Question on owning at a particular location/buying a resale

[jivebone]

Forgive me but an ignorant question. Brand new to this board and owned our HGVC since August. Looking for clarity on why exactly it matters what or where you are buying a resale? Isn't it all points based and you just use them wherever you want? Is it because the MF vary from each location or do you also get some extra priority in booking when you acquire a resale at another property? We bought at Marbrisa and will probably go there more than some of the locations, but for the most part, I am looking at other spots to use the points. When we were at Kingsland this past week, they mentioned building on Maui. Will that be tough to book anything there as owners of a different resort and cost significantly more points?

 

[Talent312]

Where you buy gives you a special "home week" reservation window that's open from 12-9 months out from your stay -- which give you a leg-up on the club window that starts 9 months out (at nearly all resorts). So, it is a consideration for high-demand locations like Hawaii.

However, home weeks require that you: (1) book the resort where you own, (2) the size you own, (3) in the same season you own, (4) for seven days, starting on the resort's specified check-in date, and (5) use your point-allotment for that year (no banked or borrowed points). This is way too restrictive for my tastes, but hey, it works for many.
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[jivebone]

Thank you. So if I have 5800 points at Marbrisa, 3 BR, Gold. I would have to book exactly that to take advantage of the 12-9 months out. If I tried to book 1BR in Platinum at Marbrisa, it would still be in the regular club window of 9 months out?

 

[chrono88]

Thank you. So if I have 5800 points at Marbrisa, 3 BR, Gold. I would have to book exactly that to take advantage of the 12-9 months out. If I tried to book 1BR in Platinum at Marbrisa, it would still be in the regular club window of 9 months out?

Yes, you are correct. We don't own at Marbrisa, but we haven't had much trouble in the past when booking even prime weeks at Marbrisa at the 9 month mark.

 

[1Kflyerguy]

When we were at Kingsland this past week, they mentioned building on Maui. Will that be tough to book anything there as owners of a different resort and cost significantly more points?

My guess is that Maui will be very popular, as Maui in generally a very popular destination.. I have not heard any announcements from HGVC yet about the points charts for the Maui resort.. If they have high point requirements, then that might limit / reduce the demand to a certain extent...

 

[tompalm]

Thank you. So if I have 5800 points at Marbrisa, 3 BR, Gold. I would have to book exactly that to take advantage of the 12-9 months out. If I tried to book 1BR in Platinum at Marbrisa, it would still be in the regular club window of 9 months out?

You should be able to book something in January 2016 or later and use 2017 points. So if Maui cost more than 5800 points, use next year's points. That is the nice thing about HGVC points and being able to use them up so they don't expire. I almost always use next year's points for this year's vacation. My fear is that I might not be able to use the timeshare next year and will have to convert the HGVC points to Honor points. That is ok, but you don't get as many nights with Honors as you do when staying in a HGVC studio or what is similar to a hotel room. Also, if your schedule allows, time your check-in on Monday and check out on Friday 12 days later. That way you only pay the higher cost for one weekend.

I didn't use my timeshare one year because I took a 16 day road trip in the spring and later in the year a two week cruise and never got to use the timeshare. Another year I was living in Japan and couldn't use it.

 

[Talent312]

'Tis better to be a [puint] borrower than a banker, 'cuz borrowing is free.
This is one instance where dying in debt may be the preferred way to go.
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