Wow! Resale price is plummeting this week at eBay

[jhm40cu]

I've noticed that MGC (Marriott Grand Chateau at Las Vegas) Platinum was sold at $8,900 today at eBay.
http://cgi.ebay.com/MARRIOTT-GRAND-...ryZ15897QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I've been very interested in this property so I've been monitoring the price trend for the past four months but haven't seen anything like this. Can anyone tell me if this has something to do with Marriott's proposed change of their policy?

I cannot wait to find out if this one will pass ROFR. I have looked at Dioxide's ROFR database on MGC. All entries were plat and they all passed ROFR. However, all of them were sold above 10K so the result of this one might be a good indication of changes in Marriott’s ROFR practice.

 

[taffy19]

I've noticed that MGC (Marriott Grand Chateau at Las Vegas) Platinum was sold at $8,900 today at eBay. I've been very interested in this property so I've been monitoring the price trend for the past four months but haven't seen anything like this. Can anyone tell me if this has something to do with Marriott's proposed change of their policy?

I cannot wait to find out if this one will pass ROFR. I have looked at Dioxide's ROFR database on MGC. All entries were plat and they all passed ROFR. However, all of them were sold above 10K so the result of this one might be a good indication of changes in Marriott’s ROFR practice.

I don't believe it has anything to do with the rumored changes because nobody knows for sure. The economy is down and vacations are a luxury that people do away with when you are laid off or fear to be laid off and gasoline prices are high as well as the airline fares. I see prices down further when maintenance fees are due which is in January for the Marriott, I believe. I would think twice before buying a timeshare now but maybe early next year.

 

[jhm40cu]

I don't believe it has anything to do with the rumored changes because nobody knows for sure. The economy is down and vacations are a luxury that people do away with when you are laid off or fear to be laid off and gasoline prices are high as well as the airline fares. I see prices down further when maintenance fees are due which is in January for the Marriott, I believe. I would think twice before buying a timeshare now but maybe early next year.

Interesting... I thought most people would sell off their T/S at the year end like Nov or Dec just before receiving the bill. Anyway, I am on the same boat. I would definitely wait at least until the end of this year to buy another T/S (after buying two Marriott T/S this month ).

 

[taffy19]

I hope you paid a good price for them. If I were a re-sale buyer, I would wait until next year to see if the trend is going lower yet or if it will reverse. As long as the RE market is down and the economy is shaky like it is and the elections are hanging over our head, I would not buy anything expensive today but that's me.

Congratulations to you and enjoy what you bought. I hope you bought for use mainly as you will not be disappointed.

PS. I just read what you bought and you did very well. Which DSV did you buy? I hope your wife is pleased with the purchase but she will like the resort.

I won the both items at eBay in July: Desert Springs Villa-Red (EY) for $8,500 and Canyon Villas at Desert Ridge-Gold (EY) for $4,220. Knowing the fact that Marriott exercise their ROFR unpredictably, I kinda expect that at least one property would not pass their ROFR.

Now the difficult part is how I am gonna tell this to my wife.

 

[Scott_Ru]

Yes, indeed. It will be interesting to see if this Grande Vista gets through ROFR at Marriott. Platinum 2-bedroom for $8555.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=350086190562&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=022

 

[jhm40cu]

I hope you paid a good price for them. If I were a re-sale buyer, I would wait until next year to see if the trend is going lower yet or if it will reverse. As long as the RE market is down and the economy is shaky like it is and the elections are hanging over our head, I would not buy anything expensive today but that's me.

Congratulations to you and enjoy what you bought. I hope you bought for use mainly as you will not be disappointed.

PS. I just read what you bought and you did very well. Which DSV did you buy? I hope your wife is pleased with the purchase but she will like the resort.

Thanks. It was DSV II. It would have been a real bargain if I got DSV I for the same price.. but I am pretty happy with the price I paid for DSV II. I and my wife both love Desert Springs in the spring time.

 

[ondeadlin]

I don't think either price is that big a sign of decreasing prices. We've seen similar low eBay outcomes on Vegas and GV in the past. Rare, but they've been out there.

 

[Carol C]

Yes, indeed. It will be interesting to see if this Grande Vista gets through ROFR at Marriott. Platinum 2-bedroom for $8555.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=350086190562&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=022

Does anyone know if MVCI values intervals with lockoffs much higher when it comes to ROFR? I ask this because I once bought a MMC for $3500...the Wmsbrg Marriott phase that has no lock off. And a friend of mine from Canada bought Cypress Harbor...again, no lockoff...for around the same price. Both of us had no trouble with ROFR. That's why I'm wondering if ROFR has any relationship to resorts with lockoffs...or not.

 

[taffy19]

Thanks. It was DSV II. It would have been a real bargain if I got DSV I for the same price.. but I am pretty happy with the price I paid for DSV II. I and my wife both love Desert Springs in the spring time.

I am glad for you that you bought two weeks immediately so you'll have the advantage of reserving 13 months out. We only owned one single week and reserving a week in March was almost impossible so we had no choice but to get rid of the MDS-I and felt bad because we liked the resort.

Make sure you use an atomic clock to make your reservations and, if you do not suscceed, try it an hour later or keep trying during that week as a week may pop up in a few days. We found this tip too late here on TUG after several years of frustration but we are happy with what we upgraded to with a fixed unit but it was expensive and may well be a mistake again with the high energy prices now but, hopefully, things may change again. Who knows in advance what will happen? Nobody.

 

[Cathyb]

emmy: What is an atomic clock? I sure could use one when reserving Newport Coast

 

[m61376]

Does anyone know if MVCI values intervals with lockoffs much higher when it comes to ROFR? I ask this because I once bought a MMC for $3500...the Wmsbrg Marriott phase that has no lock off. And a friend of mine from Canada bought Cypress Harbor...again, no lockoff...for around the same price. Both of us had no trouble with ROFR. That's why I'm wondering if ROFR has any relationship to resorts with lockoffs...or not.

The pricing has a lot to do with season. Unless you got a remarkable buy, I am assuming the MMC week was not a Platinum week.

 

[m61376]

emmy: What is an atomic clock? I sure could use one when reserving Newport Coast

atomic clock

 

[taffy19]

emmy: What is an atomic clock? I sure could use one when reserving Newport Coast

Cathy, they are easy to buy and there is a big variety now. I have had one for many years when the choice wasn't great. Here is a web site but there are many and they cost a lot less today.

 

[Hoc]

I don't think either price is that big a sign of decreasing prices. We've seen similar low eBay outcomes on Vegas and GV in the past. Rare, but they've been out there.

I do think it's interesting that, almost every time a Marriott timeshare sells for low market price on ebay, someone (usually an existing Marriott owner) posts a note about the "drastic drop" in Marriott pricing. Owners tend to take comfort in the very high asking prices for Marriott resales, and delude themselves into thinking that those prices have some relation to selling prices.

They think that even though they are quite aware that, in the timeshare resale market, asking prices usually have more relation to developer's prices, rather than actual sales prices. But they convince themselves that Marriott timeshares are somehow different. After all, it's Marriott. They love their owners and treat them well, right?

The fact is that Marriott resales are like all other timeshare resales in that asking prices bear little or no relationship to selling prices. And while there is a premium that is paid in the resale market for the Marriott name, the actual sales prices are usually much lower than the asking prices, and when a timeshare sells on ebay for the actual market price, it is not a "drastic drop" in resale pricing. Rather, it is a dissipation of the illusion to the contrary.

All timeshare prices are lower right now. Marriott is no different, but the drop in resale pricing of Marriotts is not a "plummet." Rather, it's probably a 10 percent or so reduction from actual selling prices of a year or so ago.

 

[RIMike]

Yes, indeed. It will be interesting to see if this Grande Vista gets through ROFR at Marriott. Platinum 2-bedroom for $8555.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=350086190562&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=022

I bid on that one, but lost out...I would like to know if it passed or not.

 

[Palguy]

How about this Maui Ocean Club one bedroom annual ocean view on Ebay.

Or this 2 bedroom annual island view on Ebay.

 

[jdetar]

I was watching that SAME one, and very seriously considered bidding on it as I was shocked it was going for under $9K. I bid on Cypress Harbour last week and got it (2br, sport floating, annual usage) for $4,250. Not the best price, but a great one none the less. I just can't believe the price that some of these resorts are going for. I too may pull the trigger on Grand Chateau soon if this keeps up.

 

[JimIg23]

ces

Speaking of atomic clocks, does each resort has a specific number to call? I called membership services for my MHZ, but it was not under a race like it will be next year when I call for my NCV week....

 

[tombo]

Always remember that the winning bidder on e-bay paid more for the week than anyone else would. When you talk about prices dropping and unbelievable deals on e-bay remember that the final sale price was simply the true market value. Marriott weeks have been relativelly cheap on e-bay for years but are cheaper now than they were last year. Another difference is that Marriott seems to be ROFRing a lot less from the posts here on TUG.

Many people feel that the e-bay Marriott sale prices are artificially low. Anyone who feels that the e-bay prices are way too cheap needs to buy all the Marriott weeks they want and resell them for a huge profit. Be forewarned though, the listing prices on red week etc are asking prices and usually wishful thinking, e-bay winning bids are actual selling prices.

 

[GaryDouglas]

Atomic Clock

Although it's good to know what the "official time" is (especially since Ma Bell killed the time lady), what is more important is, what does the Marriott telephone system or computer system use to determine the time. More and more systems automatically sync themselves with the official time these days. As late at 4 years ago, my daughter signed up for her college classes via the internet, and we didn't use an atomic clock, but instead querried the server the registration system was on to determine what time they were using. Their server was sometimes as much as a couple minutes early. I recently checked UALs reservation site and they were exactly or within a couple seconds of official time.