This Buyer's Guide to Monarch Grand Vacations by Pacific Monarch was written by Timeshare Village to help eBay buyers make an intelligent decision when purchasing a Monarch Timeshare.  This Guide will also help you understand how Monarch Timeshares work.  Keep in mind, we believe this information to be correct as of September, 2007.  You should always very the information with Monarch Grand Vacations or Pacific Monarch Resorts prior to relying on this Guide in deciding if you would like to purchase or sell a MGV timeshare or Pacific Monarch timeshare.  Monarch Grand Vacations may change any of their fees or policies at any time.  The guide is broken into three parts:  Critical Issues, Different Monarch Ownerships & Programs, and How It Works.

Critical Issues

Timeshare is a complicated product.  You have deeded weeks, fractional ownerships, memberships, right to use, and points based ownerships.  Each timeshare has its own unique set of benefits aside from just timesharing (airline tickets, all inclusive, extra stays, bonus time, bonus weeks, travel clubs, day use, etc.). The market for timeshare is constantly changing and volatile. For these reasons, and for the following, it is best to purchase from an experienced Real Estate Broker.

1. There are different kinds of Monarch Timeshares and they work differently.  Many Owners are not familiar with the different Monarch Timeshares and sometimes advertise them without letting potential bidders know the difference.  This is not intentional in most cases, but it does happen regularly.  An experienced Broker will verify the Ownership with Pacific Monarch directly to ensure you get the Monarch Timeshare you want.
2. Timeshare Village employs licensed Real Estate Brokers who specialize in Monarch Timeshares.  We are on eBay for the long run and will bend over backward to make sure you are happy with your purchase.  A good Broker can offer after purchase help and explain how to best use your Monarch Timeshare.
   
3. Since the timeshare has been properly verified, you can be assured that the listing is accurate.
   
4. You are making an important purchase.  You want to be sure that the Transfer of Ownership is done correctly and legally.
5. As Brokers, we have spoken to Owners who thought their timeshare was free and clear.  Timeshare Village then discovers that money is owed; maintenance fees are not up to date, among a host of complications.  This could saddle you, the buyer, with transfer complications or unexpected expenses.

Different Monarch Ownerships & Programs

Aside from the above sales pitch, there are some real concerns that you need to know about.  Most importantly, the different kinds of Monarch Timeshares.  Here they are:

1. Monarch Grand Vacations (this is what most buyers are looking for).  This is a Points based membership that can be used at all Monarch Resorts.  You can choose the size unit you need, you can choose the length of stay (one day or 10 days), and you can choose any Monarch resort you like (9 resorts).  You can make a different choice each time you use the ownership.  This membership is into perpetuity (you own it forever).  You will also have use of any resort that is added to the Monarch Grand Vacations network in the future.
2. Deeded Points.  This is a deeded week at one resort which is expressed in Points.  It almost sounds like a Monarch Grand Vacations membership.  However, it is different.  You can split up your time, but only in the home resort where it is deeded.  If you want to go into any other Monarch resort you would have to trade your deeded week using Interval International.  You are limited to a like (same size and season) week.  You cannot split the week up when you trade it.  You are able to upgrade this ownership to the Monarch Grand Vacations membership, but it usually costs a couple of thousand dollars to do so.
3. Deeded Weeks.  These are the oldest type of Monarch timeshares.  Calling them a Monarch timeshare is not correct, they are actually called Pacific Monarch (Pacific Monarch is the developer of Monarch Grand Vacations).  They are the traditional timeshare weeks where you own at one resort.  You cannot split up the week at your home resort and if you want to go elsewhere you need to trade using Interval International.
   

How It Works

The reality of the marketplace is that most buyers only want the pure Points based Memberships, the Monarch Grand Vacations (MGV) timeshares.  This Guide will focus on how that works.  Please be aware that this is simply a Guide and is subject to change.

Every MGV ownership has an anniversary date when the Points are awarded and they are awarded every two years.  For example if the anniversary date is April 1st and was purchased in an even year, then every even year, on April 1st, the Points are renewed.  That is, a new set of Points are awarded April 1, 2008; April 1, 2010; April 1, 2012; April 1, 2014; and so forth - forever.

The Points must be used within two years of being awarded.  So, for example, if your Points were renewed on April 1, 2008, you must use them by March 31, 2010.  On March 31, 2010 the Points expire and are lost forever.  You may extend their life, so to speak, by booking a week before they expire and giving that week to Interval International (the trading company associated with MGV).  Interval will then give you up to two years from the date your deposited week starts to request a week in their system.  However, please note that your ability to trade is vastly improved if you deposit early and request well in advance.

Many buyers ask how many weeks will their Points get them.  This depends on how those Points are used.  MGV allows you to choose which resort you would like to visit (some resorts require more Points than others), which size unit you need (a one bedroom, in general, uses fewer Points than a two bedroom), when you want to go (high season uses more Points than low season and a Saturday uses more Points than a Tuesday), and how long you want to stay (longer stay uses more Points).  MGV Points are quite stable, but Point values are determined by the Association that governs MGV.  The Association could change the Point values.  The following is a guideline (but keep in mind they could change).  It is accurate as of August 1, 2006.

133 POINTS (One Week, One Bedroom, Cancun Resort in Las Vegas)

155 POINTS (One Week, Two Bedroom, Cancun Resort in Las Vegas)

288 POINTS (One Week, Penthouse, Cancun Resort in Las Vegas)

98 POINTS (One Week, Junior Villa, Tahoe Seasons Resort during Prime Season)

8 Points (A One Day stay on a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday in a Junior Villa during High Season at the Cedar Breaks Lodge & Spa)

599 POINTS (One Week, Ocean View, Grand Penthouse, Cabo Azul Resort in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico)

133 POINTS (One Week, Garden View, Grand One Bedroom, Cabo Azul Resort in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico)

For a complete Points Chart please contact us:  Timeshare Village.  We would be happy to send you one.

As an MGV Owner, you also have access to Monarch Escape Time.  This allows you stay at Monarch Resorts at preferred rates without using any Points.  You can use the Escape time as much as you like, within the limitation of a maximum stay of 4 days.

Day Use is the ability to use the facilities (swimming pool, owners lounge, etc.) at a Monarch Resort from dawn to dusk without charge.  It is unlimited.

MGV is an Ownership into perpetuity with the right to sell, rent out your time, gift, or leave to loved one in a will or trust.

MGV is affiliated with Interval International, a trading company.  This allows you to trade your time at a Monarch resort for other resorts in Interval International.  Trades are done in weekly chunks.  So, you must be able to book a week at one of the Monarch resorts in order to trade.

Monarch Grand Vacations charges $150 per Ownership to combine Ownerships.  So, to combine two Ownerships would cost $300.  To combine three would cost $450.  Before you can combine any Ownerships, the new Ownerships must be transfered into your name through the normal process (Monarch charges $100 to transfer an Ownership into your name).  If you decide not to combine ownerships, the ownerships will be linked as a courtesy provided by Monarch Grand Vacations (essentially you can use them as one ownership).  However, if you do not combine, the ownership anniversary dates will be separate, the maintenance fees will be billed separately, and the Points in each ownership will expire at different times (assuming the ownerships have different anniversary dates to begin with).

Final Note

Timeshare Village hopes this guide was helpful.  If you have any additional questions, please don't hesitate to contact us.  Thanks and happy vacationing!