Just bought HGV - did I get a good deal?

[kttravel]

I am brand new to this. I love to vacation. But I'm definitely a "yes man" and have a hard time saying no. I am a single mom and I recently booked my first vacation alone with my 2 little kids (2&6). Their dad passed and I don't want them growing up thinking they can't go on vacation without a dad. My goal is one vacation every, or ever-other, year. Hawaii and Europe.

I also love finding good deals. I booked my trip so last minute that the hotel room was only $276 at Waikaloa Village.

I went to the timeshare presentation. I didn't think I was going to buy, but they made it seem like I was getting a good deal. The main thing that sold me was the "open season" prices since I like to book last minute. They also made it seem like the home base unit didn't matter, and said that I was just paying for points, aka a week in a studio anywhere every-other year.

Also, the presenter showed me the 2 bedroom ocean view room with kitchen and washer/dryer and said the price per night for HGV members was only $250.

Here's what I bought:
Deed
Ocean Tower - Studio (type 1-studio reg)
3,840 points every other year
Gold Season
Biennial unit week (7-night) - odd numbered year
Purchase price $14,450
Closing costs $850
Total purchase price = $15,300

Maintenance fees $1,128
Annual club dues $313

Bonus points 15,000

Did I get a good deal, or did I get ripped off? Should I just have gone with the hotel rewards points instead... I'm still in escrow lol. Please help!

TIA

 

[RX8]

Rescind while you can. What they sold you is the bottom of the barrel as far as number of points goes. You are essentially paying $15K for something that not only is worthless if you ever decide to sell but would also most likely require you to have to pay someone to take off your hands. And, despite what the sales person may have told you, even Hilton would not want this deed back even if you offered to give it to them for free. That right there is your answer as to whether or not you got ripped off.

Buying resale, for that same $15K you could buy an annual resale deed with about six times more annual points PLUS have $10K left over in your pocket to pay for many years of maintenance fees.

With resale, you don’t get Max but many will tell you it isn’t worth the cost. You will however, have access to the same open season.

Take your time, join TUG, read posts, ask questions and only then will you be able to make an educated decision that will ensure that you and your family will get the most out of your purchase. It took me well over a year on TUG before I purchased a timeshare.

 

[kttravel]

Rescind while you can. What they sold you is the bottom of the barrel as far as number of points goes. You are essentially paying $15K for something that not only is worthless if you ever decide to sell but would also most likely require you to have to pay someone to take off your hands.

Buying resale, for that same $15K you could buy an annual resale deed with about six times more annual points PLUS have $10K left over in your pocket to pay for many years of maintenance fees.

With resale, you don’t get Max but many will tell you it isn’t worth the cost. You will however, have access to the same open season

Take your time, join TUG, read posts, ask questions and only then will you be able to make an educated decision that will ensure that you and your family will get the most out of your purchase.

Thank you for taking the time to respond. It's just me and the kids, so I really was feeling uneasy about my decision. Today is my last day to cancel!

Apologies - I am brand new to this. If I buy resale, can I still participate in the discounted HGV member pricing and credit card rewards points?

 

[RX8]

Be sure to follow the rescission instructions as outlined in the contract. You can hand write a simple letter stating that you are rescinding the contract. Include the contract number, if on the contract. Also include your name and address and sign and date the letter. Mail USPS with return receipt and save the mailing receipt you get from the post office. The date you mailed is the legal rescission date, not the date they receive it. Your receipt from the post office is your proof. Lastly, don’t call, or answer their calls. They will only try to keep you from rescinding. They may sweeten the offer but nothing will make this a good deal. Hilton is an honorable company and they will process the rescission even if they don’t talk to you. They do it because they are legally bound to do so.

Yes, you get discounted open season rates and credit card reward points with resale.

Edit for clarity regarding credit card reward points: If you mean using a Hilton credit card at the resort during your stay, then yes as resale is treated no differently. If you mean using a Hilton credit card for the purchase price, the answer is likely no.

 

[kttravel]

thank you so much I really appreciate it!

I want to buy resale. Hotel and airbnb prices are insane and I'd like to travel once a year. Thanks again.

 

[Snazzylass]

Girl, you came to the right place! And, you are on the right track. Hope you have already submitted your letter to rescind. Take care of that now! Then come back here and study and get educated

So sorry about your loss My boys were younger than that, but are grown and married and doing great! We all have enjoyed many happy years of traveling.

 

[GT75]

Please rescind because that "deal" is terrible. First off, you will have a very hard time getting rid of the deed because no one will want to take it even for free. Secondly, if you want to travel ever year, you certainly can not do it with that purchase. Thirdly, you really need to purchase more points. Fourthly, those MFs are too high for the number of points that you are getting. I think that HGVC is a great system but buy resale. It will save you a lot of money without losing any benefits.

I also wouldn't purchase any TS unless you want to plan early and book when the booking windows open. For HGVC, this is typically 9-month mark. This will give you the best availability.

I also wouldn't suggest purchasing HGVC if you plan to mainly use OS. I view OS as a side benefit which I find to not be worth it and doesn't have the availability either. Here is the 2025 OS rate for HI (who knows what the salesperson showed you):

 

[dioxide45]

The problem you might have with rescinding/cancelling is that today is a US Federal Holiday and there may not be a way to get your rescission letter postmarked. Read through the contract carefully. Is there also an email or fax option? If so, use that. Don't delay. You only have this one chance to legally and so easily cancel your purchase.

 

[brp]

The problem you might have with rescinding/cancelling is that today is a US Federal Holiday and there may not be a way to get your rescission letter postmarked. Read through the contract carefully. Is there also an email or fax option? If so, use that. Don't delay. You only have this one chance to legally and so easily cancel your purchase.

If the USPS is closed, maybe try a UPS Store or similar. It may cost more than the USPS, but they have certified delivery options as well that would certainly satiusfy the rules. This has to be done today, it seems.

Cheers.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

USPS Machines in Post Offices might work to get a timestamp.

 

[Shiba]

What about a contract postal unit. We use to have an independent store in town that offered USPS services. If you have one near you it's worth a call to see if they can postmark.

 

[geist1223]

Also at many major airports there are USPS Offices open 7 days per week 24 hours a day.

 

[kttravel]

Also at many major airports there are USPS Offices open 7 days per week 24 hours a day.

Wow you all are restoring my faith in humanity. @RX8 thank you for sharing your knowledge with a newbie. @Snazzylass thank you for your encouragement. My first vacation with my kids has probably been my most favorite vacation ever and we ain’t slowing down!

@GT75 @dioxide45 @brp @CalGalTraveler

Great news! I was down to literally 2 hours before midnight on my last day to cancel, I read through every page of my contract twice and I got sooo lucky and found an email address that you can use to cancel! I wouldn’t have made it without that. They responded the next day and confirmed they received the cancellation request. It’s:

Hawaiicancel@hgvc.com

Hopefully it can help someone else!

I have been reading through and trying to soak up as much information as possible. I have also been digging through the resales. I am excited to get going. It looks like what you can do is buy somewhere with low maintenance fees, like Vegas, but go for the high points. I found a posting for the Elara with gold season 11,200 with maintenance fees of around $1,100. I won’t ever be going to Las Vegas, but looks like I could book a 2 bedroom in the gold season for that! If I were to book now for Waikiki for September-October, is it totally booked up, or still some options? Trying to get a feel for how many months out realistically I need to plan.

You guys were all life savers!! It’s crazy how strangers can be bigger supporters than fam/friends. Internet friends for the win!

Hope you’re all vacationing sometime soon

 

[GT75]

Welcome from all of us HGVC TUG members. We have some great HGVC TUG members who are all just trying to be helpful and answer questions.

As you move forward, please take your time. There isn't a rush to purchase because resales will be around tomorrow also.

 

[geist1223]

If you can find and afford the extra expense of a Las Vegas Elara 2 bedroom Platinum resell the MF would be the same as a 2 bedroom Gold. But you get more Points.

 

[TUGBrian]

congrats on finding TUG in time to save 15k!

hope that money is used to take some incredible family vacations moving forward!

 

[GT75]

If I were to book now for Waikiki for September-October, is it totally booked up, or still some options? Trying to get a feel for how many months out realistically I need to plan.

It is best to plan 9 months out because that is when the club booking window opens for most resorts. Now, Waikiki has many resorts so the lower point requirement resorts (such as Lagoon Tower) will be grabbed first leaving only the higher point requirement resorts.

 

[brp]

Congrats om finding us in time @kttravel and excellent that it worked out!

Maybe consider becoming a member of TUG to support this great cause and pay it forward to others.

Cheers.

 

[letsgobobby]

Wow you all are restoring my faith in humanity. @RX8 thank you for sharing your knowledge with a newbie. @Snazzylass thank you for your encouragement. My first vacation with my kids has probably been my most favorite vacation ever and we ain’t slowing down!

@GT75 @dioxide45 @brp @CalGalTraveler

Great news! I was down to literally 2 hours before midnight on my last day to cancel, I read through every page of my contract twice and I got sooo lucky and found an email address that you can use to cancel! I wouldn’t have made it without that. They responded the next day and confirmed they received the cancellation request. It’s:

Hawaiicancel@hgvc.com

Hopefully it can help someone else!

I have been reading through and trying to soak up as much information as possible. I have also been digging through the resales. I am excited to get going. It looks like what you can do is buy somewhere with low maintenance fees, like Vegas, but go for the high points. I found a posting for the Elara with gold season 11,200 with maintenance fees of around $1,100. I won’t ever be going to Las Vegas, but looks like I could book a 2 bedroom in the gold season for that! If I were to book now for Waikiki for September-October, is it totally booked up, or still some options? Trying to get a feel for how many months out realistically I need to plan.

You guys were all life savers!! It’s crazy how strangers can be bigger supporters than fam/friends. Internet friends for the win!

Hope you’re all vacationing sometime soon

great job!

 

[tourproto]

Wow you all are restoring my faith in humanity. @RX8 thank you for sharing your knowledge with a newbie. @Snazzylass thank you for your encouragement. My first vacation with my kids has probably been my most favorite vacation ever and we ain’t slowing down!

Glad you were able to get out of that rotten deal. Just so you know what is possible, I bought in LV at the Flamingo. 11,200 points annually, platinum week for $1559 and that includes the annual Club Dues ($219). This cost me $4500 on the secondary market. It cost like $1000 for escrow fees including the title search (I think it is called an estoppel).

I book ONLY open season because I have other timeshares to go to special places (Hawaii and AZ). I use the HGVC timeshare to stay at the Trump or the Elara in LV when we visit the in-laws (and don't want to stay with them ). Since they are retired, we book when rooms are on sale and tell them we are coming into town. Works great.

We are staying in a 1 Bedroom Plus at the Trump in April for less than 1000 points a night. We don't normally splurge on a big room like this but the price was so cheap. Last year we paid for 8 rooms for family to stay at the Elara for 3 nights (studio room) for 1146 points per family. Ridiculously cheap rooms. There is the Open Season fee ($69? $79?) but it isn't too painful.

Best of luck buying at HGVC timeshare. And yes, IMO, buying in LV is the cheapest way to get points to use.

 

[mountainboy]

Glad you were able to get out of that rotten deal. Just so you know what is possible, I bought in LV at the Flamingo. 11,200 points annually, platinum week for $1559 and that includes the annual Club Dues ($219). This cost me $4500 on the secondary market. It cost like $1000 for escrow fees including the title search (I think it is called an estoppel).

I book ONLY open season because I have other timeshares to go to special places (Hawaii and AZ). I use the HGVC timeshare to stay at the Trump or the Elara in LV when we visit the in-laws (and don't want to stay with them ). Since they are retired, we book when rooms are on sale and tell them we are coming into town. Works great.

We are staying in a 1 Bedroom Plus at the Trump in April for less than 1000 points a night. We don't normally splurge on a big room like this but the price was so cheap. Last year we paid for 8 rooms for family to stay at the Elara for 3 nights (studio room) for 1146 points per family. Ridiculously cheap rooms. There is the Open Season fee ($69? $79?) but it isn't too painful.

Best of luck buying at HGVC timeshare. And yes, IMO, buying in LV is the cheapest way to get points to use.

All Resale purchases are a steal as compared to Retail purchases but suggest @kttravel to look at postings at TUG & redweek (& from various brokers) for Blvd, Paradise, Elara & Flamingo deeds.

Flamingo MFs are slightly higher than at Blvd & Paradise, for 2 BR Platinum, 11,200 pts.

Many bought Flamingo 2 BR Platinum, 11,200 for $2500 purchase price from Diane Nadeau; @svarma81 recently posted getting it from a broker for $500 per their recent post (which you may look for) although that is an unusually low price. Most Vegas 2 BR, 11,200 deeds from brokers go for 4k.

Elara 1 BR Grand Platinum, MF is 1006, significantly lower than Flamingo (or others) 2 BR Platinum; both giving 11,200 HGV points.

May also look at Craig lodge, direct from HGVC resale there, for around 4k-4.5k GBP; but only 195 GBP closing fee; + qualify for elite status; many posts from @HuskerATL re this in this forum.

Glad to see you save all the $$!

Welcome to TUG & to HGVC!