Questions about timeshare week ads

[hotcoffee]

I've seen timeshare resale ads for resorts that tend to be very seasonal (red/white) due to the region they are in. Most of the weeks are fixed, a few are float, and some have have a week number followed by a comma and the word "float". Two questions come to mind in evaluating such ads:

1. When a resort sells both fixed and floating weeks, is buying a floating week a good deal? One concern I could see is if the resort sells most of its units in the prime (i.e., red) season as fixed weeks, floating weeks might only be available during off-season (i.e., white) weeks, and therefore be worthless.

2. What does it mean when the week is advertised with a week number followed by a comma and the word "float" (e.g., "31, float" or "17, float")?

Thanks.

 

[DeniseM]

I've seen timeshare resale ads for resorts that tend to be very seasonal (red/white) due to the region they are in. Most of the weeks are fixed, a few are float, and some have have a week number followed by a comma and the word "float". Two questions come to mind in evaluating such ads:

1. When a resort sells both fixed and floating weeks, is buying a floating week a good deal? One concern I could see is if the resort sells most of its units in the prime (i.e., red) season as fixed weeks, floating weeks might only be available during off-season (i.e., white) weeks, and therefore be worthless.

Some timeshares have mostly fixed weeks and others have mostly floating weeks, some are all fixed, and some are all floating. - It totally depends on the resort - there is no rule that applies to all timeshares. So if you are interested in a particular resort, it's best to ask about the fixed/float situation for that particular resort.

For example - at the Westin Ka'anapali all weeks float except week 51 & 52 - so that means that no one with a floating week can reserve either week 51 or 52. At the Westin St. John, there are a very large number of fixed week owners, and the situation you described above makes it hard for floating week owners to reserve weeks during high season. So it just depends on the timeshare.

2. What does it mean when the week is advertised with a week number followed by a comma and the word "float" (e.g., "31, float" or "17, float")?

It usually means that the number is the week on the deed (for record-keeping purposed only) but that it is a floating week.

 

[esk444]

I've seen timeshare resale ads for resorts that tend to be very seasonal (red/white) due to the region they are in. Most of the weeks are fixed, a few are float, and some have have a week number followed by a comma and the word "float". Two questions come to mind in evaluating such ads:

1. When a resort sells both fixed and floating weeks, is buying a floating week a good deal? One concern I could see is if the resort sells most of its units in the prime (i.e., red) season as fixed weeks, floating weeks might only be available during off-season (i.e., white) weeks, and therefore be worthless.

2. What does it mean when the week is advertised with a week number followed by a comma and the word "float" (e.g., "31, float" or "17, float")?

Thanks.

I think I know the answer for question #2. About 90% of the time the number is the assigned week in your deed, but the resort will still float. So if the resort has different floating seasons like (Platinum 21-35; Gold 9-20, 36-47; Silver 48-8), it means that the first timeshare is a Platinum float as week 31 falls within the Platinum season and the second timeshare is a Gold Float week. So if you buy a Platinum floating week from the resort, they will assign a deed with a unit within weeks 21-35.

Otherwise, its a timeshare that gives the owner the ability to have a fixed week for a certain time (i.e. up to 6 months before the date), after which the week becomes part of the floating pool. The Hyatts and Harborside Phase I are like this.

As for question #1, you really need to talk to the resort and some long time owners (see the contacts in the reviews) to find out what access the floating week owners will have to prime or high season weeks.

I've seen a few Hilton Head resorts with this structure. Most of the prime summer weeks were sold for $25K+ as fixed weeks, all other weeks were sold for $12K as 1-52 week float. There was very limited supply of summer weeks for the floating members (maybe 7 units). So if you look at it as buying a shoulder season week, with the occasional ability to get a summer week with advanced planning or a terrible winter week with the lack of any advanced planning, it would be OK. If you expect a summer week all the time, you would be disappointed. But the fixed summer week resale prices were around $10K, but the floating week were selling for $1,500 resale, which made it an interesting gamble.

 

[hotcoffee]

I think I know the answer for question #2. About 90% of the time the number is the assigned week in your deed, but the resort will still float. So if the resort has different floating seasons like (Platinum 21-35; Gold 9-20, 36-47; Silver 48-8), it means that the first timeshare is a Platinum float as week 31 falls within the Platinum season and the second timeshare is a Gold Float week. So if you buy a Platinum floating week from the resort, they will assign a deed with a unit within weeks 21-35.

Okay. This explanation seems straightforward. In the case of a Middle Atlantic beach resort, the summer season is the high season, and most people want a week then. So, a week labeled "50,float" by this explanation would presumably mean that this week is a low season (i.e., winter) float week.

Otherwise, its a timeshare that gives the owner the ability to have a fixed week for a certain time (i.e. up to 6 months before the date), after which the week becomes part of the floating pool. The Hyatts and Harborside Phase I are like this.

I'm not sure I follow this explanation. Assuming again the example of "50,float", I assume that this means that the week is fixed if reserved up to 6 months prior to week 50, but after that point, it becomes float. Or, put another way, the month is fixed if reserved in the winter and spring, but would become floating if not reserved by the beginning of summer. That would mean you would have to wait until its almost summer to reserve a week in the summer - probably not much chance of getting one by that time.

As for question #1, you really need to talk to the resort and some long time owners (see the contacts in the reviews) to find out what access the floating week owners will have to prime or high season weeks.

I've seen a few Hilton Head resorts with this structure. Most of the prime summer weeks were sold for $25K+ as fixed weeks, all other weeks were sold for $12K as 1-52 week float. There was very limited supply of summer weeks for the floating members (maybe 7 units). So if you look at it as buying a shoulder season week, with the occasional ability to get a summer week with advanced planning or a terrible winter week with the lack of any advanced planning, it would be OK. If you expect a summer week all the time, you would be disappointed. But the fixed summer week resale prices were around $10K, but the floating week were selling for $1,500 resale, which made it an interesting gamble.

Just a quick observation in looking over timeshare resales for east coast beach resorts: most seem to be fixed weeks (with the majority being in the cooler months). A few are float. I personally would not buy a floating week unless I felt sure I could consistently reserve it in the summer. I know that there are people who enjoy uncrowded beach resorts in the off-season, but I'm not one of them. A week in the off-season would be completely worthless to me.

 

[Lisa P]

We're offering a floating week for sale and the ad tells the range of weeks for the floating season available to me as owner. If you see an interesting ad but they did not list the weeks included in the float season for that week, email them and ask. For summer, you'd want access to at least weeks 25-31 and probably several weeks before/after that, depending on your local summer/school schedule.

Since every resort was sold according to different arrangements at the time of development, you may find it worthwhile to call the resorts that interest you. Ask about their various fixed/float seasons and week assignment procedure. A handful of resorts even limit certain prime weeks to owner usage only, requiring those who wish to deposit a week with an exchange company to accept a non-prime week for depositing so their owners gain maximum access to the prime weeks. This is not great for trade power but it's very good for owners who want to use their home resort during prime time. So call the resort and ask, before you commit yourself.