Grande Vista on E-Bay

[dioxide45]

All I can say is Ouch!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=350139668522

 

[Quimby4]

And the prices just keep going down.

Makes me wonder when Marriott is giong to allocate money to ROFR since they aren't building new properties. The could increase inventory for pennies on the dollar....

 

[icydog]

This is so sad. I mean watching great resorts devalue like this. I find it completely dishearting!

 

[Big Matt]

All I can say is that those gold weeks are virtually worthless anyway. You can always find getaways for these weeks for for less than the maintenance fees.

Right now you can see the may getaway weeks for $659 or $759 depending on the week.

Then maintenance fees for that unit are $896.

I'm not sure why anyone would pay a cent for them given that you will pay more to stay there as an owner than if you didn't own there and just paid for the getaway.

 

[dioxide45]

All I can say is that those gold weeks are virtually worthless anyway. You can always find getaways for these weeks for for less than the maintenance fees.

Right now you can see the may getaway weeks for $659 or $759 depending on the week.

Then maintenance fees for that unit are $896.

I'm not sure why anyone would pay a cent for them given that you will pay more to stay there as an owner than if you didn't own there and just paid for the getaway.

However, you can lock off at MGV and get two weeks for one MF. If you are flexable you can usually get two 2BR through exchange in II.

I agree that you can usually get these weeks as II getaways for less than the MF. We are actually staying in a 2BR MGV in January for $404 (gold member) $429 regular. That is less than half the MF and also platinum season.

 

[m61376]

I may be VERY wrong in this, but I think that many of the timeshare buyers on Ebay are the more savvy buyers. And, the more knowledgeable buyers are aware of the Getaway deals and prices, which may be what's being reflected in the pricing here. Why have an initial outlay/investment and be saddled with on-going MF's when you can basically make a reservation practically any week of the year there for less than the MF's. Yes, there is the potential that there is better availability if you own and the flexibility of locking off, etc., as you mention, with the hope of getting a good trade elsewhere, but my guess is that the fact that there are so many Orlando Marriotts as Getaways is helping suppress the bidding, especially from the bidders who are more familiar with working the system.

 

[iamnotshopgirl]

OK....I'm just going to throw this out. Why own a timeshare at all? I mean if you can rent or get getaways for less than MF's why own? You get the same product and there is no overhead costs. What is the advantage of owning ANY brand? I am just wondering what other tuggers are thinking.

bob

 

[dmharris]

Owning forces us to stop and take a vacation; use it or lose it. We're both self employed so for about five years we didn't take any vacations. Slaves to ourselves and we didn't want to spend the money. So now we've spent the money and by golly, we're using the weeks: Aruba, Hawaii, Newport Coast, Hilton Head, Florida all in the past 2 1/2 years. We did just what dioxide 45 suggested. Bought lockoff and get 2 weeks a year, exchange for 2 bedrooms most of the time.

 

[thinze3]

All I can say is that those gold weeks are virtually worthless anyway. You can always find getaways for these weeks for for less than the maintenance fees.

Right now you can see the may getaway weeks for $659 or $759 depending on the week.

Then maintenance fees for that unit are $896.

I'm not sure why anyone would pay a cent for them given that you will pay more to stay there as an owner than if you didn't own there and just paid for the getaway.

I think your missing the value of ownership within the Marriott system. MGV trades very well! This buyer may be beaching it in Hawaii next year and skiing in Utah the next. And if the buyer is very saavy, he/she may be doing both in the same year! You won't find those weeks on getaways. IMHO

Terry

 

[FlyerBobcat]

OK....I'm just going to throw this out. Why own a timeshare at all? I mean if you can rent or get getaways for less than MF's why own? You get the same product and there is no overhead costs. What is the advantage of owning ANY brand? I am just wondering what other tuggers are thinking. bob

I've wondered that same thing also.... But maybe at some point in the future it, the numbers won't be like they are now, who knows???

Also, to buy the II getaways you have to belong to II, which means you have to own at least one. (I know the guest certificates can get around that issue to some degree.....)

 

[bogey21]

OK....Why own a timeshare at all? I mean if you can rent or get getaways for less than MF's why own? You get the same product and there is no overhead costs. What is the advantage of owning ANY brand?

I have a couple of thoughts here: First, a good reason to own is to lock in a specific unit, with a specific view, for a specific week. Second, I owned a bunch of Marriotts years ago. Most were floating weeks that I sold because by definition they didn't meet this criteria. The one I kept the longest was Monarch on HHI; fixed unit, fixed week, points every year, etc. Third, I have been able to lock in my specific unit, specific view, specific week criteria by selectively buying older, non-chain Weeks for about $500.

If you stop and think, the older resorts often have the better locations. They were built before the area was fully developed and the price of real estate went out of sight.

George

 

[Big Matt]

I don't misunderstand the value of Marriott ownership. I'm actually an owner and have been for many years. I just like to get the most out of my money.

I wouldn't buy a week with maintenance feels that high just for trading. Manor Club or Branson would be a better choice, or even buy an EOY with a lock off to get a week every year and only paying half the maintenance.

I also would be surprised at how well the GV gold trades given the travel demand indices in II. I would see Memorial Day trading okay, but that's about it.

I think your missing the value of ownership within the Marriott system. MGV trades very well! This buyer may be beaching it in Hawaii next year and skiing in Utah the next. And if the buyer is very saavy, he/she may be doing both in the same year! You won't find those weeks on getaways. IMHO

Terry

 

[thinze3]

I don't misunderstand the value of Marriott ownership. I'm actually an owner and have been for many years. I just like to get the most out of my money.

I wouldn't buy a week with maintenance feels that high just for trading. Manor Club or Branson would be a better choice, or even buy an EOY with a lock off to get a week every year and only paying half the maintenance.

I also would be surprised at how well the GV gold trades given the travel demand indices in II. I would see Memorial Day trading okay, but that's about it.

The point wasn't to start comparing weeks at different resorts. My message was stated because you used a comparison of ownership vs getaway weeks, which I believe is very inaccurate.

My simple point is: a $3,000 purchase at MGV that will potentially get you 2 great vacations in one year is not a bad deal at all. Marriott Hawaii weeks and Utah ski weeks to date have not been available on getaways.

Terry

PS - IMHO a $3000 MGV will probably beat most $3000 Marriotts in trading value, including those you mentioned.

 

[dmharris]

Matt,

That is the precise week I reserve and have traded into Aruba in the summer, Waiohai in October, Newport Coast in February, Hilton Head Grande Ocean in March and Florida Imperial Palms in March. I think that's pretty good. The biggest unit I traded was a 1 bedroom and I always got a bigger unit. Savvy is the word Terry used and I like to think I am just that.

P.S. I don't want to vacation in the summer, because everyone else is and it is the nicest time of the year here at home.

 

[Stefa]

Didn't a plat Grande Vista recently sell for <$5000? Last year at this time I would have been happy to purchase a GV-gold for a good price, but now I would just hold out for platinum (if I were looking to buy). This is especially true given the very real possibility that Marriott will adopt some sort of internal system.

 

[Big Matt]

My simple point in the last post was don't buy a trader with a high maintenance fee. You'll get more value in the long run with a lower MF.

My simple point is: a $3,000 purchase at MGV that will potentially get you 2 great vacations in one year is not a bad deal at all. Marriott Hawaii weeks and Utah ski weeks to date have not been available on getaways.

 

[gmarine]

Matt,

That is the precise week I reserve and have traded into Aruba in the summer, Waiohai in October, Newport Coast in February, Hilton Head Grande Ocean in March and Florida Imperial Palms in March. I think that's pretty good. The biggest unit I traded was a 1 bedroom and I always got a bigger unit. Savvy is the word Terry used and I like to think I am just that.

P.S. I don't want to vacation in the summer, because everyone else is and it is the nicest time of the year here at home.

Those are nice resorts but are fairly easy trades off season. Most, if not all, could have been gotten using a very inexpensive week with low m-fees.

I think Matts point is that when buying a unit to trade it is more cost effective to buy a unit with lower maintenance fees. This is especially true when looking to travel off season.

 

[dmharris]

I think Matts point is that when buying a unit to trade it is more cost effective to buy a unit with lower maintenance fees. This is especially true when looking to travel off season.

Well we've all gotten smarter with help of Tuggers, but the Grande Vista MF for us aren't that high considering the MF for the resorts into which we trade.

 

[thinze3]

Sorry. I have reconsidered. There is no need for this post

 

[Robert D]

I agree with Matt. I think people are figuring out that off season timeshares in seasonal areas are virtually worthless and that's why you're seeing the prices drop so much on them. I think a good definition of worthless is when you can consistently rent a the unit (getaways or other sources) for less than the maintenance fee. In this case, you can get the getaway week for almost half of the M&T's. I agree with the general advice you see on TUG to buy where you want to go, not buy for trading.

 

[london]

Savvy Trading

Matt,

That is the precise week I reserve and have traded into Aruba in the summer, Waiohai in October, Newport Coast in February, Hilton Head Grande Ocean in March and Florida Imperial Palms in March. I think that's pretty good. The biggest unit I traded was a 1 bedroom and I always got a bigger unit. Savvy is the word Terry used and I like to think I am just that.

P.S. I don't want to vacation in the summer, because everyone else is and it is the nicest time of the year here at home.

You certainly have maximized your vacations in terms of dollar costs, and are visiting great locations when they are less busy.

I like your thinking. We are retired and vacation in fall, winter and spring.