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Re: Secondary market vs purchase from developer (by Jon R.):

janices62 wrote:

I just spoke with Starwood. You cannot convert StarOptions to StarPoints when you buy a resale. There is no fee to convert StarOptions other than the $99.00 yearly membership fee. You pay this membership fee even if you own a resale. The conversion rate is different for each resort. Mandatory or voluntary property, where you own, what type of unit you own, what season you own. Example: I own a two bedroom lockoff at Sheraton Vistina Villages, a mandatory property, during low season (resale), 81,000 staroptions. If I were able to convert, for the smaller unit 37,000 staroptions=15,000 starpoints; for the larger unit 44,000 staroptions=18,000 starpoints. Less than half and the nicer category 4 hotels require 10,000 starpoints for one free night. Hope this helps.

In my opinion, I think that proves the converting to Star Points is worthless when compared to trading within the Starwood network or banking within Interval. Simply put - staying 7 days at a cat 4 hotel would be 70,000 points - you'd have to have convert the entire unit 2.5 times! The only value I see is if you've had your unit for a while and really want to go to an area where Starwood or II does not have a vacation property. But trading 2+ weeks for 1 is pretty steep.

Starwood would make this aout of this world if the equated the points to the average similar hotel rate. e.g trading out a whole 2 BR unit got you 70,000 points.