Thinking about HGVC but many questions

[JamesTransplant]

I am new to timeshares, attended a sales presentation in order to get 3 nights for $31 in orlando plus a $200 voucher valid for the next 6 months. They made me what sounded like a horrible offer based on my knowledge of the resale market (which is not much knowledge) they offered 5500 points every other year plus 11k bonus points for 14.4k with a MF of 1160. I figured I can get a way better deal resale but I had several questions and even more questions after trying to read through the forums here.
1. I was told the rooms cost the same amount of points at every resort, is this true?
2. If I see a every other year resale do I pay the MF only on the usage years? In my presentation for the every other year offer I was told the 1160MF was due every year (basically that it was 2320 but then I pay half each year) So if I see a resale of 7600 points every other year for 800MF is that 800 every year, or every other?
3. I think one of the biggest incentives is the open season stuff, or the RCI last call. My understanding is that I have to pay club membership dues every year to be enrolled in that. Is that included in the MF? If not, how do I know what I should be picking (MAX, domestic, international, etc.)
4. My wife really wants flexibility in our travel which is why a points based system seems way better than a traditional week at a specific resort. I envision us maybe just exchanging our points on RCI and booking on there to have more options. Can anyone advise on that direction? Like: how difficult is it to get a place where you want on RCI? Is the exchange fee worth it?
5. Final question. What do ya'll do on years where you don't plan on traveling? Do you pay the fee to bank the points, do you try and see if friends and family want to take the trip instead at cost? do you put it up for sale and if so how often can you actually get it covered?
Thanks in advance for helping a newbie try to wrap his head around this. I am excited about the idea and potential value, my wife is quite anxious about the eternal MF looming over our heads and the risk of never being able to sell it.

 

[brp]

5. Years where we don't plan on traveling? What are those and when do they occur? I don't think we have any month when we don't plan on traveling.

Other folks will have more specifics as we don't do every other year, open season or RCI, but HGVC is very flexible, provided that you can book in advance. Close in booking can be tougher. For example, Home Week is from 12-9 months, and has use restrictions. Then Club Season is from 9 months in at most locations (there are a few exceptions). The closer you can book to these timeframes, the more choice you will have.

Cheers.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

We also travel a lot. We bought Hawaii EOY because we didn't want to be forced to go to Hawaii every year or to rent or trade the off year.

OP if you don't plan on traveling every year or every other year, do not buy a timeshare.

 

[ljmiii]

I am new to timeshares, attended a sales presentation in order to get 3 nights for $31 in orlando plus a $200 voucher valid for the next 6 months. They made me what sounded like a horrible offer based on my knowledge of the resale market (which is not much knowledge) they offered 5500 points every other year plus 11k bonus points for 14.4k with a MF of 1160. I figured I can get a way better deal resale but I had several questions and even more questions after trying to read through the forums here.
1. I was told the rooms cost the same amount of points at every resort, is this true?

No. Originally it was true but newer resorts are much more expensive than the older ones.

2. If I see a every other year resale do I pay the MF only on the usage years?...

Yes-ish. You pay the HGVC Club dues every year. And for EOY some resorts charge MFs every other year and others charge 1/2 every year.

3. I think one of the biggest incentives is the open season stuff, or the RCI last call. My understanding is that I have to pay club membership dues every year to be enrolled in that. Is that included in the MF? If not, how do I know what I should be picking (MAX, domestic, international, etc.)

So...you need to pay your Club dues every year and they are not 'included" in the MFs but the billing is attached to one of the deeds that you own.

Not sure what you are asking in the second half of the question.

4. My wife really wants flexibility in our travel which is why a points based system seems way better than a traditional week at a specific resort. I envision us maybe just exchanging our points on RCI and booking on there to have more options. Can anyone advise on that direction? Like: how difficult is it to get a place where you want on RCI? Is the exchange fee worth it?

The number one rule of timeshares is buy where you want to stay. While this is less true of HGVC than most other timeshare systems the reality of HGVC is that what you are buying is a deeded week - everything else depends on the continued existence and munificence of HGV.

As for RCI, I regard exchanging through RCI as what happens when the plan fails. If that is your primary interest there are less expensive ways to gain access to RCI than through HGV.

5. Final question. What do y'all do on years where you don't plan on traveling?

You can save and borrow (and we do)...but honestly I can't imagine an entire year without travel.

 

[jp10558]

I am new to timeshares, attended a sales presentation in order to get 3 nights for $31 in orlando plus a $200 voucher valid for the next 6 months. They made me what sounded like a horrible offer based on my knowledge of the resale market (which is not much knowledge) they offered 5500 points every other year plus 11k bonus points for 14.4k with a MF of 1160. I figured I can get a way better deal resale but I had several questions and even more questions after trying to read through the forums here.
1. I was told the rooms cost the same amount of points at every resort, is this true?

Not really true. Room cost varies by location, view type, and season just to name a few. That said many many locations outside new resorts in Hawaii seem to be similar point costs.

3. I think one of the biggest incentives is the open season stuff, or the RCI last call. My understanding is that I have to pay club membership dues every year to be enrolled in that. Is that included in the MF? If not, how do I know what I should be picking (MAX, domestic, international, etc.)

Open Season isn't really an incentive IMHO - the costs are kinda high, you're not going to see a week or weekend days much of the time, and it's 30 days out. RCI Last Call is better IMHO, and depending on where and when you want to go - is pretty compelling at least to me. It's most useful for some locations - Williamsburg, Massanutten, Branson, Orlando, Las Vegas and a few others. Club dues are due every year. TBH, I don't think EOY is a compelling deal cost wise much of the time.

4. My wife really wants flexibility in our travel which is why a points based system seems way better than a traditional week at a specific resort. I envision us maybe just exchanging our points on RCI and booking on there to have more options. Can anyone advise on that direction? Like: how difficult is it to get a place where you want on RCI? Is the exchange fee worth it?

Depends on how you're flexible. If you're flexible about picking from what's available, it is really worth it in the cash options - Extra Vacations and Last Calls. It's really NOT worth it with HGVC points IMO - not saying it's worthless, but you'd be better served with just an RCI points maybe at Tree Tops or something with much lower MFs. Then adding the $299 exchange fee... whoof - I think it makes it really not worth it for exchanges in most situations. It's way better than paying MFs and getting nothing though if you couldn't figure out a use within HGVC.

5. Final question. What do ya'll do on years where you don't plan on traveling?

You should NOT buy a Timeshare if you're not going to go on a trip at least once a year for a week. Actually, I tend to think they really only start to shine if you're going for 2 weeks in a 2BR and up. That's not to say one week in a 1BR can't make sense, but it's IMHO far more flip a coin vs hotels (in mainland USA) because hotel prices are starting to come down IME AND you have to include this risk of paying when you couldn't use it for any timeshare.

Do you pay the fee to bank the points

I have banked points, but usually not because I couldn't use them but because I wanted to have more points for a specific trip / stay.

, do you try and see if friends and family want to take the trip instead at cost?

This would be my fallback.

do you put it up for sale and if so how often can you actually get it covered?

HGVC only allows this with a home week booking, and I would NOT count on it working out in your favor. DO NOT plan to cover costs with rentals in the vast majority of situations.

Thanks in advance for helping a newbie try to wrap his head around this. I am excited about the idea and potential value,

If you search a lot of my posts back, you'll see how I (and others) have pulled IMHO really good value out of resale HGVC and RCI, but it's a very different method than how I used to use Hotels. Think of Timeshares like a Club Store Membership - you need to go to them "in bulk" to get the best values. Or ask me to talk about it again lol...

my wife is quite anxious about the eternal MF looming over our heads and the risk of never being able to sell it.

This is a downside, but buying resale and buying smart can make it way more likely to be able to at least give it away when you're done. Buy HGVC annual, 11,200pts or more and there's almost certainly someone who will take it for free when you're done. Especially if you pay a bit more up front and get a Las Vegas or Craig deed.

 

[dayooper]

Thanks in advance for helping a newbie try to wrap his head around this. I am excited about the idea and potential value, my wife is quite anxious about the eternal MF looming over our heads and the risk of never being able to sell it.

I’m not going to repeat what’s been said above as I agree with everything said. As to high and/or rising MF’s and not being able to get out from underneath the timeshare, you just have to be picky in what you buy. If you purchase resale in HGVC, you need to buy a great deed at a low MF resort like a Vegas resort. Boulevard or Paradise 2 bedroom platinum units are great starter deeds with 11,200 each. Since their MF’s are on the low side, they are desirable and can be sold fairly easily. You just have to be choosy. The deed that the salesman was trying to sell you was a dog and the only way out of it would be to either default on the MF’s or pay Hilton to trade it in and get a better deed. The deeds I mention above can be sold for around $4k-$5k. If you had to get rid of it quickly, you can just sell it for less or give it away.

My family bought resale and we love it. It fits our vacation style perfectly and it allows us to bring our adult children on many trips. You have to decide if the style and locations are for you, though.