New to the Timeshare Game- Help and Advice appreciated!

[Tallanvor]

Hello all,

I just returned from La Pacifica in Los Cabos and I have to tell you I was absolutely enchanted. I was seriously considering buying the timeshare on the spot when I learned that HGVC uses a points system in order to make reservations, but the upfront retail prices scared the crap out of me! A one bedroom premier suite (which was the room I was staying in during the sales pitch) during Gold season had a $76k down (at 14.99%) and $2505/yr maintenance fee! The sticker shock scared me into doing more research, and I found this amazing website and immediately joined up. Hoping you all can help me!

My question: I want to be able to stay 5 nights at La Pacifica every year. A week in the room and season that I want (at the above prices) would cost 11,600 club points. 11600/7 nights = 1657 club points/night. 5 nights would (theoretically) cost me 5 * 1657 = 8285 points. Would I be able to purchase a resale that gives me roughly that many points (probably 9000 to be safe) and achieve my goal? That is, I'd buy a resale in Hawaii or Vegas that gives 9000 club points annually-> pass on my home week (or not, depending on my yearly mood!) and then cash out into club points -> use my club points to book La Pacifica. I understand I'd only be able to book it after the Home Week deed owners have passed on it (aka 9 months out).

Does that sound like a plan that would actually work?

Also, does anybody know the exact cost of 5 nights at La Pacifica in November? Since I'm not a club member I can't check on my own

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!!!

 

[Nowaker]

Does that sound like a plan that would actually work?

Yes, with a caveat of availability of specific resorts. Some resorts have limited number of units, and they're always in high demand. Therefore, making it almost impossible to book with points, unless it's your home resort and you book your home week ahead of club bookings. So let me look up the availability for La Pacifica in 2022 for you. Hang tight.

 

[Nowaker]

This property doesn't seem super busy. The rest of 2021 is booked, except for next week. (This is normal, it's almost EOY, and people have Covid points about to expire, so everything is booked tight.) January/February/March are somewhat booked but you can find something. April+ no problems for any studio booking. August+ and you can book 1BR+.

 

[LAWUFL]

The point chart is attached.

 

[Tallanvor]

Wow thank you @Nowaker and @LAWUFL! All that information is super helpful!!

 

[Nowaker]

@Tallanvor You're welcome! I was in the same shoes a couple weeks ago when @alwysonvac did the same for me.

 

[GT75]

@Tallanvor, Welcome to TUG. As you have already experienced, we have some great HGVC TUG members who all want to help. I haven't stayed at La Pacifica myself but we did eat in some of the restaurants on the property in March 2020. I am very familiar with the area. I know that @Nowaker has already given you some wonderful information with the screenshots that he provided and the point information from @LAWUFL. Looking at HGV disclosure document, there are 74 units at La Pacifica currently in the club consisting of studio/1BR & 2BR units. I don't have the breakdown between the units nor do I remember if HGV will be adding additional units via a phased approach. Looking at inventory past what @Nowaker provided, I don't see any 2BR premier nor 1BR premier units available (only 1BR premier plus) from October thru November. I didn't see any 1BR or 2BR from 8/23/22 - 10/1/22.

 

[Janann]

How familiar are you with the Los Cabos area? There are plenty of very nice timeshare resorts. I have traded into Playa Grande, Fiesta Americana, and Los Cabos Pueblo Bonito. Our favorite is Fiesta Americana, and we will be going back in May.

I use my HGVC points to trade in through RCI (the company that HGVC works with for reservations with other timeshare companies). The cost is 3,400 points for 7 nights in a one bedroom, plus an exchange fee of something like $279. However, the room location is not guaranteed to have a "premier" view or location. It is just luck for that part.

Fiesta Americana is available through both HGVC and RCI. I prefer RCI because the trades are done in 7 night increments, and the availability starts a lot further out than HGVC. The points price is lower, but the cash needed with the exchange is higher.

The price that HGVC has proposed is incredibly high. Be sure to do a lot of research, and investigate buying resale.

and then cash out into club points -> use my club points to book La Pacifica.

Just wanted to clarify this statement a little...you don't actually cash out anything. Just use the points to book where you want.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

My question: I want to be able to stay 5 nights at La Pacifica every year. A week in the room and season that I want (at the above prices) would cost 11,600 club points. 11600/7 nights = 1657 club points/night. 5 nights would (theoretically) cost me 5 * 1657 = 8285 points. Would I be able to purchase a resale that gives me roughly that many points (probably 9000 to be safe) and achieve my goal? That is, I'd buy a resale in Hawaii or Vegas that gives 9000 club points annually-> pass on my home week (or not, depending on my yearly mood!) and then cash out into club points -> use my club points to book La Pacifica. I understand I'd only be able to book it after the Home Week deed owners have passed on it (aka 9 months out).

Welcome to TUG. Congrats on finding this information and saving yourself $76,000 which you would regret. cc @Grammarhero @TUGBrian who track rescissions.

Your plan to buy Vegas resale is a good plan. No need to buy at La Pacifica. Buy Paradise, Blvd, Flamingo or Elara resorts resale (be careful not to buy a Westgate unit) at about $1 a point as a fair price (sometimes you can get lower but you need to search hard and may get scammed on eBay so this is really for more experienced buyers.)

If you buy a 7000 point unit plus a 4800 -5000 pt platinum unit that would give you 11,800 - 12000 points annually. If over time the resort books up during home week and you want access to their lounge as a bHC, there likely will be resales hitting the market over the next 5 -10 years. You could sell one or both of your resales and buy a resale Pacifica if you desire which will be a fraction of the $76k by that time as some owners who pay off their mortgage will seek to dump their units. November is still shoulder/low season so you might be fine on club booking from Vegas because the whales have not arrived yet and there is still the tail end of rainy/hurricane season so lower demand.

HGVC may have another Cabo alternative (Cabo Azul) in a few years with the Diamond acquisition, and you can also access Fiesta Americana Cabo (but now requires All Inclusive meals $$ so less attractive), and access to additional Cabo resorts via RCI trades. Whether you get access with your existing resales to Diamond is unknown at this time so don't buy with that purpose.

Since you are new to buying resale and HGVC suggest that you work with a recommended TUG real estate agent to avoid being scammed. (conduct a search to find names). You may pay a bit more (e.g. $1/point or more) but much less than $76k, and your Maint Fee/point will be one of the lowest in the system, giving you many years of savings.

Good luck!

 

[rickandcindy23]

I am very glad for you that common sense kicked in and you realized how really expensive that purchase would have been. Rescinding in Mexicos has its own challenges, so you really avoided a stressful rescind process as well.

There are many Hilton resellers and great advice out there for buying a HGVC points package that would easily give you enough points for the nights you want each year. One that I have used is sellingtimeshares.net They specialize in Hilton, Disney, and the other upscale timeshares. There are others as well but I highly recommend any of the salespeople. I would send them a message. I know that Seth Nock advised me to buy Las Vegas for Hilton, which has less MF's.

.

 

[LAWUFL]

Attached is what I received from HGV re: inventory. I don’t know how accurate it is.

 

[Nowaker]

One that I have used is sellingtimeshares.net

SellingTimeshares has reasonably priced postings. Realtors have some superinflated postings that don't make sense. I wrote about it here: https://tugbbs.com/forums/threads/considering-hgvc-resales.328428/post-2694450

 

[Tallanvor]

Wow I'm really taken aback with how friendly and helpful everyone has been. Thank you everyone so much, all of this information is so valuable!!!

 

[alwysonvac]

Attached is what I received from HGV re: inventory. I don’t know how accurate it is.

@LAWUFL Thanks for sharing.
@GT75 can we add this count of unit types to the sticky thread?

 

[Tallanvor]

I am very glad for you that common sense kicked in and you realized how really expensive that purchase would have been. Rescinding in Mexicos has its own challenges, so you really avoided a stressful rescind process as well.

There are many Hilton resellers and great advice out there for buying a HGVC points package that would easily give you enough points for the nights you want each year. One that I have used is sellingtimeshares.net They specialize in Hilton, Disney, and the other upscale timeshares. There are others as well but I highly recommend any of the salespeople. I would send them a message. I know that Seth Nock advised me to buy Las Vegas for Hilton, which has less MF's.

.

Along with sellingtimshares.net, do you think hilton-timeshare.timesharebrokernetwork.com is also a reputable reseller?

 

[Nowaker]

Along with sellingtimshares.net, do you think hilton-timeshare.timesharebrokernetwork.com is also a reputable reseller?

Whether it's reputable or not, it's for you to figure out by googling or searching this forum for reviews and opinions.

I can tell you based on listing prices, they're more expensive than sellingtimeshares.net. There's basically no benefits to going more expensive if you can go cheaper. Flamingo 7k Platinum is worth $4k. They have it for $6k. Blvd 5k Gold is worth $1.5k. They have it for $2k. I can also see Diane as listing agent for some of these listings, and she doesn't budge on the price so you should consider all these prices final.

 

[GT75]

hilton-timeshare.timesharebrokernetwork.com is also a reputable reseller?

yes, that site is Diane Nadeau, is a recommended TUG reseller.

 

[GT75]

@LAWUFL, it sounds like either you own at La Pacifica or have visited there. Do you think that you could provide resort information for our Sticky on La Pacifica? Your table could be included.