Excgange through Interval International

[Dean]

Hmmm..... Been reading and thinking about a vacation strategy.

On years when I want to go to OKW, well, great! DVC points at hand!

On years when I want to go elsewhere, try II, if not available, then rent out my DVC points instead and pay cash for vacation, or maybe find someone who has a resort I want to go to and do a direct trade.

Any of that make any sense?

Two questions:

1. How secure is renting points? Best to find renter here? or eBay? With eBay, costs more money because of eBay fees.

2. How/where to find folks for direct trade?

Thanks,

Andy

I think it is a good strategy overall. Renting points as an owner is very safe if you do it correctly. I'd stick with here and the Timeshare Users Group for occasional renting. TUG and here also for direct trades.

 

[Dean]

BLooks like timeshare trade and sales can be a complex operation. Too bad II can't accomadate folks as the advetisements on the DVC site and II site seem to imply.

Oh, well, looks like I need to learn as many of the ins and outs as I can and best ways to use my DVC to have the vacations we want.

Certainly learning the system will give you the best chance of success. II does just fine but they can't give you what they don't have. Remember that with most top resorts and weeks, the owners use them, rent them or trade them privately, just like DVC. Timeshare trading is more for the middle and lower tier owners. And that is part of the problem owning and trading a top expensive resort like DVC. Most exchanges are down trades and it's hard to generate value doing so.

Wow! This is the most interesting piece of informaiton I've heard so far.

Where did you find this info?

and more importantly,

Is DVC totaly unaware if this?

You've posted a couple of times with thoughts that suggest you have far greater expectations of the system and DVC's understanding and involvement in it, that is accurate. This is timeshare trading, it's not an exact science. DVC makes no warranties to availability, quality, etc. They are simply offering you an option that has low value overall and they don't understand overall themselves. It is what it is, a crap shoot at best.

You were told correctly, they don't take points until a match is accepted. You don't even have to leave the points sitting there while the search is going on though there is a risk you might match when you don't have points accessible but not a big one for most members.

 

[zzyzx409]

Certainly learning the system will give you the best chance of success. II does just fine but they can't give you what they don't have. Remember that with most top resorts and weeks, the owners use them, rent them or trade them privately, just like DVC. Timeshare trading is more for the middle and lower tier owners. And that is part of the problem owning and trading a top expensive resort like DVC. Most exchanges are down trades and it's hard to generate value doing so.
You've posted a couple of times with thoughts that suggest you have far greater expectations of the system and DVC's understanding and involvement in it, that is accurate. This is timeshare trading, it's not an exact science. DVC makes no warranties to availability, quality, etc. They are simply offering you an option that has low value overall and they don't understand overall themselves. It is what it is, a crap shoot at best.

You were told correctly, they don't take points until a match is accepted. You don't even have to leave the points sitting there while the search is going on though there is a risk you might match when you don't have points accessible but not a big one for most members.

I have indeed learned a lot here the last couple of days. I didn't mean to come off too negaitve, I just did not know the ropes, and it is hard to hide dissapointment. I still don't know the ropes, but I am willing to learn, and use what I have access to to the most reasonable limits.

I had no idea that timeshare trading (even through II) was such a "crap shoot", but I'm finding out, and that's OK, I just need to know what I can do.

Sorry if I came across to negative or sounding like I was owed something, that is not what I meant. I'm just new to this concept of using my DVC for something besides DVC.

I really do appreciate all the time all of you have taken to explain things to me. I hope I'm not labled as "Mr. Negativity" or "Mr. The World Owes Something" because that's not who I am.

I am just trying to learn and perhaps in my zeal to learn too much too quickly I have left the wrong impression.

Thanks for your patience.

Andy

 

[Dean]

I have indeed learned a lot here the last couple of days. I didn't mean to come off too negaitve, I just did not know the ropes, and it is hard to hide dissapointment. I still don't know the ropes, but I am willing to learn, and use what I have access to to the most reasonable limits.

I had no idea that timeshare trading (even through II) was such a "crap shoot", but I'm finding out, and that's OK, I just need to know what I can do.

Sorry if I came across to negative or sounding like I was owed something, that is not what I meant. I'm just new to this concept of using my DVC for something besides DVC.

I really do appreciate all the time all of you have taken to explain things to me. I hope I'm not labled as "Mr. Negativity" or "Mr. The World Owes Something" because that's not who I am.

I am just trying to learn and perhaps in my zeal to learn too much too quickly I have left the wrong impression.

Thanks for your patience.

Andy

Not at all Andy. I think many people put far too much trust in DVC rather than doing their homework and I see this as a common problem among DVC and potential DVC owners. Hopefully this will be a lesson for others as it has been for you. Forewarned is forearmed so to speak. But as I've noted a number of times, there are situations where it will likely work more than not. It's just that a single resort for a week or two during a time when they don't even deposit, is not that situation. And DVC, likely not even II, will be able to tell you that you're barking up the wrong tree. You've got to go find that out for yourself.

 

[CPTJAK]

For people that want to use trading combined with DVC:

if you want flexibility buy minimum points at DVC for everyother year trip or smaller trips and buy a seperate EOY timeshare for trading or staying at in off years

 

[ChloeChipper]

I just had to step in. I am NOT a DVC owner, I traded INTO DVC using Interval International. I know that the process DVC owners uses is different than that for those of us who deal with II directly. I just wanted to share that II works well, and that I have always gotten a trade that I have requested. Of course it takes some planning and if you want peak times at a peak resort you may be disappointed.

I have traded successfully into many areas, at some popular times of the year. Our timeshare is across from the beach, between LA & San Diego. So its a good 'trade power' resort, which might help me, not sure. I just wanted everyone to realize that II is a good way to trade your timeshares (maybe not for DVC people, but for others it is).

 

[jlx2]

Has anyone ever had any luck trading into the Westin St. John? We just put in a request for 2008 and we're pretty flexable with dates. (Any time In Feb., March, April, May, first week in June or November for a 1 bedroom.) We could only put in a request for February so far out, and I need to keep calling to add my dates on. From what I understand this is a difficult property to get, and I was just wondering if anyone else had any luck there. Thanks!

 

[Dean]

I just had to step in. I am NOT a DVC owner, I traded INTO DVC using Interval International. I know that the process DVC owners uses is different than that for those of us who deal with II directly. I just wanted to share that II works well, and that I have always gotten a trade that I have requested. Of course it takes some planning and if you want peak times at a peak resort you may be disappointed.

I have traded successfully into many areas, at some popular times of the year. Our timeshare is across from the beach, between LA & San Diego. So its a good 'trade power' resort, which might help me, not sure. I just wanted everyone to realize that II is a good way to trade your timeshares (maybe not for DVC people, but for others it is).

It depends. II is great for those trading mid level timeshares. It can be good for some other options trading high demand for like weeks though this is a risky direction unless you can do search first. I do great trading II but it's because I put myself in a position to always be trading up but request things that are realistic. Just today I traded a lower rated 1 BR pink week for a 2 BR SSR in Dec for the week we'll be there anyway. The same would not have been possible a week later, during Easter or the summer.

 

[phyllisnnj]

Has anyone ever had any luck trading into the Westin St. John? We just put in a request for 2008 and we're pretty flexable with dates. (Any time In Feb., March, April, May, first week in June or November for a 1 bedroom.) We could only put in a request for February so far out, and I need to keep calling to add my dates on. From what I understand this is a difficult property to get, and I was just wondering if anyone else had any luck there. Thanks!

FYI.. According to this thread, there are only 24 one bedroom villas - www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=18853

Note: Starwood owners have first priority for II exchanges back into Starwood resorts