Exchanging into summer months

[ronfini]

I am considering buying a timeshare (Fixed week 7) at Marriott's Harbour Point at Shelter Cove (Hilton Head) but want to exchange it every year for one of the summer weeks. Is that difficult if I plan ahead every year?

 

[tschwa2]

I think its possible but I wouldn't buy a dead winter with the intention of exchanging into HHI summer. A 2br platinum (ideally a lock off) even in a locale like Orlando. Williamsburg, or Branson would have more trading power and more versatility. You also would have to be willing to take one of the non ocean front HHI unless you would be satisfied with the last 2 or maybe 3 weeks of August.

 

[pchung6]

You probably should go with Platinum season you want to get summer weeks Hawaii or HHI in return. Your dead winter week may still work, but it requires better luck and a lot looking and searching.

 

[gmarine]

Do not buy a winter HH week expecting to trade back into HH during the summer. You will definitely be disappointed. HH is summer is hard to get with a strong trading unit, never mind a low trading winter week.

 

[elaine]

agree with others, plus, the annual fees are still the same. better to buy at least Gold @ HHI. Also, that is not one of MVC's oceanfront properties, so you could probably get a platinum week for not a lot of cash outlay, and have far better trading options and the ability to use for summer without trading back in. Plus, you will have better options when you do not want your week anymore. It can be difficult to get rid of a winter HHI weeks. Exit strategy (even giving it away) should always be considered before buying a TS.

 

[ronfini]

OK good advice. Thank you!

 

[dioxide45]

This is going to go against the general advice offered up earlier in this thread.

Summer weeks at the non beach front Marriott HHI properties cost 1,400 Marriott DC points. That means you could rent DC points from a Marriott DC owner (having them make you the reservation) for about $750 to $850 for a week. That is less than the annual MFs for the same weeks.

The non beach Marriott properties in HHI are a much easier trade than those on the ocean. I have read instances of people trading their 1BR and studio weeks in to these properties, even in the summer. Chances are higher if you can travel the last few weeks of August or in June. I would think it would be fairly easy to trade a 2BR unit from any season in to the non beach HHI properties, even summer. You might be disappointed some years though. If you are flexible and can put in a trade request 12 months out for any summer week, you will get a trade. If you limit it to just a few weeks of the summer, you will be disappointed more often than not.

All said, I probably wouldn't buy a HHI property to accomplish this. If you are flexible, buying a lock off property elsewhere will give you more flexibility. If you can score a island HHI summer with just one half of the lock off, your price is effectively only about $700. If you want summer in HHI, just use the entire 2BR unit, but the effective cost is much higher.

Though if you are wanting to travel in summer to one of the non beach HHI properties pretty consistently. Just rent a week through someone's DC points account for less than any Marriott MF.

 

[elaine]

agree with dioxide. I bought a summer (nonM) resale week to use every year. Worked great for 5+ years, then the kids no longer wanted to go to the beach. We bank the points and trade elsewhere, and it it still somewhat cost effective to have bought 10 years ago. But, if I could have rented for only annual fees all those years and now had my capital outlay back, I would be a happy camper! So, as long as you can rent for the same or slightly more than annual fees, definitely do that.