With the mandatory locations would the Sheraton Vistana Villages be the lowest MF’s? Or should I stick to them because they would be closest to my home base? Also are most locations open 8 months in advance to book? If I did want to book the SBP do you think there would be any challenges getting the week I wanted?
SVV is usually recommended because the MF/StarOption ratio is relatively good in relation to the buy-in cost. A couple of years ago you could easily get a SVV unit to buy for <$1000. Now it is getting tougher. The other one that is usually recommended is a platinum unit at WKV (Scottsdale, AZ) but these usually go for $13-15k for a 2BR lockoff. In your case you are close to Florida so it gives you a good alternative and your MF would be around $1000 for the week - that's pretty good all things considered.
The MF at SVV for a 2BR with 81000 SO would would be $1260 for the week. You would also have to pay the $155 VSN annual fee since this would be your first unit in Vistana - this gives you access to II as well as trading within the Vistana SO system. Price per SO here is $0.017.
If you bought at WKV the MF would be $1645, but the 2BR platinum would give you 148,100 (you could also buy a 1BR which gives 81,000 SO for a lower MF and buy in but these are hard to find). Add your $155 VSN fee and your price per SO is $0.012.
Putting this together the WKV options would be about $740 cheaper per year on 148,100 SO [(0.017-0.012)*148,100]. If the buy in cost for WKV is $14k more than a SVV week then your break even point is about 19 years.
Just to throw in what the Flex options would be - If you were to go with an 81,000 Sheraton Flex package the MF/SO is 0.0147 so say $1187 for the week. Since Sheraton Flex is voluntary you won't be in VSN so no $155 fee. You get some of the flexibility of being able to book into the 8 resorts ahead of when the SO period opens since you have 8 home resorts (and from what I understand there is plenty of availability for SBP in the Flex trust). Downside is that you won't get to book into Hawaii, Atlantis, Mexico or the USVI unless it was a trade via Interval (probably unlikely for peak seasons). I know there are a lot here on TUG who will hate me for suggesting this since Flex is overpriced when sold by the developer, but if you can pick up a Flex package for next to nothing I think it would suit your needs for the near future (warning timeshares are addictive so you will want more). If in the future you did want to bring the resale flex package into VSN you could do so with a minimum purchase of $10,000 more Flex HomeOptions from Vistana.
Some questions to ask yourself:
- How likely is it going to be that you will want to go to Hawaii, USVI, Atlantis or Mexico? If so then a mandatory unit is probably best (keep in mind that you'd probably have to give up 2 years worth of StarOptions to book at these other places).
- If Myrtle beach is likely to be your home base more than 50% of the time it's probably easiest and cheapest to get a resale week there and book it as your home resort. You can then trade in II when need be.
- If you'd like a hybrid approach which gives you access to SBP early on plus some of the other Sheraton's you are likely to want to visit then a Flex package might just be the best of both worlds.
Good luck!
this is the same way Shell VC (purchased by Wyndham) worked. I bought deeded Shell properties in Canada but opted out of the club as Diamond Resorts gave me more weeks for them in their club. Diamond will also accept my SVV weeks, but SVV MF are higher than Diamond so the math doesn't work to my advantage.
