Should we buy after years of SkyAuction and rentals?

[freeyodeln]

We vacation often. I am a stay at home mom and DH gets 6 weeks of vacation per year (use is or lose it - we use it!).

I used to use priceline, hotwire, and VRBO before learning about Sky Auction through DIS boards. We took our first trip to Disney and stayed at Summer Bay in 2014 for $259. We have used eBay and SkyAuction to get many inexpensive rentals.

We have stayed at Wyndham Great Smokies Lodge for $259, Wyndham Reunion for $363, summer weeks at Summer Bay and Cypress Palms for under $250, upcoming spring break week at Wyndham Smoky Mountains for $299. There are many more examples but they are all similar.

We will still make a yearly trip to Orlando and we love hiking in the Great Smoky Mountains - but we would like some more relaxing beach vacations and as our son gets older we plan to travel the country and the world. Not just the southeast. As he gets older we will also have to limit how much school he misses and will have to travel during peak times.

I feel like I know a lot about renting and getting deals on timeshares without owning. But when I research buying I get so confused. I feel like when I start to understand, rules are changed. We take a lot of "last minute" vacations but with SkyAuction I have also been able to plan our trips far in advance. I booked our November 2016 Reunion rental in March 2016.

When I first started looking at buying it was specifically for RCI Last Call deals. I think that is what I would primarily use.

There is a 84,000 Wyndham Kingsgate that I can have for free (seller pays all closing) but the MF are $697. That seems a bit high. We might go to Colonial Williamsburg twice, I can't imagine it being somewhere we want to vacation frequently. I also certainly do not want to pay $697 for a 1 bedroom. I want to know how to make the points work for more and better vacations. If possible.

I have read threads about depositing 28,000 points and when there are large RCI deposits, getting great deals. We would also be interested in booking DVC (we rented Saratoga Springs for cheap on eBay).

If I get 3 weeks for 28,000 points each - I will have to pay for housekeeping, correct? Even though it's through RCI?

I wish I understood it better. I haven't researched on TUG for a while but with the opportunity to get the free Kingsgate points I have spent the last 3 days searching. It has made my eyes cross and I feel like all of the answers to my questions were from threads or posts made years ago. I have no idea if they are still valid.

I did a ton of research into Disney before our first trip and I still had no idea what to expect before we went. I feel like I won't really "get" owning a timeshare until I actually buy.

I know that I will eventually buy - but I'm not sure if it's the right time. I love staying in timeshares and we won't stay in a hotel for longer than 3 nights.

I know my post is a little all over the place but if you could answer some of my questions, or help me understand, it would be great!

TIA!

 

[tschwa2]

If you are flexible enough to get great weeks under $400 you don't want to buy. Those 28,000 point RCI deals ended almost 5 years ago. Some of the free deals you find are because the MF are on the higher side of average but even so Wyndham is going to be on the high side (compared to what you have been paying) if you want full weeks and especially if you want high season school holiday times including popular locations in the summer. Even bargain hunting with a lot of work you are going to find most prime time reservations in the $400-$600 range for a 2 br full week.

 

[vacationhopeful]

First off, every timeshare exchange has an EXCHANGE fee paid to RCI or II....I think it is $209 per exchange now.

The RCI points exchanges for 28,000 Wyndham points are offseason and smaller units (Studios & 1bdr).

Mostly, the exchange systems/trades are just adding onto the basic cost of a timeshare vacation week. Buy into a RESORT or Timeshare system that you will be using 80-90% of the time. And as you become MORE involved with school schedules, you will need almost ALL prime season time (when the kids are not in school .. your child and the other millions of school age kids).

Keep learning ... resist the impluse to BUY anything quickly.

 

[tschwa2]

RCI is $230 for the exchange fee and Interval fee exchange fee is $189.

 

[freeyodeln]

Wow - so it's $230 exchange fee + the 28,000 points/$233 MF + extra housekeeping fees, for an off peak studio?

What about Last Call rentals - is it the same types of units?

I do think I will wait until I step into owning a timeshare. I know SkyAuction is owned by RCI but I didn't think the deals were that much BETTER than what owners receive.

 

[tschwa2]

Using Wyndham points for off season inventory is a waste. Many folks like to just use Wyndham for Wyndham so if you wanted an off season studio you may have a little extra hk fee but no other exchange fee. On the other hand if you exchange into an onsite Disney property or NY studio which would normally go in the $1200-$2000 range it might be worth it to use the $230 exchange fee and $400 in MF. RCI has lots of sales for there last calls and extra vacations often pricing those at less than the exchange fee. Summer sales for rental would probably price out at the same to $50 less than skyauction type inventory but with probably about 30% more inventory than the ones that make to those extra RCI outlets.

 

[vacationhopeful]

The general rule is "own where you will vacation". Exchange only for special 'stuff' ... like a DVC exchange, or once every 5 years (Hawaii) exchange or a family reunion. Rent in the overbuilt resort areas or in the off/low seasons for fixed week resorts.

Points systems generally charge LESS points for the lower demand seasons. Fixed week resorts have the same MFs for PRIME weeks as the least in demand weeks (MFs do change for unit size or prime views).

If looking at Points Systems ... look at the points charge for places, season and unit size. That will give you an idea as to HOW many points to reserve you will need to own. Look then at any additional fees ... some all resort amenity fees/ usage fees.

Wyndham has Housekeeping Fees and Reservation Transaction fees plus Guest Certificate fees in addition to your maintenance fees.

 

[alwysonvac]

We vacation often. I am a stay at home mom and DH gets 6 weeks of vacation per year (use is or lose it - we use it!).

I used to use priceline, hotwire, and VRBO before learning about Sky Auction through DIS boards. We took our first trip to Disney and stayed at Summer Bay in 2014 for $259. We have used eBay and SkyAuction to get many inexpensive rentals.

We have stayed at Wyndham Great Smokies Lodge for $259, Wyndham Reunion for $363, summer weeks at Summer Bay and Cypress Palms for under $250, upcoming spring break week at Wyndham Smoky Mountains for $299. There are many more examples but they are all similar.

We will still make a yearly trip to Orlando and we love hiking in the Great Smoky Mountains - but we would like some more relaxing beach vacations and as our son gets older we plan to travel the country and the world. Not just the southeast. As he gets older we will also have to limit how much school he misses and will have to travel during peak times.

I feel like I know a lot about renting and getting deals on timeshares without owning. But when I research buying I get so confused. I feel like when I start to understand, rules are changed. We take a lot of "last minute" vacations but with SkyAuction I have also been able to plan our trips far in advance. I booked our November 2016 Reunion rental in March 2016.

When I first started looking at buying it was specifically for RCI Last Call deals. I think that is what I would primarily use.

There is a 84,000 Wyndham Kingsgate that I can have for free (seller pays all closing) but the MF are $697. That seems a bit high. We might go to Colonial Williamsburg twice, I can't imagine it being somewhere we want to vacation frequently. I also certainly do not want to pay $697 for a 1 bedroom. I want to know how to make the points work for more and better vacations. If possible.

I have read threads about depositing 28,000 points and when there are large RCI deposits, getting great deals. We would also be interested in booking DVC (we rented Saratoga Springs for cheap on eBay).

If I get 3 weeks for 28,000 points each - I will have to pay for housekeeping, correct? Even though it's through RCI?

I wish I understood it better. I haven't researched on TUG for a while but with the opportunity to get the free Kingsgate points I have spent the last 3 days searching. It has made my eyes cross and I feel like all of the answers to my questions were from threads or posts made years ago. I have no idea if they are still valid.

I did a ton of research into Disney before our first trip and I still had no idea what to expect before we went. I feel like I won't really "get" owning a timeshare until I actually buy.

I know that I will eventually buy - but I'm not sure if it's the right time. I love staying in timeshares and we won't stay in a hotel for longer than 3 nights.

I know my post is a little all over the place but if you could answer some of my questions, or help me understand, it would be great!

TIA!