Where is the best use of points outside DVC?

[icydog]

Okay here's a progress report. I know much more than before.

I sold 290 BWV points @ $80= $23,200. I bought them for 68. Profit $3480

I bought a Quebec Mt Tremblant Le Voliere du Mont Tremblant 2 bdrm ski week, week 5, early Feb, on ebay for $1500 with closing and mfs = $2000. I will use it for trading.

I bought a beautiful 2 bdrm Hilton Head timeshare called Port O'Call and I paid $5000 for week 28, July9th, including golf and tennis free each day. MFs paid for this year and with 1/2 closing and transfer fees = $5200 I will use this timeshare every year and I won't trade it. It is in a great location for family vacations with grandkids and kids. I love that we can drive there, albeit a very long drive.


I bought two Silver season Marriotts in Park City Utah. I bought a Mountainside 2 bdrm lockoff and a Marriott Summit Watch 2 bdrm lockoff for trading into off season Marriott's or for trading within II. Also, since I will own two Marriotts, I'll get to trade 13 months out if I deposit them both. Total costs with Maintainence and closing for the two Marriotts around $9000.

I'm not as sure about these two resorts since I've seen rentals for less than the maintenance fees but I've been told that they can pull Marriotts in Aruba and the Four Season Aviara in the off season. I will have to learn how.


I am going to buy some Fairfield points through a broker. I intend to spend about .015 per point. I am waiting for a Daytona or a Myrtle beach to show up for that price.

I wanted to get another point system in but I don't know if it will be RCI or World Mark. I love the World Mark resorts but they are all on the west coast. I will never go to them. So internal trading is out. But I might buy into the WM system just to trade with RCI or II.

To discover how other timeshares work I rented several from owners to try them out. I rented my Disney points at $13-16 a point to accomplish this vacationing endevor.

I rented a one bdrm in Puerto Rico Hyatt Hycinda del Mar for $1000. Probably too much but it was a fabulous resort.the MFs were around $800 a year so the owner only made 200..And we loved it and I still correspond with the owner.

I rented time from two FF owners and I got a gigantic Williamsburg 2 bdrm for $150 for a week and the brand new Bonnet Creek Resort, across the street from OKW, for a week in a beautiful two bdrm for $500.

I won auctions on Sky Auction for three timeshares @$300 per week(including their high fee of $210 for each timeshare week)

2 bdrm August week, in HH, at the Coral Reef Resort timeshare.
1 bdrm in the new FairField in Atlantic City also in August
1 bdrm at the Fairfield in Las Vegas in November.


So I've been busy. I haven't actually closed on anything. The BWV points have been ROFR'd and resubmitted for a higher price. In fact I desperatly want Disney to let my buyer get this contract. I know it doesn't matter to the bottom line, but this lady stuck with me while I learned how to sell and close a DVC contract by myself. It really helped that both she and her husband are lawyers!

I am sorry this went on so long but I just reread all the advice given to me in January and I see I have begun to implement it. In January I had no idea what Dean and Flynz4 were saying, and now almost 5 months later, I am buying and selling timeshares with confidence.
Thank you Dean and Flynz4

 

[Laurabearz]

You have been busy! It has been wonderful to follow this thread. Best of luck on all of your closings!

 

[icydog]

You have been busy! It has been wonderful to follow this thread. Best of luck on all of your closings!

Thanks a lot. It takes so much time though. I think I'm addicted but there is no 12 step program for this. I spend inordinate numbers of hours looking at websites and ebay for gold. I must get out more. I keep squinting in the sunlight when I do venture out.

 

[icydog]

Okay I just purchased 203,000 Fairfield points @ 1.5 cents a piece at FF Ocean Walk in Daytona. I also picked up a fixed week in Royal Holiday Club for almost nothing. All I paid for was transfer and maintenance fees and $150 to the broker. I don't even have to pay for closing with this deal. Not that it is the deal of the century, as this timeshare is not a particulary well rated, but I was able to pre-book a week in London, in a one bdrm apt, using my floating week. That more than makes up for the very expensive $685 a year maintenance fees. Where can anyone stay in London, near Hyde Park, in a one bdrm apartment, for that kind of money??

I think I need a couple more. Wow, timeshares are like potato chips!!! Can't be happy with just one!!

 

[dianeschlicht]

Icy, thank you so much for starting this thread! I have learned alot from it too, but a lot is still Greek to me! I'm trying to justify buying a Hawaii TS.

 

[icydog]

Icy, thank you so much for starting this thread! I have learned alot from it too, but a lot is still Greek to me! I'm trying to justify buying a Hawaii TS.

Took me about 6 months before I understood the posts in the thread. I keep coming back to see if I doing everything right. The support you get here is incredible.

 

[icydog]

I started this thread years ago. Since then I have bought and sold many timeshares. I have to admit I knew so little then, and when I read this thread I cringe when I see what I bought--- when I knew so little. I have since settled on Platinum Marriotts and a Silver Bluegreen Contract. I own one other timeshare that gets me into DVC in off seasons as well. We have traveled a lot but now we are on the downswing. Now we are in the process of selling some of our timeshares but the ride was fun. We traveled more cheaply than we could have hoped. We've stayed in the best resorts in the world and places we couldn't afforded without owning timeshares. I do have to admit we are a little tired of the process, and what with the downturning economy, we wish we hadn't been so bullish in timeshares throughout the years. Yes, it was fun. Yes, I learned alot. Yes, I help my friends with their timeshares now. Yes, I give talks on timesharing to my peers here, but no, I do not want to continue with the vagabond lifestyle any longer. Anyone else have a similar reaction?

 

[bwvBound]

... but no, I do not want to continue with the vagabond lifestyle any longer. Anyone else have a similar reaction?

icydog,

We are still enjoying our 5 timeshares. We've stayed 50 nights so far this year, all in lovely places, with more booked beyond. This year we cut back on flying (fewer), cruises (none) and international travel (none) -- but have increased our roadtrips, weekend getaways and other local travel. Still living from my suitcase and loving it. Color me, "vagabond."

Edited to add: I've just read your recent threads on TUG. Hoping the best for you and your husband.

 

[icydog]

icydog,

We are still enjoying our 5 timeshares. We've stayed 50 nights so far this year, all in lovely places, with more booked beyond. This year we cut back on flying (fewer), cruises (none) and international travel (none) -- but have increased our roadtrips, weekend getaways and other local travel. Still living from my suitcase and loving it. Color me, "vagabond."

Edited to add: I've just read your recent threads on TUG. Hoping the best for you and your husband.

Thanks a lot. It's nice to see other timeshare owners over here on the dis. There aren't too many of us over here.