Posts like this SLAY me.

[lawren2 Malibu Beach Barbie & A Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close lawren2]

I think I'll be next up for that after my Ebay post. I'm ready .

Avery, I don't care how much money I ever have. I would never pay $80,000 for a timeshare week.

I think the reason it is so expensive is because it is platinum plus. But good luck selling that bad boy in a few years when StarOptions don't transfer to a resale owner in the new phase. If I had a choice to buy resale at either phase, I'd choose the first phase a) because it has StarOptions, and b) because the 3 BR villas have their own pools. Prediction: Resale values at phase 2 are going to suck, relative to phase 1...

They will quickly point out that the ebay week was only GOLD and not worth half of the PLATINUM PLUS!

Personally I liked the wording within the auction: A secondary rental market exists - current rental rate is approximately $8500/week

and now for how I found my rental company in the first place: I was BIDDING on an ebay WSJ 3BDRM w/pool for Thanksgiving rental many moons ago. The seller told me how much she thought she would get on reserve and I promptly found a villa for $2k less.


Never looked back.

To each his/her own I guess.

I agree with you on your prediction for Phase II, particularly if they are only selling floats. WSJ owners will complain that they can't get what they want at thier own resort. Even after having spent all that money thru Starwood.

[Ryne08 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Ryne08]

$85,000 for a week + mf. What is the daily rack rate to stay at this resort?

[taffy19 Gold Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close taffy19]

Nothing but deceipt in this industry!

Yes, I read the thread too OY and it's unreal what timeshare prices are going for today when you buy from a developer and the same in Hawaii too and what they dare charging in Mexico where labor is so cheap.

Then, I read John's post there too. If exchanging is getting so hard, then what will happen to timesharing eventually? Most people are buying for that reason mainly because that feature is what they make such a fuzz about when you go on a timeshare presentation. They show you that beautiful picture book (RCI or II) with all the resorts you supposedly can exchange to. Ha ha. All I read instead are complaints that it isn't easy especially if you want to go when the schools are out.

I really believe now that it is much smarter to rent from a timeshare owner instead and let him worry about the maintenance fees that keep rising and all the price increases too the exchange companies are charging their members while they rent out the cream of the crop from what I read and their members are left with the rest.

The only way to beat the system is to buy a timeshare dirt cheap on eBay and that one most likely comes from a poor sucker who paid a company over $3,000 to get rid of it.

This whole industry is built on deception and lies and taking advantage of the uninformed consumer too but this will change, I hope by educating people who come to this web site.

[lawren2 Malibu Beach Barbie & A Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close lawren2]

I think a lightbulb must have just gotten switched on...

The last post by the OP:

Why would anyone want to spend $50K or $85K plus $1,500 in MF/year when you can either rent a villa (pretty much any week/any season) for a "decent" price of a few thousand dollars/year. It would take an awfully long time to add up to even the "resale" value not to mention that $50K in the bank at 6%% will earn $250/month in interest or $3K/year in interest. Enough to pay for 1/2 the vacation in a 3BR every year and you are not locked into every year and worrying about were to use your "staroptions"

The whole deed thing seems like everyone says on the BBS that buying from the developer loses you money after you sign the paperwork so what's the magic in timesharing if you are better off just renting?

Take $50K and divide it by 10 years of vacations at $5K a piece and the power of money in the future vs. what it's worth today and then coupld the rising MF's and you are looking at least at a 12-15 year ROI and only if you either take a vacation every year (which you can still rent at the Villas on a very regular basis for approx $6K or so)

I am not trying to sound alarms, just trying to convince myself of what makes sense in this whole thing?

Scott

I'll wait until tomorrow to say HALLELUJAH. I'm too tired tonight.

[ArtsieAng Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close ArtsieAng]

Lawren,

Here's another timeshare where some weeks will be selling as high as $100,000. And, there are people who believe that they will have no problem, whatsoever, selling them.......

Marriott's Marco Island sales should start June 2007

No lock-offs
Full kitchens

Mid range price $55,000
Probably max out around $100,000
Probably 2 & 3bd units
Probably fixed weeks and floating weeks

[lawren2 Malibu Beach Barbie & A Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close lawren2]

Lawren,

Here's another timeshare where some weeks will be selling as high as $100,000. And, there are people who believe that they will have no problem, whatsoever, selling them.......

Marriott's Marco Island sales should start June 2007

No lock-offs
Full kitchens

Mid range price $55,000
Probably max out around $100,000
Probably 2 & 3bd units
Probably fixed weeks and floating weeks

Scary stuff.
Initial purchase fees higher than an average US family's annual income.

I also think these are not people that have been in the timeshare game for any long period of time.

[short Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close short]

On buying from developer

I traded into a 3 br Pool Villa at WSJ in late October. On the boat over we sat next to a young couple who had just arrived from Buffalo leaving a big ice storm behind. They owned 2 weeks in a 3 bedroom (one Fall and one spring) and had just purchased a 3rd week in a 3br because Westin was haveing a promo. If you buy one week at 50k you can get the second week for 25K. My DH and I were left to wonder, after we parted how a couple in their early thirties could afford 3 WSJ 3 bedroom timeshares much less the time off from work to enjoy them.

A few years ago I probobly would have tried to fill them in on buying resale and traveling to WSJ for much less buy I have mellowed and only offer my advise if asked. I realize that someone needs to pay big bucks buying from the developer so that the rest of us can get great trades for much less.

If someone seems interested in how I managed to trade into a 3 br pool villa at WSJ or a 2 br Marriott Ko Olina without being an owner and paying big bucks I will tell them but no longer feel compelled to educate everyone in the hot tub.

Of course, folks come to these boards to get educated so developer purchases here are fair game. Heres to resales.

Short

[wackymother Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close wackymother]

What DID you trade to get WSJ? Now I want to go. I like the sound of those private pools. I don't like the sound of them $85,000 worth, but I do like the sound of them.

[T. R. Oglodyte Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close T. R. Oglodyte]

What DID you trade to get WSJ? Now I want to go. I like the sound of those private pools. I don't like the sound of them $85,000 worth, but I do like the sound of them.

For private pools, Ocho Cascadas seems as it would appeal to me more than WSJ. OC is in my long-range plans.

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

Strange that the $85000 figure has come up again. In our Westgate tour 2 weeks ago, after our salesperson decided we were not candidates, I asked him what his highest priced product is, just for kicks.

$85000.

[lawren2 Malibu Beach Barbie & A Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close lawren2]

For private pools, Ocho Cascadas seems as it would appeal to me more than WSJ. OC is in my long-range plans.

Trading Places gets Ocho Cascadas for exchange.

Just a thought.

[T. R. Oglodyte Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close T. R. Oglodyte]

Trading Places gets Ocho Cascadas for exchange.

Just a thought.

I've always figured my best chance was through SFX. The problem for me is that the inventory is so limited, youi need to be ready to accept an exchange when one becomes available. Which means that it likely won't happen until we retire.

[short Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close short]

Rack rate $2000 per night.

$85,000 for a week + mf. What is the daily rack rate to stay at this resort?

I check the rack rate when I went in late October. The 3 bedroom Villa like the one we were in, rented for $2000 per night. Our 7 day stay priced out at $14,000 on Westin website. I did not even find any stay 5 nights get free.

At those rates it almost makes $85,000 look like a great deal.

Short

[Hostelling Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Hostelling]

If someone seems interested in how I managed to trade into a 3 br pool villa at WSJ or a 2 br Marriott Ko Olina without being an owner and paying big bucks I will tell them

Go for it. I am dumping my two weeks this year, and converting back to a renter. Need all the inside tricks I can muster.

[lawren2 Malibu Beach Barbie & A Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close lawren2]

I check the rack rate when I went in late October. The 3 bedroom Villa like the one we were in, rented for $2000 per night. Our 7 day stay priced out at $14,000 on Westin website. I did not even find any stay 5 nights get free.

At those rates it almost makes $85,000 look like a great deal.

Short

And you can rent a HOUSE for $2 - 3k a week. ummmmm.

Well all has gone stunningily quite on that thread since my last post yesterday and the poor OP hasn't gotten any further answers either.

IMHO the owners at WSJ were doing the OP a HUGE disservice by not telling him flat out that $85K for a float in the new phase is a BAD CHOICE.

The good news? He is seeming to come around on his own.