Original Message:
Re: The value of owning at KoOlina when you can't go (by James W.):
FYI, All Time Share maintenance fees in Hawaii are going up this year. Hawaii revalued property in 2006 and so it impacted everyone. I also own a week in Maui and the same thing happened there. Ugh!
Ko Olina was also hit a bit harder this year because the developer subsidy ended. This was money the developer paid MVCI for the uncompleted units. Although construction continues, the subsidies are gone.
As an owner, you should have received a letter in late November or early December explaining why maintenance fees went up so drastically.
Although I stay at my Ko Olina property almost every year, I have not any any trouble trading out for another location since Hawaii is the #1 requested trade. However, I try to stay within Marriott VCI as you have priority within II over non-Marriott owners.
There is some talk that Marriott plans to start doing it’s own exchanges, but that is a couple years away yet.
With regard to bonus weeks, they are only given on property, like Ko Olina, where the demand is high. It’s an incentive to trade your week.
Hope this helps shed some light.