First Time Buyer: Advise req'd

[rakattack]

Hi,

I'm looking into buying into the Marriott Canyon Villas, I've been offered direct through MVC (Spain) a 2 bed lock off villa during gold season for $17,500 + $315 Closing. In return I also get 150,000 reward points.

Is this a good deal or can I get better through a reseller?

Further, I live in the UK and I am unlikely to visit my home resort, thus I am looking into buying into MVC to enhance my trading ability through Interval International to other 5* European resorts. Is Canyon villas the best option for me? Please suggest other methods before I spend the above and regret the decision.

Thanks

Rakesh

 

[CMF]

Deals of a lifetime are extremely rare.

Hi,

I'm looking into buying into the Marriott Canyon Villas, I've been offered direct through MVC (Spain) a 2 bed lock off villa during gold season for $17,500 + $315 Closing. In return I also get 150,000 reward points.

Is this a good deal or can I get better through a reseller?

Further, I live in the UK and I am unlikely to visit my home resort, thus I am looking into buying into MVC to enhance my trading ability through Interval International to other 5* European resorts. Is Canyon villas the best option for me? Please suggest other methods before I spend the above and regret the decision.

Thanks

Rakesh

Please don't do anything until all of your questions are answered. Timeshare sales are like the bus, if you miss one, another one is likely to come along in short order.

A few rules of thumbs to consider - please keep in mind that there are some that will disagree with what I may consider a rule.

1. The savings you are likely to find in the resale market will be greater that the value of the points you receive from Marriott.
2. The quality of the resort is only one contributing factor to its exchange power. An equal if not more important factor is the demand for the week you own.
3. If at all possible, buy into a resort that you would be happy to use if you don't find a suitable trade.

I know that these rules of thumb may be a bit more vague than what you are looking for, but it may be a start. I am not familiar with the European market and the price you find may well be an exceptional opportunity. Others may have more concrete information. But don't do anything until you are comfortable in knowing that all of your questions are answered.


Good luck.
Charles

 

[Stefa]

Hi Rakesh and welcome to TUG. Charles is exactly right about timeshares being like the bus, especially when you are talking about buying from the developer.

This is just my opinion, but I think MCV-gold will not be a strong trader relative to many other Marriotts. For one thing, Phoenix is HOT during the summer and is not most people's idea of a summer vacation destination. Also, I can see many platinum Canyon Villas weeks just sitting out there in II.

IMO, 17K is too much to spend on a trader, especially one that probably won't have much resale value.

 

[englishowner]

Stefa,

when you say


Also, I can see many platinum Canyon Villas weeks just sitting out there in II.

where exactly are you looking, cos whenever I look on II I only find efficiencies and think I must be looking in wrong place. And by the way I am going there in the summer but then you know what they say about mad dogs and englishman !

Rakesh, have you thought about buying in Spain, at Marbella or Playa Andaluza. They are supposed to be very good traders, especially Marbella, there are only 4 Marriotts in Europe at moment, so supply very limited and also if you couldn't find a good trade you could always use week yourself, flights to Costa Del Sol very cheap and numerous. I own at Playa Andaluza and have been there so if you wish to ask any question please feel free.

Lynne

 

[gmarine]

Hi Rakesh and welcome to TUG. Charles is exactly right about timeshares being like the bus, especially when you are talking about buying from the developer.

This is just my opinion, but I think MCV-gold will not be a strong trader relative to many other Marriotts. For one thing, Phoenix is HOT during the summer and is not most people's idea of a summer vacation destination. Also, I can see many platinum Canyon Villas weeks just sitting out there in II.

IMO, 17K is too much to spend on a trader, especially one that probably won't have much resale value.

I agree. You can buy a much better trader for half that. Marriott Manor Club platinum can be had for under 10K resale if you want a Marriott.

 

[rakattack]

I have looked at Spanish ones including the one in Majorca.

The reason why I don't want the ones in Marbella is because my family already own an apartment on the Costa del Sol. Further, the entry costs direct from MVCI are quite high.

I would be interested in names of resellers who deal with Marriott's in Europe.
thanks

Rakesh

 

[Stefa]

Lynne

I just checked again and I can see nine 2br and eleven 1br platinum weeks. I am searching with a 2br Hawai'i week, if you are searching with a studio, you may only be able to see studios.

We were at MCV last August. My husband was there for business and we took our kids along. The resort was beautiful, but not an ideal place to spend a summer vacation.

 

[englishowner]

Stefa

thanks for reply, this is proof then of how certain units have better trading powers. When I put in a dummy number to trade either my silver Club Son Antem week or Gold Playa Andaluza, all I can get in Canyon Villas in August (yes August) is efficiency. I am considering buying Platinum resale somewhere just to make trading opportunities better so I will read with interest this post.
As for the heat, it is something we just have to deal with. I'd like my family to see as many different places as possible and due to English school holidays and obviously flying distances we have very little choice but to travel in August. We went to Palm Springs in August and it was ok once we got used to it! You are very lucky to have so many wonderful places with such a wide choice of accomodation within your own country, I am quite envious!

Lynne

 

[Stefa]

Lynne, I would call II and see what they can do. We used an AC to get a 1br last August, so I've got to believe you should be able to pull a larger unit. Sometimes their website doesn't display everyting that is available. What dates are you looking at?

Stefa

 

[pwrshift]

If you're buying gold MCV for that amount of money, I suggest you don't. I paid about $1000 more for a PLATINUM week there that included over 500,000 Marriott Reward points. Platinum is the best week there, by far - even though gold apparently trades with II as 'red' as does platinum, you can be quite certain the platinum trader would have much more 'power' than gold. That's probably true at any resort.

Gold weeks were not selling well at all, and MCV has a 'package' of a platinum AND gold week for about $28,000. That means the gold week has a value of about $6000 as platinum on it's own is about $22000 now, I think.

If the points have no value to you, and gold weeks don't get many points anyways for the same MF fee as platinum, look for a resale - perhaps on Ebay. One platinum week sold there recently:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=4429609768&rd=1&sspagename=STRK:MEWA:IT&rd=1

Brian

 

[rakattack]

That's really good help, have any of you ever exchanged to resorts in Europe through II?

Would you suggest I'm better purchasing in Europe, rather than North America? If not is Cayon Villas (platinum) my best option to trade for European resorts?

thanks

Rakesh

 

[pwrshift]

Europe is pretty new to me, so it's difficult to recommend a timeshare as that's not the way I want to see Europe at this time...my pref is for a Cat 6 or 7 Marriott in downtown locations of major cities like Paris, London, Prague, Vienna, Rome, etc. Right now, with so much to see, I can't imagine being cooped up on some remote island timeshare in Spain for a week when there's so much exploring to do.

You've probably done a lot of your exploring in Europe, so your attitude may be different. But would you want to buy MCV which is so far away from home base and you may never get to use it? If your holiday plans include the wonders of U.S.A. then it could be a good move ... giving you two traders a year to exchange for different resorts over here. Bear in mind that trading is never as easy or as sure as booking your home resort...so buy where you'd be happy going.

If your plan is to buy MCV to trade in Europe I would think that's not your best move. Only you can tell. Same with whether points are important to you.

Brian

 

[CMF]

UK Timeshare Groups/Message Boards

Timeshare Consumers Association


Rakesh,

This is one site that you may want to look at for help. They may have more information if my assumption is correct and most of the members are from Europe.

Charles