Resale vs. developer purchase

[WahooWah]

I have some questions on the differences between buying resale vs. developer for HGVC, particularly for the Grand Waikikian.

1. What benefits do I lose if I buy resale? My understanding is the only thing that I lose is the Elite status. I would still retain the ability to convert to HHonors at the 25-1 ratio.
2. Would Elite status get me a higher conversion ratio to HHonors?
3. What are the best features of Elite status that I would lose by buying resale?
4. By owning resale, would I still be able to get the cash discounts for surplus HGVC reservations? How about Hilton hotel cash discounts?
5. If I bought a resale unit and then went to upgrade with Hilton directly so that I could get the Elite status, what type of deal would Hilton offer me? The retail price for my unit as equity towards a purchase?

Thank you

 

[tombanjo]

https://club.hiltongrandvacations.com/en/club-membership/elite/benefits

If you ever want to convert your HGVC points to HH points, just take out a second mortgage on your house and pack the money in a cardboard box, sprinkle liberally with Kingsford brand charcoal lighter fluid and set alight. Seriously.

If you really really want to convert your points - consider buying resale bHC or w57th\HCNY

 

[Talent312]

1. What benefits do I lose if I buy resale? My understanding is the only thing that I lose is the Elite status. I would still retain the ability to convert to HHonors at the 25-1 ratio.
2. Would Elite status get me a higher conversion ratio to HHonors?
3. What are the best features of Elite status that I would lose by buying resale?
4. By owning resale, would I still be able to get the cash discounts for surplus HGVC reservations? How about Hilton hotel cash discounts?
5. If I bought a resale unit and then went to upgrade with Hilton directly so that I could get the Elite status, what type of deal would Hilton offer me? The retail price for my unit as equity towards a purchase?

1 & 2. The only thing you lose is having the points count toward elite. You get the same HH conversion ratio; however, it's a very poor use of of points (as stated above). For losing 3N in a resort studio, you'd get about 1N in a Hampton Inn. HGVC's upped tier, "by HiltonClub" + HCNY get 50:1, which makes it almost reasonable.

3. Some meager discounts, a special key, and extra booking window at select resorts. Even elites will tell you that it's not worth paying retail.

4. Everyone gets access to "open season" (last minute) cash rates, even resale, although sometimes booking a stay thru Hilton hotels can be just as good (and cancelable). There are no hotel discounts for anyone. Elites do get an elevated status with HHonors, but you can easily earn an elevated status with HH affinity credit cards.

5. Typically, for a trade-in, they'll give a credit = the original retail price of the unit, but you'll still need to lock-in at least $30K of new money. IOW, you give up a TS for which you paid a reasonable sum to buy a TS for way too much money.

.

 

[csodjd]

I have some questions on the differences between buying resale vs. developer for HGVC, particularly for the Grand Waikikian.

1. What benefits do I lose if I buy resale? My understanding is the only thing that I lose is the Elite status. I would still retain the ability to convert to HHonors at the 25-1 ratio.
2. Would Elite status get me a higher conversion ratio to HHonors?
3. What are the best features of Elite status that I would lose by buying resale?
4. By owning resale, would I still be able to get the cash discounts for surplus HGVC reservations? How about Hilton hotel cash discounts?
5. If I bought a resale unit and then went to upgrade with Hilton directly so that I could get the Elite status, what type of deal would Hilton offer me? The retail price for my unit as equity towards a purchase?

I have two weeks and a third in escrow with HGV and all are secondary market purchases at about 35-40% of what the exact same points/unit/location would be if purchased from Hilton. Only difference is the elite status. That's savings of well over $50,000. There is NOTHING about elite status that comes even remotely close to that in value. In all other respects there's no difference that I know of or have experienced. (There are some discounts on open season reservations for Elite status, but we're talking about saving hundred of dollars versus tens of thousands.)

 

[dayooper]

You get to impress the ladies/gentlemen in the hot tub with your elite status.

I actually saw this. A guy in the hot tub at The Boulevard was bragging about his 21,000 points and elite status. I think he was trying to impress the ladies. It wasn’t working.

 

[Sandy VDH]

I have Elite status by a back door deal, (purchased resale but from HGVC sales), and I am not impressed with Elite. .

Only level worth having is Elite Premium, as then you do pay any reservation or other transactions fees, but honestly owning 34K in HGVC exceeds my needs. Never mind the purchase price even Resale plus the MFs. No thanks.

Only real Elite benefit I use often is the 7 day reservation has the reservation fee waived. However this basically ends up being an unchangable reservation. If you need to drop a day or add a day, you have to cancel your booking and rebook, and hope someone does not take your days

 

[PigsDad]

You get to impress the ladies/gentlemen in the hot tub with your elite status.

I've found that the Elite wristband is a chick-magnet!

Kurt

 

[Talent312]

I've found that the Elite wristband is a chick-magnet!

 

[CalGalTraveler]

Well...it's a magnet for sure...RFID to be exact!

We are not elites but for some reason we got those wristbands last time we stayed in LT and they were handy for going in the pool and surf.

 

[taterhed]

I have some questions on the differences between buying resale vs. developer for HGVC, particularly for the Grand Waikikian.

1. What benefits do I lose if I buy resale? My understanding is the only thing that I lose is the Elite status. I would still retain the ability to convert to HHonors at the 25-1 ratio.
2. Would Elite status get me a higher conversion ratio to HHonors?
3. What are the best features of Elite status that I would lose by buying resale?
4. By owning resale, would I still be able to get the cash discounts for surplus HGVC reservations? How about Hilton hotel cash discounts?
5. If I bought a resale unit and then went to upgrade with Hilton directly so that I could get the Elite status, what type of deal would Hilton offer me? The retail price for my unit as equity towards a purchase?

Thank you

This may or may not be helpful....but it's certainly LOT of good info: https://tug2.net/timeshare_advice/hilton-grand-vacation-club-timeshare-information.html

Oh......and if you just buy resale and pocket the savings versus the developer purchase......you can buy all the 'chicks' (or roosters) in the hot tub drinks. Much more magnetic and magnanimous IMHO.

 

[PigsDad]

We are not elites but for some reason we got those wristbands last time we stayed in LT and they were handy for going in the pool and surf.

Like Sandy, we are Elite via resale (SW Florida purchase), but I have to admit the wristbands are useful at a resort where you spend a lot of time in the pool or beach areas.

@WahooWah - there is a handy chart on the HGV website that lists the benefits for the various levels of Elite. I agree with most here that they really aren't worth much until you get to the Elite Premier level, but that would take a whole lot of developer points to purchase!

Kurt

 

[brp]

We have been called elite when checking in at W. 57th. There it has no real significance. We go to Kohala in May. Let's see if they give us wristbands.

Cheers.

 

[GT75]

We have been called elite

When you login on your HGVC dashboard it should state your elite level.

 

[brp]

When you login on your HGVC dashboard it should state your elite level.

Next to my name, it shows the "eee Elite" symbol, but then says "Get Elite benefits to make more out of your vacation." So still not sure what it's trying to tell me.

Cheers.

 

[dayooper]

Next to my name, it shows the "eee Elite" symbol, but then says "Get Elite benefits to make more out of your vacation." So still not sure what it's trying to tell me.

Cheers.

I have the same thing on my app. I have 7000 points bought resale.

 

[Talent312]

Next to my name, it shows the "eee Elite" symbol, but then says "Get Elite benefits to make more out of your vacation." So still not sure what it's trying to tell me.

Everyone has that. It's just an attempt to sell you more points.
Click "Learn More" to see a list of meager benefits.
.

 

[brp]

Everyone has that. It's just an attempt to sell you more points.
Click "Learn More" to see a list of meager benefits.
.

Oh, I know that they're doing with this...and no reason to click as I know the meager benefits. I was just mentioning that they call us "elite" each time we check-in at W. 57th and there was a comment that I could see our status on my Dashboard...but that was all I saw.

So still not clear why they call us "elite."

Cheers.

 

[1Kflyerguy]

5. If I bought a resale unit and then went to upgrade with Hilton directly so that I could get the Elite status, what type of deal would Hilton offer me? The retail price for my unit as equity towards a purchase?

Thank you

In general they will offer the original purchase price as "equity". However based on what i see on the Facebook boards, not all resorts are eligible for trade in. I believe the true HGVC developed resorts are eligible, but the it seems the Fee for service resorts are not. I have seen posts from people that own at Elara and Myrtle Beach complain that HGVC would take their resorts as trade. I have not seen anything official about that, and you have to be careful with what you read on FB...


Also during the Q&A section of their last conference call, the HGV CEO referenced a new policy requiring more cash during the trade in process. He seemed to be referencing a previous conversation that was not recorded, but my take on what he said was that for some of the new high value loans, you would need addition cash down payment, not just a trade in unit as your equity.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

Oh, I know that they're doing with this...and no reason to click as I know the meager benefits. I was just mentioning that they call us "elite" each time we check-in at W. 57th and there was a comment that I could see our status on my Dashboard...but that was all I saw.

So still not clear why they call us "elite."

Cheers.

We get the same treatment at W. 57th as owners and at LT/Grand Waikikian. Not sure why.

re: Equity. It is true. We saw a list at one presentation with the resorts that they won't accept as trade-in including Grand Islander and other affiliates.

I wonder if this limitation would also apply to buyback/deedbacks? If true, owning silver or low value weeks at affiliate resorts would add an element of risk. What is worse is if one paid developer prices and they won't accept. I would be extremely upset because I am sure that was never disclosed during the sale.

 

[Talent312]

What is worse is if one paid developer prices and they won't accept. I would be extremely upset because I am sure that was never disclosed during the sale.

IMHO, one should be grateful to HGVC for saving you from the error of paying somewhere North of $30K, plus your TS, for an absurdly overpriced unit from them,

.

 

[magmue]

not all resorts are eligible for trade in..... I have not seen anything official about that, and you have to be careful with what you read on FB...

I can speak from personal experience to say that my resale affiliate, Bay Club, was not eligible for trade in. Before our corporate sales guy realized that, he also told us we would need to add at least $30,000 in "new money" to make a deal. And no bonus points.