Owning DVC and other timeshares at the same time.

[DavidRoss]

I own DVC - 375 points and a week every year at Inn at the Opera in San Francisco. I purchased the week in SF to have more exchange options thinking that my DVC was too valuable to exchange. I am beginning to rethink this. Here is why - last year I paid $858 in main fees + $200 in prop taxes + my RCI membership of $89 for a year + a $209 exchange fee. Now granted, I can usually deposit my SF week and get 2-3 weeks out of RCI at a cost of booking them for $209. So if I do the math right, I can get an exchange for a cost of $782 about (assuming two vacations per deposited week). That is assuming I can get 2 vacations out of the one deposit. If I only get one week out of it, then it has cost me $1356 for the week. When I look at my membership dues overall - I could get a one bedroom exchange during a high week for $1034 + $95 for a total of $1129. My maintenance fees have gone up by about 30% on 6 years on the SF timeshare. So I am considering selling the other timeshare and purchasing more DVC.

I always thought DVC was really a lot more expensive. But when you consider that you don't have to purchase a membership in RCI and that an actual exchange is less than half the cost of what it costs a person who owns with RCI, it doesn't seem that unreasonable to just purchase DVC. But of course, you are limited in the exchange options with your DVC membership vs owning another timeshare.

Has anyone else been in a situation like this? Part of the reason I bought at Inn at the Opera was because it was an RCI Gold Crown resort and used to be one of the 500 timeshares that DVC members could trade to. They have sinced changed their partnership to be with Interval International but I am still able to self deposit my weeks into RCI and they are still recognized as gold crown resorts.

Thoughts anyone?

 

[bwvBound]

Has anyone else been in a situation like this?

Yes and No. Yes: I'm in the same boat having both DVC and other timeshare; and yes, my SoCal trader's maint fees + combined RCI fees now exceed $1k/week; and yes! crossing that barrier tripped my "gotta rethink this!" threshold.

However, I'm not compelled to ditch the other timeshare(s) entirely ... just rethinking how I'll use RCI going forward.

Part 1 of the strategy: Create 'affiliations.'
I maintain paid memberships in both RCI and II and free memberships in various other exchange companies. FWIW, I renew my RCI membership in large blocks of years (5-10 years) when RCI offers a good sale. I paid ~$37/year for my current block which expire at the end of 2020. I do similarly with II's "2 for 1" renewals when offered. I also paid for a non-equity membership offering access to Wyndham properties.

Part 2 of the strategy: Rework your "portfolio" of timeshare as needed.
Know why you own what you own -- and USE the features that caused you to commit to that purchase. Determine your criteria for "good, better, best" and make changes. Our "best" timeshare has low dues, 25 destinations w/in a day's drive from our home, lots of flexibility, easy on-line reservation system, no "exchange fees" for internal reservations, etc. No brainer: Keep that one!

Part 3 of the strategy: Shift from "Owning" to "Renting"
We've reduced the number of timeshares we own and have increased our use of "cash" reservations booked through the affiliations. We are still using timeshare -- staying in the same units as we would have through owning/trading but decreasing our obligations to dues.

• We use rental week from II/RCI. A dog-week can be booked for the same cost as an exchange fee and great weeks are out there on par with MF+exchange. Where I once spent time combing through the exchange inventory -- I'm now searching for Rental inventory.
• We watch for similar specials ("Bonus Weeks") from our freebie exchange companies.
• We book lots of cash reservations through our "best" timeshare for just slightly over the cost of dues.

Part 4 of the strategy: Remain flexible.
In the words of a popular horseman, "Never say never; don't always say always; usually say usually." The timeshare landscape changes every few years. Be willing to make changes. Watch for shifts in the tide and respond quickly to take advantage of the best deals.

Part 5 of the strategy: Have FUN.
'Nuf said?

 

[bwvBound]

... last year I paid $858 in main fees + $200 in prop taxes ...

You might be able to petition the county assessor to reduce your Property Taxes based on recent resales rather than the original developer purchase price.

Edited to add links to related threads on TUG, re: CA timeshare property taxes
1) http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=58315
2) http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=118919
3) http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=117226

The threads are old -- but may give you some ideas. Our weekend home as been re-evaluated twice (in our favor).

 

[Dean]

I own DVC - 375 points and a week every year at Inn at the Opera in San Francisco. I purchased the week in SF to have more exchange options thinking that my DVC was too valuable to exchange. I am beginning to rethink this. Here is why - last year I paid $858 in main fees + $200 in prop taxes + my RCI membership of $89 for a year + a $209 exchange fee. Now granted, I can usually deposit my SF week and get 2-3 weeks out of RCI at a cost of booking them for $209. So if I do the math right, I can get an exchange for a cost of $782 about (assuming two vacations per deposited week). That is assuming I can get 2 vacations out of the one deposit. If I only get one week out of it, then it has cost me $1356 for the week. When I look at my membership dues overall - I could get a one bedroom exchange during a high week for $1034 + $95 for a total of $1129. My maintenance fees have gone up by about 30% on 6 years on the SF timeshare. So I am considering selling the other timeshare and purchasing more DVC.

I always thought DVC was really a lot more expensive. But when you consider that you don't have to purchase a membership in RCI and that an actual exchange is less than half the cost of what it costs a person who owns with RCI, it doesn't seem that unreasonable to just purchase DVC. But of course, you are limited in the exchange options with your DVC membership vs owning another timeshare.

Has anyone else been in a situation like this? Part of the reason I bought at Inn at the Opera was because it was an RCI Gold Crown resort and used to be one of the 500 timeshares that DVC members could trade to. They have sinced changed their partnership to be with Interval International but I am still able to self deposit my weeks into RCI and they are still recognized as gold crown resorts.

Thoughts anyone?

I own DVC and several other timeshares. There is an economy of scale to owning timeshares, it's difficult to make one ownership work for a fixed or floating week unless you'll use it consistently. SF is not a timeshare I would have suggested as an exchange option, it seems you didn't educate yourself sufficiently going in to make your best choices. One thing you might consider is canceling RCI and using independent exchange companies which are usually much cheaper.