Hilton Head Island, SC

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

My Wife and I just bought a biennial, floating 3br TS at RCI Gold Crown Island Links in Port Royal. We paid a little over 10K for it, and the salesman said it was going for 29,000 (BS). I would estimate that the place is worth $4-5000. I just can how 1 week can cost 10,000; that would mean the unit is worth over $500,000 (10,000 times 52 weeks)...I looked on several resale sites and most are selling for around this price. I know our fees are due EOY, we get 22,000 RCI points a year, as well as a developers week. The guy said we can rent a place out and make a grand or 2. We really did like the TS, as it had nice amenities, good location, several pools, includes golf/tennis, beach access, etc. We fell in love with Hilton Head and could easily see ourselves going there on a yearly basis. We're confused about a few things. 1- Can we use this each year, even though our TS is biennial? Is Hilton Head an esteemed spot for timeshares? How much do fees increase on an annual basis? I realize TS's are hard to sell,and if you do, usually you'll break even or lose money. We plan on keeping it for many years, so this really isnt an issue for us. My wife and I really believe the place will pay for itself if we keep it long enough. I guess being 1st time TS owners I'm just looking for some questions to be answered. I just found the site today and am looking forward to using it more often.

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

My Wife and I just bought a biennial, floating 3br TS at RCI Gold Crown Island Links in Port Royal. We paid a little over 10K for it, and the salesman said it was going for 29,000 (BS). I would estimate that the place is worth $4-5000. I just can how 1 week can cost 10,000; that would mean the unit is worth over $500,000 (10,000 times 52 weeks)...I looked on several resale sites and most are selling for around this price. I know our fees are due EOY, we get 22,000 RCI points a year, as well as a developers week. The guy said we can rent a place out and make a grand or 2. We really did like the TS, as it had nice amenities, good location, several pools, includes golf/tennis, beach access, etc. We fell in love with Hilton Head and could easily see ourselves going there on a yearly basis. We're confused about a few things. 1- Can we use this each year, even though our TS is biennial? Is Hilton Head an esteemed spot for timeshares? How much do fees increase on an annual basis? I realize TS's are hard to sell,and if you do, usually you'll break even or lose money. We plan on keeping it for many years, so this really isnt an issue for us. My wife and I really believe the place will pay for itself if we keep it long enough. I guess being 1st time TS owners I'm just looking for some questions to be answered. I just found the site today and am looking forward to using it more often.

If you really did 'just' buy, recind NOW.

HHI is very nice and it's not always easy to get in during the summer. There are lots of timeshares there and some are nicer than others. Most are not on the beach. Island links is not, in fact it is quite a ways from the beach, not walkable, OK with a bike. Part of IL used to be EPIC Resorts which was bought by Sunterra and is now Diamond Resorts Int'l, that's not the part you bought.

You knew about the resale market, yet you still bought from the salesman. Were his lips moving when he said you could rent it out for a grand or two? That's how you can tell he was lying. Renting is not easy. Selling is not easy. Yes, you'll get your money back in time.

You said you get 22,000 RCI points per year so you certainly can use them each year. Won't get you very far unless you take the 9000pts or less specials at the last minute which are a great deal.

[Glitter Brunello Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Glitter Brunello]

When did you buy? If you still are within the rescission period (each state requires that the contract allow you a limited time within which to rescind, I'm not sure what it is in South Carolina, but probably b/t 3 and 7 days), then RESCIND NOW, following your contract to the letter.

You bought a bit too soon, before investigating what would work best for you, and you have substantially overpaid.

If it's too late, let us know, we'll help you maximize what you have. Lots of people here overpaid for their first timeshare. What week/season did you buy?

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

what week did you purchase ?

Did you buy into The Club under Diamond Resorts International ? Are you points under The Cub which is Diamonds Resorts or are your points RCI Points Accounts Plans ?

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

Did you buy into The Club under Diamond Resorts International ? Are you points under The Cub which is Diamonds Resorts or are your points RCI Points Accounts Plans ?

As explained, only part of this resort is in THE Club. The OP bought RCI points from the part that is not in THE Club... (you don't buy 22,000 DRI points retail for $10K).

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

As explained, only part of this resort is in THE Club. The OP bought RCI points from the part that is not in THE Club... (you don't buy 22,000 DRI points retail for $10K).

How many units are own by Diamond Resort at this resort? Is exchanging into this resort by Diamond Club members limited ?

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

The deed says Week 7, biennial, EOY, but it is Floating, which means we arent locked into a certain week, correct? The resale sites I saw had those units going for $7500-10,000, so I didnt think we got screwed that bad. The place we bought from was called Coral Resorts. The Developers Week, as he explained it, was selecting a unit and putting an ad in the paper/craigslist to rent it out. I know they have the PGA tournament and some other major events that bring tons of people to HHI. I assume the points are RCI account plan. What should we have paid for that unit? Can we use the unit each year, even though we have a biennial TS?

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

week 7 is usually Presidents Week which is very hot in certain areas. Not sure what the demand is for HHI then.

WHEN does your week float?

and yes $10k sounds very high to me for what you got. A lot of the resale sites let sellers list for whatever they want. That doesn't mean those are realistic cost points. Ebay would be a better gauge of what the market will bear.

Are you still within recission period?

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

How do I find out WHEN the week floats? My wife was the one who was hell bent on buying this thing, even though I wanted to do research on it. We are way past the rescind period. I doubt Presidents Day is big on HHI. I just feel like we gotta raw deal, and I had a bad feeling about what we were getting into. It's almost like we got robbed and raped. It appears there are many questions that should have been answered before we signed...Dammit!

[catahoula Member Find all posts View Profile Close catahoula]

Most on here have bought from developer. Don't feel bad. Now that you got it, use it.

[catahoula Member Find all posts View Profile Close catahoula]

To find out when the week floats, you call reservations and request a week.

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

How do I find out WHEN the week floats? My wife was the one who was hell bent on buying this thing, even though I wanted to do research on it. We are way past the rescind period. I doubt Presidents Day is big on HHI. I just feel like we gotta raw deal, and I had a bad feeling about what we were getting into. It's almost like we got robbed and raped. It appears there are many questions that should have been answered before we signed...Dammit!

IF you have RCI points and want to keep that plan then it doesn't matter whether you had a fixed week 7 or a float. RCI points are good anytime and what you have on the deed doesn't matter as long as you keep up your RCI points account. But what you have on your deed did determine the value the RCI points account gave your week, which sounds like 44,000 but you get half every year because your deed is EOY. I don't know when the golf tournaments are but good luck if you believe anything the salesman told you. Someone want to look up and tell OP what a summer week costs in points at Island Links through RCI points? You won't like it.

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

IF you have RCI points and want to keep that plan then it doesn't matter whether you had a fixed week 7 or a float. RCI points are good anytime and what you have on the deed doesn't matter as long as you keep up your RCI points account. But what you have on your deed did determine the value the RCI points account gave your week, which sounds like 44,000 but you get half every year because your deed is EOY. I don't know when the golf tournaments are but good luck if you believe anything the salesman told you. Someone want to look up and tell OP what a summer week costs in points at Island Links through RCI points? You won't like it.

This is what I could pull in the next 10 months:

Island Links Resort (#1473)
1 Coggins Point Road
Hilton Head Island
SC 29928
USA Phone: 843/681-3582
REBA Management, Inc - Gold Crown Resorts Management on Hilton Head Island, SC





Member Rating



Select Unit Select Unit Type Privacy/Max
Occupancy Kitchen Check-in
Date Check-out
Date RCI Points Value
2 Bedrooms 6/6 Full 11/30/2008 12/07/2008 31,500
2 Bedrooms 6/8 Full 11/30/2008 12/07/2008 33,000
2 Bedrooms 6/6 Full 11/16/2008 11/23/2008 47,000
2 Bedrooms 6/6 Full 11/23/2008 11/30/2008 47,000
2 Bedrooms 6/8 Full 11/16/2008 11/23/2008 49,500
2 Bedrooms 6/6 Full 12/14/2008 12/21/2008 31,500
2 Bedrooms 6/8 Full 12/14/2008 12/21/2008 33,000
3 Bedrooms 8/10 Full 12/14/2008 12/21/2008 36,000
3 Bedrooms 6/8 Full 12/14/2008 12/21/2008 45,675
2 Bedrooms 6/8 Full 01/25/2009 02/01/2009 33,000
3 Bedrooms 8/10 Full 01/25/2009 02/01/2009 36,000
2 Bedrooms 6/8 Full 02/08/2009 02/15/2009 49,500
3 Bedrooms 8/10 Full 02/08/2009 02/15/2009 54,000

Landen this would be the required points to stay at your resort for an entire week.

Water under the bridge. Now learn how to best use what you now own.

There are some beautiful aspects to RCI points. Some of the neater aspects:

There is no trade value assigned. Points are nuetral. If the requested interval is in the system you can get it.

You can split your weeks into 3 or 4 night stays.

You can "borrow" points from the next year or extend expiring points.

Last minute trades for +/- 9k points for an entire week.

Points to points require no finesse to use. 10 months out the Points to Points resorts load.

Some not so great things about RCI points:

You cannot place an on-going search.

RCI Points on-line is completely manual and truly ugly to use.

Your point price is high for what you got <and we have yet to hear what your annual maintenace fee is>.

We can teach you how to use it if you give us the chance to do so.

Many, many of us purchased from the developer. Don't feel bad. If you bought it for your use good for you. Who knows? You may like timesharing/exchanging and become as addicted as we are. And there is always cost averaging.

[Jim McLaren Member Find all posts View Profile Close Jim McLaren]

We went to an Island Links TS presentation last year and it sounds like their sales presentation hasn't changed. They probably suggested you could get a developer's week for the price of a maintenance fee (around $700) and then rent it out for $2k. The reality is much different. I would expect primetime island links to rent for around $1500 but you'll never get a developer's week at that time. If I remember right, the MF for Island Links was running around $0.01 per point. That's a little on the high side of a good deal but not outrageous.

Your timeshare is not going to pay for itself but when you bought it, it sounded like a good value to you. With advice from the folks here and lots of reading you can make it a good value. Learn how to maximize your points usage. Like lawren said, there is always cost averaging. That's when you get so addicted to this that you buy many more (resale of course) so your average price comes way down.

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

Our MF fees are $450 EOY plus the RCI fee of like $180 or something. We get 47,000 RCI Pts EOY. He did double our points so we have 94,000 to start. We did buy on my CC so its only like 8% interest. They had like 16%
When can I get a Developers Week? we were told we pick the unit and time of year. How does it work if we cant rent out the Developers Week?
They also said we can use Island Links whenever we wanted. I realize it costs points, but our hope is do the 45 days or less and get fewer points taken.
To note, Coral never told us about Week 7. We found out when the deed came. All they did was push the Float on us, with us not realizing our RCI points are based on that week. So it seems like the better week, means more points?
How do I best use what we now own? It seems like we have to make the most of it!
Finally, I really do appreciate all the advice ya'll are giving us. I am sure I will have many more questions for you...