Looking to Buy

[Striider1234]

1) Is there a vacation destination you wish to visit most of the time or on a regular basis? if so where?
Orlando / Hawaii / Caribbean - one of these each year rotating through. Interested in access to European vacations (maybe every 5 or so years)

2) Do you want to visit your home resort at least half the time, or do you want to trade more than half the time?
Appox. 1/2 the time

3) What are your 5 top trade destinations?
Orlando / Maui / Atlantis / St. Johns / ?

4) How many people do you usually travel with?
4 (two adults / two children)

5) Can you travel any time, or are you locked into the school schedule?
Flexible, but prefer to limit time kids miss school.

6) Can you make firm plans 12 or more mos. in advance?
Yes

7) Can you vacation for a full week at a time?
Yes

8) What level of accommodations do you prefer on a scale of 1 to 5 stars?
3 to 5

9) How much can you afford to spend upfront, without financing?
$10 - $13K

10) How much can you afford to spend every year for a maintenance fee that will come due right after Christmas, and increase each year?
$2000+

11) Are you a detail oriented planner?
Yes

12) Do you understand that once you buy a timeshare, it may be very difficult to sell or give away, and you are responsible for all fees, until you do?
Yes

Additional Information - I'm a longtime SPG member with lifetime Gold and approaching lifetime Platinum. I like the Vistana Network (bought from developer, in process of recinding), but open to others if it makes sense. Would like to leverage my Platinum status if there are advantages and overall a fan of Starwood properties (and now Marriott). I like the idea of a points system and access to purchasing discounted weeks at low rates (i.e. Getaways on Interval International).

Thanks in advance. Glad to have found this forum.

 

[shoelace]

[Please do not advertise in the discussion forums.]

 

[DeniseM]

3) What are your 5 top trade destinations?
Orlando / Maui / Atlantis / St. Johns / ?

Just so you know, it's St. John - no "s" and Atlantis is the hotel property - the timeshare is Harborside.

These are all Vistana (formerly Starwood) destinations. If you own a Vistana Timeshare, you can use the Staroptions to trade into these resort internally, through Vistana. You have FAR LESS opportunity to trade into Maui, Harborside, and St. John, if you don't own a Vistana resort.

Be aware that St. John is closed due to hurricane damage, and it also has a high transfer fees ($3,000 range.) I am not an owner there, so I can't advise you on the pros and cons of buying there now.

Only 5 Vistana timeshares have Staroptions when purchased resale, so you want one of those 5. I would pick the one that will be your destination the most often, and buy a high season week with at least 148,100 Staroptions.

Here is the Vistana FAQ - #9 and #19 will especially apply to your situation:

https://tugbbs.com/forums/index.php...-to-timesharing-or-starwood-start-here.63224/

As far as Europe - you should just rent. Most European timeshares are in the countryside/ski resorts, because Europeans want to spend their holidays outside of the city, but Americans want to visit cities like Rome, Paris and London. There is no sure fire way to trade into European timeshares.