Using Marriott Visa to Buy Marriott Week

[Art]

Dave re-posted a past string about using a Marriott Visa to buy a Marriott week.

A recent development that wasn't mentioned is that Marriott seems to be tying some of the incentive points for a purchase to financing the purchase thru them. In the conversantion I had with a Marriott sales rep, it looks like only about a 30% downpayment could be put on a Visa.

I don't know how generally Marriott is doing this, but it certainly is something to watch out for. Our experience was at Surf Watch.

Art

 

[dougp26364]

That's interesting in that it could cut into their sales. If I can only put 30% of the down payment on a visa, then I'm not buying. I don't carry that much cash on me nor do I leave that much cash in a very low interest checking account. For that matter, I rarely take my check book with me while on vacation.

Of all the timeshares we've purchased Marriott is definately the most PIA about paying with a credit card. All the others I've been able to call and pay off the note with a CC, then pay the CC off online. I've never had to send a physical check in. With Marriott, I have to send them a check. IMO it really makes it harder for me to do business with Marriott. I prefer the instant gratification of online payments and earning points by using one of my reward type CC's.

 

[JimC]

I believe the 30% limit mentioned by Art is because they are tieing some of the purchase incentive MR points to financing (just like the auto companies when they tie rebates to their own financing plans. Marriott still lets you put the whole contract purchase on a credit card, provided you have sufficient available credit.

I agree with your comment that the back office operations at MVC are difficult to do business with. I have had a really bad experience with them (but that is for another thread).

 

[ZCar]

Maybe it varies by property.

A Maui Ocean Club price list, effective 4/21/05, I have distinctly says:
"You may charge up to 35% of the purchase price on your credit card".
A price list, 1/27/05, for Ko'Olina does not have that line.

In late 1996, if I recall correctly, when we purchased DSII there was a similar restriction, so it may be nothing new.

Wonder how many actually take advantage of credit card purchases? We did, for the full amount on all but DSII.
The points aren't huge amounts of money for Marriott, but why give something away when you don't have to?

 

[Jaybee]

We purchased our Desert Springs II week last Dec, and not having a Marriott CC yet, I charged our down payment on another card. By the time it closed, I had a Marriott card, and paid the balance on that one. I asked at the time of purchase if I could pay by CC, and was told, "No problem". We also got our incentive points.

 

[IndigoGypsy]

FWIW -- We purchased Maui Ocean Club and had the restriction to put 35% on our cc. We did so we could get the miles. We had to send the rest by check. Purchase incentive was not tied to financing.

 

[taffy19]

Every price list that we have (effective through May 18) of all the resorts in Hawaii state that you may charge all major credit cards to 100% of the purchase price. I remember that the salesman was telling us about the advantage of getting the Marriott credit card because that would qualify us for an extra 15,000 points plus 10,000 more points, I believe. If we would have upgraded, we would have earned 50,000 points in total according to our contract. We started writing up a contract but did not finish because it got too late in the day and then we decided against it because we felt that our trade-in value wasn't good enough for our home resort. Whatever you trade-up to, Marriott seems to want at least $16,500 more from you.

The reason for our trading up was to make sure that we would get reservations easier than at the MDSV-I. I am so thankful now that we did not make the trade because I heard the same sad story next door. Our neighbors and their family bought two timeshare condos at the Waiohai Beach Club and were not able to get their requested date either in late June. They now got their week in July and that is exactly the week of her daughter's ballet performance. They don't know what to do and the resort is not even sold out yet. I only see this problem getting worse over time.

 

[Art]

From the variety of responses to my original post, it looks like the details on the use of a credit card to pay for a Marriott week do vary from resort to resort. So if it matters to the buyer, he/she would be wise to find out the rules for that resort before agreeing to buy a week.

Art

 

[jerseyfinn]

Always take the points

. . . it looks like the details on the use of a credit card to pay for a Marriott week do vary from resort to resort. So if it matters to the buyer, he/she would be wise to find out the rules for that resort before agreeing to buy a week . . .

Art, you hit the nail on the head.

Each resort has its own policy as to how much of a purchase one may place on their VISA card. One should indeed inquire as to how much they may apply to their VISA card before inking the deal. Besides the MR point incentives which accompany a developer purchase, the VISA card with its 3:1 remains an important considertion in a Marriott TS purchase strategy.

We had the good fortune of being able to put the entire purchase price onto our VISA for two seperate purchases at Playa Andaluza. Ocean Pointe did not allow us to put the full purchase prices onto the VISA, but they did allow us to charge 10 to 15K.

Bottom line, is that no matter how it works, it's a good thing to put as much as they will allow you on your MR VISA. Always take points when you can get them.

Barry

 

[Dave M]

Great comments!

I have added a second paragraph to the thread on this subject that is linked from the FAQs. The added paragrpah summarizes this issue and provides a link to this thread.

 

[vlapinta]

Marriott Points

We are in the process of purchasing a week at Ocean Watch. We were able to put a $10,000 deposit on our Marriott credit card. This is more than 30% of the purchase price. They made us call while we were in the office and they increased our credit line to accomodate the downpayment. The rest was written up to be financed. After we came back I read somewhere on this board (thank you) that you have up to 10 days to call Marriott and let them know you do not want to finance, but rather a cash deal. I called yesterday and told them I wanted to put the balance on my credit card. They said "no problem" they would fax me over the papers to change it. The papers say that the balance may be put on the CC is there is enough credit to do this. I am hoping either it will take a little longer to close and the downpayment will be paid so I can put the balance on the card or I will try to call them to see if I can prepay the card in order to be able to put the balance on the card. It's worth a try to get the whole purchase on the card so we can get all the points...
Vicki

 

[jancurious]

You can always pay your credit card balance early. As soon as the credit posts to your account, your available balance will increase. Go for it!

Jan

 

[Art]

Vicki

Since you didn't say anything indicating otherwise, it sounds like Ocean Watch sales are not linking any of the incentive Reward Points to financing thru Marriott.

One little detail on pre-paying with your Marriott Visa: pre-pay is the key word. Money payable at closing usually has to be in the form of a check rather than a charge to your credit card. As long as you have signed credit card authorizations for dates will prior to the closing date, you are in good shape.

Art

 

[ironweed]

I bought Ocean Pointe 3 years ago, and was able to secure my Marriott Visa before I had to pay beyond the initial downpayment -- charged the whole thing!!

THis March, I bought Grande Vista, and was not even asked what credit card I would use --- collected a bunch of points by charging the whole thing again!

 

[vlapinta]

Marriott Points

The salesman at Ocean Watch fist told us that Marriott would like us to make at least one payment to them before paying the balance off to get the incentive points. I laughed and said, "Sure Marriott would" you want to make more money off of us!
The next day I called the sales office and said I wanted a cash deal. They faxed me over papers today asking for my Marriott CC# and what date I would like them to post the balance. Very simple, no pressure to finance at all.
Vicki