Advice on getting to 81K SO, please :D

So I've done my best on reading the stickies and lurking around the site for awhile. I found this site after buying in 2009 but grateful for what I have learned since then.

We just got back from Westin Lagunamar and the travel bug has hit! I have 44k SO and own at SBP in Plantation. Unfortunately, I have 2 bedroom maintenance fees but can't "really" stay in a 2 br for a week's time at many resorts (really really sore spot for me that I try and bring up at every owner's update I go to). I would like to get to 81k and would love your advice.

Originally, I was thinking about adding on from the developer so that I wouldn't have to pay more maintenance fees (not even sure if keeping my maintenance fee was even an option...?) But with the new flex program, is it even possible? I can see having to trade in what I currently have, adding on and then paying out the wazoo. In my previous calculation before flex, paying the developer up front and keeping the same MF made more sense than adding on another MF for the life of the timeshares. <- again, if this were possible.

Or is a resale still my best option and I just suck it up and pay more MF? It's usually just the 2 of us that travel and we don't usually invite others on vacation so space is not a priority- really it's just being able to improve our options for vacation. I've also been toying with the idea of EOY so I can count on a big vacation EOY. Also, our incomes aren't big- non-profit salaries.

What are your thoughts? Thanks in advance!

Hate to say this but the best route that I can think of is to give away your timeshare. If it is a 2BR and you are only getting 44 SOs, it is not worth keeping. You can pay 1-3K for a resale mandatory phase SVV that carries 81K/96.7K SOs for roughly the same MF.

Ouch that hurts since I just finished paying it off... But I don't disagree with it. It's something that I've thought about... but need to take more time on. Thanks for the input!

You might consider trading in Interval. If you have SO's, you already have an Interval membership though SVN at no extra cost, so your only out-of-pocket would be the actual exchange fee.

Because you were looking for 81K SO's, you obviously like Starwood properties (as do I). And you will have a Starwood-to-Starwood trading preference in Interval. Which means you can trade into Lagunamar. I will leave it to others to opine as to what seasons are likely available for exchange there. You have a good probability of getting Westin Ka'anapali or Westin Princeville during shoulder seasons.

vacationtime1 said:

You might consider trading in Interval. If you have SO's, you already have an Interval membership though SVN at no extra cost, so your only out-of-pocket would be the actual exchange fee.

Because you were looking for 81K SO's, you obviously like Starwood properties (as do I). And you will have a Starwood-to-Starwood trading preference in Interval. Which means you can trade into Lagunamar. I will leave it to others to opine as to what seasons are likely available for exchange there. You have a good probability of getting Westin Ka'anapali or Westin Princeville during shoulder seasons.

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Agree. Trade through II instead of using SOs.

Best way to get 81k staroptions is to buy a 1BR Premium Plat at Westin Kierland. It's mandatory so you get the full benefits except for starpoints conversion. It's gonna cost you about $10k upfront to buy resale, but its got one of the lowest MFs of about $850 plus SVN fees.

What action you take depends on whether you still want to travel to SBP and when/where you want to exchange to.

If you want exchange to HRA or WSJ or Hawaii or a ski week in high season, the best way to get into these places is SVN, so you should either pursue getting a 2nd EOY week or giving away your current unit and re-buying a unit worth 81k SOs.

If you don't care about HRA and WSJ, and are content to travel to Hawaii/Colorado/Arizona in shoulder season, you should deposit your week into II and submit an Ongoing Search as early as possible. II accepts deposits up to 2 years in advance, IIRC. This should work for most resort Starwood resorts except possibly HRA and WSJ. The good news is that you have a 2 bdrm, so you can request a 2 bdrm, though I'd input a 1 bdrm as well at the more popular resorts if you don't need a 2 bdrm, to increase your chances of getting a fill.

If you must or want to use SVN, then you can either give away your current unit and re-buy a unit worth 81k SOs (buy a platinum week to maximize your dollars) OR you can buy another mandatory resort to supplement the 44k SOs you currently have. What you buy will depend on how often you'll need those additional SOs.

For instance, if you plan to actually use SBP every even year and want to exchange to another resort on odd years, you should target the smallest EOY odd unit that you can find worth at least 37k SOs. Target the smallest unit because that will translate into the lowest MFs. Use the SO guide to help you determine which unit to target.

If you want to use SBP every third year beginning in 2015, then you might target an annual worth at least 37k SOs or an EOY even unit that equals at least 74k SOs, (which probably means an 81k unit). With just one additional purchase, you can spread those SOs across 2 years (for a $99 fee). Use 37,000 SOs in year 1 to get to 81,000 SOs in 2016, and bank the rest to use in 2017.

Make sense?

Of course, if you only use SBP in shoulder or low season, you should probably give your unit away and target a new mandatory unit because you'll undoubtedly be able to get into SBP via an II Getaway for less than you are paying in MFs.

godslaf said:

Ouch that hurts since I just finished paying it off... But I don't disagree with it. It's something that I've thought about... but need to take more time on. Thanks for the input!

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You didn't say if this was a 2Bd LO or standard 2Bd (makes a difference for usage)? As if only 2 people are traveling - makes no sense to have a standard 2Bd (if the 2 are sleeping in same room). A 2Bd LO can be split into two 1 Bd villas via II. That is a big advantage over a standard 2Bd for only 2 travelers.
(we are in same boat in that we travel with just the 2 of us for the most part).

Also, you didn't mention your current MFs?

Regardless, highly unlikely that buying more from SVO (in whatever form...) would be a good move in either upfront cost or long-term MFs. Do not throw good money after bad.

Unfortunately, SBP doesn't have much value on resale market (as it is a SVN Voluntary resort - SOs do not transfer with resale). That is why owning (resale) WKV is a common strategy - it has maintained value, and has low MFs (for SVO...).

You could buy resale (very cheaply) a 37K SO VOI at WKV (small 1 Bd, Gold+ wks22-27 & 36-49), and then combine your with your 44K SOs to get to 81K SOs, but that won't help the MF issue as it would add ~$580/year. Then again - you will have 81K SOs.

You can't sell 2 br sbp off season in resale for anything, most likely it will go for $1. You can consider to make exchange in interval, it can almost get you every starwood resorts at off season. Then you can still use your 44k points to reserve 1 br in many places within SVN.

Another option is to book SBP via Getaways and then bank the SBP SOs for $99. You'll get 88k SOs to work with without hurting the pocket book too much.

pchung6 said:

You can't sell 2 br sbp off season in resale for anything, most likely it will go for $1. You can consider to make exchange in interval, it can almost get you every starwood resorts at off season. Then you can still use your 44k points to reserve 1 br in many places within SVN.

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I think this post is somewhat confusing. You may either use your staroptions each year, or deposit the week with interval. You may not do both in the same use year.


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sptung said:

Hate to say this but the best route that I can think of is to give away your timeshare. If it is a 2BR and you are only getting 44 SOs, it is not worth keeping. You can pay 1-3K for a resale mandatory phase SVV that carries 81K/96.7K SOs for roughly the same MF.

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This is the best long term suggestion.


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Thanks everyone! You've given me some great options to think about.

Ken555 said:

I think this post is somewhat confusing. You may either use your staroptions each year, or deposit the week with interval. You may not do both in the same use year.


Sent from my iPad

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Sorry. What I mean was he can still use "NEXT YEAR" 44k points to reserve. I was using my phone to type and did not proofread, I apologize for confusing you guys.

I understand

We bought a 2 bedroom eoy at SBP in Myrtle Beach back in 2000. Quickly realized we couldn't go to many other resorts with our SO. We elected to up our ownership to a 2 bedroom L/O EOY to get 81K SO. Hubby is now vacationing in heaven. You can have mine, but I'm not sure they would be able to be used for their SO's.

EileenSRN said:

We bought a 2 bedroom eoy at SBP in Myrtle Beach back in 2000. Quickly realized we couldn't go to many other resorts with our SO. We elected to up our ownership to a 2 bedroom L/O EOY to get 81K SO. Hubby is now vacationing in heaven. You can have mine, but I'm not sure they would be able to be used for their SO's.

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Sorry about your hubby.

Unfortunately, SOs do not transfer with the sale of SBP because Starwood made it a voluntary resort, so a new owner wouldn't have the benefit of those SOs.

The mandatory v voluntary distinction is one of the least understood rules by people buying timeshares in the Starwood system. Not sure why Starwood deemed some resorts mandatory (meaning SVN membership was compulsory) and others not, but it's negatively impacted the resale value of some great resorts, including SBP.

If you plan on exchanging into Internal or other system, you should buy a 2-bedroom unit that has that 81K points. While yes, you only care about the 81k points if you are staying within the Starwood system, buying a lock-off (even if its more maintenance fees) is going to give you more vacations to exchange. Something to consider.....more maintenance fees, but more options. We have a 2-bedroom lockoff that is mandatory, and while we pay more than $850 in maintenance fees, we get the best of starwood exchanges AND can exchange for two 2-week exchange weeks.

Nanette, When you calculate your MF don't you include the refurbishment fee and Membership fee as part of what it costs to use the unit? I have a 2 Bdrm L/O at SBP, EOY. It is worth 81K. I pay a total of $1470 to use those 81K SO every other year. Are you saying I'd be better off banking the weeks in RCI or II, even though I'd still have to pay exchange fees on top of the MF? If I'm reading you correctly, you are able to get a full month of vacation with exchanges out of the system? Since I am now mostly donating my Starwood time to a charity, I'd like to have more weeks available. Since SBP is not a mandatory, I can't give it away!

nanette0269 said:

If you plan on exchanging into Internal or other system, you should buy a 2-bedroom unit that has that 81K points. While yes, you only care about the 81k points if you are staying within the Starwood system, buying a lock-off (even if its more maintenance fees) is going to give you more vacations to exchange. Something to consider.....more maintenance fees, but more options. We have a 2-bedroom lockoff that is mandatory, and while we pay more than $850 in maintenance fees, we get the best of starwood exchanges AND can exchange for two 2-week exchange weeks.

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I would suggest that buying a mandatory week with StarOptions should primarily only be used for SVN reservations or at the home resort. Exchanging via II for one or two weeks at other resorts, with the added II exchange fees, typically makes it less of a deal. It's not difficult to find very good voluntary Starwood weeks for II exchange that are more affordable, as the mandatory resorts tends to have higher MF.


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This is my experience, and we typically pay a total $1250/year, since we own a 2-bedroom lockoff that is mandatory. And because thats mandatory, the interval cost is paid by starwood (but essentially hidden within that $1250 fee. Thats total, so it includes everything.

Now, yes, we prefer to exchange within the starwood organization since its less work, guaranteed level of quality and minimal cost. But, hey, we do want to go elsewhere occasionally!

For 2016, I plan to separate my unit and keep the larger half in Starwood and bank the smaller 1-bedroom unit to Interval (i've found that the smaller 1-bedroom units in Interval trade exactly the same as the larger 1-bedroom units). By keeping the larger one-bedroom unit in Starwood, I have more available star options to play with throughout the year. When the smaller unit is in Interval, I can do a variety of things:

1. I can keep the unit available for a future exchange for more than 2 years (banking it often has other benefits)
2. I can pay an exchange fee and use it in 2016
3. I can do two short-week, short-notice exchanges....these are 1-6 days and are limited to those resorts that have capacity in the next 60 days (When I do this, I do pay an extra $50/year to interval to have this ability, but an extra $50 on those years that I do this for an extra getaway is ok with me).

I just did the above with my lingering 2013 deposit...I did two mini-weeks. 5 days in Daytona Beach and 4 days in Cocoa Beach. Daytona Beach was a prime resort (the best in the area) and Cocoa Beach was an ok/above average unit.

For the larger 1-bedroom I kept with Starwood, I typically use those remaining points in our account to get 2 trips out of that. My kids will always sleep on the pull-out couch, so no worries there. We will just use our flexibility to do nearby areas for little getaways. This is a benefit of living in Florida, as we find ourselves in Orlando quite often, and there will ALWAYS be availability there and we don't really worry about the season.

So, lets see....this is what I expect to get in 2016:
2 mini trips to Florida resorts (within Starwood)
*and*
1 week or 2 mini-weeks via Interval

Of course, everything with Interval does have an exchange fee, but if you look at it in total for 2016, I'm still getting a good deal and guaranteed vacation experiences for my family at a reasonable price.

The great benefit of having 81,000 points in starwood (which i consider the sweet spot) is that you can get into every resort. I have used that 81,000 to go to hawaii one year and loved it. Of course, I didn't do anything else that year, but that was worth it. I could also pay my fees early and use the next years' fees if I was short points.

nanette0269 said:

If you plan on exchanging into Internal or other system, you should buy a 2-bedroom unit that has that 81K points. While yes, you only care about the 81k points if you are staying within the Starwood system, buying a lock-off (even if its more maintenance fees) is going to give you more vacations to exchange. Something to consider.....more maintenance fees, but more options. We have a 2-bedroom lockoff that is mandatory, and while we pay more than $850 in maintenance fees, we get the best of starwood exchanges AND can exchange for two 2-week exchange weeks.

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The best inexpensive mandatory timeshare is actually a 95.7k SO at SVV.

sptung said:

The best inexpensive mandatory timeshare is actually a 96.7k SO at SVV.

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What I found especially intriguing about the 95,700 SVV L/O is that 81,000+95,700=176,700 or enough for a 2 bdrm in platinum season at WSJ.

LisaRex said:

What I found especially intriguing about the 95,700 SVV L/O is that 81,000+95,700=176,700 or enough for a 2 bdrm in platinum season at WSJ.

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Yep. Starwood has done some Math here.