Success in renting out your unit?

[bethd]

I am looking for feedback before I buy a resale timeshare. For those that own and bought your 2 bedroom unit with the idea of renting it out during peak holiday months. My intensions are to use my unit to travel in a studio or 1 bedrooms through Star Options and rent out either the studio or 1 bedroom. Have most of you had luck renting your week at Kierland or Hawaii?
Would love honest advice and feedback on if you own a platinum resort, how hard is it to book 8 months out to book in Hawaii or St John?
What are some of your favorite Vistana properties? I don't think we'd go to Atlantis for many years until we have grandkids

 

[DanCali]

Kierland or Hawaii Platinum weeks should rent relatively easily if you book a desired week.

In the end it comes down to price. Rental prices have definitely not kept up with MF increases in most places. If you price it competitively, it should rent.

 

[LeslieDet]

If you are interested in learning about how weeks are renting, I suggest you scroll through Redweek for your desired ownership resort and see the number of ads. Hawaii has been a very soft market since the August 2023 fire.

Also, from a comment you made on another feed, it seems you perhaps are not aware of the different VOIs sold under the Westin VC and/or Sheraton VC brands. Beware of buying Sheraton Flex or Westin Flex -- while those VOIs may very well have some "home" resort units at Kierland or in Hawaii, the VOIs themselves are "voluntary" resorts and you do not acquire any StarOption ability when buying resale. That means you cannot exchange within the VSN. It is the Flex resorts or II (at your own expense). Also, per the VSN rules, if you were to purchase a resale week at Kierland (you would actually buy a certain number of options that are tied to that week, and the quantity will differ depending upon unit size purchased) for example, and you then opted to use StarOptions to try and book in Hawaii at 8 months, the T&C prohibit rentals outside of your home resort. So, if you purchase Kierland resale, that is where you can rent out occupancy. You can't use the Kierland ownership to book in Maui and then rent that. You could only rent out at Kierland. Spring training is difficult to book BTW. July is easy.

 

[EnglishmanAbroad]

We had about 75% success at renting out WKORVN (including prime weeks) before the fire. There are about 10x more listings these days so I wouldn't hold out any great hope. I've recently seen last minute rental 'fire sales' (including OF) going for ~50% of the MFs.

 

[ciscogizmo1]

We had about 75% success at renting out WKORVN (including prime weeks) before the fire. There are about 10x more listings these days so I wouldn't hold out any great hope. I've recently seen last minute rental 'fire sales' (including OF) going for ~50% of the MFs.

I agree. It is pure luck if you rent out your WKORV week. I'm hoping things improve soon.

 

[ljmiii]

St John is more or less impossible at 8 months. It's difficult even at 12 months unless you are willing to settle for hurricane season.

 

[sharr7]

There is St John 7-day availability virtually all next summer. It does fill up but outside of maybe holiday weeks I've found 6-8 months still has decent options for trips. Decent shot to get anything you want if ready at 8 months. Maybe others have different luck but that's my experience. Not really a bad time to go outside of peak hurricane season (say late Aug to early Oct). Even then it's fun if you can miss a storm/have a backup plan.

 

[daviator]

Also worth noting that Hawaii rentals require that you register and file local tax returns to pay GET and TAT or risk big fines and penalties if you are caught. I know Maui County and the state supposedly have both hired staff to focus on enforcement against timeshare renters so skip the taxes at your own risk. The taxes that the resort collects at check out are NOT the same as those that you are obligated to pay when you rent out your unit.

Also, only Home Resort reservations can be rented if you are using the Vistana system, reservations made with StarOptions aren’t allowed to be rented. My understanding is that reservations made with Club Points (Abound) are ok for rental.

Renting out Hawaii ownerships is a lot more hassle and a lot less lucrative than it once was. The last couple times I tried I was unsuccessful in finding a renter in Maui.