What section in Vistana do you own? I really didn't notice any big increase in my maintenance fees this year.
Hi Shelia,
My "home" base is the Vistana Beach Club ----I purchased back in '94, directly from the Orlando Vistana while staying there. They tried to sell us the Lakes (for $15-$18K) which was the newest at that time. We told them we liked the resort, but would not pay that amount. They came up with this defaulted deed/resale for $9,500. It was deeded at the Beach Club on Hutchinson Island but trades directly with the Fountains I and II section. They are considered "sister" resorts for Fountains owners. It is prime floating and no fees or lockout dates to trade into the Vistana Orlando so we purchased. I've never even stayed at the Beach Club, let alone seen it. The past 11 years we've always stayed in the Fountains. My annual dues shot up to $800 for this year and the next two due to the hurricanes. Got a letter a couple weeks ago. Normally we're about $565/year.
I really don't have much problem with the off-season weeks being "sold off" at a lower price instead of sitting empty.
I wouldn't mind either if at least they sold for the amount of yearly maintenance fees. I feel the resort's reputation is cheapened by 7 night weeks going for for $200-$300 which I've read numerous times on this board. People are getting this during the summer months as well which I don't consider "off season". I think I'd be much more ok with at least $500/week. Skyauction makes it a little more difficult for owners like us to demand a higher rate should we wish to rent out our weeks. I have done this only one time so far---in 2004 while we were caring for my terminally ill mil in our home. We knew we couldn't vacation that year and we told Vistana in May '04. They informed us they rented it by about July if I recall. Went through Vistana directly because we were too stressed to go and do it privately. We got a whopping $300 for it. Didn't even cover the maintenance fees. Even if we had done it privately, would we have gotten much more when more and more saavy travlers are out there and know about skyauction and websites like it ? I wouldn't rent from me if I knew I could get a week at Vistana for $200. It's great that people can get deals like this....I just think owners, like you and I, will pay a price for this down the line.
I would wonder if you would feel differently, say in a few years, if you saw you couldn't rent your week for very much. Then there's the whole issue of resale. Should we ever go to sell our deed, we may be lucky to get a few thousand at most for it. I watch the TUG boards and resales on ebay etc. Vistana seems to be selling for less and less every year. Then I would think this would also make the trading power of Vistana via RCI much weaker than it already is because the exchange companies are innundated with Orlando timeshares. You throw skyauction (as one example) into the pot with weeks going for under $400, I'd think the exchange power of our weeks will continue to drop ? For those that use skyauction, do (say for example), Marriott timeshare weeks go for low rents like the Vistana weeks do ? Just curious if Marriott lets weeks go for this cheap as well.
I'm just thankful I didn't buy for full price directly through the developer. I'm very glad we got a resale there. I'm also glad when we decided we wanted more timeshare weeks, we bought DVC in 2000. You don't see them on skyauction and when DVC rents the villas out to non Members, they keep the rental rates very competitive. You do see DVC occasionally on II, but that is far and few in between. Resales maintain the same high reputation.
I have school-age kids as well and we've often gone in off-season (Sept/Oct/Nov/Dec) on and off over the years. We plan around weeks when the kids have inservice days/holidays and it's never been a problem with our school district. But I know others have different circumstances or feel differently and I respect that.
I'm very tempted to sell our Vistana week before the value of it in the market plummets even more. I'd use the money to buy more DVC points. I wish I could feel as laid-back as you do about the Vistana skyauction weeks going for under $400, but it just worries me down the line. Sorry to get so winded on this topic. I understand there are some owners that may have no problems with weeks going for dirt cheap rates. Guess I sort of feel a little disillusioned with this aspect of Sheraton Vistana. I guess we have to be proactive and attempt to sell our deed and hope to not take too much of a wash.
TIA.
I hope your right spiceycat - they'll release some more around May. 
