Timeshare question

[SueRS]

We went to a timeshare presentation for the Marriott. We were trying to decide whether to purchase or not. How do you find out the actual value with any of these?

Thanks,

 

[disneydenisel]

There are a number of timeshare resale companies out there. They typically have listings for many timeshares, including Marriott. They can give you a rough idea of what asking prices are for the ones you are considering. Also check out www.tugbbs.com/forums. There is a forum just on Marriott, and Classified Ads with listings. www.redweek.com and www.myresortnetwork.com have resale listings. Ebay also has listings. My recommendation is that you read up on the timeshares for many weeks, if not months, before you buy anything.

You can typically buy the same timeshare for much less by buying resale. The only Marriott perk you give up is being able to convert to Marriott Rewards points, but it may not be worth the extra $10K+ for that privilege. Good luck!

 

[Dean]

With Disney being a possible exception, there are almost never good reasons to buy from a Developer. I'm in the process of buying a Marriott week now which my cost is less than 40% of the retail price (even including closing) for a platinum lockoff week and Marriott has passed on it's ROFR. The only reasons to buy Retail from Marriott are:

• Only Marriott has what you want such as a new property.
• You're willing to pay thousands of $$$ for the points option.

I own 3 other Marriott's and have bought and sold others over the years. One I paid retail but it was a pre-construction sale (fair price & no resales availalbe) and I was able to roll my other two weeks that I bought resale (50-60% of retail) into the points program included for free as part of that purchase. Marriott really touts the points but in spite of the above, I think it's rarely worth it for the option. It just doesn't make sense to me to buy a timeshare to trade for points to stay in a hotel and then to pay each time for the privilege. The points only make sense if you have other significant avenues of points AND you will make use of the across the world expensive trips with FF miles and category 7 expensive hotels. If you want to go stay in HI or Paris or Rome and do it using FF miles you don' have otherwise, it might work out but that's about the only way. Most people would value Marriott reward points between 1-2¢ per and the highest anyone would go would be 3-4¢ per.

And if you think these are once in a lifetime deals, they really are not. To be honest, the best deals I've come across over the years, I simply did not have the cash to take advantage of at the time or didn't know they were as good as they were until it was too late.

 

[SueRS]

With Disney being a possible exception, there are almost never good reasons to buy from a Developer.

Dean, why is Disney different?

I guess what I saw with the presentation was that $800 annual fee was about what we pay in hotel prices, why spend the $20,000 - $30,000 on the deed?

 

[mydogdrew]

Dean, why is Disney different?

I guess what I saw with the presentation was that $800 annual fee was about what we pay in hotel prices, why spend the $20,000 - $30,000 on the deed?

For $800 you get about 200 points at SSR. That's enough for a two bedroom for six nights a year or a one bedroom for week (more or less). Those options would cost about $2000-$3000. If you compare to a studio (comperable to a deluxe hotel) you'll get two weeks for 200 points. That would easily cost $3,000. If you are happy with value/moderate then DVC is not for you. The purchase price would be less than $20k for that (even less for resale).

 

[Steamboat Bill]

Dean:

What Marriott are you buying and from where?
What other Marriotts do you own?

I too am looking into a 2 BR Marriott Paltinum LO to add to my DVC. It seems that Marriott may be cheaper to buy than DVC if you have the intention of trading with II.

 

[goaliewife]

The way that we looked at it when making our decision was.......

When we go to DL here on the west coast we stay in one of the resorts, in a regular hotel room, because it is so much easier with the DGC. We usually stay apx 5 days. With tickets that runs of $600 just for the room and tickets. That does not include travel expense, food and the "what-nots" by which time we are usually up to $2000+ for one trip. We usually go two or three times a year. If after the initial buy-in is paid, all we have to pay is the $600 to $800 to stay for a a week to 10 days in a 1-2 bdrm suite for the same price, and the TS will be passed on to the family when we are no longer able to travel and the cost will be the same for them.........no brainer in our opinion.

Plus we have the flexibility to travel to other places that we have dreamed of going by ourselves for Big People vacations also.

Not sure if I got my entire thought process across, so I guess what I wanted to say in essence is "better value for your money."

 

[Dean]

Dean, why is Disney different?

I guess what I saw with the presentation was that $800 annual fee was about what we pay in hotel prices, why spend the $20,000 - $30,000 on the deed?

The price difference between developr and resale is relatively small even for HH and VB. So if one intends to buy anyway it can be reasonable to buy developer if you can get exactly what you want, esp for smaller contracts. As the contract size increased, so does the disparitity in $$$.

 

[Dean]

Dean:

What Marriott are you buying and from where?
What other Marriotts do you own?

I too am looking into a 2 BR Marriott Paltinum LO to add to my DVC. It seems that Marriott may be cheaper to buy than DVC if you have the intention of trading with II.

I own 3 Platinum weeks on HH which I normally book for 4th of July or the week after (sometimes both). I use EOY and rent out off years. What I'm buying is to use to munipulate the reservation system to allow me to reserve earlier than many others who want the same week. Given the recent discussions, likely not a popular stance on this board. I'll also use the week for exchanging using the internal II trade preference. The week is a lockoff at the Horizons in Branson during Platinum Time. Lock it off, get 2 or 3 weeks jump on others who want the same HH weeks I do, deposit both with II getting two trade for one week then get a bonus week for the 1 BR size giving me 3 weeks for the price of one.

 

[littlestar]

Hey, Dean, we're well pleased with our Horizons Branson EOY week. And it doesn't hurt that it's within driving distance to our house and reminds us of our favorite onsite DVC resort - VWL.

 

[Dean]

Hey, Dean, we're well pleased with our Horizons Branson EOY week. And it doesn't hurt that it's within driving distance to our house and reminds us of our favorite onsite DVC resort - VWL.

Great, glad to hear it. I'm hearing surprising positive trading reports as well. Hopefully it works out but given our costs and situation, it's hard to think it wouldn't.

 

[JandD Mom]

I own 3 Platinum weeks on HH which I normally book for 4th of July or the week after (sometimes both). I use EOY and rent out off years. What I'm buying is to use to munipulate the reservation system to allow me to reserve earlier than many others who want the same week. Given the recent discussions, likely not a popular stance on this board. I'll also use the week for exchanging using the internal II trade preference. The week is a lockoff at the Horizons in Branson during Platinum Time. Lock it off, get 2 or 3 weeks jump on others who want the same HH weeks I do, deposit both with II getting two trade for one week then get a bonus week for the 1 BR size giving me 3 weeks for the price of one.

Dean, I am not worthy!

I wish I knew 1/10th of what you know about this stuff.

 

[Dean]

Dean, I am not worthy!

I wish I knew 1/10th of what you know about this stuff.

It just takes some time and a little effort. Like most everything else, how you have to keep learning to not fall behind.