Questions about resort converting from weeks to points

[azskibum]

I just attended a sales pitch at my home resort on converting my week to points. VRI wants $3000 for the conversion, and after watching a few eBay auctions, it's obvious I can get a much better price per point by just buying a resale that's already on the RCI Points system. Besides that, I'm less than thrilled with the number of points they will give me for my 2BR week, which has always traded well in years when I was decisive and banked early. I'm thinking that for the points system to work for me, I need a lot more points -- I don't usually have the flexibility for Last Chance vacations, and would definitely get some benefit from being able to do long weekends instead of whole weeks. I have a craving for more TS, and I see some advantages in having both a Weeks membership and a Points membership.

My question is this: the sales rep said that when 50% of the owners have converted to points, the resort will become a Points resort instead of a Weeks resort. If/when that happens, what happens to my floating week? Can they force the remaining owners to either pay the hefty conversion fee or else just bail out with an eBay fire sale? I suspect the answer is no, but then what happens to my trading power on RCI Weeks if I'm one of the minority that holds a floating week at this resort? I realize these are questions I should've asked the sales rep, but I would still need to ask them here. Nothing against TS sales reps, but I bought from the developer, so you understand my distrust

Does anyone have any experience with trying to negotiate on a points conversion? The original purchase price was certainly very negotiable, and way back then I felt like I got a good deal -- hey, that was before eBay, TUG and the internet explosion. I'm wondering if anyone has found any flexibility on the conversion fee and/or number of points awarded for their week?

Thanks for your advice.

 

[DianneL]

My experience

First of all, since owners at resorts have deeds for property (unless it is a RTU property), by law those deeds could not be ignored and just because 50% of the owners converted to points, the entire resort would not be points. There would be people in the points program and people in the weeks program. I got a similar "update" at one of my home resorts recently. I was told that he could not even assure me I could convert to points as only so many points were available. Ha How fast do you think he would have written that contract if I had put down a credit card and was ready to sign on the dotted line. The fee to convert was at first $6000 and then he came down to $3000. I let him know from the first word when I realized the reason for the update that I did not want points. I like weeks. The people that are selling points programs or that are selling timeshares are not always up front and honest with the facts.

 

["Roger"]

Dianne is correct. You have a deed and can continue to use your week just as you always have.

The odd thing that the sales person told you was that once 50% of the members converted, it would become a Points resort. That is not how RCI North America works. If a developer starts selling Points memberships, then the resort is a Points resort regardless of how many people convert. (The designation mainly affects how Points members can trade into the resort.)

If there is any doubt about this, you can look at the RCI online directory and see that the Villas of Sedona is already listed as an RCI Points resort (and has been for a number of years in the RCI Points vacation book).

$3000 is a typical conversion price and I doubt if you can negotiate. You certainly cannot negotiate the number of points that you will receive. The only thing that you might be able to bargain for is some single use points (you can use them once, but you will not get them in the future). Even that is doubtful.

Just so that you know, I have been in Points for years and love it. I realize, however, that it is not for everyone (with the number of points that you receive for your unit being a major factor in how attractive the program is).

 

[vacationhopeful]

I too sat thru a VRI resort convert to RCI Points update - about 2 years ago. I remember asking why did I want RCI points when I have lots of Wyndham points. I think I remember a $5000 conversion fee, but they were willing to convert all my RCI weeks into the Points system.

Another question for us VRI mini-systems owners is - where, when, and what is the status of our VRI-ety exchange Internal trading system?

And somehow or other, I did buy RCI points on eBay - with underline weeks and a good point value. But not planning to use for short exchange trades - cleaning fees, and reservation cost add up VERY quickly. Just to fill in on home resort reversations for a week at a time (with the $40 reservation fee).

Look at the other points systems (not excluding RCI points totally), but consider the FULL cost of short stays in the areas you live and/or vacation in. Wyndham Points give you so many reservation credits and housekeeping credits based on the points you own and their rules (ie 1 reservation credit is use for ALL of one days reservations that you make - 3 weekend trips booked on the same day is 1 reservation credit; housekeeping credits is based on unit size per reservation). Not familiar with other points systems enough to comment.

 

[rbaum0519]

Wyndam Fairfield Glade wanted $10,900 to convert my 2 weeks to points. "Times running out" you better convert now or you"ll forever be left out and your MF will go up and be managed by a 3rd party..........and oh by the way you have 24 hours to make up your mind...........Crooks, crooks, crooks..........

 

[tombo]

Many, many owners will never convert to points, don't worry about what the salesman says. Why pay a second time for something you already own? I will never pay any resort 1000's of dollars for the right to use a week I have already paid for. If my resort becomes a place where I can't easily use my week because points get all the advantages over weeks owners, I will sell my week as quickly as I can. This is why I prefer fixed weeks, the developer can't change what you own. Developers can't stand the fact that they lose the money train when they sell a resort out, so they constantly reinvent the wheel to keep you paying them to upgrade and by doing so they keep making money on the same people they made money on before.

 

[e.bram]

Remember prime weeks owners either use or rent their week, so they will never be available for points owners. They will have their choice of leftover off season dogs.

 

[BocaBum99]

Don't convert! Let your resort buy back the weeks on the open market and convert them on their own.

Buy cheap RCI Points that are already converted. It will take decades before a majority of the weeks at your resort have converted if they are charging $3000 per week to convert.

 

[AwayWeGo]

Why Buy Points When You Can Lease A Points Timeshare ?

Or you can simply lease a points timeshare, 3 years at a time, renewable.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​

 

[ctyatty]

how to tell when TS sales people are lying

when their lips are moving