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Cypress Harbour on Ebay...sold $741!

iamnotshopgirl

TUG Member
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Location
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I watched this week on Ebay to compare it with the previous several auctions which when ended were all around $2200 for the same week. I thought that $2200 was a great buy for the week after checking other listing on other sites. I did not bid on this auction as I just bought Sable Palms (resale) for the same week (white). I know there is another thread on buy or sell so I will not get into that here but $741? Also, from other threads Marriott may not exercise it ROFR and buy back the week. Hope the lucky bidder was a Tugger!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...3835&_trksid=p3907.m32&_trkparms=tab=Watching

bob
 
seems like a great deal and you can also save an additional 15%

Get 15% back - new eBay MasterCard

also don;t forget the other fees
Closing Fee: $435 (includes document preparation, transfer taxes, etc.)
Resort Transfer Fee: $100
 
Wow, that's unbelievable. It's kind of scary that a Marriott would sell for so little.

We recently sold our Marriott and got just about what we paid 8 years ago. Not so sure that would happen today.

Anne
 
Honestly though...this is a really low demand time for Orlando. Other than Thanksgiving and Memorial Day, the rest of the times are very slow in Orlando.

You can get a getway on II for Cypress Harbour for $459 for the entire month of May including Memorial Day week. That's about half the maintenance fee.

I'd say that the unit is virtually worthless.

Wow, that's unbelievable. It's kind of scary that a Marriott would sell for so little.
 
Actually this was an offseason week and it sold for $741 more than I would have paid for it. You can routinely rent a getaway week at Cypress Harbor for this period for less than the maintenance fee. I think people are starting to figure out that when you can rent for less than M&T's that the week is essentially worthless. Right now you can get a getaway week on II for check in from 5/1/09 to 5/24/09 for $459 per week and 5/25/09 to 5/31/09 for $629 per week vs. the M&T's of over $850. So why would you buy?
 
Actually this was an offseason week and it sold for $741 more than I would have paid for it. You can routinely rent a getaway week at Cypress Harbor for this period for less than the maintenance fee. I think people are starting to figure out that when you can rent for less than M&T's that the week is essentially worthless. Right now you can get a getaway week on II for check in from 5/1/09 to 5/24/09 for $459 per week and 5/25/09 to 5/31/09 for $629 per week vs. the M&T's of over $850. So why would you buy?

For your first TS to be able to get in to II to get access to those getaway weeks this may have been a good buy. Though you can get cheaper weeks with lower MF. We purchased MGV resale and tend to now use it to lock off and trade outside of Orlando and usually purchase getaways for our Orlando weeks. If Cypress Harbour had lockoffs this would have been a better deal.

I am also noticing that getaway pricing seems to be a lot lower this year vs last. Last year we purchased two 1BR weeks in Orlando for late May and paid ~$550 each. This year 2BR weeks are cheaper than those 1BR. Memorial Day week is only $50 more but you also get a 2BR vs a 1BR
 
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I see an advantage to owning an "off season" non-peak week. Getaways, trading up to II for an exchange outside of Orlando. I don't see buying a unit, at that price or similar as being "worthless". Here is the 64 million dollar question. What if Marriott goes to the point system and does not exclude resales? What if Cypress Harbour, Grand Vista any of the Palms (resales) are included in the point system (grandfathered in). Does value increase? If it does it might not be a bad buy at $741 for additional points in the Marriott system if and when they make the change (talked about in other threads).

bob
 
I agree with Robert. I spent a very enjoyable week at Cypress Harbour in the beginning of November. It's a fantastic resort that I would want to own at, if I hadn't gotten it as a II getaway for much less than the maintenance fee.

Dioxide has a great point that this certainly could be of good value for someone who wanted to enjoy the Marriott trading preferences, and I see it advantageous to a multi-week owner.

I would advise caution to any newcomer to Marriott ownership though, because of the uncertainty surrounding the upcoming internal trading and points systems. How Marriott values an off-season week would be of great concern to me, especially if the new system impacted the Marriott trading priority window which gives these weeks value currently.
 
I don't agree on buying any timeshare with high maintenance fees just to buy getaways or for use in flexchange. You can get most of the same getaways at www.condodirect.com (front for interval getaways) for a little bit more money. You can find weeks at other resorts with close to half the maintenance fees of most Marriotts.

I completely agree with you on your points about being in the Marriott system if they go to points. Any week would be worth something in points. I guess the real question would be whether Marriott changes the MFs also.

I see an advantage to owning an "off season" non-peak week. Getaways, trading up to II for an exchange outside of Orlando. I don't see buying a unit, at that price or similar as being "worthless". Here is the 64 million dollar question. What if Marriott goes to the point system and does not exclude resales? What if Cypress Harbour, Grand Vista any of the Palms (resales) are included in the point system (grandfathered in). Does value increase? If it does it might not be a bad buy at $741 for additional points in the Marriott system if and when they make the change (talked about in other threads).

bob
 
I don't agree on buying any timeshare with high maintenance fees just to buy getaways or for use in flexchange. You can get most of the same getaways at www.condodirect.com (front for interval getaways) for a little bit more money. You can find weeks at other resorts with close to half the maintenance fees of most Marriotts.
.

The only problem is that Condodirect very rarely has Marriott weeks available in inventory, even though they are in the II Getaways. It may be different now from a year ago when I last checked, but at that time Marriotts were few and far between on Condodirect.
 
Right about condodirect and Marriott weeks. However there are tons of other properties there.

If you have to have Marriott getaways in II you can either buy a real cheap trader outside of Marriott and get the Marriott getaways, or spend a lot more in maintenance fees and get the same thing.

My point is not to buy a high MF property (i.e. Marriott) just for getaways or flexchange.

The only problem is that Condodirect very rarely has Marriott weeks available in inventory, even though they are in the II Getaways. It may be different now from a year ago when I last checked, but at that time Marriotts were few and far between on Condodirect.
 
when you say to get Marriott getaways in II you can buy a real cheap trader outside of Marriott and get the Marriott getaways what and where you you look to buy? I like to go to the Marriotts but usually like to travel in the off season to miss the crowds, and I am able to travel on short notice.
 
when you say to get Marriott getaways in II you can buy a real cheap trader outside of Marriott and get the Marriott getaways what and where you you look to buy? I like to go to the Marriotts but usually like to travel in the off season to miss the crowds, and I am able to travel on short notice.

If you want to travel to Marriotts and other nice resorts off season and/or can travel on short notice, you might want to consider buying a week at a resort like Foxhunt in Sapphire Valley, NC or Foxrun in Lake Lure, NC. You can purchase a spring or summer week at either of these resorts for less than $1000, and this will get you into a lot of great Marriotts, Hyatts, Disney, etc...especially in slower seasons.

Here's the website for Foxhunt:

http://www.foxhuntsv.com/

I have owned at both resorts, and they are very similar. I prefer Foxhunt, however, as the units have been completely renovated. The area is also just a bit nicer at Foxhunt.

There are lots of other resorts that you could choose as well, but these two have a known track record and are very inexpensive.

Steve
 
This thread is making me depressed. I paid over $10,000 (before TUG) for my Cypress Harbour Sport week back in 1998. It's basically worthless in these times (to sell), but we'll continue to use and trade it. We love the resort and basically that's all that matters. It's still valuable to us, although MFs are hard to swallow, knowing I can rent for 1/2 the price. I can't believe this unit sold for $741. :bawl: I'm scratching my head over here!!!
 
Getaways are great for off season travel in areas with a lot of supply (like Orlando, Williamsburg, Branson).

If you don't necessarily have to stay at a Marriott and can travel off season to the areas I mentioned above, I wouldn't buy anything. Condodirect has some nice resorts for just a little more than what regular II (Interval) members pay. And here's one for RCI excess inventory:

http://www.wyndham-vacations.com/
 
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It does look like Condodirect and Wyndham-vacations are less than maintence fees. So if I buy a low priced low MF property can I gain any benefits from it. The other thing I have been doing is watching the Marriott 2BD LO units selling at various locations. I live in Northern California and have no idea on where I would buy, or if renting through those websites would be better.

I have been reading the posts on this site for about a year and have learned alot, but have also learned how little I know. So since I currently own nothing, and the prices have come down so much, I am trying to formulate a starting plan.
 
It's beyond a buyers market

It does look like Condodirect and Wyndham-vacations are less than maintence fees. So if I buy a low priced low MF property can I gain any benefits from it. The other thing I have been doing is watching the Marriott 2BD LO units selling at various locations. I live in Northern California and have no idea on where I would buy, or if renting through those websites would be better.

I have been reading the posts on this site for about a year and have learned alot, but have also learned how little I know. So since I currently own nothing, and the prices have come down so much, I am trying to formulate a starting plan.

Right now buying any timeshare for much more than a few hundred dollars - and only if you plan to use it or the system it's associated with - makes zero sense. Resale values have completely collapsed even for the few systems/resorts that over the past few years had shown a better than normal resale price. No exceptions anymore - you pay more than $1000 you have paid WAY too much! Rentals are cheap and sellers outnumber buyers by hundreds to one. While someone somewhere may make a few bucks off a deal at some point in the future for the average buyer this is not the time to speculate. Buy what you really want to use and know what the future costs are likely to be - don't plan on resale for return of capital. Buy extremely low or don't buy now. In many cases you may get the week for free except for closing and you may even find THAT thrown in in a few cases.

Those who own to use and can afford the fees are OK. Everyone else seems to be jumping ship and it isn't going to change anytime soon.
 
Thank you for the reply. Looks like I will be a renter for some time based on your info, unless ofcourse I come across the greatest deal I have very seen.
 
Thank you for the reply. Looks like I will be a renter for some time based on your info, unless ofcourse I come across the greatest deal I have very seen.

If you want to get your feet wet so to speak without plunging into deep water, one thing you might think about is buying an EOY (every other year) lock off somewhere you wouldn't mind using. I'm not sure where you are located in the country, but if you want a west coast location, you might be able to pick up a west coast Marriott lock off 2 bedroom at a reasonable price at Marriott Desert Springs I or II or Canyon Villas (I'm pretty sure these resorts offer EOY and lock-offs - if I'm wrong, someone correct me).

EOY lock-off's are nice because you get two or possibly three trades out of it for half the dues of an every year ownership. More bang for the buck. When we lock off our EOY Marriott into a studio and one bedroom (II usually gives us a bonus week for the 1 bedroom if we book an in demand week) then that gives us three trades to use.

Just another idea for you to kick around - especially if you love staying at Marriott.

I actually think if a person needs a two bedroom for every trip (big family), wants to trade to other Marriotts, then a Marriott Cypress Harbour would be a good deal to pick up right now. Our trips are a mixed bag most of the time. Sometimes it's me and just the hubby so a studio or one bedroom will work, other times we have the family with us. So owning a lock-off is best for us.
 
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If you're mainly going to travel during the offseason, I'm pretty sure you can join II without owning a TS to get access to getaway weeks. If so, I'd do this and just rent getaway weeks which will usually be less than the M&T's, especially at Marriotts and in Orlando.
 
If you're mainly going to travel during the offseason, I'm pretty sure you can join II without owning a TS to get access to getaway weeks. If so, I'd do this and just rent getaway weeks which will usually be less than the M&T's, especially at Marriotts and in Orlando.

II won't let you join without owning a week. We tried to join when we just owned DVC points and they said no since Disney was the corporate member and our DVC didn't give us access to an individual membership.
 
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