Buying Marriott Trust Points from re-sale sellers??

Hi, I'm a Marriott owner and I am somewhat embaressed that I know so little of the program. I need help with info please.

I have two deeded weeks (worth about 4000 points if converted) and the Marriott folks have been calling us over the last month to upgrade us to the Premier or Executive level by buying about 3000 Trust points! The cost would be about $12.48 per point to total $37,440 plus various closing costs and annual MF and taxes. Their claim is that this purchase would elevate us to Executive level and make our vacationing more dream-like! To me, that's a lot of money to treat ourselves!

My basic question is: Can I buy the same 3000 points on the re-sale market? If so, where is the best place to do so? Also, will Marriott be imposing any major obstacles in allowing us to qualify for the Executive level with points that we didn't buy directly from Marriott - like heavy monetary penalties to convert the re-sale points to our deeded weeks account?

Any info that you folks could provide will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks, Jay


Also, where do i find out what the many abbreviations here on this forum mean - like EOY & DP and ?

Yes. You can purchase resale trust points. We have successfully done so. There are many places you can check for available points, including eBay, Redweek, or a points resale market maintained by a TUG member. Things to consider:

1. Do you want points with a usage year that matches your weeks (1/1 to 12/31) or would you prefer a different usage year (7/1 to 6/30 for example).

2. Like buying a week resale, there is a minimum price per point at below which Marriott will exercise ROFR to prevent your purchase. $5 per point is a solid rule of thumb, although some purchases have made it past ROFR for less ($4.75).

3. Remember to factor in the 'hidden' costs of purchasing resale points. These are the 'junk' fees - like the activation fee, enrollment fee, education fee, 'fee' fee, etc. that Marriott adds on to any resale points purchase that they don't ROFR. These fees will add anywhere from $2.10 to $2.50 to the price of each point. You must pay these fees for your resale points to be 'unlocked' and have full functionality as points you purchase from Marriott would.

4. In determining how many points you wish to purchase resale, remember that in order to enroll your 2 owned weeks (assuming they are either purchased from Marriott or pre-6/2010 purchased resale weeks), there may be a requirement to make a minimum points purchase. For us to enroll our eligible week, we had to purchase 1,000 points from Marriott. If you want to reach Executive level, and you need 3,000 points total to do so, I would confirm what (if any) points I have to buy from Marriott to enroll my weeks before shopping for resale points.

Having been in your position of needing 3,000 points for Premier (now Executive), buying 1,000 from Marriott to enroll our weeks, and 2,000 on the resale market; I can confirm it can be done successfully. Our resale points look, feel, smell, and function no differently than our Marriott purchased points.

Hope those ideas are helpful.

Even on resale with the additional mandatory fees buying 3000 trust points will be pricey. Why do you think you need them? MF on trust points are also fairly high. I think your out of pocket is going to be around $15,000-20,000 even resale. I don't see the advantages of the Executive level worth the expense. If you need points on any given year you can rent them as needed.

tschwa2 said:

Even on resale with the additional mandatory fees buying 3000 trust points will be pricey. Why do you think you need them? MF on trust points are also fairly high. I think your out of pocket is going to be around $15,000-20,000 even resale. I don't see the advantages of the Executive level worth the expense. If you need points on any given year you can rent them as needed.

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While I agree with the estimated costs, and that the OP can rent, and if he isn't looking for any specific benefits that Executive level would convey that renting won't satisfy; he may simply want to 'unlock' the ability to convert his enrollment eligible weeks into DC points instead of being restricted to using them as straight weeks.

In that case, he could consider a minimal points purchase from Marriott (1,000) and enroll his weeks for a total of 5,000 available DC points in a given year. Then you're talking about a potential $13,000 expense for access to 5,000 points (4,000 enrolled and 1,000 purchased). Just another scenario.

It sounded like he was looking for the lowest cost to get:

Their claim is that this purchase would elevate us to Executive level and make our vacationing more dream-like!

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Paying the enrollment fee for eligible pre 2010 weeks would still probably be better than buying 1000-1500 directly from Marriott to "unlock" the ability to convert owned weeks to points when desired and to become part of the Destination Club.

I wonder who the salesman was who convinced buyers that Pig's Feet was a rich man's dinner?

No salesman EVER started with is lowest price or cheapest way to do something ... although a sales man's repeated lines include:
-Never seen this being sold this LOW!
-Boss priced this wrong - but has to honor his offer.
-Last Week available.
-Today ONLY!
-I would buy at this price but we are expecting another baby.
-End of month clearance!
-Sales quota HAS to be met.

vacationhopeful said:

I wonder who the salesman was who convinced buyers that Pig's Feet was a rich man's dinner?

No salesman EVER started with is lowest price or cheapest way to do something ... although a sales man's repeated lines include:
-Never seen this being sold this LOW!
-Boss priced this wrong - but has to honor his offer.
-Last Week available.
-Today ONLY!
-I would buy at this price but we are expecting another baby.
-End of month clearance!
-Sales quota HAS to be met.

Click to expand...

While I'm generally unfavorable of the practices of salesmen and presentations, this is not ALWAYS the case....

Our last 'walk-in' tour with a salesman in Hawaii was:
Brief
to the point
the best developer deal I've seen or heard (not as good as resale, but: blended EOY week with $7.xx MVC points)
informative.

Not every TS and every salesman is a cheating you. You do have to be smart enough to know the difference....or go to TUG and ask the right questions first.

Congratulations Jayd13, you passed the test.
My next suggestion....take some of the savings you'll get from TUG members and become a registered member here on TUG.


IMHO
TIWAGOS
(take it with a grain of salt)

Jayd13 said:

Hi, I'm a Marriott owner and I am somewhat embaressed that I know so little of the program. I need help with info please.

I have two deeded weeks (worth about 4000 points if converted) and the Marriott folks have been calling us over the last month to upgrade us to the Premier or Executive level by buying about 3000 Trust points! The cost would be about $12.48 per point to total $37,440 plus various closing costs and annual MF and taxes. Their claim is that this purchase would elevate us to Executive level and make our vacationing more dream-like! To me, that's a lot of money to treat ourselves!

Click to expand...

It is likely a good deal to convert your current weeks to points BUT buying more DC points is likely a really bad idea. IMHO there is a benefit to being "Executive level " but it is not worth anywhere near $35K.

We have two resale weeks, one is converted to points ( the other bought after june 2010) we find that works well for us. I'd never buy more points at the prices Marriott is asking (not even at 1/2 the price)

Good Luck

kds4 said:

In determining how many points you wish to purchase resale, remember that in order to enroll your 2 owned weeks (assuming they are either purchased from Marriott or pre-6/2010 purchased resale weeks), there may be a requirement to make a minimum points purchase. For us to enroll our eligible week, we had to purchase 1,000 points from Marriott. If you want to reach Executive level, and you need 3,000 points total to do so, I would confirm what (if any) points I have to buy from Marriott to enroll my weeks before shopping for resale points.

Having been in your position of needing 3,000 points for Premier (now Executive), buying 1,000 from Marriott to enroll our weeks, and 2,000 on the resale market; I can confirm it can be done successfully.

Click to expand...

Is it now a requirement to purchase points from Marriott to enroll pre-June 2010 resale weeks?

curbysplace said:

Is it now a requirement to purchase points from Marriott to enroll pre-June 2010 resale weeks?

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I do not believe so.


From the TUG FAQ MVC point system:

TUG FAQ said:

As of 6/14/12 the Enrollment Fee has been increased to $2,395. Sales incentives include varying amounts of one-time "PlusPoints" which expire one year from date of issue and are restricted to reservations made within 60 days of check-in at Marriott Vacation Club Collection properties only.

For historical context, the Enrollment Fee at the DC introduction ranged between $595 and $1,995 with an Enrollment Incentive of 800 one-time Exchange Points.

Click to expand...

Some might be confusing the issue with the current Mariott 'matching points' hybrid sales of resort weeks/points.

that's a different cat altogether.

Bill4728 said:

I do not believe so.


From the TUG FAQ MVC point system:

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Our enrollment fee was waived by buying 1,000 points. For us, the $2,395 discount on 1,000 points at a price between $10 and $11 per point, left us spending around $8 per point (which is hard to do much better than that resale 'all-in' even with a hybrid week/points package). For our situation and goals, this was the best approach.

That's really one of the best aspects to the whole Marriott system - you can 'have it your way', not to go all burger chain ... but that really is the case.

Own a week, own an enrolled week, own DC points, rent DC points, rent a week ... just makes you feel like the 'king' of your vacation.

Frankly, don't agree with you regarding advantages - there are quite a few...

The new executive level at 7000 points has major improvements over premier-plus which was at 6500 points. You can now go one day at a time 13 months out (prior was 7 day minimum from 13-10 months, then 1 day at a time 10 or less months out). Also, you can receive 25% on destination point requirements on travel 30 days or less from check-in... I find this option the best of all as I typically make the majority of my vacations within this discount window... That, in itself will pay for the investment of the upgrade over time. My kids constantly use the last minute vacations for skiing in the winter and love the new program... and the points are all at a discount... Quite the savings... SeaDoc

tschwa2 said:

Even on resale with the additional mandatory fees buying 3000 trust points will be pricey. Why do you think you need them? MF on trust points are also fairly high. I think your out of pocket is going to be around $15,000-20,000 even resale. I don't see the advantages of the Executive level worth the expense. If you need points on any given year you can rent them as needed.

Click to expand...