Strategy Time- Would love your wisdom!

[mkfisher]

I have been following posts and shopping for over a year and I'm ready to take advantage of the current market conditions. TUG members do a fantastic job keeping it real, and prompt responses from rockstars like Denise are outstanding. Enough with the blowing of smoke- (I'm sincere on the Kudos) Here is my situation:

1. 
   [*]Situation:
   Young family with 3 young boys 2-7 yrs old and the standard school break schedule and the need to escape Minnesota during PRIME season sometime after the holidays and before the thaw.(likely the spring break window).
   1. 
      [*]2. Setup Interest:
      After review, I like the options in STARWOOD. The family loves Atlantis, but likely would only go there every 4 years. We would probably rotate through Harborside - St Johns - Disney - then Maui on 4 years cycles within the SVN.
      1. 3. Strategy:
      Knowing we would almost always be using Staroptions at the 8 month out point, we have been targeting the 2 bedroom lockout units at Harborside valued at 81,000 (Silver Season) because of the the rock bottom prices currently being marketed. We are happy to trade down to a 1 bedroom premium unit for 5 people to get into the Spring Season. (The backdoor strategy)
      1. 4. ADVICE NEEDED:
      Is this a sound strategy? While I know Harborside is mandatory, is it prudent to lock myself into the 8 month out scramble for a spring week game and a stiff $2300 MF for life? Should I actually be considering any property that is Starwood mandatory with a value of 81,000 and maybe lesser MFs knowing Harborside is only an every 4 year gig? A lot of this strategy is based on my assumption that with 81,000 staroptions and some diligence and flexibility on the order of these 4 target vacations during the Spring season, I can take advantage of some of the low market prices on the 2 bedroom silver season lockouts currently on the market (5K - 9k) at Harborside. Advice is very welcome to get my head straight here.-- THX

 

[scottmindib]

If the MF's are $2300 per year for 81,000 pts then I definitely would not do it. The Westin Kierlands in Scottsdale had units that are 6-8K for Gold Season 81,000 options (mandatory resort) - 2 bdrm L/O - and the MF's as of this year were only $1200. I would also definitely not trade down to a smaller unit for the MF's that you are going to pay. I would take the 2 bdrm L/O and split it into a small and large 1 bedroom and try to use them within their season if you were going to do that. Or you could buy a Platinum season 2 bedroom at a mandatory resort and split the units into a large and small 1 bedroom and get two weeks of use per year in platinum season. It just doesn't make sense to me to pay those kind of MF's and trade down in size. IMO !!!

 

[Quimby4]

This question would get more answers in the Starwood forum. Good luck!!

When I was looking at buying for Star Options I was considering Sheraton Vistana Villages 2 bedroom lockout valued at 81,000 Star Options, maintenance fees seemed reasonable.

 

[DeniseM]

Duplicate thread - please respond here - http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=85735

mkfisher - TUG doesn't allow duplicate posts on the same topic. - Thanks, DeniseM