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Please Help, No Idea What I'm Doing!

Corsy

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Thanks Denise, here goes!

1) Where do you want your home resort to be? I think that Orlando makes the most sense since we go there every year pretty much now and it's easy and not expensive to get to!
2) Do you want to visit your home resort at least half the time, or do you want to trade more than half the time? Probably will use it more in the next 5-10 years, then will trade more.
3) What are your 5 top trade destinations? So many places I'd like to go! All over Europe, Greece, Arizona, California, Bermuda, Other Carribean.
4) How many people do you usually travel with? Usually just my husband and I or with the 3 kids.
5) Can you travel any time, or are you locked into the school schedule? Locked in to school schedule. That's why we only travel 4 days at a time because I hate traveling during the busy holiday times and can only take them out of school for 2 days at a time.
6) Can you make firm plans 12 or more mos. in advance? More than likely!
7) Can you vacation for a full week at a time? We never do!
8) What level of accommodations do you prefer on a scale of 1 to 5 stars? 4 or 5
9) How much can you afford to spend upfront, without financing? Probably about $10,000 but the free ones seem much better!
10) How much can you afford to spend every year for a maintenance fee that will come due right after Christmas, and increase each year? Probably not more than $1000.
11) Are you a detail oriented planner? Usually.
12) Do you understand that once you buy a timeshare, it may be very difficult to sell or give away, and you are responsible for all fees, until you do? Yes but I feel that I can and will be able to manage the up to $1000/year.

Does that answer everything? I really, really appreciate the guidance, you all saved me $20,000!
 

DeniseM

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One thing jumps out at me - if you want 4 or 5 Star properties, Wyndham won't work for you. For 4 or 5 Star accommodations, you are looking at the hotel affiliated systems: Starwood, Hyatt, Hilton, Marriott.

Also - a maintenance fee of $1,000 a year for a 2 bdm. is probably too low for a 4-5 Star property.

Do you stay in 4 and 5 Star hotel now?
 

heathpack

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You can book 2, 3, 4, or 7 nights in the Hyatt system. Properties are upscale.

The thing is also a blazing trader in Interval Interational, you can trade for multiple full weeks and drive your cost per week low enough that you may not mind taking a full week but just using 4 nights.

Read about Hyatt and if that seems appealing, post more questions here.

H
 

heathpack

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Also - a maintenance fee of $1,000 a year for a 2 bdm. is probably too low for a 4-5 Star property.

Do you stay in 4 and 5 Star hotel now?

FYI, my Hyatt MF are just under $1000/ yr
 

DeniseM

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Corsy

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Yes, we usually stay in better places. I guess I'm unaware because when we viewed the Vistana Resort 2 bedroom we thought it was amazing and the MF were only $700. What about Hilton? Marriott?
 

DeniseM

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Yes, we usually stay in better places. I guess I'm unaware because when we viewed the Vistana Resort 2 bedroom we thought it was amazing and the MF were only $700. What about Hilton? Marriott?

Was that a 1 bdm. or every other year? The maintenance fee for a 2 bdm. is more:

Sheraton Vistana Villages
Bella Phase
Standard 2 Bd - $972.63 + taxes
2 Bd L/O - $1260.22 + taxes
2 Bd. EOY - $671.41
Key West Phase
2 Bd - $978.11
2 Bd. L/O - $1,400.68
 

Corsy

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Also, I'm not finding any information about the Hyatt system, am I missing something?
 

Corsy

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What we had signed from the developer was $700 a year and we spoke to people at the pool who had one they were willing to give away that was $800 a year.
 

Corsy

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It wasn't Vistana Villages it was the resort, maybe that's the confusion!
 

DeniseM

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Corsy

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I went on Hyatt Website and it doesn't look like they have a property in Orlando, and I'm not sure that they have one anywhere I would want to travel every year...
 

Corsy

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I have the contract I signed in front of me. The MF are $662.16 and taxes $105.80.
 

DeniseM

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I have the contract I signed in front of me. The MF are $662.16 and taxes $105.80.

Is it a one bedroom or 2 bdm? Every year or every other year? Phase?
 

DeniseM

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Here are last year's maintenance fees, so that sounds about right.

Sheraton Vistana Resort
Cascades
Sm. 1 Bd. - $390.82
2 Bd. L/O - $ 981.30
2 Bd. - $772.96
Lakes Phase
2 Bd L/O - $1,148.28
Springs
2 Bd. - $828.45
 

YYJMSP

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Here are last year's maintenance fees, so that sounds about right.

I know that on the two Spas units we own, the tax portions are slightly different, leading to each unit having a different MF bill amount.

Assuming that situation also happens in other SVR phases, that may account for the couple $'s of difference between what the OP reports and what was listed by someone in the 2010 MFs thread.
 

grgs

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Here are last year's maintenance fees, so that sounds about right.

Sheraton Vistana Resort
Cascades
Sm. 1 Bd. - $390.82
2 Bd. L/O - $ 981.30
2 Bd. - $772.96
Lakes Phase
2 Bd L/O - $1,148.28
Springs
2 Bd. - $828.45

Just to be clear, the 2012 mf for an SVR-Cascades, 2 bedroom non-LO EY unit is $772.96 (includes optional $5 ARDA fee), which is what you have listed above.

The 2011 mf for the same unit was $763.50 (including ARDA).

Glorian
 
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DeniseM

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Thank you for pointing that out. Those are the 2011 maintenance fees. I'm already in 2012 mode. :D

Per my comments above about 4 or 5 Star resorts, even though I own there, I don't really think of SVR as being 4 or 5 Star, but I guess that now that it has been completely renovated it is. When I think of the 4 and 5 Star Starwood resorts, I think of the newer ones with higher maintenance fees.

If the OP is thinking about buying a resale at SVR, I'd buy a high season true fixed week, like week 51 or 52, to get the highest trading power in II. I don't think a floating week will have the trading power she wants.
 
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DeniseM

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Here is the travel demand index for Orlando, so you can see which fixed weeks would have the highest trading power.

tdi-5.gif
 

DeniseM

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A very timely email from Starwood:

Was SVR Gold Crown before the renovations?

Dear DeniseM,

We're excited to share that Sheraton Vistana Resort was recently named an RCI Gold Crown Resort® for 2012 by Resort Condominiums International (RCI).

With more than 4,000 affiliated resorts around the world, RCI bestows its highest award to only a select few resorts each year that achieved the highest levels of excellence in resort accommodations, hospitality and member experience.

The resort has also maintained its Premier Resort Status for 2012 — the highest honor awarded by Interval International for providing an outstanding vacation experience while offering state-of-the-art conveniences and modern features and amenities.

At Sheraton Vistana Resort, our goal is to create memorable vacation experiences year after year. Best wishes to each of you for a happy, healthy and safe holiday season.

We look forward to welcoming you back during your next vacation to our award-winning resort.

Sincerely,
Glen Vlasic Signature
 

Corsy

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I thought everyone thought that Starwood wasn't going to be the best option for us? So I guess then knowing that a) We like to stay in a nice place, b) we don't travel for a week at a time, c) I think we want our main place to be either in Orlando or Sarasota, d) I want to be able to transfer my points to both other destinations and to use in hotels (I travel for work to Atlanta and Dallas and spend a good amount of money on hotels each year), which of these ts do you recommend for me?
 

Passepartout

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Corsy, I honestly can't recommend any timeshare system that will satisfy your desires. TS, by their nature are more geared to leisure travelers who get- and take- the traditional 1- or 2 week vacations- not long weekends. I don't think any system has the luxury facilities in all the places where you want to be.

Best wishes, but imo, timeshare doesn't seem a very good fit for you. Be glad you rescinded as I can't see how you would get the value you desire for the upfront price and ongoing MF.

Jim
 

Corsy

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What about membership in a Vacation Club any recommendations there? Surely I cannot be the only person with these travel needs?
 
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