HGVC odd only contract

[Jamlam2025]

Hi
I am looking to buy into hgvc and I have been learning lots from here. It is a great resource.

I am interested in the specifics of buying a resale ODD year only deed (Elara) to test out

1. I’d like to learn more about paying the annual fee obligations with respect to the odd years and even years. Is the below right?

2025: annual club dues + resort maintenance fee

2026: annual club dues

2027: annual club dues + resort maintenance fee

2. Any words of wisdom regarding biennial contracts?

3. Missing any recurring fees?

 

[echino]

Correct for regular HGVC contracts. Not sure specifically about Elara - they may be different.

 

[Hobokie]

Hi
I am looking to buy into hgvc and I have been learning lots from here. It is a great resource.

I am interested in the specifics of buying a resale ODD year only deed (Elara) to test out

1. I’d like to learn more about paying the annual fee obligations with respect to the odd years and even years. Is the below right?

2025: annual club dues + resort maintenance fee

2026: annual club dues

2027: annual club dues + resort maintenance fee

2. Any words of wisdom regarding biennial contracts?

3. Missing any recurring fees?

This is correct for Elara. Note that not all Elara is HGVC (some units at Elara are Westgate). If your intent for buying this is to try HGVC AVOID the Westgate deeds for Elara.

 

[HuskerATL]

For any deed, calculate your MF/pt. Ideally, you are 0.10 or less. Getting higher than that means that you are paying more than you need to for points. There are exceptions to this rule for high demand properties during peak season but Elara isn't high demand. You can pretty much book that anytime.

EOY deeds are fine if you only need that amount of points to use in the system. Some folks like them because it works with their vacation style but if you want annual vacation using HGV, then it gets tricky. You can borrow from the next year though and you do pay club dues every year.

Also, compare the cost for an annual deed to the equivalent EOY. You may be able to get an annual deed for about the same price and you will have all the same fees. The only difference is that you would have annual points and annual MFs.

 

[GT75]

You can borrow from the next year though and you do pay club dues every year.

As @HuskerATL says, EOY deeds are tricky if that is the only deed which you have. You can borrow from the following year ONLY if you have pts in the following year. You can not borrow from more than 1 year. Same with saving points. You can save points (for a cost) but then you will need to use those points in the following year.

 

[dayooper]

Hi
I am looking to buy into hgvc and I have been learning lots from here. It is a great resource.

I am interested in the specifics of buying a resale ODD year only deed (Elara) to test out

1. I’d like to learn more about paying the annual fee obligations with respect to the odd years and even years. Is the below right?

2025: annual club dues + resort maintenance fee

2026: annual club dues

2027: annual club dues + resort maintenance fee

2. Any words of wisdom regarding biennial contracts?

3. Missing any recurring fees?

A couple of questions:

1. Is there a reason it’s only Elara? Unless you purchase one of the Grand deeds, Elara doesn't have a great MF to point ratio.
2. Is there a reason for EoY? As @HuskerATL and @GT75 say above, biennial contracts only can be tricky and are, at times harder to get rid of.

If you are trying out the system, there are a couple ways to do so. HGVC does sell packages, but they require a sales presentation and they inventory is quite reduced. You might not even stay at an HGVC property either. The other is to purchase a good deed that you can sell for around what you paid for it. You buy and EOY and don't like the system, you may be stuck with it. If you like the system, but need more points, you will have to purchase more and pay more in the enrollment fees. Purchase a good, annual deed with low MF's and you would be set either way.

How do you want to travel?

 

[Jamlam2025]

@dayooper I generally like the location of Elara on the strip verses Flamingo and Boulevard. I do plan to use it for Vegas as well and not only for a good maintenance fee ratio - although the mf is a big considering and points optimization game. I would consider Flamingo/Boulevard at the right price/mf and the deed would be for points only. My understanding is that Craigendarroch is a good one for points only too.
I see you on Flamingo and Boulevard. Specifically about booking your home resort, my understanding is that the resort fees are included and the reservation fees are waived. Is that correct?
I can travel yearly but i have no problem using cash/other points/deals for other travel. I have little interest in listening to a sale presentation but i'll likely rent a unit at the property before purchasing a deed.

@HuskerATL @GT75 Thanks for the input. I will likely look for an annual one. At this point, I'm in a learning and deal hunting mindset right now but yes, getting rid of an undesirable contract seems to be a constant annoyance for those who purchased the wrong type. I would definitely take that into consideration.

@dayooper @HuskerATL @GT75 While i have all your ears, I have looked into the mf increase information on this forum. It is very helpful. I consider this process the same as buying a condo / into an HOA. Does HGVC provide property reserve fund studies / depreciation reports for individual properties? This would be to assess and plan for the potential for special assessment to pay for items not included in the reserve fund.

 

[HuskerATL]

Special assessments rarely occur. We have owned for over 20 years and never had one but others have. Usually, they are for special circumstances, like a hurricane or an unexpected structural issue.

Craig Lodges is great for cheap elite qualifying points with DEX EU access but they aren't deeds, they are RTUs. For deeds, it is hard to beat some of the Vegas deeds. Vegas is easy to book though so you don't need to own there to use them. You just buy that for cheap points to use across HGV.

Make sure to look at the other website that @GT75 set up for MFs

Visitor - Welcome

hgvcmfs.com

 

[dayooper]

@dayooper I generally like the location of Elara on the strip verses Flamingo and Boulevard. I do plan to use it for Vegas as well and not only for a good maintenance fee ratio - although the mf is a big considering and points optimization game. I would consider Flamingo/Boulevard at the right price/mf and the deed would be for points only. My understanding is that Craigendarroch is a good one for points only too.
I see you on Flamingo and Boulevard. Specifically about booking your home resort, my understanding is that the resort fees are included and the reservation fees are waived. Is that correct?
I can travel yearly but i have no problem using cash/other points/deals for other travel. I have little interest in listening to a sale presentation but i'll likely rent a unit at the property before purchasing a deed.

When you use your home weeks, you must stay in the same size (1 bedroom/2bedroom) season (Platinum/Gold) designation (standard/plus/premiere/grand) for the full week checking in on your designated check in day (usually Saturday) using all of that years points for that week. It really limits how you use your ownership. I own at Flamingo and Boulevard, but will probably never stay there, especially for a week. We take 5 day trips to Vegas and stay at Elara when we go. There are no resort fees when making a club booking. Only the reservation fee. In certain places, especially urban areas, you may have to pay for parking but that's it. Chicago has a $60 a night parking fee but we just don't bring a car.

IMO, the only time you should purchase for staying at your home week is if the place you want to go to is hard to book. Ocean Oak in Hilton Head, Ski weeks in Breck and Park City, certain Oahu resorts and the SW Florida affiliates are generally the deeds you want to buy for your home week. Otherwise, you should look at MF per point ratios and purchase price. Elara 1 bedroom Grand and Grand Plus have great MF's, but you will pay a premium upfront. The standard and plus rooms don't have the MF ratios that Boulevard and Paradise have. If I would be purchasing in Vegas again, I would be looking at Paradise. Not as well known and great MF's. right there with Boulevard.

 

[WaikikiFirst]

interested in the specifics of buying a resale ODD year only deed (Elara) to test out

I'm not in your shoes financially, but that will almost certainly be a lousy overall investment (though Elara seems to have flavors, so ?)
In addition to warning against making a bad investment, I'd warn against making one and then considering it a fair trial of what-you-think-could-be-a-bigger-life-strategy.

 

[Jamlam2025]

There are no resort fees when making a club booking. Only the reservation fee. In certain places, especially

When you use your home weeks, you must stay in the same size (1 bedroom/2bedroom) season (Platinum/Gold) designation (standard/plus/premiere/grand) for the full week checking in on your designated check in day (usually Saturday) using all of that years points. It really limits how you use your ownership. I own at Flamingo and Boulevard, but will probably never stay there, especially for a week. We take 5 day trips to Vegas and stay at Elara when we go. There are no resort fees when making a club booking. Only the reservation fee. In certain places, especially urban areas, you may have to pay for parking but that's it. Chicago has a $60 a night parking fee but we just don't bring a car.

IMO, the only time you should purchase for staying at your home week is if the place you want to go to is hard to book. Ocean Oak in Hilton Head, Ski weeks in Breck and Park City, certain Oahu resorts and the SW Florida affiliates are generally the deeds you want to buy for your home week. Otherwise, you should look at MF per point ratios and purchase price. Elara 1 bedroom Grand and Grand Plus have great MF's, but you will pay a premium upfront. The standard and plus rooms don't have the MF ratios that Boulevard and Paradise have. If I would be purchasing in Vegas again, I would be looking at Paradise. Not as well known and great MF's. right there with Boulevard.

That is good to know about the full week for the "home weeks". That does seem very restrictive. That definitely reduces the appeal of deeds in vegas for usage instead of points. Those are good points and information.

It seems like my thoughts about Elara as a property with a better location is still valid since you would also prefer to stay there too given that you own deeds in flamingo and boulevard. With respect to points adjustment, are there instances where certain properties "lose" points relative to another EXISTING property? eg. If Paradise is an unpopular hotel with high vacancies. The points from paradise deeds stay the same, while the Elara/other properties room points get inflated. I understand that new properties may require more points / be unavailable.

I see mention of Oahu resorts... Generally, Oahu resorts Hilton hawaiian village rooms. is it difficult/impossible to book 9 months in advance during club bookings with that walking method, say a 1 bedroom during platinum season? I have to sell this idea to my wife too

 

[WaikikiFirst]

s it difficult/impossible to book 9 months in advance during club bookings with that walking method, say a 1 bedroom during platinum season?

Short answer: No. Oahu is almost all platinum, anyway. "Walking" would definitely be used for holiday-type wks. It is not difficult to book almost any week if you do it at exactly 9 months ... of course you could walk it for the 3 days prior to the 9 mo opening ... the more experienced may know of specific 1 bdrm types that go first ... Lagoon OVw or ... details details

 

[dayooper]

That is good to know about the full week for the "home weeks". That does seem very restrictive. That definitely reduces the appeal of deeds in vegas for usage instead of points. Those are good points and information.

It seems like my thoughts about Elara as a property with a better location is still valid since you would also prefer to stay there too given that you own deeds in flamingo and boulevard. With respect to points adjustment, are there instances where certain properties "lose" points relative to another EXISTING property? eg. If Paradise is an unpopular hotel with high vacancies. The points from paradise deeds stay the same, while the Elara/other properties room points get inflated. I understand that new properties may require more points / be unavailable.

Elara is a great location. It's connected to the Miracle Mile Mall and close to Paris, Cosmo, The Bellagio and even resorts like Caesars and Flamingo are walkable. We walked to NY NY and it wasn't bad. The end rooms (standard 2 bedrooms, not lock offs) are fantastic. They also form the 3 and 4 bedroom units.

As far as losing points, no, that hasn't happened. They have deeds and when you buy a deed, they can't arbitrarily change what you own. The only change that happened was when HGVC and DRI merged, they increased the HGVC points by 1.6. This was both for booking and what we are given every year. My deeds were 7000 points each before (14000 total) and now are 11,200 each (22,400 total). The total to book a week also increased to those points levels.

 

[mlou2@HGVC]

That is good to know about the full week for the "home weeks". That does seem very restrictive. That definitely reduces the appeal of deeds in vegas for usage instead of points. Those are good points and information.

It seems like my thoughts about Elara as a property with a better location is still valid since you would also prefer to stay there too given that you own deeds in flamingo and boulevard. With respect to points adjustment, are there instances where certain properties "lose" points relative to another EXISTING property? eg. If Paradise is an unpopular hotel with high vacancies. The points from paradise deeds stay the same, while the Elara/other properties room points get inflated. I understand that new properties may require more points / be unavailable.

I see mention of Oahu resorts... Generally, Oahu resorts Hilton hawaiian village rooms. is it difficult/impossible to book 9 months in advance during club bookings with that walking method, say a 1 bedroom during platinum season? I have to sell this idea to my wife too

I own 2BP at King's Land HGVC (platinum) and it is definitely a place you want to enjoy for a week. Last week I changed a Rez for a 2PB (week beginning June 7) to a 1BP (1 bed plus (924 sq ft) for a 5 night stay Dec 16-21, 2025. So YES I made both those reservations well within the 9 months.
BTW, if you want to stay in a 1 Bedroom in December, I plan to rent it out--or even better to entice to buy. We've owned this EOY odd since 2015...and 20,160 points gives lots of options to explore other properties and we have taken lots of cruises (especially shoulder ones or Last Minute cruises) since we live in Florida.
--AS FOR LAS VEGAS, we've stayed at our preferences Flamingo or Boulevard depending on time of year and like parking at Boulevard when we rent a car; proximity of Flamingo. And at Trump enjoyed the downstairs restaurant, across the street from Mall and free shuttles anywhere. Never been to Elara--thought I heard it wasn't comparable.