Maui Ocean Club, Lahaina Villas

[Cathyb]

We did the owner update and toured the villas -- quite impressive. We wanted to know what a fixed July 4 week would cost and it depended on the floor level. What I remember is this:

3 bedroom on 5th floor was $125,000
2 bedroom on 1st and 3rd was around $75,000

It will be a shame if all Marriott Maui owners can migrate from one pool area to another as this one is small and gorgeous. The salesman basically said you could use any of the pools -- if I paid $125,000 I would not want elbow to elbow crowds.

By the way, we are having continuous fire flare-ups this week. Yesterday there was evacuation of the Aquatic Center.

 

[Kazakie]

It seems the Oceanfront rooms at Lahaina Tower are Sat-Sat only, while Gardenview & Oceanview are Fri/Sat/Sun

 

[taffy19]

Cathy, did you see people in the ocean when you visited there this week? We have been there several times now already but never see anyone swimming. What is wrong with going in the ocean there?

I would much prefer going in the ocean than using a pool. How about in front of the Whaler Inn? Is it better there? Where would be the closest beach to go snorkeling? Is it Black Rock or somewhere closer?

 

[Docklander]

It seems the Oceanfront rooms at Lahaina Tower are Sat-Sat only, while Gardenview & Oceanview are Fri/Sat/Sun

I don't think that's right as I have a Fri-Fri reservation for an OF in the Lahania Tower for next year.

 

[taffy19]

Only the oceanfront fixed units - fixed weeks are from Saturday to Saturday. The floating oceanfront units must not be then.

 

[PerryM]

Ultra luxurious vacations for sale....get 'em while they are cheap!

We did the owner update and toured the villas -- quite impressive. We wanted to know what a fixed July 4 week would cost and it depended on the floor level. What I remember is this:

3 bedroom on 5th floor was $125,000
2 bedroom on 1st and 3rd was around $75,000

It will be a shame if all Marriott Maui owners can migrate from one pool area to another as this one is small and gorgeous. The salesman basically said you could use any of the pools -- if I paid $125,000 I would not want elbow to elbow crowds.

By the way, we are having continuous fire flare-ups this week. Yesterday there was evacuation of the Aquatic Center.

I honestly think that a new level of timeshare has been introduced and that a new breed of owner is being sought - the ultra luxurious vacation and not timeshare.

It's not just here, they are starting to appear very frequently now. Prices that many folks shake their heads but the developers seem to have little problem finding owners.

I can't imagine this is a replacement for a second home it's just a 1 week vacation that apparently has quite a market.

5 years from now these prices will probably double - some here will be kicking themselves for not buying - imagine that.

 

[Cathyb]

Emmy: People in ocean -- not the first week, except for crazy teen boys as the waves were mini-tsunami -- I mean crashing at the edge and about 8-10 feet high. But this week it is much, much calmer and there are quite a few in the water, even parents with little ones. We head for Big Island in two days and I am feeling sad as we won't have this oceanfront view there - or any view probably (Mauna Loa)

 

[Fredm]

I honestly think that a new level of timeshare has been introduced and that a new breed of owner is being sought - the ultra luxurious vacation and not timeshare.

It's not just here, they are starting to appear very frequently now. Prices that many folks shake their heads but the developers seem to have little problem finding owners.

I can't imagine this is a replacement for a second home it's just a 1 week vacation that apparently has quite a market.

5 years from now these prices will probably double - some here will be kicking themselves for not buying - imagine that.

Oh, it's timeshare. make no mistake about that. Call it what you will. Expensive timeshare, but timeshare nonetheless. It's just a name. Marriott and Starwood prefer "Vacation Ownership".

An interesting phenomenon is occurring, however, with ocean-front ownership in Hawaii , and specifically Kaanapali Beach. The pricey oceanfront intervals are consolidating ownership. More and more, buyers are accumulating multiple shares. They are being used as second home replacements.

The economics make all kinds of sense. Floating Westin Maui Oceanfront Deluxe (1750 sf corner units) are available below 55k. Marriott Maui 2 /3 are about 45k. They can be bought and paid for with the amount of a down payment of the condo alternative.
Those that would otherwise consider a second home purchase are evaluating the time spent in the Islands, and concluding that owning 6-12 weeks makes much more sense. HOA fees, which include property taxes, utilities, and maintenance/refurbishment costs are less than the property taxes alone on a 2-3 million dollar condo. 4 to 8 week blocks are increasingly transacted "off market". This already has produced a noticeable decline in resale units available for sale.

While secondary market prices have not yet increased by any meaningful amount, they are definitely firming. If the trend continues (as I believe it will), resale prices will begin heading North before long. I am not prepared to call it a double in 5 years. But, with the exception of world-class destination ski weeks, who ever heard of timeshare prices increasing, period?

 

[Cathyb]

fredm: You mentioned secondary Kaanapali, Maui markets haven't caught up -- we just found out our The Whaler two week oceanfront, fixed unit/week interval has jumped in value over the last two years from $48,000 to $75,000 based on actual sold prices. Whaler Realty explained we are getting the jump because of the Marriotts and Westin pricing even though we are older units because oceanfronts are just that, there are just so many of those.

 

[Fredm]

Cathy.

Right you are! Whaler is a rare bird . Fixed units/weeks in increments of 2. Also, Whaler remains partially wholly owned condos, lending to the residential atmosphere. Oceanfront is definitely in demand. I was referring to oceanfront floating weeks at MOC and KOR. Those have yet to see the appreciation, but I believe they will.

Fredm

 

[taffy19]

This certainly happened with the fixed oceanfront units. People were buying 4, 5, and even 6 weeks on a row. We only bought one week that we wanted to match up with our other two fixed weeks in Maui. They are not a perfect match because one goes by week and the other one goes by date but we will find accommodations for the time in between in Maui or on a different island if there are enough days in between. If we could rent the lock-off unit out, it will even pay towards the high maintenance fees too or we try to do a direct exchange with another timeshare owner here, if we want to go somewhere else.

We booked our flights for next year last week for almost a month and did nothing about reserving our fixed weeks as we know they are waiting there for us. However, yesterday, we got a confirmation by email that the MOC unit has been reserved for us and it is Easter week next year.

Here is the story with our good friends. They own many points with Worldmark/TrendWest. They love to make short trips on the OR and WA coast and do it often. We had mentioned a few times going to Maui together and make one week last two weeks for both of us. Since we have fixed time, we booked our flight last week and we mentioned it to them so they started looking if they could reserve their week too.

Since it was their first trip to Maui, they asked us which of the two resorts in Maui they should book. I didn't know so I asked here. Our friends called us back with the news that there was nothing available at either resort until June. They had no idea that everything would book up so early so they decided to rent a condo instead. I told them to go on the "wait list" as someone had suggested that here or at TS4MS. They didn't want to wait because they also want to book their flights early since it is a holiday week. They didn't like the idea at all of waiting and worrying about it if they would get the week or not.

You can say what you like but it is a lot easier to book a vacation around a fixed date than trying to do it the other way around and certainly if you need holiday or vacation weeks or if you like to stay at a certain resort or area year after year. We fall in that category with Maui. It is also more difficult to do this with two couples and make it work with floating weeks unless you rent. Even that, you need to do early.

I read that people find "fixed weeks" too inflexible but if you want to exchange them, they exchange exactly the same as a floating week does. I don't see the difference?

We are so happy with our "fixed weeks" in Maui, when the whales are there, and be guaranteed an ocean view too. It may not be an "investment" at all but it is an investment in quality time when we are there and now we are going to enjoy it with our friends too.

 

[GregT]

Beach off of MMOC

We own at the MMOC and think that Kaanapali Beach is beautiful for walking (and sunsets) with good snorkeling at the north and south, but not so good for swimming. Frankly, we much prefer Kamaole Beach down in Kihei, next to our Worldmark, which has sandy bottoms that are great for walking out into the water. Kaanapali (off the MOC) is rocky when you get waist deep, but I don't think we are going to get alot of sympathy from anybody.

I hope that helps!

Greg