What should I buy

[timeshare_noob]

Thank you everyone - it's been a little overwhelming trying to make sense of the different options that would work best for us. We're looking for 1-2 weeks annually that would give us flexibility to book different areas that actually have availability for owners. We took a look at Worldmark and HGVC, but unsure how availability actually looks for owners and restrictions on resale contracts for what we're looking for.

1) Is there a vacation destination you wish to visit most of the time or on a regular basis? if so where?
No - would be looking at this to allow us to travel to different places.

2) Do you want to visit your home resort at least half the time, or do you want to trade more than half the time?
Trade more than half the time. Ideally maybe some trade in Europe and/or Asia (Japan/Taiwan)

3) What are your 5 top trade destinations?
New York, Seattle/Vancouver, Anaheim, maybe Orlando
(if possible) Tokyo, Taipei, Seoul

4) How many people do you usually travel with - total, including yourself?
2 Adult, 2 toddlers

5) Can you travel any time, or are you locked into the school schedule?
Will be locked into school schedule in a few years

6) Can you make firm plans 12 or more mos. in advance?
Yes

7) Can you vacation for a full week at a time?
Yes

8) What level of accommodations do you prefer on a scale of 1 to 5 stars?
Between 3-5, more looking for something clean and spacious. We don't need a lot of amenities on site like X swimming pools or hot tubs.

9) How much can you afford to spend upfront, without financing?
30-40k, but we're trying to pursue resales first so I imagine this number will be a lot lower in practice.

10) How much can you afford to spend every year for a maintenance fee that will come due right after Christmas, and increase each year?
2-4K. We're not concerned with price of MFs. More wanting to see if there's a program that will work for us, where owners can actually book rooms with availability.

11) Are you a detail oriented planner?
Yep, not a concern here

12) Do you understand that once you buy a timeshare, it may be very difficult to sell or give away, and you are responsible for all fees, until you do?
Yes

 

[jp10558]

First thing to mention is that no one system will hit all your locations, and it's also worth understanding that many city locations are 1BR at the largest. With Toddlers this isn't that much of a problem, as you probably are OK with them on a sleeper sofa. In the long term, it might get more problematic in 13 years or so when they're teenagers. You probably internationally should not be thinking "within the system" but how to "expand the system", which means RCI or II depending. HGVC comes with RCI and Worldmark comes with II.

So, I have HGVC and there is availability but often only right as the club window opens. The problem with HGVC is it's "great" for Myrtle Beach, Orlando, Las Vegas, Carlsbad and Hawaii. Those are bookable without much difficulty, even 2BR. I find things like Miami Beach are harder for 2BR, but for 1BR it's more available if you are looking at 9 months out. Ocean Oak in HHI is extremely difficult to book at all if you don't own there. I did grab a 2BR in mid Feb this year though, but that isn't when you're trying to go.

I don't have Worldmark, but I do have Wyndham, and I think it has more availability than HGVC, probably because they have had more locations and they're often in less high demand locations (though they also have Orlando, Las Vegas, etc).

Ok, availability in general varies, but book ASAP and you've got a better chance. Using alternatives like RCI/II will also improve your chances.

What TS do not have is the hotel style availability at all, they're far more limited.

EDIT:
The other thing to consider is in the points systems like Worldmark and HGVC, you don't buy (worldmark) or spend (HGVC) in week units. You buy/spend points. So the important thing to do is look at potential locations, look at the date ranges and unit sizes you want and figure out the points needed. Also, keep in mind that if you're ok with more limited locations - like Orlando / MB/ etc - one or more weeks (in addition to the one week you need) you can pay cash in RCI/II for extra week stays, often for decent rates and amazing discounts compared to hotels. I'm thinking on a 1BR you're averaging maybe $1,100 for booking cash months out.

 

[Hindsite]

You have a decent budget for purchase and maint fees, so consider buying into more than one system to give you a variety of choices.
Look into renting from other owners for a year or so, to get the hang of the quality and location of the resorts. It might be a bit more expensive at the outset, but it will really help refine your understanding of how the various choices can meet your needs.
Don't expect timeshare to fulfil all your vacation lodging needs, its a niche product that doesn't suit many.
Understanding inventory availability is the biggest problem to resolve, just because something "can" be booked, doesn't mean it is every going to be available for where and when you want to travel. Read up and ask questions on the various TUG forums or Facebook pages for specific resorts or the timeshare systems, to get people's input on what can be realistically done.
There is also a lot to understand within the largest brands with many variations of ownership and different potential rules or restrictions when buying resale, take some time to get an understanding of those.
Most of the timeshare systems are very US centric, so there are options in other continents, but they may be fewer and the nature of the resorts can be different to the US ones.
At some point you probably need to make a leap and see how it goes, so have an exit strategy in case you find that it doesn't suit you. That may be having to give it away after initial use or surrender it back, if that is an available option for where you buy. Buying resale helps soften the blow, by reducing the initial outlay, if you have to give it away to dispose of it. Most things can be made to work decently, if you put the time in. If you don't have the time to do that, don't proceed as that will cause you to fail quite quickly.
All the best, its great when you get the hang of it so persist and enjoy the research.