What should we buy? Survey filled out

[shockateer]

Hey Everyone,

We got roped into the HGVC through the presentation last week down in FL with their artificial scarcity and "if you leave you never get this again" talk. After some research (many thanks to TUG!), we're sending in our recission letter today. FYI, it's a 5,440 every odd-year Gold Season. Purchase price $17,000, maint $1000 on odd years, HGV MAX Club Dues $291 every year.

That said, the program does sound useful to us and we're strongly considering a resale position in HGVC (or some other program if one fits us better). Based on our current travel and vacation spots, it sounded like we would be typically looking at using RCI more often than the HGVC resorts, and of course the sales team assured us that would work out just fine and be an awesome deal (true or not?). The idea of the points system does make sense vs a traditional Timeshare for us.

Here's the questionnaire I filled out:

1) Is there a vacation destination you wish to visit most of the time or on a regular basis? if so where?
- We regularly go to Disney World (Orlando, FL), and the Gulf Coast (Gulf Shores / Orange Beach)

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?
- Most likely trade more than half based on the resort locations of HGVC

3) What are your 5 top trade destinations?
- Disney World (Orlando, FL)
- Gulf Coast
- Vegas
- Eruope/France (in the future)
- Hawaii (also future)

4) How many people do you usually travel with - total, including yourself?
- 2 Adults, 2 young Kids

5) Can you travel any time, or are you locked into the school schedule?
- Anytime right now, school schedule will start in a couple of 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, though we do like the occasional 3/4-day weekend getaway

8) What level of accommodations do you prefer on a scale of 1 to 5 stars?
- 3 to 4 would be nice, we're accustomed to the small hotel dual-queen bed setups right now.

9) How much can you afford to spend upfront, without financing?
- $4000

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?
- $2000

11) Are you a detail oriented planner?
- Yes

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

Thank you all for your expertise!

 

[CPNY]

Hey Everyone,

We got roped into the HGVC through the presentation last week down in FL with their artificial scarcity and "if you leave you never get this again" talk. After some research (many thanks to TUG!), we're sending in our recission letter today. FYI, it's a 5,440 every odd-year Gold Season. Purchase price $17,000, maint $1000 on odd years, HGV MAX Club Dues $291 every year.

That said, the program does sound useful to us and we're strongly considering a resale position in HGVC (or some other program if one fits us better). Based on our current travel and vacation spots, it sounded like we would be typically looking at using RCI more often than the HGVC resorts, and of course the sales team assured us that would work out just fine and be an awesome deal (true or not?). The idea of the points system does make sense vs a traditional Timeshare for us.

Here's the questionnaire I filled out:

1) Is there a vacation destination you wish to visit most of the time or on a regular basis? if so where?
- We regularly go to Disney World (Orlando, FL), and the Gulf Coast (Gulf Shores / Orange Beach)

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?
- Most likely trade more than half based on the resort locations of HGVC

3) What are your 5 top trade destinations?
- Disney World (Orlando, FL)
- Gulf Coast
- Vegas
- Eruope/France (in the future)
- Hawaii (also future)

4) How many people do you usually travel with - total, including yourself?
- 2 Adults, 2 young Kids

5) Can you travel any time, or are you locked into the school schedule?
- Anytime right now, school schedule will start in a couple of 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, though we do like the occasional 3/4-day weekend getaway

8) What level of accommodations do you prefer on a scale of 1 to 5 stars?
- 3 to 4 would be nice, we're accustomed to the small hotel dual-queen bed setups right now.

9) How much can you afford to spend upfront, without financing?
- $4000

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?
- $2000

11) Are you a detail oriented planner?
- Yes

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

Thank you all for your expertise!

Look into Marriott vacation club points. They will have all of the locations you’re looking for with a lot of flexibility to book any resort at 12 months.

Or buy a Marriott trader… for less than 4,000

 

[dayooper]

Look into Marriott vacation club points. They will have all of the locations you’re looking for with a lot of flexibility to book any resort at 12 months.

Can you get MVC points for $4000 or under?

 

[bizaro86]

Look into Marriott vacation club points. They will have all of the locations you’re looking for with a lot of flexibility to book any resort at 12 months.

MVC points is basically not possible on a $4k budget even resale.

If you could stretch the budget and would consider the FL gulf coast instead I'd recommend getting a bigger resale HGVC contract, as they are flexible and have most of your destinations. Buy in for 11,200 points with a good MF is probably around $7k though, and that's the minimum size I'd recommend.

If the budget is fixed I'd go with Wyndham. Bonnett Creek in Orlando, Clearwater Beach for gulf coast, plenty of other SE options, plus Vegas and Hawaii. Resales are cheap.

 

[vacationtime1]

OP does not need to buy anything. Their top three destinations -- Orlando, Gulf Coast, and Vegas -- are easily available as rentals, Getaways, or promotions. (I know OP cannot get Getaways without owning, but it is illustrative of the excess inventory in those locations.)

If OP rents a couple of times and likes timesharing, of course there are ownership options. But why start there?

 

[CPNY]

Can you get MVC points for $4000 or under?

No but 4,000 wasn’t specified as their absolute budget. They answered the question of how much can you spend upfront without financing. If they financed 17K, they can finance a resale for much less than 17K. I’m not saying they should finance a resale but they could take a loan if they really really wanted to.

 

[CPNY]

OP does not need to buy anything. Their top three destinations -- Orlando, Gulf Coast, and Vegas -- are easily available as rentals, Getaways, or promotions. (I know OP cannot get Getaways without owning, but it is illustrative of the excess inventory in those locations.)

If OP rents a couple of times and likes timesharing, of course there are ownership options. But why start there?

Very true. Maybe a low cost trader could be a good option for them as well.

 

[CPNY]

MVC points is basically not possible on a $4k budget even resale.

If you could stretch the budget and would consider the FL gulf coast instead I'd recommend getting a bigger resale HGVC contract, as they are flexible and have most of your destinations. Buy in for 11,200 points with a good MF is probably around $7k though, and that's the minimum size I'd recommend.

If the budget is fixed I'd go with Wyndham. Bonnett Creek in Orlando, Clearwater Beach for gulf coast, plenty of other SE options, plus Vegas and Hawaii. Resales are cheap.

It’s not, but is 4K their absolute budget? The question needs to be re-worded IMO. They already financed 17K so it’s safe to say that spending the same amount or less for resale Marriott points isn’t unreasonable. There are ways to finance a resale unit. I’m not saying they should but they could if they wanted.

 

[bizaro86]

OP does not need to buy anything. Their top three destinations -- Orlando, Gulf Coast, and Vegas -- are easily available as rentals, Getaways, or promotions. (I know OP cannot get Getaways without owning, but it is illustrative of the excess inventory in those locations.)

If OP rents a couple of times and likes timesharing, of course there are ownership options. But why start there?

This is good advice. Start by renting and see how you like it.

 

[shockateer]

Thank you all for your replies!

Regarding budget, $4k is more the "what could you pull out of pocket today and not really miss" budget. We could expand that with a little planning/saving pretty easily, as this process has definitely made us want to rethink the way we do vacations a bit. We have always been long term planners, but never really entertained the Timeshare/TS Rental options.

In general I've seen lots of positive reviews of the Hilton plans on these boards, but I'll look more into the Mariott plans as well.

Sending in our Rescission letter gives us the latitude of time now to research more carefully and find what fits our needs, and the knowledge/guidance of this board is very much appreciated!