Brand New and Want to get Started

OrlandoTS · Jul 10, 2010

Hi!

We just booked our TS deal at Kings' Land for November. Our friends just came back and loved their stay at Waikoloa. They told me about the deal that they were offered (and turned down), so I wanted to research before we go out in November. From reading these boards for the last few hours it seems like resale is the way to go. I've already put in an email to Judi for a little more information.

What I can't seem to find on the boards or anywhere are a FAQ section on buying retail vs. resale. We own DVC which we bought from the developer. We love it!

When you buy resale do you call Hilton to book your vacations the same way as you would if you had retail?

In general is the Hilton Timeshare forever? DVC is for a set number of years.

Can you stay at any of the locations? Meaning it would be most advantageous to purchase resale where maintenance fees are lowest.

brp · Jul 10, 2010

OrlandoTS said:
What I can't seem to find on the boards or anywhere are a FAQ section on buying retail vs. resale. We own DVC which we bought from the developer. We love it!

We bought our DVC resale and saved quite a bit over buying from the developer, with no loss of benefits at all. DVC is probably the best to buy resale as there is absolutely no difference.

One can similarly save quite a bit buying HGVC resale and, while there is some small benefit loss, it's not much.

I'm not sure where you've looked so far, but there is a sticky thread on the top of the page

http://tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=58716

that has a section on exactly this topic with a number of linked threads.

Cheers.

DeniseM · Jul 10, 2010

You can save 50-100% buying resale. See the TUG Advice page (linked in the red bar at the top of the page) for lots of info. about getting started with timesharing.

My suggestion is that you ask your questions in this thread, rather than by private mail, so you can get lots of opinions and info.

DEROS · Jul 10, 2010

OrlandoTS said:
What I can't seem to find on the boards or anywhere are a FAQ section on buying retail vs. resale. We own DVC which we bought from the developer. We love it!

OrlandoTS said:

you buy resale do you call Hilton to book your vacations the same way as you would if you had retail?

Click to expand...

HGVC has a great online reservation system. You can see all the availability from now until 9 to 12 mths out. Between 9-12 mths is if you are reserving at your home resort for the season and room type you purchased.

You can call the reservation desk but there are some draw backs. Without look in the owners manual, I think you pay more to reserve and you can not change your reservation without incurring a charge.

OrlandoTS said:

general is the Hilton Timeshare forever? DVC is for a set number of years.

Click to expand...

Hilton TS is forever to include after you pass to the other side. This is good and bad. If for some reason you want out, you have to sell your TS. Depending on how much you paid, what you still owe, and what is going on in the Economy, you an end up in the wrong end of the stick.

OrlandoTS said:

you stay at any of the locations? Meaning it would be most advantageous to purchase resale where maintenance fees are lowest.

Click to expand...

That is the best part of HGVC. Points are Points. Many buy resale from Las Vegas or Orlando because the resale prices are low to include their MF. I bought in Waikoloa that his high in the resale value and MF and still have not stayed there since to first time I went to do a presentation visit.

Hope this helps. BTW I bought from Judi. Great person to work with. No hiccups what so ever.

Deros

OrlandoTS · Jul 10, 2010

Why would I want to purchase Platinum points? It looks like you get less nights with Platinum than Silver.

OrlandoTS · Jul 10, 2010

BTW, you all have already been really helpful. I really appreciate the answers.

pianodinosaur · Jul 10, 2010

Deros is totally accurate as usual.

chriskre · Jul 10, 2010

OrlandoTS said:
Why would I want to purchase Platinum points? It looks like you get less nights with Platinum than Silver.

In HGVC, platinum weeks pay less MF's per point than other seasons for the same amount of points or almost the same amount of points.

Your MF's are based on the size of unit you purchase and in the season that you purchase it.

So for a hypothetical example:

A 2 bedroom gold season would pay MF's of $900 for 5000 pts.
While a 1 bedroom platinum would pay MF's of $700 for 4800 pts.

It's cheaper in the long run to own a platinum unit but usually cheaper to buy into HGVC with a gold unit. Hilton doesn't seem to ROFR golds as easily as platinums.

Talent312 · Jul 10, 2010

When you buy resale do you call Hilton to book your vacations the same way as you would if you had retail?

Yes. HGVC makes no distinction between retail and resale owners in how the system operates, except in one respect... Only points purchased direct from HGVC count towards elite status which kicks in at 14K.

Elite status gets you a few extra privileges (like an upper-level HHonors tier), but the general consensus is that the retail price you'd have to pay to get there far exceeds the value received... unless you are fabulously well-to-do and have nothing better to use your $$ for.

In general is the Hilton Timeshare forever? DVC is for a set number of years.

With HGVC, you get a full-fledged deed to a unit+week in perpetuity. Its just that the use of the unit is retained by HGVC for the benefit of "the club." So instead, you get an annual alotment of points that represent the cost of using a similar size unit in a similar season.

Can you stay at any of the locations? Meaning it would be most advantageous to purchase resale where maintenance fees are lowest.

From 12 - 9 months out, you have a reservation window for your home resort in the same size unit in the same season that you purchased (unlikely to be the unit you purchased). From 9 months - 1 day out, you have a reservation window for anywhere in the HGVC system, with a minumum 3N stay. From 30 days - 1 day out, there is a last-minute cash (discount) window.

MF's vary from resort to resort (Vegas & Orlando are much lower than Hawaii), but they are always based on size of unit, not the season. Thus, a 1BR platinum unit will score more points for the same MF as a 1BR gold unit. So a smaller unit in a higher season gets the most points for the least MF's.

letsgosteelers · Jul 28, 2010

Talent312 said:
[BMF's vary from resort to resort (Vegas & Orlando are much lower than Hawaii), but they are always based on size of unit, not the season. Thus, a 1BR platinum unit will score more points for the same MF as a 1BR gold unit. So a smaller unit in a higher season gets the most points for the least MF's.

did you mean "...MF as a 2BR gold unit"?

this stuff is kinda confusing because I would have thought a PLAT whatever would be higher

from low to high....
GOLD 1BR
GOLD 2BR
PLAT 1BR
PLAT 2BR

so this is not the case?

I also "assumed" that PLAT would be inclusive of the GOLD weeks but is that also incorrect as it pertains to home resort?

It would only be the weeks that are listed for platinum?

Brand New and Want to get Started

OrlandoTS

brp

DeniseM

DEROS

OrlandoTS

OrlandoTS

pianodinosaur

TUG Review Crew: Veteran

chriskre

Talent312

TUG Review Crew: Veteran

letsgosteelers