Purchase Marriott Timeshare Hawaii?

[Guillaume]

I'm thinking of purchasing a Marriott timeshare in Hawaii (Oahu) from Marriott. I'm looking at a 2BD lockout. Sounds like a good deal. With the lockout, my wife and I and our two children have the option to vacation for two weeks in Hawaii or elsewhere each year or we can stay for one week in the two bedroom. When the kids are out of the house, my wife and I can use the lockout and rent the other side out. Marriott will give 50,000 points and a platinum vacation in a 2bd for financing with them. I live on the east coast and believe that the exchange value will be good to get us into almost anywhere (DVC, Carribean, Mexico, Florida). I guess my questions would be: 1) Should I purchase resale? The savings off the top would be around $7,000.00 but with the incentives from Marriott, the savings would drop to around $2,000.00 and I could never exchange for Marriott points or be bumped up in exchange preference (24 days). 2) If I was to purchase at a cheaper resort (Marriott Surf in Aruba or Marriott in Las Vegas) would the exchange value be good to go to Hawaii every other year or sometimes every year? Thanks for helping the "Newbie."

 

[Holly]

Hang around

My suggestion is to hang around here and learn all you can about timeshares. There are lots of folks here that know the ins and outs of the Marriott system, and can give you lots of good advice. Timeshares are lots easier to buy than sell, and ANY DEAL that you see today will more than likely still be there a month or two from now, so the best advice that I can give is to not rush into anything. If you have doubts, then you are probably right.

There is no one size fits all answer. All depends on what you and your family are looking for.

Welcome to TUG. You've found the right place.

 

[DeniseM]

TUG has it's own Marriott Board with tons of helpful owners and posts. Before you buy, do your homework there. Timeshare salesmen have a vested interest in getting you to buy from the developer, because they are on commission, so they usually greatly exaggerate the benefits of buying from the developer. Most of the time, the savings of buying resale, far out weigh any perks you get from the developer. I would start by going to the TUG Marriott Board and using the search function to search for "resale." I would also start watching ebay to get an idea of resale prices - Marriott on ebay

 

[Bill4728]

I'm thinking of purchasing a Marriott timeshare in Hawaii (Oahu) from Marriott. I'm looking at a 2BD lockout. Sounds like a good deal. With the lockout, my wife and I and our two children have the option to vacation for two weeks in Hawaii or elsewhere each year or we can stay for one week in the two bedroom. When the kids are out of the house, my wife and I can use the lockout and rent the other side out. Marriott will give 50,000 points and a platinum vacation in a 2bd for financing with them. I live on the east coast and believe that the exchange value will be good to get us into almost anywhere (DVC, Carribean, Mexico, Florida). I guess my questions would be:

1) Should I purchase resale? The savings off the top would be around $7,000.00 but with the incentives from Marriott, the savings would drop to around $2,000.00 and I could never exchange for Marriott points or be bumped up in exchange preference (24 days).

YES BUY RESALE IF YOU CAN!! Generally the incentives are worth about $1K - $2K. (not $5K). The only thing you lose is being able to turn you TS into marriott for hotel points. This is a bad deal for Hawaiian owners. your MFs are too high and the value of your unit too high when exchanging, for it to make sense for you to get hotel points for our TS. (also, you can buy hotel points for $1000/ 100K points. This may be much better than turning in your TS)
Also, The Marriott exchange preference of 24 days is for ALL owners and doesn't matter how you bought your TS

2) If I was to purchase at a cheaper resort (Marriott Surf in Aruba or Marriott in Las Vegas) would the exchange value be good to go to Hawaii every other year or sometimes every year?

Generally, Hawaii and Aruba are the toughest places to trade to. And you probably should buy there (Hawaii) if you wish to go there as often as once every other year.


Good Luck and welcome to TUG

 

[PerryM]

Check renting first

Congrats on thinking of upgrading your vacations to 2BR 5-star resorts – your family will have fond memories – especially at the Maui Ocean Club.

There are many answers to your dilemma – all correct. It takes many months of reading this chat room to fully appreciate the options you have.

I, personally, advise folks to NEVER finance a timeshare – the net cost at the end of a 10 year Buy-Use-Sell cycle will always be greater than renting the same villa direct from Marriott. Financing a timeshare just doesn’t make any sense. Marriott does occasionally offer some fantastic deals if you finance thru them – run the numbers and compare to renting the exact same villas.

Many web sites handle rental announcements from Maui owners here are two:

MyResortNetwork

RedWeek


Call Marriott’s National Sales Group at 800.332.1333 and ask for current prices and promotions of all kinds.

Marriott is one of the few developers where resale purchases may not be that great of a deal compared to Marriott’s promotions they are including in their sale.

Whatever you do, don’t listen to the timeshare salesreps – they do NOT have your best interests at heart – only their own.

The money you must put up for a Maui and the eye watering maintenance payments might make rentals a better deal.

Check VRBO if you want to stay at a multi million dollar house or condo right on the beach for much less than the capital and MFs of any Maui timeshare.

 

[Steamboat Bill]

I, personally, advise folks to NEVER finance a timeshare – the net cost at the end of a 10 year Buy-Use-Sell cycle will always be greater than renting the same villa direct from Marriott. Financing a timeshare just doesn’t make any sense. Marriott does occasionally offer some fantastic deals if you finance thru them – run the numbers and compare to renting the exact same villas.

Amen to that quote.....

I think there are three things that make Timeshares get a bad rap...

1. Overinflated prices from the developer
2. Overinflated interest on the loans from the developer.
3. Lying salespeople

However, the first rule of timesharing is "Buy where you want to return on vacation"...the second rule is "Don't get ripped off".

 

[Stefa]

Hi

I would advise against buying from Marriott in Hawai'i for the reasons stated above. I used to track Ko'Olina resales and the savings is a lot more than $7000 if you buy resale! The prices you see are only asking prices and these are units that haven't sold. I've seen ocean view units for 28k that didn't sell right away as well as island view in the low 20k range. Take your time.

I'd advise against buying anything that pricey (even resale) until you have a better understanding of what you are getting and how it will work for you.

 

[gmarine]

I think you are over estimating the value of the incentives as well as under estimating the price difference between resale and developer pricing. You may see high asking prices for resales but the actual selling prices are for the most part much lower than the asking prices.

Also, as other posters have said, financing a timeshare is almost always a bad idea.

As far as exchanging goes, you can get the same exchanges for a much less expensive timeshare and not pay finance charges.

My advice would be to sit back, relax, and take your time to learn more about timeshares and other options before you jump into an expensive purchase that will be even more expensive when financing it is over.

 

[talkamotta]

Im probably getting off track but......

In the Marriott system are all platinum weeks of different resorts in different locations rated the same as far as trading value in the Marriot trade system? I already own in Hawaii so I havent paid much attention for Hawaii. I have however, been paying attention to Newport Coast. My coworker paid $33K from Marriot for a 2 b/platinum. His incentives were were about $3K but they gave him a value of $5, whatever. However, I see them going for around $15K on ebay. So would it be better to buy at Newport and trade into Hawaii?

 

[turkel]

Newport Coast summer weeks are very High demand just as Hilton Head summer weeks are. Do they have the same power of Hawaii? I am not sure but I would imagine their trade power is very high if not just as high. We can only trade for what gets deposited so I guess there will never be a guarantee if X will trade for Y.

I think that is why most tuggers recommend you buy where you want to go. I myself bought where I would be willing to go if my trades didn't work out. A little different than what was recommended but so far I have no regrets. I also have realistic expectations. I believe each individual should make a decision in their best interests after they learn the options.

 

[m61376]

Last summer I was where you are now. We had just returned from a fabulous week at Ko'Olina and we were doubly struck- it was our first timeshare stay ever and it was a premier property. I was tempted to buy - but I am the consummate shopper. Luckily, like you, I found Tug.

All the advice above is right on target. First and foremost, no matter what the salespeople tell you, the only "disadvantage" to buying resale is the inability to trade every other year for points. However, when you trade for points you still pay your MF's, you pay ~$104 for an exchange fee, and you lose use of that expensive timeshare for the year. A resale buyer can now go to Marriott's website and buy points at a penny a point. With Ko'olina's MF's, it is cheaper to buy the points directly and you still have the unit to use/trade for the year.

If you buy resale you will be buying the EXACT same product. Either way its used by others.There is no difference. When you trade through II you get the same Marriott priority for exchanges. You are in no way a second class citizen. For the very hot properties like Hawaii, Platinum season in Aruba and a few others, discounts aren't in the >50% as they with most other properties, but you still should be able to save about a third. That's a lot of dollars.

Last comment- and I am only saying this from our personal deliberations: I see you are on the East coast. Hawaii is gorgeous and if I lived in California or out West I would have bought at Ko'Olina without giving it a second thought. But I live in NY, and I see you live in the East. Are you sure you want to make that trip almost every year? It is a very long flight. Because I have my heart set on being able to trade back to Ko'Olina every few years we looked for something that traded almost as well. Aruba is a very close second, so it certainly has the trade power to exchange back to Hawaii in a few years when we are ready to make that trip again. In the meantime, we had a fabulous time in Aruba a few weeks ago (actually, in many respects everyone in my family liked Aruba better) and it was just a little over four and a half hour trip. We paid less for a Surf Club oceanside Plat. season unit, our annual MF's are several hundred dollars a year less and we'll be able to trade into Ko'Olina when we want to. I'm only relating our story because we sort of started out where you are, but ended up buying in Aruba and since we came back everyone hasn't stopped talking about what a great purchase we made.

Just some food for thought....good luck!

 

[Kauai Kid]

Even if you really, really, really love Hawaii factor into the equation that trip from the East Coast. When we lived in California we went to our Hawaii time share every year. Then we moved to the DC area. After a couple killer flights we stopped going every year. You arrive in Hawaii and your biological clock is 5-6 hrs out of whack. It takes probably 2 unpleasant zombi days to recover and get half way on schedule. Then the same thing happens when you return.

You might consider buying something cheaper than a Marriott and going for two weeks rather than one. Just a thought.

Take your time on the decision. Either way, there will be Marriots for sale.

Aloha, Sterling

 

[Guillaume]

Thanks to all who replied. I think I'll give it some thought and rent in the meantime. It all makes sense. What a great site!

 

[Phill12]

Thanks to all who replied. I think I'll give it some thought and rent in the meantime. It all makes sense. What a great site!

Everyone on this post have great views but it is kind of funny too!

But if everyone had to buy with cash only there would only be few timeshare resorts. Families buy to enjoy years of cheaper vacations (LMAO) and most don't have that kind of money.

Buy resales when you can! We loved the Marriott at Lake Tahoe but hearing the price we bought ski boat and Ridge Tahoe that we love for less money than the Marriott. We get the fun of the boat all summer and our week in Lake Tahoe every year unless we trade like we did for 2008 to Maui

Before I would ever spend more than $10,000 for a timeshare I would rent each year and save money and time dealing with trading companies or trying to rent my unit out. :whoopie:

 

[PerryM]

Barf this

Everyone on this post have great views but it is kind of funny too!

But if everyone had to buy with cash only there would only be few timeshare resorts. Families buy to enjoy years of cheaper vacations (LMAO) and most don't have that kind of money.

Buy resales when you can! We loved the Marriott at Lake Tahoe but hearing the price we bought ski boat and Ridge Tahoe that we love for less money than the Marriott. We get the fun of the boat all summer and our week in Lake Tahoe every year unless we trade like we did for 2008 to Maui

Before I would ever spend more than $10,000 for a timeshare I would rent each year and save money and time dealing with trading companies or trying to rent my unit out. :whoopie:

This is great advice!

Anyone spending more that $15k needs to find a car dealership and drive some car worth about the same as the timeshare costs. Take that car for a spin – imagine 10 years of usage – all the great memories. That $800 MF will pay for 250 gallons of gasoline or about 1/3 of a year of gas.

Then think about that timeshare week again. If you have enough cars, how about a 400” Plasma TV or adding your own bowling alley in the back yard. Of course, a swimming pool might be an alternative.

If you finance your timeshare – just double the number of cars, swimming pools, or new addition to your home.

That timeshare is 1 week of usage per year and a hefty MF to kick you in the butt annually.

And if another timeshare salesrep talks about “Handing it down to my heirs” I’m going to barf in his lap.

 

[m61376]

There are many on this Board who have spent more than $10,000 and are very happy with their Marriotts, DVC, etc. purchases and feel the quality of their vacations made it money well spent. Some bought directly from Marriott a few years ago at initial offering prices and others resale. Some even bought from Marriott or DVC, etc., and realize that maybe they overpaid but don't regret their purchases because of their wonderful trips. So while I would agree that someone should think twice before financing such a purchase and paying interest to buy it, and that they should buy at the cheapest price possible (meaning a good resale), if they have the dicretionary income and want to make such a purchase it may very well be a good investment for them.

I paid considerably more, even resale, and I am sure it was a great purcahse for my family.

 

[Steamboat Bill]

If you finance your timeshare – just double the number of cars, swimming pools, or new addition to your home.

That timeshare is 1 week of usage per year and a hefty MF to kick you in the butt annually.

And if another timeshare salesrep talks about “Handing it down to my heirs” I’m going to barf in his lap.

Perry is on a roll....this is great advice for all newbies and seasoned pros.

I also agree that financing a Timeshare is a sukers bet and should be avoided at all costs. I have run the numbers every which way but loose and 99% of the time it is better NOT to buy than to buy a TS and finance it.

Sure...not everybody has $10-30k in free cash...then focus on the cheaper properties...not DVC, Marriott, Hyatt, etc.

WM is a great TS that anyone can join for about $5k.

I plan on leaving my kids a great education, great memories, and a life insurance policy...but I will not burden them with my timeshare or destination club collection.

 

[m61376]

I plan on leaving my kids a great education, great memories, and a life insurance policy...but I will not burden them with my timeshare or destination club collection.

Bet you'll have created so many happy memories with them over the years with your impressive collection that they won't want to travel any other way !

 

[Phill12]

High Timeshare Cost Not Worth It!

This is great advice!

Anyone spending more that $15k needs to find a car dealership and drive some car worth about the same as the timeshare costs. Take that car for a spin – imagine 10 years of usage – all the great memories. That $800 MF will pay for 250 gallons of gasoline or about 1/3 of a year of gas.

Then think about that timeshare week again. If you have enough cars, how about a 400” Plasma TV or adding your own bowling alley in the back yard. Of course, a swimming pool might be an alternative.

If you finance your timeshare – just double the number of cars, swimming pools, or new addition to your home.

That timeshare is 1 week of usage per year and a hefty MF to kick you in the butt annually.

And if another timeshare salesrep talks about “Handing it down to my heirs” I’m going to barf in his lap.

Perry you think more like I do on timeshares!
We sold or dumped ours ,one in Mex about 15 years ago and the other the Ridge Tahoe one about 10 years ago and was happy to get rid of all the bull that goes with ownership!

We traveled to Hawaii four times after getting away from timeshare ownership and only one of those trips was in a timeshare (Maui Hill) that was owned by friends.

We stayed at two beauyiful hotels in Lahaina (Maui) the Sheration and Westin and loved both. Both top rated and on the beach. We didn't spend $5000 to stay and fly and rental car for wife, daughter and I.

When I retired last year we went Lake Tahoe Marriott Timber Lodge and after seeing prices went and bought family boat and bought of our old timeshare Ridge Tahoe which we love to stay at.

We do own home and have swimming pool,hot tub and three cars and now a boat and enjoy life.

I know there are many people out there that don't agree with me and if they have the money to waste on a high price timeshare more power to them!

I just feel owners that for what ever reason paid $30,000-$50,000 to own one week at any timeshare must be very wealthy or need medical help!

Your talking one week a year or eoy use and its not even seven days. You check in on a Sat late afternoon and checkout the next Sat in the morning so your really getting Sunday - Friday to enjoy your vacation.

If this was like your house and was investment and you would sell at a profit then it would make sense but of coarse it isn't. Many of these owners like to be able to brag that they own these high priced timeshareshares. Then they want to rent a week for more than my total cost for week at top hotel. LMAO

I can go back to other side and buy at one of those timeshares like Maui Hill at Maui Lea for about $7500 and guess what! I can see same ocean and play golf and see laui for dinner just like the people paying all those high cost.

There isn't a timeshare in Maui that doesn't have thousands of owners trying to get rid of them on some site and it doesn't matter if its low cost or high cost.

Its not like your the owner of these over priced timeshares either! There are 51 other groups staying in the unit every year.

Perry is right about pool,you could spend that $50,000 and have great swimming pool in your yard to use all summer.

Like everyone else (IMHO)

 

[winger]

Perry is on a roll....this is great advice for all newbies and seasoned pros.

I also agree that financing a Timeshare is a sukers bet and should be avoided at all costs. I have run the numbers every which way but loose and 99% of the time it is better NOT to buy than to buy a TS and finance it.

Sure...not everybody has $10-30k in free cash...then focus on the cheaper properties...not DVC, Marriott, Hyatt, etc.

WM is a great TS that anyone can join for about $5k.

I plan on leaving my kids a great education, great memories, and a life insurance policy...but I will not burden them with my timeshare or destination club collection.

But Steamboat, just pay the dang things off BEFORE you hand it down to your little guys!