Marriott System

Purchasing Garden Views in order to save $$$. Get real!

Given 30 years of timeshare, Marriott is the premier system.

Stay w Poipu even thought Lihue has "bargains." All Poipu weeks are Platinum.

Hawaii (all islands) have a low supply of Marriott and Five Star properties. Real estate is simply not available and/or is expensive.

Pity the poor clients who have purchased in Orlando - Some of these Marriotts are excellent units, but Orlando is oversupplied, and Mickey soon wears off.

Hawaii - the whole world wants to visit Christmas to New Years or worse in the summer. If you will visit during the shoulder and/or off season, the experience will be radically different (better). Avoid Oahu at all costs unless you like to fly a very long time to visit little Los Angeles.

Ocean Front/Ocean View is well worth the extra investment. Why fly to Hawaii for a garden view?

You also mentioned resale - Resale is an excellent strategy for almost all properties.

However, Marriott looks upon the resale client as a second rate citizen. Many of the premier benefits from a direct purchase will not accrue to you. If you do not understand these benefits call Marriott Resale directly and learn about the benefits, and then mention the secondary office - Marriott will give you an honest reply.

If you plan to visit Kauai every year, the secondary market is fine. If you plan to trade, you are rolling the dice.

"...First of all, you must understand that anything you see on the II website are "leftovers". Nobody had a request in for those weeks, which is the reason why they are left over.

Your best trading will be within the Marriott system itself, as all Marriott inventory can only be had by other Marriott owners during the first 24 days (this changes during flexchange)..."

Except for the limited use of the Marriott Florida Club, ALL trading, no matter how soon within the 24 hour period, is currently completed via Interval International.

And I disagree that the weeks listed on Interval are 'leftovers"

we own a 2bd/2bt gold week at the aruba surf. paid about $23,000 years ago ...... don't have time to use it now. thinking of selling it. what company is considered "the best" for a resale? wanting to sell it fairly quick, so I am expecting a loss.

roberts837 wrote:

we own a 2bd/2bt gold week at the aruba surf. paid about $23,000 years ago ...... don't have time to use it now. thinking of selling it. what company is considered "the best" for a resale? wanting to sell it fairly quick, so I am expecting a loss.

You are best off selling the timeshare yourself, assuming that you are willing to exert the time and effort to do so. There are many posts on this very site providing clear and specific recommendations on assorted selling sites and also addressing how to determine current market value. You are going to recover only a fraction of what you originally paid, in part because of the "second class citizen status" of a Marriott "resale" (in Marriott view and treatment, anyhow). Why compound that loss by also paying someone a hefty commission too???

Just my opinion....

roberts837 wrote:

we own a 2bd/2bt gold week at the aruba surf. paid about $23,000 years ago ...... don't have time to use it now. thinking of selling it. what company is considered "the best" for a resale? wanting to sell it fairly quick, so I am expecting a loss.

========== To expand on Ken's advice. DO NOT fall into the trap of paying any company an upfront fee to market your TS.

mike1536 wrote:

roberts837 wrote:

we own a 2bd/2bt gold week at the aruba surf. paid about $23,000 years ago ...... don't have time to use it now. thinking of selling it. what company is considered "the best" for a resale? wanting to sell it fairly quick, so I am expecting a loss.

========== To expand on Ken's advice. DO NOT fall into the trap of paying any company an upfront fee to market your TS.

To expand on that aadvice don't let them tell you that if you pay them upfront there will be no Brokers commission at the time of sale. Don't let them tell you there will be no closing costs if you pay ahead of time. The problem with upfront fees is not the fee it is the lies that are told to collect them. Not that I would charge an upfront fee but I also would not lie to collect them.

roberts837 wrote:

we own a 2bd/2bt gold week at the aruba surf. paid about $23,000 years ago ...... don't have time to use it now. thinking of selling it. what company is considered "the best" for a resale? wanting to sell it fairly quick, so I am expecting a loss.

Before letting a retailer "try" to sell your unit for unnecessary costs and fees, first take a look at the market value (price) that other similar units are being sold on the Redweek site for starters. We purchased a 3br everyother year week at the Marriott Grand Chateau Las Vegas last year, and it was a very smooth transaction. The purchase was handled using the American Title Escrow service offered on the Redweek site, and they coordinated the sale also with Marriott. I highly recommend selling / buying from a private party on Redweek, and using American Title.

ken1193 wrote:

roberts837 wrote:

we own a 2bd/2bt gold week at the aruba surf. paid about $23,000 years ago ...... don't have time to use it now. thinking of selling it. what company is considered "the best" for a resale? wanting to sell it fairly quick, so I am expecting a loss.

You are best off selling the timeshare yourself, assuming that you are willing to exert the time and effort to do so. There are many posts on this very site providing clear and specific recommendations on assorted selling sites and also addressing how to determine current market value. You are going to recover only a fraction of what you originally paid, in part because of the "second class citizen status" of a Marriott "resale" (in Marriott view and treatment, anyhow). Why compound that loss by also paying someone a hefty commission too???

Just my opinion....

Hi Ken, Would you care to elaborate on your "second class citizen status" statement. Since I have only experienced 1st class citizenship status treatment thus far, I would be interested to know what I should expect as an owner of both a resale, and retail units. Thanks

chuckg21 wrote:

Hi Ken, Would you care to elaborate on your "second class citizen status" statement. Since I have only experienced 1st class citizenship status treatment thus far, I would be interested to know what I should expect as an owner of both a resale, and retail units. Thanks

============================================

Chuck: Precise and informed details are better obtained from a Marriott owner, which I am not (nor have I ever been). That said, it is my understanding (from reading the open assertions of various Marriott owners and resellers) that there are certain rights / privileges / benefits / priorities associated with Marriott-direct purchases which simply do not exist in resale market purchases.

There is a Marriott-specific forum on tug2.net in which folks far more knowledgeable than I on this subject can (and do) elaborate in more detail. I don't have the knowledge to do so and don't / won't pretend otherwise.

ken1193 wrote:

chuckg21 wrote:

Hi Ken, Would you care to elaborate on your "second class citizen status" statement. Since I have only experienced 1st class citizenship status treatment thus far, I would be interested to know what I should expect as an owner of both a resale, and retail units. Thanks

============================================

Chuck: Precise and informed details are better obtained from a Marriott owner, which I am not (nor have I ever been). That said, it is my understanding (from reading the open assertions of various Marriott owners and resellers) that there are certain rights / privileges / benefits / priorities associated with Marriott-direct purchases which simply do not exist in resale market purchases.

There is a Marriott-specific forum on tug2.net in which folks far more knowledgeable than I on this subject can (and do) elaborate in more detail. I don't have the knowledge to do so and don't / won't pretend otherwise.

Ken, thank you for your candidness. I'll have to check out the tug2.net site. Regards, Chuck

chuckg21 wrote:

ken1193 wrote:

chuckg21 wrote:

Hi Ken, Would you care to elaborate on your "second class citizen status" statement. Since I have only experienced 1st class citizenship status treatment thus far, I would be interested to know what I should expect as an owner of both a resale, and retail units. Thanks

============================================

Chuck: Precise and informed details are better obtained from a Marriott owner, which I am not (nor have I ever been). That said, it is my understanding (from reading the open assertions of various Marriott owners and resellers) that there are certain rights / privileges / benefits / priorities associated with Marriott-direct purchases which simply do not exist in resale market purchases.

There is a Marriott-specific forum on tug2.net in which folks far more knowledgeable than I on this subject can (and do) elaborate in more detail. I don't have the knowledge to do so and don't / won't pretend otherwise.

Ken, thank you for your candidness. I'll have to check out the tug2.net site. Regards, Chuck

KEN & CHUCK, The Marriott system "rewards" owners with 100,000-200,000 points in alternative years given direct deposits - these are valuable points and accrue according to a very simple formula.

Recently my wife and I converted airline points to business class to Gatwick (no costs) and then toured the United Kingdom in Five Star Marriott hotels for 3 weeks (at no costs).

Although timeshares provide a luxury greater than an hotel, international travel with an auto is more practical if we are mobile.

I planned the trip w/o advice from Marriott because I clearly knew our interests and did not desire novice advice.

The question remains that if a Marriott timeshare is purchased on the secondary market (a temptation) would Marriott redeem the property for points - I have been advised no.

Holding over 500,000 Marriott, I am looking forward to another international adventure soon.

ronald118 wrote:

chuckg21 wrote:

ken1193 wrote:

chuckg21 wrote:

Hi Ken, Would you care to elaborate on your "second class citizen status" statement. Since I have only experienced 1st class citizenship status treatment thus far, I would be interested to know what I should expect as an owner of both a resale, and retail units. Thanks

============================================

Chuck: Precise and informed details are better obtained from a Marriott owner, which I am not (nor have I ever been). That said, it is my understanding (from reading the open assertions of various Marriott owners and resellers) that there are certain rights / privileges / benefits / priorities associated with Marriott-direct purchases which simply do not exist in resale market purchases.

There is a Marriott-specific forum on tug2.net in which folks far more knowledgeable than I on this subject can (and do) elaborate in more detail. I don't have the knowledge to do so and don't / won't pretend otherwise.

Ken, thank you for your candidness. I'll have to check out the tug2.net site. Regards, Chuck

KEN & CHUCK, The Marriott system "rewards" owners with 100,000-200,000 points in alternative years given direct deposits - these are valuable points and accrue according to a very simple formula.

Recently my wife and I converted airline points to business class to Gatwick (no costs) and then toured the United Kingdom in Five Star Marriott hotels for 3 weeks (at no costs).

Although timeshares provide a luxury greater than an hotel, international travel with an auto is more practical if we are mobile.

I planned the trip w/o advice from Marriott because I clearly knew our interests and did not desire novice advice.

The question remains that if a Marriott timeshare is purchased on the secondary market (a temptation) would Marriott redeem the property for points - I have been advised no.

Holding over 500,000 Marriott, I am looking forward to another international adventure soon.

I can tell you that as a Marriott owner of a week purchased on the resale market, and two weeks purchased directly from Marriott, that the point program does apply to resale properties. In short, you cannot redeem, or as Marriott refers, "trade for points." Like yourself, I have also benefited from the point program, by using points to fly my wife and I first class ($6,250 per ticket) to Tailand, and the Philippines, and used the two week stay certificates obtained for a week in a beach front, category 7, Marriott hotel on Maui, ($485 / night Marriott rate) and another week at a Scottsdale Arizona resort, category 5 ($369 / night), just on the points, no costs. In excess of $18,000 value. Having said that, I have no regrets purchasing the every other week 3br at the Las Vegas Grand Chateau (no point program) on the resale market at a substantial saving on the cost.

ronald118, quoted in relevant part, kindly clarifies:

>> The Marriott system "rewards" owners with 100,000-200,000 points in alternative years given direct deposits - these are valuable points and accrue according to a very simple formula.

The question remains that if a Marriott timeshare is purchased on the secondary market (a temptation) would Marriott redeem the property for points - I have been advised no. << =======================================

Thanks. This informative post helps alleviate my admitted ignorance about the difference between "Marriott direct" vs. "resale market" purchase of Marriott timeshares.

As I now understand it (...hopefully correctly), a resale market purchase of a Marriott week is NOT eligible for alternate year conversion to "Marriott points", although a "Mariott direct" purchase IS eligible for said conversion.

If this is really the only difference, I think "second class citizen" (words quoted from Marriott resale owners on other timeshare sites, not words of my own origin) may be a bit of overstatement in describing their Marriott resale market ownership. However, the multiple use application of points, as described by owners above, would certainly be a big "draw" for many people. In the end, I guess the value of those potential "reward points" vs. a resale market purchase without the possibility of deposit for points is a personal evaluation for each individual buyer to make on their own.

On a directly related note, a good friend of mine who is a Marriott owner asserts that this practice of "exclusion from conversion to other benefits" applying to resale market purchases is actually practiced by virtually EVERY "corporate" timeshare entity (Marriott, Hilton, etc.) EXCEPT Disney (DVC), which reportedly makes no such distinction. Can anyone here confirm or refute that particular belief? While I certainly have no interest whatsoever in "the Mouse", I'm nonetheless curious about this apparent lone policy anomaly among the "timeshare corporates".

ken1193 wrote:

ronald118, quoted in relevant part, kindly clarifies:

>> The Marriott system "rewards" owners with 100,000-200,000 points in alternative years given direct deposits - these are valuable points and accrue according to a very simple formula.

The question remains that if a Marriott timeshare is purchased on the secondary market (a temptation) would Marriott redeem the property for points - I have been advised no. << =======================================

Thanks. This informative post helps alleviate my admitted ignorance about the difference between "Marriott direct" vs. "resale market" purchase of Marriott timeshares.

As I now understand it (...hopefully correctly), a resale market purchase of a Marriott week is NOT eligible for alternate year conversion to "Marriott points", although a "Mariott direct" purchase IS eligible for said conversion.

If this is really the only difference, I think "second class citizen" (words quoted from Marriott resale owners on other timeshare sites, not words of my own origin) may be a bit of overstatement in describing their Marriott resale market ownership. However, the multiple use application of points, as described by owners above, would certainly be a big "draw" for many people. In the end, I guess the value of those potential "reward points" vs. a resale market purchase without the possibility of deposit for points is a personal evaluation for each individual buyer to make on their own.

On a directly related note, a good friend of mine who is a Marriott owner asserts that this practice of "exclusion from conversion to other benefits" applying to resale market purchases is actually practiced by virtually EVERY "corporate" timeshare entity (Marriott, Hilton, etc.) EXCEPT Disney (DVC), which reportedly makes no such distinction. Can anyone here confirm or refute that particular belief? While I certainly have no interest whatsoever in "the Mouse", I'm nonetheless curious about this apparent lone policy anomaly among the "timeshare corporates".

Does not apply to Disney Vaction Club and Hilton Grand Vacation Club

judik7 tersely stated: >>Does not apply to Disney Vaction Club and Hilton Grand Vacation Club<< ===============================================

Thanks for the brief reply. Sorry to be dense, but for more clarity --- WHAT does not apply?

Do you mean that unlike Marriott resales, where conversion to points is not an option if the week is purchased "resale", in BOTH DVC and HGVC there is NO difference in available owner benefits whether the purchase is corporate-direct or on the secondary (rersale) market?

I just want to make sure that I correctly and fully understand the less than clear reference in your brief response...

ken1193 wrote:

judik7 tersely stated: >>Does not apply to Disney Vaction Club and Hilton Grand Vacation Club<< ===============================================

Thanks for the brief reply. Sorry to be dense, but for more clarity --- WHAT does not apply?

Do you mean that unlike Marriott resales, where conversion to points is not an option if the week is purchased "resale", in BOTH DVC and HGVC there is NO difference in available owner benefits whether the purchase is corporate-direct or on the secondary (rersale) market?

I just want to make sure that I correctly and fully understand the less than clear reference in your brief response...

With Hilton Grand Vacation Club the points do not count towards the elite club. Other than that you will be able to use their program as it was intended.

judik7 wrote:

With Hilton Grand Vacation Club the points do not count towards the elite club. Other than that you will be able to use their program as it was intended.

========================================

Thanks, although I admit I have no clue what the HGVC "elite club" might be. It sure SOUNDS elite though... ;-)

In the end, perhaps my friends' assertion was exactly correct when he stated that DVC is the only "timeshare corporate" where there is absolutely no discernible difference in benefits between a developer-direct purchase and a resale market purchase. I'm not shopping for ANY of the "corporates", personally, but I still like to understand the rules of this often complex game called "timeshare".

Today, Interval Intl. does not exclude resale market MVC purchasers from the 24 day MVC to MVC priority exchange for internal exchanges. There have been rumors on this forum and tugbbs.com about Marriott studying plans to change the priority exchange rules to exclude future resale purchasers from access to priority exchange.

The primary difference between Marriott direct purchases and resale purchases is that only Marriott direct buyers can convert their villa usage to Marriott Reward points. The secondary differences are MR points purchase incentives and optional financing from Marriott.

Eric

ericf55 wrote:

Today, Interval Intl. does not exclude resale market MVC purchasers from the 24 day MVC to MVC priority exchange for internal exchanges. There have been rumors on this forum and tugbbs.com about Marriott studying plans to change the priority exchange rules to exclude future resale purchasers from access to priority exchange.

The primary difference between Marriott direct purchases and resale purchases is that only Marriott direct buyers can convert their villa usage to Marriott Reward points. The secondary differences are MR points purchase incentives and optional financing from Marriott.

Eric

Do not fall for all the rumors the only difference is in the points system and to many that does not matter when you can save some of the up to 40% commission that Marriott chargres sellers and pass some of it along as a savings to the buyer.

allanc19 wrote:

ericf55 wrote:

Today, Interval Intl. does not exclude resale market MVC purchasers from the 24 day MVC to MVC priority exchange for internal exchanges. There have been rumors on this forum and tugbbs.com about Marriott studying plans to change the priority exchange rules to exclude future resale purchasers from access to priority exchange.

The primary difference between Marriott direct purchases and resale purchases is that only Marriott direct buyers can convert their villa usage to Marriott Reward points. The secondary differences are MR points purchase incentives and optional financing from Marriott.

Eric

Do not fall for all the rumors the only difference is in the points system and to many that does not matter when you can save some of the up to 40% commission that Marriott chargres sellers and pass some of it along as a savings to the buyer.

Eric Thanks for the post! Question? Will clients who are astute enough to use the secondary Market be able to trade directly through the Marriott system or will these clients be confined to II?