Questions about owning multiple HRC timeshares

[Scavanjer]

Having read through TUG for the past week I think I'm starting to formulate a strategy for potential future ownership. Having just returned from the Hyatt Regency Kaanapali I was immediately interested in HKB. From everything I have read the advice to stay at HKB can be summarized as this:

- If you want a 2BR at HKB, purchase HKB as it will be difficult to trade into. You might be able to trade into a 1BR at HKB but a 2BR, not likely. The other alternative is simply to rent a 2BR if you only want to stay occasionaly? Do you all agree that this is accurate?

The other ownership strategy I have been considering is where you purchase multiple weeks at other, lower MF, HRC properties and accumulate at least 2200 points to give you the best trading value. With this strategy, I have some questions:
- Is it important to get the 2+ weeks to be as close together as possible? For example, one 1100 points at week 4 and a second 1100 points at week 5
- If the answer to the above question is yes, what weeks (or time of year) is recommended if your goal is to trade and not stay at the home resorts?
For example, if I wanted to travel mostly in November or early December every year, what weeks of ownership are best from a trading timeline perspective? What if I want to reserve in March every year? Etc...
- Is this an effective strategy for trading into other HRC properties like HYI, HYP, Florida HRCs, and 1BR HKB? Assuming I may want to get 2BR accomodations at a few of these....
- Would I be able to trade into II Hawaii resorts or would that be as difficult as trying to get a 2BR HKB?
- Is this a viable strategy if the goal is to trade every year?

I realize I would be paying multiple closing costs and must pay multiple Hyatt club dues each year but the lower annual MF and lower purchase price would seem to make this a viable approach if trading is the goal. I think it would also be wise if I looked at Marriott's Vacation Club as well to implement this strategy but honestly my brain can only handle the ins & outs of HRC right now Do you have any other advice or see any risks to this type of trading strategy? Thanks!

 

[socaltimeshare]

For many HRC properties, total MF are similar regardless of season / point value. Thus, conventional wisdom is to get a diamond week. Yes, more cost upfront, but lower annual points/MF ratio (pays for itself over time). Also, easier to dispose of in the future if your needs change and better chance of maintaining its value.

Also, I think 2 bed at HKB are an easier trade vs 1 bed as there are many more 2 beds there. 2 bed HKB can be successfully traded into with a waitlist request, flexibility, and odds increase if you go when school is in session (less demand)

 

[GTLINZ]

- Is it important to get the 2+ weeks to be as close together as possible? For example, one 1100 points at week 4 and a second 1100 points at week 5

When and where you own is very important if you are going to use (even sometimes) your home reservation. If you are NOT going to use your home reservation, then WHEN (and not as much WHERE) you own becomes important in relation to the life of points - and when you use them.

Two sample examples (your mileage may vary considerably)
1) You most desire travel is summer due to kids being out of school. Then owning in early June or up to 4-5 months before ensures you have points available 12-6 months out - when inventory first becomes available. This especially plays in with waitlists - you get skipped if points are not in your account. This example assumes that since it is summer, it is a high demand location so you need to get early in the queue.

2) You use a LOT of your points in Interval and again want to travel in summer. You may want to time your ownership so if you get within 6 months of summer and do not get an HRC reservation you were trying to get, you are still at least 4 months out with your ownership and can put the points into extended exchange with ii (EEE points live 2 years past your home week, which is a BIG deal - but the points cannot come back for HRC use).

Most here would not consider an 1100 points week. The MFs will continue to escalate and erode the value - plus they are sometimes hard to GIVE away. 1300 is iffy, 1400 still iffy. 1880 gold is a reasonable compromise of purchase price and points. Plat and Dia gives you the most options.

 

[Tucsonadventurer]

It is actually easier to get a 2 bedroom than a 1 bedroom at Ka'anapali due to there being only 19, I believe,,1 bedrooms . And 1 bedroom trades may be right over the valet which if pretty noisy. We have had good luck in the past trading in but it is getting more difficult as most folks rent their units vs exchange and as inventory sells out there are less to chose from. We were lucky to exchange in for June this year off the wait list but you can't count on it. If you truly want Maui buy there

 

[socaltimeshare]

1) You most desire travel is summer due to kids being out of school. Then owning in early June or up to 4-5 months before ensures you have points available 12-6 months out - when inventory first becomes available.

I’d rather have an end of summer week if trying to get a summer exchange. If a popular week my assumption is the exchange will occur at 6 months out. So, if I was targeting say mid June - mid August, I’d want a mid-August property for such exchanges. I’d look for something with enough demand to at least rent for MF cost. My unit could stay in HRPP status until I get an exchange. Worst case, right before HRPP ends, I confirm home use and list the unit for rent.

 

[socaltimeshare]

Most here would not consider an 1100 points week. The MFs will continue to escalate and erode the value - plus they are sometimes hard to GIVE away.

Here is a current example of someone trying to give a 1100 point week away. Would not want to be in a situation where I didn’t have a clear way to rid myself of my timeshares if needed.

 

[ScoopKona]

I wouldn't take a free 1100 point week. Makes no sense.

Interval: 1300 points is the magic number.

Hyatt internal exchanges: More points are always better. Any spare points can be shuttled into Interval four months out. I traded my gold week for Carmel, Napa and SF using this strategy. This would be utterly impossible with a copper week. Bronze really is the bare minimum for usefulness. I started with a Bronze week and it was upgraded -- winner, winner chicken dinner.

 

[GTLINZ]

My first Hyatt was a 1300 EOY. It got me an interval studio every year and some Hyatt reservations (had enough left for a bronze 2br 4 night) - but the interval points were the priority. But i also owned in another system so i did not need as many points then.

 

[Scavanjer]

Anyone have any success trading into II Hawaii resorts? I realize its not the same caliber as a HKB but just curious if that is regularly attainable via exchange?

 

[ScoopKona]

Anyone have any success trading into II Hawaii resorts? I realize its not the same caliber as a HKB but just curious if that is regularly attainable via exchange?

I trade into II resorts in Hawaii constantly. I put relatives I don't want staying at the farmhouse into II resorts. And when we decided to move here, we did several scouting missions before buying anything.

The SOP was to put in a trade request with an II rep over the phone for whatever week we wanted, and then just wait. Not once did we have to find alternate arrangements. And last year I put both my wife and my mother in law at the resort down the road, consecutive weeks, so they could have more comfortable accommodations while I continue to work on the farm.

 

[boraxo]

For many HRC properties, total MF are similar regardless of season / point value. Thus, conventional wisdom is to get a diamond week. Yes, more cost upfront, but lower annual points/MF ratio (pays for itself over time). Also, easier to dispose of in the future if your needs change and better chance of maintaining its value.

This is sound advice, but more applicable if you are in this long-term. At my home resort, the difference between Gold & Diamond was about $25k when I bought my Gold week. That was too steep as I expect to sell after 10-15 years, and $25k@8%= $2000 per year. So the real cost of that Diamond week is more than 2x my current maint fee. Which may be worth it if it makes trading easy though of course it ties up more $$$ in an illiquid "asset"

 

[boraxo]

When and where you own is very important if you are going to use (even sometimes) your home reservation. If you are NOT going to use your home reservation, then WHEN (and not as much WHERE) you own becomes important in relation to the life of points - and when you use them.

Two sample examples (your mileage may vary considerably)
1) You most desire travel is summer due to kids being out of school. Then owning in early June or up to 4-5 months before ensures you have points available 12-6 months out - when inventory first becomes available. This especially plays in with waitlists - you get skipped if points are not in your account. This example assumes that since it is summer, it is a high demand location so you need to get early in the queue.

2) You use a LOT of your points in Interval and again want to travel in summer. You may want to time your ownership so if you get within 6 months of summer and do not get an HRC reservation you were trying to get, you are still at least 4 months out with your ownership and can put the points into extended exchange with ii (EEE points live 2 years past your home week, which is a BIG deal - but the points cannot come back for HRC use).

Most here would not consider an 1100 points week. The MFs will continue to escalate and erode the value - plus they are sometimes hard to GIVE away. 1300 is iffy, 1400 still iffy. 1880 gold is a reasonable compromise of purchase price and points. Plat and Dia gives you the most options.

This cannot be emphasized enough. We bought a Gold week in February because it was cheap and we want to trade into ski season weeks. However I have since learned that the timing is horrible as I am locked out of EEE transfers in late October which is often well before I have finished my split week reservations. In fact our preferred resort (HHS) often does not release 2-4 night stays at the 6-month mark, so I end up stuck with LCUP points.

IMO anything below Diamond 2BR is pretty useless if want to trade into peak summer/winter weeks in Hawaii, etc (and even then no cake walk). If you are retired, etc. and can travel spring/fall or other non-peak times you can survive at the lower levels.

 

[Scavanjer]

I trade into II resorts in Hawaii constantly. I put relatives I don't want staying at the farmhouse into II resorts. And when we decided to move here, we did several scouting missions before buying anything.

The SOP was to put in a trade request with an II rep over the phone for whatever week we wanted, and then just wait. Not once did we have to find alternate arrangements. And last year I put both my wife and my mother in law at the resort down the road, consecutive weeks, so they could have more comfortable accommodations while I continue to work on the farm.

I laughed at this…”I put relatives I don't want staying at the farmhouse into II resorts”