I am very risk adverse when it comes to timeshares -- and houses-- and probably lots of other things. I know some people look at timeshares as an investment and some people do still make good money off them or buy the off brand resorts and are perfectly happy with the trades they get. I look at timeshares a complete luxury purchase and as a means to take really nice vacations I wouldn't otherwise be able to afford. So far I have loved all my timeshare purchases, especially my Willowridge and WM timeshare. I loved DVC but that was so expensive and I kept getting less and less vacation time out of it. My OceanWatch is definately my favorite but my Willowridge gets me two vacations a year and now that I understand the Marriott preferene I know what resorts/weeks I can get with Willowridge.
About Willowridge not pulling the summer carolina weeks, the jury is still out on that for me. Last year I would 100% agree that trade won't happen. This year and next year I am more optomistic because a Platinum Harbor Lake (orlando) pulled a Grande Ocean in July for this summer. In face, the person who got that exchange is at Grande Ocean right now and has posted a few times from the resort. Last year, I know a couple Willowridge owners who got mid August weeks in the Carolinas, but that was the best I had heard about.
Will Willowridge pull a Marriott ski week, absolutely. The ski weeks are almost always deposited as a one bedroom and a lock off and ski weeks are a pretty easy trade with Marriott preference. I'm not saying all ski weeks are easy or even possible (Christmas, New Years and Presidents week) are usually out of the question. With that said, there were many last minute Utah Christmas and New Years weeks avalable last year with 60 days of check-in, but they were in Marriott preference. Last year, I do not think there was much snow for Christams and New Years and I have a feeling that is why there were a few deposits within flex.
Regarding Marriott ski weeks, I got a Presidents day week for 2013 with a 4k credit WM deposit, and I got that exchange this past February, nearly a full year before check-in. I've had no such luck with the Utah properties but those resorts are more expensive for me to fly to -- so maybe it is for the best.
Again, unless you have a Marriott week you won't be able to appreciate the value in having the Marriott preference. Truely, my WM points have yet to pull a summer Carolina week (marriott or any other brand) or an Easter Carolina week). NCV doesn't appeal to me, but I know that is a hard resort to get. My Willowridge week has pulled all but the Carolina summer weeks. The key is depositing the full 2 bedroom for those very difficult trades. So many people try with just the one bedroom and it never happens.
Someone posted about WM and how great it sounds to be able to rent points for as many trades as you want. Absolutely that is true. I do it all the time for my family. We all use my 5k WM account. Comes to about $650 in point rental from other owners for a 2 bedroom from either II or RCI. Of course there is no Marriott preference or Starwood preference in II for WM owners so we are excluded from those super hard to get exhanges but there are lots of trick with WM to get your trades even cheaper. For example, I just used a blue 3 bedroom WM deposit (cost was 7k points) and turned that into two 1 bedroom exchanges into Ocean Pointe for next 4th of July. I used another WM blue 3 bedroom deposit (cost 7k points) and booked this coming Easter week in a two bedroom at Harbor Lake.
...but back to Marriott's Willowridge. Despite what you might think about its trading power, it will get you your trade more times than not.
This is sound advice for the risk averse. This is also part of the rationale behind people who buy brands in other walks of life. There is that perception of dependable quality and reputation. And with timeshares, that will likely extend to ability to resell if and when the time comes.
However, if one is slightly risk taking and financially shrewd, they may also discover that the savings enjoyed over time by purchasing a quality no-name may far exceed what they have to pay offload it when the time comes.
I see the most compelling rationale to buy brand is for exchanging. The internal preference for peak season seems to be very powerful by all accounts. I haven't tried yet, but until I'm able to pull an ongoing request for NCV or MGO or MOC in summer with my off-brand timeshares, I will acknowledge that this is what makes having the brand make sense in my mind.
