westgate resale benefits for booking week

[jackiepurdy]

I am gettin 2 different answers, can anyone confirm if you can book say 11 months in advance on a floating westgate vacation villas or town center resale. We have one we want to take over however I have read you can only book up to 60 days in advance, which wouldn't work for us to be able to book flights.

 

[Fido Chuckwagon]

I am gettin 2 different answers, can anyone confirm if you can book say 11 months in advance on a floating westgate resale. We have one we want to take over however I have read you can only book up to 60 days in advance, which wouldn't work for us to be able to book flights.

Strongly advise against Westgate. Lots of other better systems out there that are better for resale owners that are also basically free. Once you take on a Westgate you will find it very difficult to exit.

 

[callwill]

Strongly advise against Westgate. Lots of other better systems out there that are better for resale owners that are also basically free. Once you take on a Westgate you will find it very difficult to exit.

There is a reason they are called wastegate.

 

[Passepartout]

I am gettin 2 different answers, can anyone confirm if you can book say 11 months in advance on a floating westgate resale. We have one we want to take over however I have read you can only book up to 60 days in advance, which wouldn't work for us to be able to book flights.

Our understanding is that they strip virtually all perks from resale contracts. what you heard about the 60 days booking before move-in- and that's at your home resort. Other internal exchanges must go through II, and at higher cost. Also all exchange fees are nearly double those of developer-sold contracts.

In short: STAY AWAY FROM WASTEGATE!

 

[GTLINZ]

Run , Forest, Run !

 

[dioxide45]

I've reviewed the Westgate owner guide and the only restrictions I have been able to find related to resale are where it comes to fees. The fees are punitive. If you want to book another Westgate resort other than the one you own, the fee is $700 vs. $169 for someone who purchased direct. That doesn't mean there isn't a 60 restriction, but I have found no direct mention of it. Here is a link to another thread from someone who owned resale and was looking to upgrade to direct. You may want to ask in this thread as it is someone with real first hand experience other than guesses from non owners who have no direct experience with the product, resale or direct.

First Post! Westgate "Upgrade" From Resale

Hi all, first post here and want to get thoughts on this move: Initial resale purchase: - 2019 Florida Westgate Vacation Villas Resort (II Premier) - 10,000 usd - 1 week july lockout bi-yearly - 10 person villa - 1400 usd maintenance bi-yearly Upgrade purchase - 2024 Tennesse Westgate Smoky...

tugbbs.com

That said, I do tend to agree with others. There are better systems out there with better resorts in many of the same destinations that you will find a Westgate timeshare. Look at one of those instead and you don't have to deal with the unknown of buying something you can never get rid of.

I have also found Westage Facebook groups to be just about useless. I tried to join one and my approval is still pending weeks later. The other I did join (it was public) requires new comments to be approved. They haven't approved anything new since February 29th. There used to be a very large group (>10K members) but I can't find it now. Not sure if something happened to it as the administrator was MIA for over a year and no new posts were being approved. I noticed at one time it became active again but now it seems to be gone.

 

[bnoble]

I am gettin 2 different answers

I think you are getting two different answers because there are at least some resorts/weeks/etc. which do have such a restriction, but if I recall the past discussions here, not all of them do. However, the phone representatives/booking system seem to attempt to enforce this restriction much more broadly than they should, and getting them to do the right thing is difficult if not impossible.

So, there may not be a 60-day restriction on the week you are thinking about taking over. But, there's a good chance Westgate will treat it as if there is, and it will be a royal PITA to get them to fix it. Worse, you may have to do that every year. This is mostly because Westgate is actively antagonistic to resale owners.

I'd avoid this at all costs. There are many many other free or nearly free (for resale) systems which treat resale owners with much less disdain. The only possible reason I'd consider this is if (a) the current owners purchased it directly from Westgate, and (b) this was considered a direct-family transfer and you'd be treated as if you were a direct owner as well.

Even then, I'd probably look elsewhere. There are too many other options out there to risk it.

 

[rickandcindy23]

Westgate is the lowest of the low, in my opinion. I avoid even exchanging into those resorts because I find the unit quality unimpressive. The newer resorts are maintained, then they sell out and stop maintaining the older ones. Westgate Villages is a perfect example.

What is your reason for wanting Westgate? A specific location? An impressive timeshare presentation?

 

[grupp]

Which resort are you looking at taking over the week at? I own at Westgate Park City and it depends on the deed as to whether the 60 day limit is imposed but I can't comment on other resorts. There is nothing in their Owners Guide that addresses this directly. My understanding for Park City is anything sold by Westgate after 2009 is going have wording on the deed that will have the 60 restriction placed on it if it resold. I have not seen the wording on a deed, so don't really no what it says.

I researched the history of my week and it was orginally sold by them in 2004 and the deed does not contain any restrictions. However, they have placed the 60 day restriction on my online account. I had to fight with them a few years ago and finally had someone from Owners Services add a note to account that allows me to make my resevervation at 11 months but I have to call in every year vs making it online. Kind of a hassle, but have have a ski week that I bought for $1 (was just there last week) and love the resort itself. Well worth the hour every year I have to spend getting to someone to make my reservation for me. If the 60 day restriction was applied I would never be able to reserve a week within the ski season.

From what I have been told by the Customer Service reps at Westgage, they have no idea on why some have restrictions when the look at an account. They just see it is there and can not override it themselves. When I first purchsed at Park City they actually had their own Customer Service number but that has been gone for quite a while now.

The deed restriction were applicable is very unfortunate for the owners as it destroys the resale value of the week the instance they buy from Westgate. Westgate sells the ski weeks for a high price (not sure of thier current pricing) and with the 60 restriction applied if the they resell it later it is worth $0 the moment it is transfered to the owner.

 

[swditz]

As said previously if the deed is older and has no restrictions you can book at 11 months and only at certain resorts. Rule of thumb though is a resale will be limited to 60 days out.
I own Westgate and really like there resorts but would never recommend resale!

 

[dioxide45]

I just looked up a deed for Westgate Lakes to find an example. I don't see anything specific on the deed itself, but the deeds do reference the underlying resort CC&R documents. Looking at this one for Westgate Lakes it looks like it is effective November 7, 2008 and the restriction there is 30 days, not 60. Ouch! a truly POS company.

 

[swditz]

Westgate is the lowest of the low, in my opinion. I avoid even exchanging into those resorts because I find the unit quality unimpressive. The newer resorts are maintained, then they sell out and stop maintaining the older ones. Westgate Villages is a perfect example.

What is your reason for wanting Westgate? A specific location? An impressive timeshare presentation?

I can't agree about maintenance. There are no units at the villages that havn't been fully renovated in the past two years. Stayed there last month.
My home resort is the palace and has been completely done over twice since owning there..
Lots of legit negatives about westgate. I've never found conditions to be one of them.
I would believe exchangers may not get the newer units before owners but all do get updated regularly.

 

[dioxide45]

I can't agree about maintenance. There are no units at the villages that havn't been fully renovated in the past two years. Stayed there last month.
My home resort is the palace and has been completely done over twice since owning there..
Lots of legit negatives about westgate. I've never found conditions to be one of them.
I would believe exchangers may not get the newer units before owners but all do get updated regularly.

What is the villages? Do you mean Westgate Vacation Villas?

 

[swditz]

What is the villages? Do you mean Westgate Vacation Villas?

Yes. I believe that is where rickandcindy was referring to.

 

[dioxide45]

Yes. I believe that is where rickandcindy was referring to.

Then glad to hear about the updated villas. We booked a getaway there through II and was kind of worried. Had us wishing we had booked Town Center instead. Can you speak to Town Center. I know they share the same grounds and amenities, but how are the rooms at Town Center?

 

[swditz]

Then glad to hear about the updated villas. We booked a getaway there through II and was kind of worried. Had us wishing we had booked Town Center instead. Can you speak to Town Center. I know they share the same grounds and amenities, but how are the rooms at Town Center?

I haven't been in the town center. It is more like a large apartment building. I would assume the rooms to be similar to the villas in decor. I prefer the villas as they are in smaller buildings. We request the bottom floor( they are 2 stories ) so no stairs to climb with groceries etc.if you can request a unit near the town center. That puts you closer to the water park gym etc.it is a very large complex. Not sure the pecking order for II. hopefully you get a good location.

 

[GTLINZ]

Westgate is the lowest of the low, in my opinion. I avoid even exchanging into those resorts because I find the unit quality unimpressive. The newer resorts are maintained, then they sell out and stop maintaining the older ones. Westgate Villages is a perfect example.

To add to this, Westgate resorts routinely show up during peak and nonpeak times as cheap Interval getaways. After reading numerous other posts about Westgate over the years, i would believe where there is smoke there is fire.

 

[gravityrules]

I just looked up a deed for Westgate Lakes to find an example. I don't see anything specific on the deed itself, but the deeds do reference the underlying resort CC&R documents. Looking at this one for Westgate Lakes it looks like it is effective November 7, 2008 and the restriction there is 30 days, not 60. Ouch! a truly POS company.

View attachment 90317

It seems Westgate has a particular disdain for the resale customer, i.e. they really don't want these customers or else think Westgate should be the only 'customer' for resales. You could also say that a company that intentionally destroys the resale of its product doesn't think much of their retail customer either.