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Re: Timeshare Points vs. Weeks (by Mike N.):
sheilaa39 wrote:------ I too attended a Sunterra Sales Pitch in Scottsdale, Arizona. Only it would have cost me over $13000 to buy into their system. Sunterra seems to have a good system, but it’s more complex than RCI points. The resort is part of a 19 resort trust and after reading their contract it seems to me that you really don’t own any Real Estate, just a membership. I have seen websites including the previously mentioned sellmytimesharenow.com that will sell Club Sunterra memberships at a lower price. Knowing how these guys make their money, I’m sure they'll accept next to nothing as a final offer.I just attended the Sunterra pitch at my resort, Royal Palm in St. Maarten. They offered that my Weeks 9-12 are worth 7000 points each, but I must buy 3000 points at $6000 for each week---for the lowest Club membership. (They claimed new customers would pay $31,000 for my ownership---which seems it would be worth the top membership at that cost!) Then a jump to $1000 in each maintenance fee, and I would not be guaranteed a return to my resort on my weeks, because I was giving up the leasehold. Who's to say I would find other vacations where/when I wanted? And then lots of confusing fees & rules---guess its's not for me, but I worry Sunterra won't have my interests at heart in my home resort now because I am not a Club participant....It's mind boggling, but making money for them!I also just returned from Sunterra St. Maarten, after having converted weeks to points. Thankfully, you didn't fall for their sales pitch, as it was way off base. You should be able to convert all of your weeks at once and buy 3000 additional points for the priviledge of doing so for under $6000 total. Your weekly MF should stay the same if you don't give up your deeds (just deposit them for points) and you will have Club dues of about $500 per year including II. They will probably pay most of your first years' dues when you negotiate the initial purchase. I've collected 3 more deeds myself since converting and my regreat is that I didn't have written into my first contract that I could have a year to convert more weeks to points without having to buy more points. I plan to convert it anyway. Good luck to you!