Original Message:
Re: Ripoff - Marriott Vacation Club Destinations Program - New Point System (by Jim B.):
YOUR RIGHT, I'M FINE BECAUSE I KNOW HOW TO WORK THE SYSTEM AND I HAVE NO REASON TO SELL AT THIS TIME. HOWEVER, I PROBABLY REPRESENT ABOUT 10% OF THE OWNERS WHO UNDERSTAND HOW TO MAXIMIZE YOUR ASSETS AND DON'T HAVE TO SELL BECAUSE OF HEALTH, CAN'T AFFORD THE INCREASES IN MAINTENANCE FEES ,DIVORCES, ECONOMIC STRESS, OR LACK OF HEIRS FOR THE TIMESHARES. THE 90% ARE THE OWNERS THAT I'M TRYING TO EDUCATE ON WHAT TO DO AND NOT DO. THESE OWNERS ARE BEING TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF BY MARRIOTT BECAUSE THEY CAN'T GET A FAIR PRICE FOR THE CONDOS THEY PURCHASED. NOW YOU CAN SAY THE WHOLE MARKET OF HOUSING HAS DEPRECIATED, BUT YOU WOULDN'T KNOW THAT BY WHAT MARRIOTT IS SELLING THE SAME CONDOS IN POINT VALUE. IF FOR EXAMPLE THEY WERE SELLING ARUBA SURF CLUB UNITS FOR $25,000, I COULD UNDERSTAND THEM OFFERING A $14,000 BUYBACK, BUT THEY ARE RESELLING THEM FOR $46,000 SO IT LOOKS LIKE THE DEPRECIATING THEORY ONLY WORKS ONE WAY--MARRIOTT;S. THAT'S WHY I'M SUGGESTING THE OWNERS WHO HAVE TO SELL INSIST ON GETTING THEIR PURCHASE PRICE BACK FROM MARRIOTT OR BETTER YET, SELL TO AN OUTSIDE BUYER. IF MARRIOTT CAN'T GET THESE LOWCOST BUYBACKS, THEY WILL EVENTUALLY RAISE THEIR PRICES BECAUSE THEY NEED THOSE HIGH PROFILE LOCATIONS TO SATISFY THEIR SALES PITCH OF THE NEW POINT SYSTEM--BUY AND GO ANYWHERE IN OUR SYSTEM. IF THEY DON'T HAVE PROPERTY IN THE TOP WANTED RESORTS OR IF THEY ARE SO LIMITED IN THOSE AREAS, THEY WILL BE HEARING FROM ALL THESE PEOPLE THAT HAVE PAID THESE HIGH PRICES.
I STILL ASK OWNERS IN ARUBA AND HAWAII AS WELL AS SOME OF THE OTHER HIGHEST REQUESTED RESORTS, DON;T SELL TO MARRIOTT UNLESS THEY WILL GIVE YOU A FAIR PRICE, SELL TO AN OUTSIDER. AND FOR BUYER, BUY FROM AN OWNER AND SAVE A BUNDLE FOR THE SAME CONDO AND SAME LOCATION.
I HAVE SPOKEN TO SEVERAL FRIENDS RECENTLY WHO HAVE SET IN ON TIMESHARE SALES PRESENTATIONS FROM TWO DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS, AND THEY TELL ME MARRIOTT IS GETTING VERY BAD EXPOSURE AND ITS HELPING TO STIR PROSPECTS FROM MARRIOTT AND MAYBE TIMESHARES IN GENERAL. THAT'S WHY I BELIEVE THE SYSTEM I RECOMMENDED FOR TIMESHARE COMPANIES TO USE REGARDING BUYBACKS IS A GOOD SOLUTION FOR AN OTHERWISE POORLY THOUGHT OF INDUSTRY.