Koala HGV wish list

[SmithOp]

Has anyone tried filling one of the requests on the Koala wish list for HGV?

Most of them are not full weeks, so it would be bending the club rules to supply someone with a club reservation for less than a home week.

The other issue I see is the payout, its about 18 cents a point, hard to make anything at that rate…and you still have res fee and guest cert fee.



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[GrayFal]

The other issue I see is the payout, its about 18 cents a point, hard to make anything at that rate…and you still have res fee and guest cert fee.

So then, what’s the point?
Most people would like to make money if they are going to rent.

 

[Eric B]

Has anyone tried filling one of the requests on the Koala wish list for HGV?

Most of them are not full weeks, so it would be bending the club rules to supply someone with a club reservation for less than a home week.

The other issue I see is the payout, its about 18 cents a point, hard to make anything at that rate…and you still have res fee and guest cert fee.

KOALA: Timeshare Rental Made Easy. Top Resorts Up To 70% Off

Rent direct from timeshare owners and book vacations at the world's best resorts for less. KOALA makes timeshare rentals easy, safe, and secure.

start.go-koala.com

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Here's a more direct link if you want to edit out the one you posted. That one probably allows tracking and might result in more spam for you. (I used the direct one in the quote to avoid the tracking issue.)

KOALA: Timeshare Rental Made Easy. Top Resorts Up To 70% Off

Rent direct from timeshare owners and book vacations at the world's best resorts for less. KOALA makes timeshare rentals easy, safe, and secure.

start.go-koala.com

I haven't done the HGV one, but have booked some Wyndham requests on that Koala site. The payout there can be decent depending on what you own and there isn't an issue with the different number of days there.

 

[dioxide45]

So then, what’s the point?
Most people would like to make money if they are going to rent.

Perhaps, but in come cases people simply don't use their timeshare week and are spending MFs year over year for nothing in return. Perhaps they are willing to get something back to help off set the fees until they can figure out how to unload their timeshare.

 

[GrayFal]

Perhaps, but in come cases people simply don't use their timeshare week and are spending MFs year over year for nothing in return. Perhaps they are willing to get something back to help off set the fees until they can figure out how to unload their timeshare.

I guess. I think something like this will low ball offers will drive prices down.

They reached out to me as a Marriott owner and the reservations they wanted were less than maint fee at the resorts or the MF of DC points.
Ugh, no thanks.

 

[GrayFal]

And I am not trying to yuck anyone's yums

Just feeling like they might be taking advantage of owners rather than supporting healthy owner rentals.

 

[emeryjre]

I have posted several Sheraton weeks at rental prices comparable to the going rate on Redweek and the units were rented. The listings specified the week I had available, I was not responding to a request from somebody else. I stated the amount I wanted. If there was a renter wanting my available week at my price the unit was rented.

What I see happening at Koala is they are trying various ways to find the niche that works for the website and the website renters. If Koala finds owners willing to participate in the HGV wish list program, then the program will continue. If owners do not participate, the the wish list will disappear over time. But Koala has to try the concept to see if it will find owners and renters using the concept.

 

[GrayFal]

I have posted several Sheraton weeks at rental prices comparable to the going rate on Redweek and the units were rented. The listings specified the week I had available, I was not responding to a request from somebody else. I stated the amount I wanted. If there was a renter wanting my available week at my price the unit was rented.

What I see happening at Koala is they are trying various ways to find the niche that works for the website and the website renters. If Koala finds owners willing to participate in the HGV wish list program, then the program will continue. If owners do not participate, the the wish list will disappear over time. But Koala has to try the concept to see if it will find owners and renters using the concept.

Agree.

 

[dioxide45]

And I am not trying to yuck anyone's yums

Just feeling like they might be taking advantage of owners rather than supporting healthy owner rentals.

I suspect these are request that they have received from potential renters. If a renter can't find something they want on the site, they can put in a request and they have a concierge group that goes out to find owners. This is probably a list of unfulfilled renter requests. I beleive the renter sets the price they want to pay. Owners don't have to take them up on these listings if they don't think the return is good enough. We have noticed over time that these lists tend to be on the low end or lower than most owners are willing to take. Likely why they aren't filled.

 

[emeryjre]

I understand how the wish list works. If owners move to fill the requests, the renters will continue to make requests. If the requests go unfilled, the list will eventually die. So will owners move to fill the requests?

 

[GrayFal]

I understand how the wish list works. If owners move to fill the requests, the renters will continue to make requests. If the requests go unfilled, the list will eventually die. So will owners move to fill the requests?

I know with Wyndham owners at a certain level they can make resies less than 60 days for 50%. Those owners make money. Regular owners don’t cover their maint fees with what is offered.

Example for Marriott. They reached out to me to make an Orlando 2BR resie in Dec and offered under $1100. Maint fee in Orlando is $1400-1500 plus. I said no.

 

[Eric B]

I know with Wyndham owners at a certain level they can make resies less than 60 days for 50%. Those owners make money. Regular owners don’t cover their maint fees with what is offered.

Example for Marriott. They reached out to me to make an Orlando 2BR resie in Dec and offered under $1100. Maint fee in Orlando is $1400-1500 plus. I said no.

The payout from Koala is generally $7.50 per 1,000 points, less for some near-term stays. Wyndham Bali Hai points cost $4.50 per 1,000 points this year without a discount for someone that has retail points with Wyndham. Club Wyndham Access costs $7.27 per 1,000 points. As a result, anyone with an ownership that costs equal to or less than the Club Wyndham Access rate is covering their maintenance fees and program fees for the points they use for a Koala rental, assuming they don't try to use this commercially and wind up paying the extra reservation and housekeeping fees. It's not something worth trying to make a living off of, but does help with paying the fees in years you can't use all your points, like this one.

BTW, some Wyndham owners only pay 40% within 60 days. Those folks have a lot of capital "invested" with Wyndham, though, so they probably aren't really making much unless they got the status through some of the methods that used to exist.

 

[escanoe]

I understand how the wish list works. If owners move to fill the requests, the renters will continue to make requests. If the requests go unfilled, the list will eventually die. So will owners move to fill the requests?

Or will the people posting the ads decide to offer more later if their initial request goes unfilled?

 

[Tank]

I don’t have a problem with a “wish list”
I don’t like the SET amount thinking they are doing us a favor.
I thought this when it started with Wyndham

Now maybe they need to be the middle man and allow someone who can fill the request to quote the price offer for said stay. If excepted koala can get the cut coming to them.

 

[escanoe]

You may be a better candidate to post your as available for sale at the price you want. This is the "wanted" section. They also have a "for sale" section.

I don’t have a problem with a “wish list”
I don’t like the SET amount thinking they are doing us a favor.
I thought this when it started with Wyndham

Now maybe they need to be the middle man and allow someone who can fill the request to quote the price offer for said stay. If excepted koala can get the cut coming to them.

 

[Tank]

You may be a better candidate to post your as available for sale at the price you want. This is the "wanted" section. They also have a "for sale" section.

It’s nice to be able to fill actual requests as needed.
I would think they would be happy to get offers.
I would rather get a offer , and a choice to except vs
No offers because it’s price they want to give is to low.

When I have a request that needs filled, I expect them to tell me the price for my request. I have a choice to except or not. Probably happy to get a offer.
Im sure not going to tell them what I’ll pay.

 

[GrayFal]

The payout from Koala is generally $7.50 per 1,000 points, less for some near-term stays. Wyndham Bali Hai points cost $4.50 per 1,000 points this year without a discount for someone that has retail points with Wyndham. Club Wyndham Access costs $7.27 per 1,000 points. As a result, anyone with an ownership that costs equal to or less than the Club Wyndham Access rate is covering their maintenance fees and program fees for the points they use for a Koala rental, assuming they don't try to use this commercially and wind up paying the extra reservation and housekeeping fees. It's not something worth trying to make a living off of, but does help with paying the fees in years you can't use all your points, like this one.

BTW, some Wyndham owners only pay 40% within 60 days. Those folks have a lot of capital "invested" with Wyndham, though, so they probably aren't really making much unless they got the status through some of the methods that used to exist.

Thank you for this info. In the “original” Koala thread RickandCindy had mentioned the Wyndham info. I gave my Wyndham back a few years ago so only have current Marriott info.

 

[ocdb8r]

I think the issue is they seem to be fairly astute as it comes to Wyndham (offers cover maintenance fees with a small profit over the average MF cost per point). For other programs, they clearly either don't filter (which to me adds very little value) or are clueless as to the actual MF costs at these resorts.

I appreciate a newcomer coming to the game and offering an alternative....I'd just like to see them improving on what is already on offer. I like that you can list with no fee....but the 8% commission is quite a cut!

 

[MikeKennedy]

Hi everyone, Mike from KOALA here. Thank you for all your feedback, I appreciate it all (even the not-so-good!). I do want to address some concerns though. I own an HGV timeshare and worked there for a decade - so we are acutely aware of the intricacies with the product (and that includes fees). We are also mindful that travelers aren’t concerned with anyone’s costs when they are looking to book a vacation at competitive prices - and have many options.

That said, we hear you and we’ve raised the payouts AND will cover the $59 reservation fee in the (rare) case of a cancellation. So, if a traveler cancels a booking you’ve fulfilled within the allotted time, we will send you $59. This is only for Community Hub (not "Create a Listing"). Happy to address any further questions there.

For those that prefer a double-sided marketplace and *not* the set payouts in the Hub- you can still choose to list for free and price yourself. We’ve had that live for over a year, and although more improvements are coming, it’s been very successful.

We launched the Hub because so many weren’t sure what or when to list, or even how to price. So this makes product it super easy for owners that want a reliable way to offset or cover their fees.

If you have a high demand week with HGV or another brand, and you’re comfortable navigating the market on your own, there are certainly other ways to maximize what you earn. Either with our Create a Listing method or by listing on several other reputable marketplaces - like TUG - all of which enable you to set your own price.

Hope this helps!
Thank you,
Mike

 

[SmithOp]

@MikeKennedy thanks for the information. I appreciate the Hub listings, but my concern is filling a request when I don’t own at those locations. Like most HGV owners right now I have a ton of points to use next year and would like to offload a few. The listings include less than 7 day home week reservations - which seem to violate club rules against commercial renting. Can you comment on that?


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[buzglyd]

Hi everyone, Mike from KOALA here. Thank you for all your feedback, I appreciate it all (even the not-so-good!). I do want to address some concerns though. I own an HGV timeshare and worked there for a decade - so we are acutely aware of the intricacies with the product (and that includes fees). We are also mindful that travelers aren’t concerned with anyone’s costs when they are looking to book a vacation at competitive prices - and have many options.

That said, we hear you and we’ve raised the payouts AND will cover the $59 reservation fee in the (rare) case of a cancellation. So, if a traveler cancels a booking you’ve fulfilled within the allotted time, we will send you $59. This is only for Community Hub (not "Create a Listing"). Happy to address any further questions there.

For those that prefer a double-sided marketplace and *not* the set payouts in the Hub- you can still choose to list for free and price yourself. We’ve had that live for over a year, and although more improvements are coming, it’s been very successful.

We launched the Hub because so many weren’t sure what or when to list, or even how to price. So this makes product it super easy for owners that want a reliable way to offset or cover their fees.

If you have a high demand week with HGV or another brand, and you’re comfortable navigating the market on your own, there are certainly other ways to maximize what you earn. Either with our Create a Listing method or by listing on several other reputable marketplaces - like TUG - all of which enable you to set your own price.

Hope this helps!
Thank you,
Mike

The cancellation date for Club reservations is now 60 days rather than 30. Within 60 you lose points if you cancel. Not just the $59. There is another cancellation protection fee now. I believe it is another $59 on top of the reservation fee.

 

[dayooper]

The cancellation date for Club reservations is now 60 days rather than 30. Within 60 you lose points if you cancel. Not just the $59. There is another cancellation protection fee now. I believe it is another $59 on top of the reservation fee.

This is not correct. You can't CHANGE the reservation within 60 days. Any change from then is considered a cancellation and you lose your fee. You can still cancel from 60-31 days and not lose any points.

 

[buzglyd]

This is not correct. You can't CHANGE the reservation within 60 days. Any change from then is considered a cancellation and you lose your fee. You can still cancel from 60-31 days and not lose any points.

Oh sorry. I knew there were new rules but didn’t study the time frame when you lose the points.

 

[MikeKennedy]

@MikeKennedy thanks for the information. I appreciate the Hub listings, but my concern is filling a request when I don’t own at those locations. Like most HGV owners right now I have a ton of points to use next year and would like to offload a few. The listings include less than 7 day home week reservations - which seem to violate club rules against commercial renting. Can you comment on that?


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@MikeKennedy thanks for the information. I appreciate the Hub listings, but my concern is filling a request when I don’t own at those locations. Like most HGV owners right now I have a ton of points to use next year and would like to offload a few. The listings include less than 7 day home week reservations - which seem to violate club rules against commercial renting. Can you comment on that?


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It's a reasonable question. Technically committing some of the days *within* your Home Week should still ostensibly be using the Home Week connected to your deed. That said, I would err of the side of caution if you’re not comfortable using our HUB as we do not set your ownership policies, HGV does. We are just trying to provide a way to help owners if they need it - and it is our intention (and our company policy) for our members to abide by those same rules set by their clubs to the best of their knowledge. We're in beta stage with the Hub to learn so we can progress it further to benefit a wide variety of timeshare owners - including HGV members. Again, anyone can still book their Home Week and choose "Create a Listing" if they want a more direct-route. It's free to list. Hope this helps!

 

[mwlcarter]

Has anyone tried filling one of the requests on the Koala wish list for HGV?

Most of them are not full weeks, so it would be bending the club rules to supply someone with a club reservation for less than a home week.

The other issue I see is the payout, its about 18 cents a point, hard to make anything at that rate…and you still have res fee and guest cert fee.



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I just went through a go-koala on-boarding call today, and I'm cancelling. The Hub shows prices offered by renters, which are low enough that I can't come close to covering MF.

They have a feature to help you identify high-demand weeks and price them accordingly as an owner, but then you lose the whole guaranteed rental part of things so it's really not worth paying for. They also told me that Hilton listings are guaranteed (not), and lied to me about the price going up the next day to try to get me into a seven year commitment. Overall, really not impressed by go-koala.

Also, really not impressed by Hilton. We fell for two retail sales and both salespeople raved about how they rent their points every year to cover MF... something that's not allowed by Hilton! (And for the prices they want, they shouldn't be putting in any restrictions!) I'm getting that the timeshare industry is pretty much 99% scam. Such a disappointment (and financial loss, which adds a bitter taste to vacations). Hilton may have some nice resorts, but my experience buying a timeshare from them (HGVMax non-deeded points) leaves me thinking they're a sleazy unethical company. They're clearly making enough money off this scam to not care how much it hurts the perception of their brand.

This whole timeshare thing has proven to be a complete and utter rip-off. Wish we'd discovered TUG sooner... we were wide-eyed newbies who were ripe targets for predatory sales techniques. If we'd known we couldn't rent points to offset MF we wouldn't have purchased at all. As is, we'll try to have some nice vacations and track the value of those stays to convince ourselves we bought *some* value.