish to convert your 2 weeks.

 

[VacationPro]

I still have not managed to get anyone at Wyndham to give me a straight story on the conversion thing. Today's saleswoman said it would cost me $2,395 per week to convert to points and another $2,395 per week to add Plus Partners, for a total for the two weeks of over $9000. That is nowhere near the $3,400 you folks mentioned earlier in this thread.

Talking to these folks on the phone feels like talking to scammers. Nothing ever seems clear or straightforward, and there's always this lingering threat of missing out on a special deal that's going to go away. :annoyed:

Ask Maximiles from post 11 above which salesperson they are using. Tell the salesperson you are going to keep trying different sales staff until one does only what you want, which is to convert. No new points.

I know someone who converted, so if you don't have any luck PM me and I'll try to get the salesperson's name who helped.

 

[acesneights]

You get Plus Partners when you convert anyway. The $2395 covers your first converted week and PP. No reason to pay $2395 for PP and NOT convert a week as well.

Stan

 

[JustAllie]

Well, I've found a use for the fixed weeks for another year, so I've delayed "upgrading" to points or selling the fixed weeks for another year. (I'm swapping the weeks via RCI for some time in the Wyndham Grand Desert in Vegas for my friend's wedding.)

We'll see what things look like next year I guess.

 

[jtridle]

Call RPMI

I converted 3 fixed weeks in 2003 using Angel England at RPMI. Though i don't know their number, you can find it on the internet I'm sure. There is nobody more knowledgeable of resales, conversion, etc. of Wyndham properties than Angel and she is the most helpful, ethical, person you will find. I think she will probably be the answer to your prayers. Call her ASAP. I throughly trust her. I've never regretted this conversion. Angel is very likely to instruct you that the better level of VIP would be gold, which requires 500K points and where I am at. Many thinkregular 300K level of VIP benefits is not nearly as good as being VIP gold. If you think you want to be VIP gold, buy a 3rd resale week somewhere before you convert. Buy a week that will put you over the 500K mark, I would recommend buying a 231K unit at Sea Gardens at Pompano Beach, FL which has one of the cheapest maintenance fees around) before you convert. Make sure you have your 3rd week on board before converting because it will be much cheaper to convert since the 1st week to convert is $2,395 and the 2nd and 3rd weeks are both only $995. Or at least that is what they were when we converted. If you convert just your two weeks and then later on decide that you wished you had enough points to get to VIP gold and you buy that third week after your first conversion, you willl have to pay $2,395 to convert. You have to start all over again. So make sure you have all you want before you convert. Good luck.

 

[Fitzriley]

I was just told at an owners update meeting last week that buying resale no longer qualifies you for VIP.

 

[Timeshare Von]

I was just told at an owners update meeting last week that buying resale no longer qualifies you for VIP.

Resale purchased Wyndham timeshares have not be eligible for VIP benefits for at least a couple of years.