WSJ Resale

[riverdoglb]

Currently I am NOT in the market for another week of SVO but after reading here, I want to do some research in case something comes up. I currently own EOY at Kierland (81,000) which I purchased from the developer. I came across this listing on ebay and I'm looking for some insight on the pros and cons of this listing so I can see what to look for in the future.

riverdoglb

 

[DavidnRobin]

Currently I am NOT in the market for another week of SVO but after reading here, I want to do some research in case something comes up. I currently own EOY at Kierland (81,000) which I purchased from the developer. I came across this listing on ebay and I'm looking for some insight on the pros and cons of this listing so I can see what to look for in the future.

riverdoglb

WSJ VG (Virgin Grand) are fixed weeks/units - so at this time of year - Weeks 46/47 (Thanksgiving) may be better. It is a good time to go - and after Hurricane season... although the likelihood is low and may be a perceived issue, but it is a real one. Also (as we have learned) because these are fixed - if you want to go for 2 weeks - do not count on exchanging into WSJ for an adjacent week. {you can attempt to float within a season, but good luck...}

Make sure you check out TUG and RedWeek (and eBay of course) for WSJ prices. We own a 2Bd (week 24) that we got for a deal on eBay (misinformed seller...) - and we are counting the days until our return...

We got a great price on a flight - $675pp RT (1-stop from SFO-STT) that arrives and leaves at the perfect time. Note: since you have to fly to STT and take a taxi/ferry to/from STJ - the earlier/late flights are no good unless you want to pay for staying 1-nite on STT.

 

[Loriannf]

It's week 45

Which most years is two weeks before Thanksgiving, occasionally one week before. This is also a slow time of year on St John; some of the better restaurants might not yet be open, or only open reduced hours. The price seems not too bad, but this might be one of the older units in need of rehab.

Pro - gets you to St John every year

Con - hard to trade for any other week in the same season/villa type. St John is one of those places where you should buy the week you want to go. Maybe this will change when the new Bay View villas open up, but I wouldn't count on it.

Seems you should be aware of the general SVO operating pluses/minuses, so I would say this would have to be an individual decision based on your vacation needs.

Lori

 

[riverdoglb]

I do realize it's low season and that's probably why it's a decent deal. I think the unit (3321) is the same layout as the one we stayed at last fall (3421). Because it's resale, are there any limitations on the use of the 81,000 SO in trading to other SVO resorts? I know they can't be converted to Starpoints. I guess I don't quite understand the Mandatory/Non-Mandatory issue that everybody talks about.

 

[Henry M.]

WSJ is a mandatory property so a buyer will be able to use the StarOptions elsewhere. They won't be able to convert them to Starpoints unless they later requalify the week back into the SVN program. The new section of WSJ is said to be volutnary (non-mandatory). In that case a buyer of a resale unit won't be able to use the StarOptions elsewhere unless they requalify the unit back into the network.

One thing I've learned here on TUG is that if you buy several resales, even at mandatory resorts, you can't combine them to go to a more expensive location. For example, you couldn't combine these 81,000 SOs with another 67100 SOs from another non-qualified resale to get a two bedroom lock-off in Maui for 148,100 SOs. You'd have to make two separate eschanges for a 1BR and 1 studio and they may not end up being connected once you get to Maui. You also couldn't combine SOs to exchange into a 3 BR at WSJ, even if it were available.

 

[duke]

WSJ is a mandatory property so a buyer will be able to use the StarOptions elsewhere. They won't be able to convert them to Starpoints unless they later requalify the week back into the SVN program. The new section of WSJ is said to be volutnary (non-mandatory). In that case a buyer of a resale unit won't be able to use the StarOptions elsewhere unless they requalify the unit back into the network.

One thing I've learned here on TUG is that if you buy several resales, even at mandatory resorts, you can't combine them to go to a more expensive location. For example, you couldn't combine these 81,000 SOs with another 67100 SOs from another non-qualified resale to get a two bedroom lock-off in Maui for 148,100 SOs. You'd have to make two separate eschanges for a 1BR and 1 studio and they may not end up being connected once you get to Maui. You also couldn't combine SOs to exchange into a 3 BR at WSJ, even if it were available.

Interesting finding!........

Seems this makes Mandatory not as valuable as everyone thinks.

This should be put into the TUG Advise report.

 

[DavidnRobin]

Interesting finding!........

Seems this makes Mandatory not as valuable as everyone thinks.

This should be put into the TUG Advise report.

I thought that this was well-known, but you are right - this should be added to the SVN advice section.

Even though perhaps perceived value - M resorts retain their value more than V resorts.

For us - we are not interested in combining SOs - actually more interest in splitting. As for WSJ - why would anyone SVN exchange out of WSJ (lots of folks looking for direct exchange). We bought there to stay there - and not worry about exchenging into - and certainly not for exchanging out of.

The SOs are very undervalued there (relatively) - our sweet 2Bd is only worth a studio at WKORV. If not staying there - better to rent and use the cash (or direct exchange).

There are no resales for the WSJ Bay Vista (BV) units. Bay Vista...? Very funny since there will not be much of a view (except maybe from the 2nd story of the top units).

 

[OCsun]

WSJ is a mandatory property so a buyer will be able to use the StarOptions elsewhere. They won't be able to convert them to Starpoints unless they later requalify the week back into the SVN program. The new section of WSJ is said to be volutnary (non-mandatory). In that case a buyer of a resale unit won't be able to use the StarOptions elsewhere unless they requalify the unit back into the network.

One thing I've learned here on TUG is that if you buy several resales, even at mandatory resorts, you can't combine them to go to a more expensive location. For example, you couldn't combine these 81,000 SOs with another 67100 SOs from another non-qualified resale to get a two bedroom lock-off in Maui for 148,100 SOs. You'd have to make two separate eschanges for a 1BR and 1 studio and they may not end up being connected once you get to Maui. You also couldn't combine SOs to exchange into a 3 BR at WSJ, even if it were available.

OK - It makes sense that you can't combine the SO's from a qualified & non- qualified resort, but can you combine them if both units were SVN qualified units? Pam

 

[OCsun]

I do realize it's low season and that's probably why it's a decent deal. I think the unit (3321) is the same layout as the one we stayed at last fall (3421). Because it's resale, are there any limitations on the use of the 81,000 SO in trading to other SVO resorts? I know they can't be converted to Starpoints. I guess I don't quite understand the Mandatory/Non-Mandatory issue that everybody talks about.

Riverdoglb,

At the WSJ mandatory villas (all villas except the new bay view), an annual SVN Mandatory $99 fee is added to maintenance fees. If you buy or sell one of these units either through the developer or on the secondary market, the SVN membership comes with the package.

In reference to the unit for sale on ebay, $26,000 is the price charged by the developer in 2003 for a two bedroom week 45. The buyer would have received somewhere around 75 - 100k star-points as a purchase incentive. Hope this helps! Pam

 

[Henry M.]

OK - It makes sense that you can't combine the SO's from a qualified & non- qualified resort, but can you combine them if both units were SVN qualified units? Pam

My understanding is that you could. For example, I could take one of my WKORV weeks at 148,100 SOs plus part of another week to get 196,000 or so SOs that I need for a three bedroom unit in Aruba. Once a week is re-qualified it is just as if you had purchased directly from the developer.