If he want points, recommend he sign up for the Marriott credit card- and then simply buy 50,000 pts per year at $625. (at the current rate of $12.50 per thousand)... Buy your groceries and gas on the card- and keep your money!
http://www.marriott.com/rewards/crea...ccountPage1.mi
Still don't believe me? Even after all the "Buy Resale" threads you've seen?? The developer salesperson showed you on paper how much you are going to save?
OK- Let's get analytical for a moment and break down the numbers:
Aruba Surf- 2br OV Platinum annual usage- approx $39,000 from the developer (or monthly payments of about $550.)....
This ownership gives you 110,000 reward pts when you trade in your week (remember, this means you are giving up your week of vacation at the resort!)- plus you will probably get a purchase incentive of about 90,000 reward pts for buying "today"!
That's 200,000 reward pts for your first year.. You now trade in your week for the next 53 years (usage expires in 2061), and never even go to the resort you own... You've now accumulated just over 6 million reward pts (worth $75,000 if you bought direct)..
Now- let's see how much this cost you!
M. fees are currently just over $1,000.. Let's say they stay exactly the same for the rest of the ownership term (I know- that doesn't happen- but remember- we are still in "Analytical Land" so we need to make this easy!)...
We add your purchase price of $39,000 to the fees you've paid of $53,000..
You've now paid more than $92,000 for $75,000 worth of Marriott Reward Points.. Congrats!
THE ONLY REASON TO BUY A MARRIOTT TIMESHARE is if you plan on using it! And if you plan on using it, the reward points will never matter! Do yourself a favor and save about $15,000....... and buy resale!
