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

Hey there,

I purchased 12500 points at Kanapalli (Maui) for an insanely high amount in October 2007. I say insanely high based on reading a number of the threads in this forum pertaining to cost per points around $0.2-0.7. Is there any consulation that I can take away from this. Any help on how to maximize what I have would be much appreciated.

mgb

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

Hey there,

I purchased 12500 points at Kanapalli (Maui) for an insanely high amount in October 2007. I say insanely high based on reading a number of the threads in this forum pertaining to cost per points around $0.2-0.7. Is there any consulation that I can take away from this. Any help on how to maximize what I have would be much appreciated.

mgb

Hello, and [SIGN]Welcome to Timeshareforums[/SIGN]. You are not alone, there are many members here who overpaid for their first timeshare purchase, but have turned into happy owners and gone on to buy other timeshares at the right price, while learning how to maximize their oops purchase. So hang around. To help you maximize your ownership, why not start by letting us know where and when you like to travel.

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

My wife and I along with a 2 year old son like to go anywhere essentially, though due to family planing we're kinda restricted to going to family friendly locations that don't require vaccination. We originally bought TS for the purpose of taking our parents to nice places.

Given we have 4 seasons and the kid isn't in school yet, we prefer to travel to hot locales during low season when its cold here and students are still in school.

Any advice would be very much appreciated.

mgb

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

My wife and I along with a 2 year old son like to go anywhere essentially, though due to family planing we're kinda restricted to going to family friendly locations that don't require vaccination. We originally bought TS for the purpose of taking our parents to nice places.

Given we have 4 seasons and the kid isn't in school yet, we prefer to travel to hot locales during low season when its cold here and students are still in school.

Any advice would be very much appreciated.

mgb

Well you have a lot of flexibility, which is great. I am not a Diamond expert, but someone will be along to help you figure out how best to use the points you have purchased. Don't worry!

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

With 12500 you will be able to get 2 to 3 weeks of vacation time, if you have the flexiblity to wait 59 days before traveling. There are so many options for you to use those points. I just booked 8 days in Kaanapali beach (1bd deluxe) for 6900 points, and then booked a 2 bedroom in Sedona for only 4000 points ( using the club select feature ) and now that II offers short term stay, just maximize your points and enjoy your ownership

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

With 12500 you will be able to get 2 to 3 weeks of vacation time, if you have the flexiblity to wait 59 days before traveling. There are so many options for you to use those points. I just booked 8 days in Kaanapali beach (1bd deluxe) for 6900 points, and then booked a 2 bedroom in Sedona for only 4000 points ( using the club select feature ) and now that II offers short term stay, just maximize your points and enjoy your ownership

Also check out the Stickies at the top of this forum for charts on points requirements for stays at all available resorts.

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

Hey there,

I purchased 12500 points at Kanapalli (Maui) for an insanely high amount in October 2007. I say insanely high based on reading a number of the threads in this forum pertaining to cost per points around $0.2-0.7. Is there any consulation that I can take away from this. Any help on how to maximize what I have would be much appreciated.

mgb

While you aren't giving us this insanely high figure, my guess is between $40K and $50K. We'd also like to know what they are charging you for MF/pt for your Hawaii Trust.

OK, you paid a lot, water over the dam. Enjoy your ownership, you have paid for and got priority into the two Hawaii resorts. I don't have that.

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

I "negotiated" 11500 points with a 1 week II 1 bedroom free voucher and other "first time" incentives for a little less than $30,000 with MF of $1133.50 at time of sale, which they paid for the first year. Unfortunately come 2008 they bumped the MF to $1246.45, thus requiring me to pay an extra $112.95 out of pocket. I wasn't too happy about that.

so MF/pt = $0.1084/pt.

Then I found out that sunterra was turning with DRI without any notice from the sales person and had many unhappy calls with the India call centre and the LV call centre (at least they were competent) trying figure out what exactly was going on why I had to pay the extra $112.95 since the salesperson said that the first year MF was paid for.

Anyways I've resigned to making the best of purchase and rented a week in Portugal through II and will be heading to Hawaii for two weeks with family. at full points since have to book in advance to get the dates I want at the two resorts.

I'll continue to try to make the best of the situation.

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

I "negotiated" 11500 points with a 1 week II 1 bedroom free voucher and other "first time" incentives for a little less than $30,000 ....

Purchase cost of approx $30k/11500pts = $2.60/pt. This seems to be about the rate I was told recently (past two months?) it would have costed me to add additional annual pts to my CLUB acct.

[fnewman Member Find all posts View Profile Close fnewman]

Hey there,
I purchased 12500 points at Kanapalli (Maui) for an insanely high amount in October 2007. I say insanely high based on reading a number of the threads in this forum pertaining to cost per points around $0.2-0.7. Is there any consulation that I can take away from this. Any help on how to maximize what I have would be much appreciated.
mgb

In my opinion, while you may have made a larger ingvestment than some people, at least you purchased enough points to take some nice vacations. If you read a lot of threads elsewhere, you will find others who paid about as much per point, got a membership in the Club, but not enough points to be of any practical value. Those people will have to purchase additional capacity just to be able to utilize what they already bought. Basic advice would be to read as much as you can about DRI and II, learn the tricks from the old pros and maximize the utilization for what you own.

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

Enjoy your Time Share

I have purchased time shares directly from Hilton. The price was substantially higher than what it would have been had I purchased resale. However, despite the high price tag, I use my time share points and I really enjoy the flexibility and improved accomodations that TS ownership provides. It has forced me to take more vacations, travel, and I am much happier for that.

My advice is to enjoy what you have. Take advantage of all your options. Take a cruise. My TS purchases basically paid for themselves in about five to six years. If you want more vacation time after that, feel free to purchase resale in the future. Remember, the resale market would not exist without folks like you and me who purchased directly from the developer. I was unaware of TS4Ms and TUG until about two weeks ago. My first TS purchase was in 2001.

[Werner Member Find all posts View Profile Close Werner]

I agree with the advice that the best thing you can do now is to learn to use what you own to your best advantage. Make reservations early to get the best choices, learn to use II both for its resorts and as a secondary points rollover bank, use the inexpensive cash "getaways" at both Diamond and II if you run out of points but still want another vacation, use the Diamond "Club Select" as yet another list of resorts to chose from for either points or cash. Unfortunately, there is no "handbook" on how to do all these things so you have to read forums and spend time studying the rules. After 4 years in Sunterra/Diamond I still get surprises, good ones and bad ones, about the system and how to maximize its benefits.

One thing you might consider, although you may not be in a mood to hear this, is that at 12,500 points you are only 2,500 points away from being Silver Elite. The best thing about Silver Elite status (read the sticky above) is that you can upgrade to the next higher level unit for $99 when you make a reservation. At the Point at Poipu that means that we can upgrade from our Ocean View unit to an Ocean Front unit for $99. Considering that at the time we purchased our Ocean View, Ocean Fronts were selling for nearly twice as much, that upgrade is no small benefit.

Exactly what a "one level upgrade" is depends on the resort but it may be worth researching. Maybe when you make you next trip to Kaanapali you can negotiate a good deal for 2500 points.

[rikkis_playpen Diamond Club Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close rikkis_playpen]

Buying directly from the developer....

I work with a resale brokerage- and the majority of our clients are already timeshare owners buying another week or system- not people buying their first property. Most of the time, a person's first timeshare purchase is through the developer- and many of these purchases deliver a lifetime of use and value... Chances are most of the users here also bought from the resort the first time!

Use these forums to learn the best way to use your system- and don't look back with regret. (If nobody ever bought from the resorts- they wouldn't be there!).. If you ever decide to add to your ownership- you'll be able to use your knowledge of the resale industry to get an incredible value!

Good luck and congratulations on joining the "resort lifestyle"!

Rich

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

I work [for] a resale brokerage- and the majority of our clients are already timeshare owners buying another week or system- not people buying their first property. Most of the time, a person's first timeshare purchase is through the developer- and many of these purchases deliver a lifetime of use and value... Chances are most of the users here also bought from the resort the first time!

Use these forums to learn the best way to use your system- and don't look back with regret. (If nobody ever bought from the resorts- they wouldn't be there!).. If you ever decide to add to your ownership- you'll be able to use your knowledge of the resale industry to get an incredible value!

Good luck and congratulations on joining the "resort lifestyle"!

Rich

Well said!

I agree with the advice that the best thing you can do now is to learn to use what you own to your best advantage. Make reservations early to get the best choices, learn to use II both for its resorts and as a secondary points rollover bank, use the inexpensive cash "getaways" at both Diamond and II if you run out of points but still want another vacation, use the Diamond "Club Select" as yet another list of resorts to chose from for either points or cash. Unfortunately, there is no "handbook" on how to do all these things so you have to read forums and spend time studying the rules. After 4 years in Sunterra/Diamond I still get surprises, good ones and bad ones, about the system and how to maximize its benefits.

One thing you might consider, although you may not be in a mood to hear this, is that at 12,500 points you are only 2,500 points away from being Silver Elite. The best thing about Silver Elite status (read the sticky above) is that you can upgrade to the next higher level unit for $99 when you make a reservation. At the Point at Poipu that means that we can upgrade from our Ocean View unit to an Ocean Front unit for $99. Considering that at the time we purchased our Ocean View, Ocean Fronts were selling for nearly twice as much, that upgrade is no small benefit.

Exactly what a "one level upgrade" is depends on the resort but it may be worth researching. Maybe when you make you next trip to Kaanapali you can negotiate a good deal for 2500 points.

Exactly.

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

Thanks for the encouragement

Thanks for the encouragement guys. It just hurts when you findout better ways of doing something after a substantial investment...like paying MSRP for a car and then learning how to negotiate a few thousand dollars off the price a few weeks later.

Quick question though in your experience, what cost goes up quicker, the cost to rent at a resort/hotel or the increase in MF?

Thanks

Albert