Palmera Operating Fees

[jdlloyd67]

Does anyone know why the Palmera properties on HHI seem to all have the same annual operating fee regardless of the size unit you own? Seems a bit odd to me that a 2 bdrm would have the same fee as a 3 bdrm. Anyone know why that is? Thx!

 

[rickandcindy23]

That would be the governing documents. We own at a little place in Fraser that has that same wording in the docs, but the resort has never abided by the rules. We pay more for a 3 bed than owners of 2 beds pay.

 

[tschwa2]

Most timeshares base the fee on the number of bedrooms or the sq footage but it isn't that unusual for a timeshare to set up the plan where all units regardless of size pay the same MF's. Often when that is the case the larger units still pay a little more in property taxes.
At Orange Lake in Orlando the studios pay the same as the 3 BR units. So an off season studio pays the same base amount as a prime 3 BR.

 

[jdlloyd67]

At Orange Lake in Orlando the studios pay the same as the 3 BR units. So an off season studio pays the same base amount as a prime 3 BR.

Thanks for the reply.

Now, correct me if my logic doesn't make sense but that seems a little crazy to me. I look at the annual operating fee as my cost each year to stay at the resort. Essentially that's what it boils down to IMHO. So to me I am not getting near the deal I should be if I am paying the same operating fee for a 1 bedroom when I could pay the same for a 2 or 3 bedroom. I am, of course, looking at this from a resale purchase perspective.

 

[sfwilshire]

The first timeshare we owned back in the 90s was (and probably is still) that way. It didn't take me long to decide to buy a 2-br and sell the 1-br.

I bought in a foreclosure sale and never questioned the reasoning. Never stayed there either, but got nice exchanges with it until I upgraded to a resort I perceived as more valuable.

Since the replacement, maintenance, cleaning and supplies costs would clearly be higher the bigger the unit, it seems like an odd policy. It's an old resort, so maybe that's was popular in early timeshares.

Sheila

 

[escanoe]

You would not catch me buying Palmera, but I like exchanging into them at HHI just fine. Staying in Port O’Call tonight as I write this.

Maybe in the old days it was fixed MFs regardless of size, and my guess is today they are focused on selling trust points? I have been impressed with the management by “elite resorts” here.

The sales practices sound awful (mostly based on reports here on TUG). They are pretty heavy handed trying to push you into attending a sales presentation giving you $200 and goodies. Wouldn’t catch me dead spending my vacation time that way.

When it comes to resale, I would think about it but I have not had trouble trading in and there are better deals to be had when it comes to traders.

 

[tschwa2]

You would not catch me buying Palmera, but I like exchanging into them at HHI just fine. Staying in Port O’Call tonight as I write this.

Maybe in the old days it was fixed MFs regardless of size, and my guess is today they are focused on selling trust points today? I have been impressed by the management by “elite resorts” here.

The sales practices sound awful (mostly based on reports here on TUG). They are pretty heavy handed trying to push you into attending a sales presentation giving you $200 and goodies. Wouldn’t catch me dead spending my vacation time that way.

When it comes to resale, I would think about it but I have not had trouble trading into here and there are better deals to be had when it comes to traders.

You know things change. I bought my 106,500 EOY platinum 3BR island links more than 10 years ago when MF's were in the upper $800's there weren't as many Grandview weeks around. There was $50 transfer fee and no requirement to prepay MF's. I paid $1. At the time I figured, MF's are under a penny a point and since there was nothing upfront, I should be able to give it away fairly easily. Then they smacked on the $1500 transfer fee which included $500 to the management company (ridiculous) and $1000 toward prepaid future MF's. That made the prospect of giving away much more difficult. This is the first year that MF's went over $1000. Two years ago it was still just under. When I average it out with my other points I just haven't been motivated enough to spend what it would cost to dispose of by giving it away.

What they are selling now is UDI points in their trust. This actually makes MF's quite high for 100,000 which they are now calling 10,000 Palmara vacation points and are pushing smaller packages.

 

[escanoe]

You know things change.

I know they do. Your insightful posts are as educational as any on TUG about how things change. Certainly helpful in knowing the current downsides to Palmera. I greatly appreciate your posts and the accumulated years of wisdom you share.

I enjoy my VV traders ... Woodstone (RCI Points red week) and Grandview (RCI Points red week EOY). I worry some (back of my mind kind of thing) about things happening to make them less attractive over time. But enjoying them while they are near the top of the heap.

 

[californiagirl]

We are considering assuming an Island Links week. Seller is covering all costs including $1500 transfer fee. In doing my due diligence on this resort I came across this thread from 2021. Escanoe I’m curious as to why you would never own a Palmera week. I would appreciate any information about either Palmera or Island Links.

 

[amycurl]

Tagging @tschwa2 and @escanoe so they see this question.

 

[tschwa2]

We are considering assuming an Island Links week. Seller is covering all costs including $1500 transfer fee. In doing my due diligence on this resort I came across this thread from 2021. Escanoe I’m curious as to why you would never own a Palmera week. I would appreciate any information about either Palmera or Island Links.

My only cautionary thing would be to expect to pay at least $1500 when you are ready to get out. Platinum weeks are a little over a penny a point. So if you bought a grandview 122,000 week and paid the $239 exchange fee every year, you would still be about equal and it would be much easier to get out of the grandview week. If you go during gold season you would have points left over from the grandview week.

I don't want to get out bad enough to pay $1500 plus closing costs to get out of my every other year Island weeks. It isn't a bad resort. Other than the transfer fee of $500 and the $1000 in prepaid MF's required to transfer the management company seems to be ok to good. It's one of the better HHI rci resorts. I like it but don't love it.

 

[californiagirl]

Thank you amycurl and tschwa2 your help is appreciated. I think we understand that it is probably not Marriott level as far as updated units, amenities and is a bike or car ride to the beach. But those perks come at a high maintenance fee cost. Two other questions If you don’t mind, does the operating fund seem to be adequate? We don’t want any surprise special assessments. From my research it looks like there are different management companies depending on the building, is that correct? This week comes with no RCI points (which we are fine with) and we would most likely use it in the springtime.

 

[escanoe]

Escanoe I’m curious as to why you would never own a Palmera week. I would appreciate any information about either Palmera or Island Links.

What @tschwa2 said above. I am of the "trader" school of timeshare ownership. I steer clear of acquiring anything that I know I will likely have to pay someone to take off my hands later. Thus far, I have had zero trouble trading into the Palmera resorts on HHI.

I got an absolute trading bargain to stay there at Island Links this summer. Something must have been wrong with the RCI alogrhythm when I got a prime summer 3BR for 39,999 RCI points (costing me $268 in MFs for points + a $259 exchange fee). This is a rare anomaly, but on any given year I can trade in as cheap as I can own.

I was going to give HHI a break this summer and do something else, but this deal was more than I could pass up.

To each their own. I do not think this would be a terrible place to own, but it is just not how I do my timesharing.

Where are you looking at buying? I like the Port O'Call 3BR cottages best. This summer will be my first time trying Island Links.

I notice that Coral Sands now has a 1 in 4 rule. [Doesn't matter to me as that is my least favorite.] If they expand the 1 in 4 rule to other properties, that could take away some options for me .... but I am happy to take my risks and keep on playing the trading game.