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Harborside resale purchase question for Phase I owners

LobsterHunter

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Purchased a 2br L/O in Phase I, week 23 (that also floats) for $9 off ebay, and seller pays all closing costs. I can still cancel it if I have to, but seemed like a good deal for most years (despite the high MF's). Kids are not out of school for that week in '16, but will be for '17 & '18. Unfortunately, he did not already book for 2016 and I am seeing nothing available for July-Aug 14.

1) Is it possible some of the units are not showing as they are still being held back for owners?

2) My understanding is the unit can be booked at 12 months, but available to float and book in same season at 8-10 months, so in my case, could I have week 23 booked and then cancel/book a week for later in the summer (if there is ever one available) in that 8-10 month window?

3) If I really want mid summer availability, am I better off buying a fixed week Phase I summer unit or a float phase II summer unit?
 

DeniseM

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Purchased a 2br L/O in Phase I, week 23 (that also floats) for $9 off ebay, and seller pays all closing costs. I can still cancel it if I have to, but seemed like a good deal for most years (despite the high MF's). Kids are not out of school for that week in '16, but will be for '17 & '18. Unfortunately, he did not already book for 2016 and I am seeing nothing available for July-Aug 14.

1) Is it possible some of the units are not showing as they are still being held back for owners?

No - they don't hold back. For owners, it's first come - first serve, from 12-8 mos. They have been reserved.
 

tschwa2

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Call and have them search for you. I told them that I saw nothing on line and they told me they would have the same availability that I saw and then they came up with 4 different check ins available that did not show online.

That being said trying to float phase 1 can be difficult. The only phase 1 units that are available during the float time are those that the owner did not confirm. Most summer owners bought to use not to exchange elsewhere as you don't get enough SO's to make it worth it and it rents better than what you can get for 95,000 SO's with Starwood. At 8 months, you might as well own Mandatory Orlando because you have the same chance at the left over phase 2 as all other SVN members.

If you really want mid summer you should probably let this one go and purchase either a deeded mid summer phase 1 or a phase 2 summer and book at exactly 12 months.
 

LobsterHunter

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1)So if I own in Phase I, can I only book float at 10 months out, where if I own in Phase II float I can book at 12 months out?

2) If I see inventory for a 2br L/O available online at 10 months, does that mean it would be available for Phase I, or maybe only for Phase II, or it doesn't matter at that point?
 

tschwa2

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1) As a phase 1 owner you can only book phase 1 inventory at 8-10 months in advance. And remember most of those other phase 1 mid summer owners may reserve and hold onto their guaranteed week longer that 10 months if they aren't sure what they are going to do. A phase 2 owner can see/book all of the phase 2 inventory in their season at 12 months out.

2)
As a non owner of Harborside, you can never distinguish if you are looking at phase 1 or phase 2 online. As a phase 1 owner, you would only be able to book phase 1, 8-10 months in advance and undistinguished (phase 1 and phase 2) at 8 months out. As a phase 2 owner you can see phase 2 only inventory 12-8 months in advance. At 8 months you have the same access to undistinguished (phase 1 and phase 2) as everyone else in SVN.
 
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Helios

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Chances of floating a Phase I reservation in the summer are slim. That's why it's been given away. It would be hard to find a similar deal for a Phase II unit which would be worth something.

The posts above explained the differences between Phases very well.
 

LisaRex

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Here is my advice FWIW:

If you have older kids who will be in college soon, then you'll soon be able to travel in May because most colleges get out in early May. No need to own at HRA if you can travel in May. Buy a less expensive mandatory platinum resale in order to get enough SOs to exchange in. You shouldn't have much trouble getting in during May if you book at 8 months out. (There is availability right now for mid-May.)

If your kids are young, and traveling in off season is years away, then buy a fixed resale at HRA in the summertime. Rental prices in the summer are sky high and resale prices are pretty low thanks to the high MFs. But it would still be cheaper to pay those high MFs than the high rental rates.

I would normally advise a SVV 2 bdrm L/O since HRA in the summer is low season and all you'll need is 95,700 SOs to get a 2 bdrm. However, I suspect that WSJ - CV is the new model for SO allotment, and I think that eventually HRA might be revamped to better align with that model. So I'd probably target WKV or something worth at least 148,100 SOs.
 

LobsterHunter

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Thanks for all the help! I've got plenty of SO's to exchange in so that's not the issue, it's just trying to get in during summer (this is the first summer where I've seen nothing available between mid-June to mid-August). Looks like I'll pass on the week 23 unit and look for a different unit closer to mid summer
 
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