Should I Buy Flex?

[SpygirlE]

Hi everyone,

I have a question about resale strategy and bringing an existing resale into the system by purchasing a new contract. This group has such great knowledge that I’m hoping to get some opinion

I currently own two annual deeds at WKV both bought on the resale market for very little money. First is a 1 bedroom villa gold season (37,000 SO); 2nd is a 2 bedroom lock-off villa silver season (56,300 SO). At the owners / sales meeting we went to in early March during our visit at WKV, we learned that our units are no longer upgradeable, which is fine as we weren’t interested in switching out our units to a Flex program for $15K. But, we were presented with a strategy option which I’m curious what the Tug community thinks of. Here it goes: purchase an inexpensive voluntary annual 2 bedroom platinum plus unit on the resale market, bring it into the Vistana system (SVN I think it’s called) by purchasing from the smallest Flex package (44,000 SO EOY for $10K), get rid of my silver season 2 bedroom lock-off at WKV, and keep my 1 bedroom gold season at WKV as-is. I was told this strategy would then allow me to use my voluntary resort as if I’d purchased it from the developer. Here’s the math: purchase 2 bedroom annual lock-off platinum plus season at Westin Desert Willow villas in Palm Desert for $2K (148,100 SO) + purchase EOY Flex for about $10K (44,000 SO) + existing annual gold season WKV 1 bedroom villa (37,000 SO). We’d also become 3* elite members (for whatever that’s worth).

Thanks in advance for your thoughts!

Eleni

 

[vacationtime1]

Your proposal would have you pay $12K to purchase two units that have relatively high MF's and are valueless on the resale market. You can do better.

Unless you are currently using your 56300 SO unit to do two good Interval exchanges annually, I would give that unit away. The cost per SO is just too high.

If you need more StarOptions, the best options are either a platinum Kierland week (best MF/SO ratio) or a platinum SVV week (Bella or Key West; lowest buy in price). A Kierland platinum week should hold its resale value over time; no $12K upfront capital loss would result from that purchase. Platinum weeks cost more, but it is a one time cost and the unit will provide more SO's for the same MF as a lower season week.

I would keep the Kierland 37000 week. MF's are low ($635), it trades well in Interval, and it has a decent SO/MF ratio. Full disclosure: I own two Kierland 37000 units and like them a lot (never stayed in one).

 

[SpygirlE]

This is fantastic advice. Thank you! I think we are going to wait and look for a platinum WKV.

 

[clsmit]

Another thing to consider is what do you want to do with your Kierland weeks that you can't do now? Go somewhere else in those Flex locations (where you will get the worst view/week availability within that resort)? Go somewhere else in the Sheraton/Vistana network? As @vacationtime1 said you can already trade through Interval. Sometime this year or next Marriott will roll out some kind of combined Flex program, and you might want to wait for that if you really want some kind of access to other properties other than through Interval.

 

[SpygirlE]

Another thing to consider is what do you want to do with your Kierland weeks that you can't do now? Go somewhere else in those Flex locations (where you will get the worst view/week availability within that resort)? Go somewhere else in the Sheraton/Vistana network? As @vacationtime1 said you can already trade through Interval. Sometime this year or next Marriott will roll out some kind of combined Flex program, and you might want to wait for that if you really want some kind of access to other properties other than through Interval.

We are intrigued in being able to convert our star options into star points so we can use the points to book hotel rooms. But I think we’re going to look for a platinum WKV deal instead. I’d rather use my $12k towards purchasing a platinum season membership at WKV than buying something that will have zero value down the road.

 

[byeloe]

We are intrigued in being able to convert our star options into star points so we can use the points to book hotel rooms. But I think we’re going to look for a platinum WKV deal instead. I’d rather use my $12k towards purchasing a platinum season membership at WKV than buying something that will have zero value down the road.

yes good idea, plus the conversion to bonvoy points is not at a good rate

 

[SpygirlE]

yes good idea, plus the conversion to bonvoy points is not at a good rate

Good to know!