If you’re looking into how timeshare points work, we’d bet you’re interested in buying a timeshare or are at least considering it. The easiest way to understand how vacation club or timeshare points work is to think of them as a currency. The more points you have to spend, the more vacations/better resorts/longer stays you can book. Find out how many points you need, how they work, and where to buy them.
Understanding How Timeshare Points Work
When timesharing began, most developers offered owners the chance to buy the right to vacation at a timeshare resort for one week. As you might have guessed, this was typically the same week every year at the same place. Undoubtedly, as times changed, developers and vacationers made it clear that travel with timeshares should be more flexible.
That’s where timeshare points came from. In an effort to offer timeshare owners more flexibility, most developers have moved to a points-based timeshare system. Now, members can purchase as many points as they would like. The amount of points you own directly affects when and where you can travel. With timeshare points, owners can tailor their vacations to be exactly what they need. As opposed to a weeks-based timeshare, points can allow flexibility in the time of year and duration of vacations.
There are a few factors that can affect how many points will be needed to take a certain vacation. The popularity of the resort, the season of travel, the size of the unit, and resort amenities are among the top contributing factors. Within a brand, it’s likely that a vacation to a popular destination like Maui would cost more than one of their smaller mountain resorts. Of course, these factors are case-by-case and are different based on the timeshare brand.
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- Timeshare Resale Vs. Resale
- The Best Vacation Clubs
- How to Buy a Timeshare
- How to Get Financing
Vacation Clubs and Timeshare Points
If you buy timeshare points, you are typically entered into that brand’s vacation club. For example, if you buy from Hilton, you would now be a member of the Hilton Grand Vacations Club (aka HGVC). Vacation clubs differ between brands but the exclusivity and benefits are pretty similar across the board. Some of the best vacation clubs offer exclusive benefits to owners. Most brands offer vacation club members early booking access, priority booking, concierge, flights, and more.
Undoubtedly, some of the biggest perks to buying timeshare points are the discounts and priority given to members. Each timeshare brand offers different ways to get special perks by using your timeshare points. Some brands offer members-only benefits like discounts, access to special trips, and invites to exclusive events.
How To Get The Most Out Of Your Timeshare Points
Of course, the biggest perk of owning timeshare points is a lifetime of incredible vacations. Staying at a timeshare resort typically means that you will experience better amenities than a typical hotel. The most obvious upgrade you’ll experience with a timeshare is accommodation size. Oftentimes, timeshare villas have fully-equipped kitchens and laundry units. These conveniences will definitely improve your vacation experience! Timeshare resorts also often offer luxury amenities such as multiple pools, fitness centers, restaurants, and more! Timeshare resorts really do feel like homes away from home!
Something that really improves timeshare ownership is the ability to join vacation exchange networks. RCI and Interval International are two of the most popular exchange networks in the world. With RCI and II, owners can deposit their timeshare points to exchange for a stay at a different resort. These networks work with some of the biggest timeshare brands like Club Wyndham, Disney Vacation Club, and Hilton Grand Vacations. With vacation exchange, owners can use their existing timeshare points to travel the world!
If you know that you won’t be able to use your points for a certain year, don’t fret! There are ways to work around this without having to sell your timeshare points. One option is banking your points. This will differ from brand to brand, but many companies offer the ability to bank your points for the future. This means that you can deposit this year’s points to next year. This is also helpful if you want to take a long vacation one year, but don’t want to buy additional points.
Renting out your timeshare points is also a great option. There are many companies that offer timeshare rentals. These companies, like Timeshares Only, help owners rent out their unused timeshare points for that year.
How Many Points Do I Need?
So, “how many points do I need?” One thing to remember is that the amount of points you need to buy depends on the brand and where you want to travel. Each timeshare brand has its very own point system and rules. Additionally, each brand values points differently.
For example, Disney Vacation Club (aka DVC) offers members a stay starting at around 30 points a night. So, if you were to buy 300 DVC points, you could then stay at a DVC resort for about 10 nights total either consecutively or throughout the year. However, as with DVC and other brands, different resorts cost different amounts of points based on popularity, availability, location, and more.
If you were to buy into Hilton Grand Vacations Club with 7,000 timeshare points, a week at certain HGVC resorts would cost 5,800 points. So even though it seems like a lot more points than DVC, you would still be getting a week’s worth of vacation. Keep in mind, these are just example scenarios and are subject to the brand’s discretion.
Timeshare Weeks Vs. Points
While some timeshare owners desire flexibility within their ownership, some enjoy consistency. This is why timeshare points could be considered frustrating for those who like to know exactly when and where they will vacation. Weeks-based timeshares guarantee the same week at the same resort, but that isn’t necessarily the case with points.
With a points-based system, owners are able to book vacations in advance. However, if you desire to stay at a popular resort during Spring Break, you might have difficulty. You are competing with every other owner who is also trying to book a vacation at that resort at that time. If you are able to be flexible with when and where you vacation, then timeshare points can definitely work for you!
How To Use Timeshare Resale Points
If you’re seriously considering buying timeshare points, we recommend checking the resale market first. Many times you can find the resort and point-package you want for less (sometimes 3x less!) by shopping resale. You can skip the timeshare presentation and work with a legitimate timeshare resale company to get the job done right. If you’re interested in financing your timeshare, we can help with that, too.
In general, timeshare points bought on the resale market are used the same way as points purchased directly from the brand. Once you buy your timeshare points, you can use them to book vacations with the developer. There are certain restrictions that apply to points bought on the resale market, so it’s important to check how buying resale will affect your membership. For example, Hilton Grand Vacations points bought resale will not contribute to achieving HGV’s Elite Status tier.
Buying points resale is also helpful for current timeshare owners. Adding points is a great way to improve your experience as a timeshare owner! You can use extra points to add days to your vacation, travel to a more popular resort, or even upgrade your accommodation size.
Buy Timeshare Resale
Whether you’re new to timeshare ownership or have been looking for a way to improve your current ownership, we’re here to help! If you’re ready to buy timeshare points, we recommend talking to one of our timeshare representatives. We can help you find the perfect timeshare brand for you and help you determine how many points would work best for your family!
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