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Miserable time renting my Ko'olina week

chalucky

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Thought I would reserve a prime week at MKO and skip a trip this year by renting.

Used a couple of sites including red week for Presidents week....well, things didn't go according to plan and there are like 13 unrented week 7's sitting on Redweek.

I have decided to use the week personally....Question: Should I have
reserved Easter week instead? Can't figure out how I could have done this better.
 

ronparise

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It doesnt look like you did anything wrong. in terms of what you were trying to rent. I suspect price and where you were advertising was the problem.

To protect myself when I make a reservation to rent, I always have an escape plan. My Wyndham points allow me to cancel within 15 days of check in without penalty.

tdi-13.gif
 

pwrshift

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On ebay, I rented my Pres wk studio in Beachplace as well as Spring Break week studio...in 7 days. I set the start price at $89 for each with a reserve of $650. Oddly, the Pres week went for the reserve and the other was bid up to $720.

There were several similar BP weeks offered and none got any bidding at all except for mine. Probably for two reasons: I set a low start fee and had a reasonable reserve price. With about 2 days left on each I put the reserve price in the description so they would know it wasn't $1500-$2400 that the other auctions had as 'buy it now' prices that scared buyers off as unreasonable. I'm pretty sure the 1 bdrm portion would have rented for about $200 more which together would net me more than the MF for the week.

We're probably talking a lot more money for your weeks and buyers would probably factor in a greater added cost for flights and car rentals. But I've found that IF you get some bidding action you've got a better chance of renting it. Works for me.

Brian
 

BocaBum99

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Thought I would reserve a prime week at MKO and skip a trip this year by renting.

Used a couple of sites including red week for Presidents week....well, things didn't go according to plan and there are like 13 unrented week 7's sitting on Redweek.

I have decided to use the week personally....Question: Should I have
reserved Easter week instead? Can't figure out how I could have done this better.

Next time book week 51 or 52. If you have a 2br oceanview unit, I'll probably rent it from you.
 

vail

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I have a summer week on Hilton Head Island.
it took me awhile to rent it and I was only asking what the maintenance fees are.
Possibly it is too early for next summer for most people to make plans?
I have no idea---mine is a one time occurrence for other's to know.
 

dioxide45

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Next time book week 51 or 52. If you have a 2br oceanview unit, I'll probably rent it from you.

Unfortunately for the OP Ko'Olina weeks 51 and 52 are Platinum Plus weeks. It seems they only own a Platinum week since they booked Presidents Week.
 

MOXJO7282

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I'm not sure I would give up yet. There is a lot of activity 60 days in from checkin and Pres week Marriott in Hawaii is pretty high demand. Was it a 2 BDRM unit with a view?

I would be shocked if a 2BDRM Marriott Hawaii with a view wouldn't rent.
 

chalucky

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Already capitulated and bought airfare....woe is me, another week to take in Hawaii.

Having said that, I am not sure if it is the economy really cratering or what but not one week "7" has been scratched off the Redweek list at Ko'olina. Mostly I am trying to glean some knowledge from this experience in case I have to rent next year. So far, my take is to lowball the price and hope the economy recovers.
 

ilene13

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Already capitulated and bought airfare....woe is me, another week to take in Hawaii.

Having said that, I am not sure if it is the economy really cratering or what but not one week "7" has been scratched off the Redweek list at Ko'olina. Mostly I am trying to glean some knowledge from this experience in case I have to rent next year. So far, my take is to lowball the price and hope the economy recovers.

I know that many people who list on Redweek and tug do not mark their units as rented once they are, so I think the numbers you may be seeing are inaccurate. We are currently in Aru ba and a friend of mine need an extra unit. I sent emails to 12 listings that indicated that they were still available. All were rented.
 

DeniseM

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Some suggestions:

1) Post your rental on as many websites as you can - the more traffic, the better - I like:
Tug
Redweek
Craigslist
Myresortnetwork

On Craigslist, renew your Ad every 3 days to bring it to the top of the list.

When you are setting your price, don't just look at the asking prices, look at the weeks that have rented and see what they are going for (on Redweek you can see this.)

Price your timeshare near the bottom of the Comps - not in the top 50%. This may mean that you only cover your maintenance fee, so it depends on how motivated you are to rent. It can be painful when you own a beautiful timeshare with a high maintenance fee, and the going rental rate isn't what you hoped for.

When renting a 2 bdm., choose a school holiday week - many schools aren't out for the whole week for President's week.

Know what your last day to cancel with no penalty is, and at that point, cancel an make a new Resv to rent - like Easter or July, or mid-June to mid-August. You can just edit your Ads to indicate the new dates.
 
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chalucky

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Thanks for the useful advice.

Marriott process would make it hard to cancel and reserve an attractive substitute week late in the process if I thought week 7 was not going to rent.

I was pretty aggressive with my pricing being the lowest or almost lowest for a couple of months.

My resort network...paid for an ad and got nada.

avoided Ebay and Craigs list since I wanted the ratio of serious people to tire kickers to be in my favor.

Anyway...next year I go cheap early. Only good news is I hit the Hawaii Air one day sale and got 425 times 4 from LAX....prices wnt back up to 700 the next day.:wall:
 

MOXJO7282

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Thought I would reserve a prime week at MKO and skip a trip this year by renting.

Used a couple of sites including red week for Presidents week....well, things didn't go according to plan and there are like 13 unrented week 7's sitting on Redweek.

I have decided to use the week personally....Question: Should I have
reserved Easter week instead? Can't figure out how I could have done this better.

I'm curious about the units config. 2BDRM? View? I have never ever had a problem renting my Maui 2 BDRM OV or OF President's week. I know Maui is the most popular and therefore more in demand, but I thought any Marriott Hawaii 2BDRM would rent easily for the high demand weeks.
 

saturn28

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I wouldn't use Ebay. With Ebay, you are looking at bottom feeders. You will be lucky to get your maintenance fees back. Red Week is ok because you don't get bottom feeders like on Ebay. However, you don't get that many responses. I have found the best results at Vacation Timeshare Rentals.com and advertising is free. I have always made a profit renting through the Vacation Timeshare Rentals website even in this bad economy.
 
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DeniseM

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Are far in advance do you all start trying to rent your properties? Do you treat all seasons the same?

I start advertising it as soon as I make the reservation - 12 mos. out isn't too early.

I would not try to rent an off-season week. Even if you do find a renter, you will have to discount it significantly. School holidays rent best.
 

a1000monkeys

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I'm renting a 2br OV at Ko'Olina the week leading up to President's Day (not sure if it's week 6 or 7). I booked it nearly 12 mos out and what got me to jump so early was the advertised price of $1800. Found it on Redweek.
 

sbeck22

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I did a 2BR OV from Redweek for in the 1800's as well. I rented it from the owner in March '11 for a week starting Friday 24. I don't know what # that is, I think 7 or 8.

Was yours a 2BR OV?
 

a1000monkeys

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I did a 2BR OV from Redweek for in the 1800's as well. I rented it from the owner in March '11 for a week starting Friday 24. I don't know what # that is, I think 7 or 8.

Was yours a 2BR OV?

Yes, dedicated 2br OV, so it will be in the Naia tower. Check-in Feb 12.

The cheapest rental I have gotten at Ko'Olina was a 2br MV (though we had a high floor in the Naia tower with a view of Marina and of the Ocean from the balcony) for $900 over Veteran's Day week. That was an eBay find.
 

sbeck22

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Wow for a 2BR even with MV is great.

When you say dedicated, that means no lock-off I assume.

Does the non-lockoff 2BRs which are only in Nai'a as I understand come with the 2 twins or is that only in the 3 BR config?

If I can get a 2BR in Nai'a that doesn't have the twin beds, I will ask for that. If not, I will ask for high floor Moana. We go next month and we will just miss ya.
 

JudyS

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Thought I would reserve a prime week at MKO and skip a trip this year by renting.

Used a couple of sites including red week for Presidents week....well, things didn't go according to plan and there are like 13 unrented week 7's sitting on Redweek.

I have decided to use the week personally....Question: Should I have
reserved Easter week instead? Can't figure out how I could have done this better.
I would expect Easter to rent better than President's week. The desirability of Easter week probably is not accurately reflected in II's Travel Demand chart, as President's Week is always Week 7, and Easter falls in different weeks during different years. (I'm also not sure I trust their chart, anyway. Are there really five summer weeks that have higher demand than Weeks 51 and 52?)

Also, a lot of people don't rent until the last minute. This is less true in Hawaii than on the mainland, but you still get people planning just a few weeks out for Hawaii trips.

However, that doesn't mean you did anything "wrong." In this market, it can be very hard to rent out a timeshare week at a price that seems fair to the owner. If you had kept trying to rent until the last minute, you may have had your week sit empty. So, go and enjoy your Hawaii trip!
 

a1000monkeys

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Wow for a 2BR even with MV is great.

When you say dedicated, that means no lock-off I assume.

Does the non-lockoff 2BRs which are only in Nai'a as I understand come with the 2 twins or is that only in the 3 BR config?

If I can get a 2BR in Nai'a that doesn't have the twin beds, I will ask for that. If not, I will ask for high floor Moana. We go next month and we will just miss ya.

Yes, dedicated means non-lock off. Only one entrance to unit.

I think the twin beds is only in the 3Br. Even if there are two beds in the second bedroom of a 2br unit they will at least be queens.

In the non-lock off we had, there was king (or possibly a queen) size bed and a pull out sofa bed in the 2nd bedroom.

Have a great trip!
 

thinze3

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hmmm?

Wow. If prices are that cheap for KoOlina, I think I'll just rent a week next year instead of trying for a trade. :D
 

MOXJO7282

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I just rented my Maui OF studio week 7 for $2000. Goes to show how much in demand the MOC is.

I really didn't want to rent it because my family of 4 is going that week and we were going to use the full 2 BDRM.... unless someone accepted my high price for the studio.

I listed at $1875 as that is the MF for the full 2 BDRM. I had an inquiry that looked solid but it faded. Thinking I really didn't want to rent it I upped the ad to $2000. 2 weeks went by and then someone made me an offer.

I have a daughter entering college next fall and now asking me about a car of course so that $2k is too hard to pass up.
 
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