Sky Auction

[kjwdad2]

Anyone have info on Sky Auction..... Looking for feedback ... good or bad. I have been checking it out and I have some reservations. I figured that I would get the best advice here on the DIS.

Just got back 2 weeks ago... it was a great trip even though we danced through JEAN!!!!

Stayed at the Vistana and they have auctions to bid on and they really seem reasonable.

Any advice would be helpful.

Thanks

Ken from NJ

 

[spiceycat]

Skyauction is RCI bidding site.

RCI is the exchange company that Sheraton's Vistana (at this time) is using.

I say at this time because Sheraton's Vistana has recently over issue like this - decided to also go with II.

It is fine and RCI backs it up.

there are much better deals than SHeraton's Vistana...

these are timeshares not wanted by their members - in fact I think their is a lawsuit now against RCI over this and other websites.

If you are in the military - there is an even better one. Since I don't think you have to bid - it is a flat rate.

I think there are at least 5 (maybe more) that RCI is letting the general public use timeshares. this has cause a great amount of upset among timeshare owners to say the least.

II also has a site - there is not a bidding - just a flat rate - the closer to your time sometimes the better the price.

www.condodirect.com

others will disagree but I think it helps both - the general public gets a great introduction into timeshares and the exchange companies can kept their cost down. but that is the problem with RCI - since they have introduced these websites - every year the cost of exchanging to them has gone up. So why they are being sued?

 

[denapoli]

My experience has been great with skyauction in the northeast. The first time I won an auction at Smugglers Notch in Vermonts for 7 nights for a total of about $200 tax and all for the entire 7 nights for a two bedroom suite because no one else bid on it. Normally these rooms go for $400 to $500 per night at least. I was only able to use it for 4 nights and then I left. But on our way driving there I kept feeling like it was one of those deals too good to be true and that we would arrive (even though I called and confirmed our reservation) at the resort and find out it was some kind of hoax and find out that we were dooped. Well it was real and I've been getting a lot of ski weekends (I have one in January 2005) at incredible deals. Just make sure you read the entire offer and find out what the mandatory tax is despite your bid offer as well as and peak period surcharges.

 

[PhotobearSam]

Hve used them 5 times...Loved the experience and as long as your research the condos here or on tripadvisor.com you should be fine...

 

[crazelion]

If in military check arm forces network travel club. It's something like that. Do a google search. Also check out the government site to. The addy is http://www.getravelop.com/html/ge_index2.asp . The Arm forces looks exactly like this one.

 

[lawgs]

spiceycat

it is a site that has access to RCI inventory, according to madge from RCI on the TUG board, skyauction buys up inventory that is considered "excess"

maybe deep in the corporate "bowels" cendant has its hands ON skyauction but it does not seem that RCI owns skyauction

 

[aquidneck]

I bid on the Skyauction Vistana Resort 2 bed for a week. Skyauction charged $195 and the total was low $500's. Not bad Thanksgiving week. I'm happy with the price and it can fit my family of six.

 

[Lucky4me]

I will cry if Skyauction is forced out of business. I've booked dozens of weeks for ourselves, friends and family. Bottom line is it may hurt the sales of new timeshares, but what a great way to fill those empty rooms. Especially in saturated timeshare areas like Orlando and Hilton Head Island, S.C.

I've already bid and won a week for 4th of July next year in the Poconos for a total of $225. We went to the same place this year for a total of $300. Split between 2 families, there is no cheaper vacation. There was so much for the kids to do there free of charge, I felt like we were stealing the vacation.

We also sold our timeshare because of Skyacution. Why tie up $8000 of our money? We paid $700 a year in maintenance and I was getting the same resort through Skyauction at the time of year I wanted for well under $500. It did not make sense to keep it. Now we have that $8,000 collecting interest.

The only exception I believe is DVC. If I owned that I'd hang onto it. It seems to hold it's value very well.

The only auctions I bid on are the Ready Set Go and the designated weeks at certain places. I will not bid on per night auctions as they are not the best bang for your buck.

If you have any other questions I'd be glad to help!

 

[iluvflorida]

DON'T BID ON SKYAUCTION. THEY ARE TERRIBLE.
Actually my nose is growing. I have been using skyauction for several years and have booked many weeks for self, friends and others. They are great. Just wish the news was not travelling as fast as it is as prices are going up( more users). Prices are still great and below maintenacne and taxes of people that own. So I reluctanly recommend them.

 

[carolina traveler]

LUCKY4ME. How did you do it?

I am in the same situation. I have a time share in Orlando that I would like to sell because renting seems to be cheaper than owning. I paid 6000 thousand for it but I'm not willing to give it away for peanuts. According to your post you could sell it for what you pay for it. How did you do it?

 

[jdm]

Can someone tell me how I get to the "Ready, Set, Go" section of the Skyauction site? I haven't been on there in a couple of years and if I remember correctly, it was right on the home page to the left. Can't find it now...... the site seems kind of confusing.

Thanks
Jenn

 

[Local_Girl]

jdm,

Click on the search feature and type in "ready" and you will pull up all the current RSG auctions.

 

[Lucky4me]

Carolina Traveler, that amount is actually several thousand less than what my husband paid for it 20 years ago, but still a great deal. We had tried to sell it for a few years and got no more than offers of $2,000. We got a buy back offer from the management company who owns our resort. We grabbed it.

Unfortunately, you usually don't make back 1/4 of what you bought your TS for unless you bought it resale to begin with.