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Westin St. John [Master Thread]

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jerseygirl

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We are looking to buy a timeshare for the last week of march (week 12 or 13 depending on the arrival day, i think). Any suggestions on how/where to find the best deal?

thanks
mike

Redweek, myresortnetwork

Also, this company on the island has a lot of listings:

http://www.stjohnproperties.com/fractional.html

Don't be afraid to offer less than someone is asking. Here's a recent ebay listing that reflects an open market sale:

http://cgi.ebay.com/196K-STAROPTION...00563513476?pt=Timeshares&hash=item45fafb4084
 

DavidnRobin

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A Holiday Homes handout had a listing/sold prices for WSJ VG weeks from Jan to Oct '10
 

DavidnRobin

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Property Tax Reminder

Virgin Grand Villas-2007 USVI Property Tax

Dear Virgin Grand Villas Owner,
This is a courtesy email to inform you that the 2007 USVI property tax bills were due on May 15th and are deemed delinquent if not paid by July 15th. Interest in the amount of 1% monthly will be assessed starting August 15th. If you have not yet received your 2007 property tax bill, we urge you to contact the Tax Office at 340.776.6737 to obtain a reprint of your tax bill. You may click here (http://public.usvi.cavucorp.com/) to search the data base to determine the amount of tax due, though please be aware that the Tax Office cannot accept payments online.

We also recommend the following important steps when making your payment:

Make your check payable to the Government of the United States Virgin Islands.
Include the Parcel Number on your check along with a copy of your tax bill(s).
Request a paid receipt and include a stamped self-addressed return envelope. We suggest you permanently retain your paid receipts in case of future inquiries from the Tax Office.
Remit your check to: Office of the Lieutenant Governor, Property Tax Collection Division, P.O. Box 447, Cruz Bay, St. John, Virgin Islands, 00831-0447 via certified or registered mail and with a return receipt requested.
Additional information may be found at the following web sites:

http://ltg.gov.vi/real-property-tax-system.html
http://ltg.gov.vi/tax-accessor-frequently-asked-questions.html

Sincerely,


SVO Management, Inc.
 

Beaglemom3

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Sorry if anyone here is trying to bid and win on this. I don't mean to intefere, but .............. anyone seen this ?
http://cgi.ebay.com/Westin-St-John-Resort-Villas-/180686065888?pt=Timeshares&hash=item2a11ba90e0



I think that they may have the MFs off "a tad".

-Item Description-

Buy Week 32 &

Get Unit/Week (33) FREE!!!!





Resort Name: Westin St. John Resort & Villas

Location: St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands



Unit/Week: 3122/32 - (For Deeding Purposes Only)

Unit Size: 1-Bedroom/2-Bath (Sleeps 4)

Usage: Bi -Annually beginning 2012

(Floating Weeks 21-42; Gold Plus Season)

Maintenance Fees: $1100.44/unit (Including Taxes)

Trading Company: Interval International - Premier/Five Star Resort
 
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jdds

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Sorry if anyone here is trying to bid and win on this. I don't mean to intefere, but .............. anyone seen this ?
http://cgi.ebay.com/Westin-St-John-Resort-Villas-/180686065888?pt=Timeshares&hash=item2a11ba90e0



I think that they may have the MFs off "a tad".

-Item Description-

Buy Week 32 &

Get Unit/Week (33) FREE!!!!





Resort Name: Westin St. John Resort & Villas

Location: St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands



Unit/Week: 3122/32 - (For Deeding Purposes Only)

Unit Size: 1-Bedroom/2-Bath (Sleeps 4)

Usage: Bi -Annually beginning 2012

(Floating Weeks 21-42; Gold Plus Season)

Maintenance Fees: $1100.44/unit (Including Taxes)

Trading Company: Interval International - Premier/Five Star Resort

I thought that too, but it is every other year and if you look below, they say that it's $1100 poer unit. I was eyeing it up because my unit is on auction right now as well and my MFs are $1700 per year for an annual studio! But, if it's EOY, $2200 total for the unit wouold make sense since you have to pay yearly even though you only get to use it every other.
 

Beaglemom3

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The bid, so far is/was $82.00+ with a long way to go.

This should be interesting.
 
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jdds

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If you are going for it, good luck! I personally am trying to pair down my MFs :D
 

Beaglemom3

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If you are going for it, good luck! I personally am trying to pair down my MFs :D

Ooooooh, soooooo tempting, but you said it - MFs !

Lovely to look at, great to own, painful in paying those MFs.
 

Beaglemom3

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Don't forget the real estate taxes on top of those MF's!!


Yes. I just paid the 2007 taxes of $127.45, however, I bought it in 2008.
It's an interesting system they have there.
When I contacted the title company, they were very philosophical about it and said that this is the way it's always been and when I sell it, the buyer will end up paying some of my owed R.E. taxes.

Life in the islands..........
 

jdds

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Don't forget the real estate taxes on top of those MF's!!

Oh, the taxes. LOL I called down there about the 2007 taxes and they said they don't see me owing until 2009! So, when do you think the 2009 taxes will come due?
 

DavidnRobin

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Taxes - it has been that way in the islands for years - BUT - it is going to change - and quickly (well... quick for island-time)

2007 taxes are due - 2008 taxes will be due soon - with 2009-2011 to follow (expect up to a 2x increase for 2010 - hopefully <2x - time will tell).

If you have questions about previous/current taxes - call with your parcel # (they actually answer their phone...) and ask - remember that you are speaking to an island person (do not demand and adapt...) that works in a USVI Gov't organization.

One advantage of WSJ-BV is that the property taxes are substaintially lower because of how they are set-up. I tried to get an a clear answer on this (failed), but something to do with how the land/building have different tax rates (assessed value) due to BV previously being a hotel (perhaps?)
 

Beaglemom3

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DavidnRobin said:
"and ask - remember that you are speaking to an island person (do not demand and adapt...) that works in a USVI Gov't organization".


Good point on island politeness. Sometimes we are so busy getting to the point in order to save both sides time, that we forget the little pleasantries that are the norm in other cultures. This is very true for Barbados, too .
 
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DavidnRobin

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Good point on island politeness. Sometimes we are so busy getting to the point in order to save both sides time, that we forget the little pleasantries that are the norm in other cultures. This is very true for Barbados, too .

plus - the accent can be strong which can be challenging over the phone (vs F2F).

btw - all the info on current and prior taxes is on-line - you just need your parcel number (or you can search by name, but that has downside - ie - one of mine has my 1st name as my middle name... arg) - and be able to interpret the interface. This is essentially what the person on the phone is doing.
 

clsmit

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Dumb Question

Are Virgin Grand, Hillside, Pool Villas, and buildings 41-44 all the same thing? Thanks.
 

jarta

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Buildings 41-44 contain the 3-br pool villas. The 3-br pool villas are on a flat piece of ground between the resort proper and the hills overlooking the resort. Buildings 41 and 42 are older than Buildings 43 and 44. In general, Buildings 41 and 42 have 1 shared bath for the 2 bedrooms on the 2nd floor. In general, each of the 2 bedrooms on the 2nd floor of Buildings 43 and 44 has its own bathroom. There are other, minor differences in construction between the older Buildings 41 and 42 and the newer Buildings 43 and 44.

Virgin Grand (VG) or Hillside refers to the 3-br pool villas and the rest of the Phase I units. All Phase I WSJ units are mandatory SVN units. Like Harborside, all of Phase I at WSJ was sold as fixed week units.

The rest of the Phase I units are perched on the hills overlooking the resort. They are in Buildings 31-34. They are studios, 1-brs and 2-br units.

Phase II's newer units at WSJ are called Upper Hillside or, more frequently, Bay Vista (BV). All Phase II units are voluntary SVN units. They are all 2-br and 3-br units. Almost all are float weeks. Phase II units are in Buildings 24-27 of the resort map llinked below.

http://www.omvillasstjohn.com/images/westin_map.gif

There are no lockoff units at WSJ. I consider that a drawback to owning at WSJ. There are so many good things about WSJ. But, flexibility of use of your week is not one of them. ... eom
 

jdds

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Buildings 41-44 contain the 3-br pool villas. The 3-br pool villas are on a flat piece of ground between the resort proper and the hills overlooking the resort. Buildings 41 and 42 are older than Buildings 43 and 44. In general, Buildings 41 and 42 have 1 shared bath for the 2 bedrooms on the 2nd floor. In general, each of the 2 bedrooms on the 2nd floor of Buildings 43 and 44 has its own bathroom. There are other, minor differences in construction between the older Buildings 41 and 42 and the newer Buildings 43 and 44.

Virgin Grand (VG) or Hillside refers to the 3-br pool villas and the rest of the Phase I units. All Phase I WSJ units are mandatory SVN units. Like Harborside, all of Phase I at WSJ was sold as fixed week units.

The rest of the Phase I units are perched on the hills overlooking the resort. They are in Buildings 31-34. They are studios, 1-brs and 2-br units.

Phase II's newer units at WSJ are called Upper Hillside or, more frequently, Bay Vista (BV). All Phase II units are voluntary SVN units. They are all 2-br and 3-br units. Almost all are float weeks. Phase II units are in Buildings 24-27 of the resort map llinked below.

http://www.omvillasstjohn.com/images/westin_map.gif

There are no lockoff units at WSJ. I consider that a drawback to owning at WSJ. There are so many good things about WSJ. But, flexibility of use of your week is not one of them. ... eom

Could not agree with this more. I learned that the hard way. I purchased at WSJ to actually go to WSJ every year. Turned out that getting to WSJ every year was not really doable for me, especially during the week I purchased. I tried to be flexible and get in on other weeks, or for shorter stays, and that was a no-go. One good thing that came out of my WSJ unit is that I definitely know the SVN SO trade system well. I have gotten a lot of use out of my SOs and have really made them work for me! I do consider WSJ to be one of the better SVN properties, though. I personally think St. John and the surrounding islands are gorgeous.
 

DavidnRobin

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If you want flexibility for WSJ - the VG phase (Hillside) is not recommended.

I never heard of the BV phase being called 'Upper Hillside'. They are not entirely float - they are being sold as both fixed and float - with no more than 50% being sold as fixed (iirc). The purpose was to overcome reservation and flexibility issues that exist for the VG phase.
 

jarta

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David, ... "I never heard of the BV phase being called 'Upper Hillside'."

Please look at the resort map I linked in my last post. Maybe you never noticed it. However, Bay Vista (BV) is much more common.

You can "fix" a "float" week at BV or any Starwood resort that sells float weeks. All it takes is more money. But, in most cases, why bother to lock in a week - except for weeks 7 (Presidents), 47 (Thanksgiving), 51 and 52 ... eom
 

DavidnRobin

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I see said the blindman. Looks like they wanted to differentiate the lower buildings (lower hillside) and higher buildings (upper hillside) - so I guess that would make ours upper-upper hillside - lol

Of course - fixed units can be purchased - except that WSJ-VG is essentially all fixed, and you can't pay to float (or maybe you can). Whereas, with BV they offer float VOIs - and of course fixed, but limited to 50% (if I believe what sales told me...).
 
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clsmit

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Thanks for the detailed responses! It's confusing when SVO even calls the units by different names.
 
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