Owner VS Points ?

[RichCPZ Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close RichCPZ]

Hello, I have been through this " Owners Update " each year with Sunterra ( now Diamond resorts ) and every time my Wife and I go we are asked about converting to "points" . As, an owner of a week we are assessed charges when mother nature does some damage or repairs need to be done on the Regency. We also need to pay the yearly fees. So we pay around $700 (fees) and, we are assessed another 6-8 hundred if, something need to be "fixed". It is our share, being a owner. We do not get any other benefit except for choice of week and always getting a ocean front room. We like visiting the Regency since we have 2 kids. So, we do not plan to go anywhere else at this time. The only problem, I have with the switch is the additional cost. Somewhere between 3,000-7000.00
That's because we need to purchase more points in order to visit the same location for a week with a ocean front view. But, we also get other bebefits which we would not use, but we would have the option.
Anyway, I will be heading back to the Regency again July 26th, and will be attend the owners update, once again, and would really like to have some knowledge on the PROS and CONS of points systems OR Should we remain an OWNER as we are now?

[timeos2 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close timeos2]

Why pay more to get the same?

Hello, I have been through this " Owners Update " each year with Sunterra ( now Diamond resorts ) and every time my Wife and I go we are asked about converting to "points" . As, an owner of a week we are assessed charges when mother nature does some damage or repairs need to be done on the Regency. We also need to pay the yearly fees. So we pay around $700 (fees) and, we are assessed another 6-8 hundred if, something need to be "fixed". It is our share, being a owner. We do not get any other benefit except for choice of week and always getting a ocean front room. We like visiting the Regency since we have 2 kids. So, we do not plan to go anywhere else at this time. The only problem, I have with the switch is the additional cost. Somewhere between 3,000-7000.00
That's because we need to purchase more points in order to visit the same location for a week with a ocean front view. But, we also get other bebefits which we would not use, but we would have the option.
Anyway, I will be heading back to the Regency again July 26th, and will be attend the owners update, once again, and would really like to have some knowledge on the PROS and CONS of points systems OR Should we remain an OWNER as we are now?

You sound like a candidate to remain a pure owner. Don't be fooled - you would still pay all the fees & assessments as a member of the "trust" Club but your bottom line might be lower because you share those fees with a larger member base. But you pay an overhead cost for that, the cost to convert and the loss of your voting rights and deed. How long would the payback of the occasional extra assessment be vs the buy in cost? Far too steep a cost both in dollars and control of your timeshare for my taste. Listen to the pitch if you want but it doesn't sem like a good deal for you.