SURVEY: Do you know you could swap reservations to any resort with another DVC member

[Chellymouse]

I'm so glad to have found this thread! I had no idea we could "swap" with other members for home resort advantage. DH wants to add on (we haven't even been home yet and he has "add-on-itis") at AKV, but I want to consider BWV before we make any decisions and it's a pain in the neck at the 7 month window because we tend to travel during popular DVC times.

 

[DisDaydreamer]

I voted in favor of Op's actions, however, I thought something had changed and we could now do reciprocal transfers. Given that nothing has changed I have to say I would have no desire to deal with two 3rd party's handling of reciprocal rentings, which truly is what this would be.

It frosts me that DVC won't allow a simple two transfers per year instead of one. Two transfers would change everything and would be a nice perk. It certainly wouldn't jeopardize any efforts to stem commercial renting seeing that people can otherwise make up to 20 ressies annually and not raise any flags.

Nope, in my mind this rule is designed to make it impossible to "SWAP" points and pressure people to buy into additional resorts.

Okay... I'll step down from my soapbox now....

 

[BWV Dreamin]

I don't know - just giving my opinion.

Bu the more I think about direct swaps, the more complicated they become. My guess - just a guess mind you - is that the reason we don't see tons of direct swaps is that swaps are complicated and not because of a failure for DIS board members to be aware that they can ask for such things on the DIS.

I appreciate your opinion, please let everyone feel comfortable to speak (type! ) I just don't see how it would more complicated to "Direct Exchange" vs. Renting. We would be working with known members. Can you elaborate? Thanks.....this is a very good ongoing discussion!

 

[ZekeKelso]

I just don't see how it would more complicated to "Direct Exchange" vs. Renting. We would be working with known members. Can you elaborate?

A swap isn't that different from a rental. You are still dealing with a stranger. You still have trust/privacy issues. You still have to make and manage someone else's reservation.

The complication is finding a person to trade with. To slip into math geek mode - remember Venn Diagrams?

There may be a hundred folks who want to rent you the points you need. And there may be a hundred folks who want to rent the points you are offering. But how many folks not only have points for you, but are looking for your points? And to make it work, you probably want somebody looking for about the same number of points and wanting to travel about when you are. To narrow it further, they need to be DIS posters who happen to go to Rent/Trade board at the same time you are there.

 

[Chuck S]

I appreciate your opinion, please let everyone feel comfortable to speak (type! ) I just don't see how it would more complicated to "Direct Exchange" vs. Renting. We would be working with known members. Can you elaborate? Thanks.....this is a very good ongoing discussion!

I don't want to speak for ZekeKelso, but here, IMO, is how it is more complicated. For a cash rental, the owner call, makes your ressie, you send cash. A pretty simple transaction, though there are risks.

Now, for a trade/swap you advertise, for example, that you own BCV and want to trade to BWV. A BWV owner reponds and makes your reservation (yay!) and you call, only to find there is no availability at BCV for the owners date.

Do you then pay for the points, and make it a cash rental. Do you cancel the reservation? Do you allow the reservation to stand, while going on a waitlist? To many "what ifs" over a standard cash rental.

What if they want their vacation before you want yours, and they take the vacation, then cancel your reservation? They are still strangers, after all.

Do you require a cash deposit, sort of an escrow or performance bond, on both sides of the transaction?

 

[BWV Dreamin]

A swap isn't that different from a rental. You are still dealing with a stranger. You still have trust/privacy issues. You still have to make and manage someone else's reservation.

The complication is finding a person to trade with. To slip into math geek mode - remember Venn Diagrams?

There may be a hundred folks who want to rent you the points you need. And there may be a hundred folks who want to rent the points you are offering. But how many folks not only have points for you, but are looking for your points? And to make it work, you probably want somebody looking for about the same number of points and wanting to travel about when you are. To narrow it further, they need to be DIS posters who happen to go to Rent/Trade board at the same time you are there.

Love the venn diagram (and the pink!) A science major myself, I do appreciate this. But we are dealing with unkowns.....until a separate forum is posted, we have no way to TEST the results. Grouped separately, they could be easily referenced. I don't want to have to read all the "for rent" postings to get to the "exchange" postings. Maybe today no one responds to my posting, but maybe next week they will. Others won't have to sift thru all the other stuff.

 

[bwvBound]

REMINDER: The Timeshare User's Group (TUG) already has a website for Direct Exchange between owners.

 

[TenThousandVolts]

I think the 30 day rule was a very well-thought out rule that pretty-much eliminates spec renting on the DIS. I would not want to see that changed.

 

[crisi]

I don't want to speak for ZekeKelso, but here, IMO, is how it is more complicated. For a cash rental, the owner call, makes your ressie, you send cash. A pretty simple transaction, though there are risks.

Here is where I see it as more complicated.

I have BWV points (I do). I don't need to swap with someone to get into SSR, there is usually availablity at seven months - so "what's in that swap for me?"

Maybe, I might be willing to trade my window for the same number of points at VWL in Early December, but there aren't a lot of even trade deals for BWV/BCV over Food and Wine or in December - which is the point in time its difficult to book seven or less months out. Face it, no one is looking to trade so they can stay in September. And I can't see many people wanting to go through the risk and hassle to trade for any resort easily booked with your own points seven months out.

I suppose that an SSR owner and myself could negotiate some cash thrown in, or a longer SSR stay - but that gets complicated - seems easier for them to rent the BWV points for cash and then rent out their SSR points to a third party for cash than to negotiate an exchange rate.

Finding two members in agreement on what their points are worth may be a challenge. But I've been wrong plenty of times before.

 

[BWV Dreamin]

I don't want to speak for ZekeKelso, but here, IMO, is how it is more complicated. For a cash rental, the owner call, makes your ressie, you send cash. A pretty simple transaction, though there are risks.

Now, for a trade/swap you advertise, for example, that you own BCV and want to trade to BWV. A BWV owner reponds and makes your reservation (yay!) and you call, only to find there is no availability at BCV for the owners date.

Do you then pay for the points, and make it a cash rental. Do you cancel the reservation? Do you allow the reservation to stand, while going on a waitlist? To many "what ifs" over a standard cash rental.

What if they want their vacation before you want yours, and they take the vacation, then cancel your reservation? They are still strangers, after all.

Do you require a cash deposit, sort of an escrow or performance bond, on both sides of the transaction?

Why not let the posters worry about all of that? There is no responsibility on Disboards part, they are simply the posting forum. Take a look at the TUGS link, doesn't seem like there are any problems there.

 

[bobbiwoz]

Doing a swap for an OKW GV would be of interest to me. Alternately, DH and I talked about buying some OKW points.

Bobbi

 

[Chuck S]

Why not let the posters worry about all of that? There is no responsibility on Disboards part, they are simply the posting forum. Take a look at the TUGS link, doesn't seem like there are any problems there.

I was simply giving you reasons why a trade is more complicated, which you actually asked for, not answering whether the DIS boards should or should not create a trade forum.

 

[WelcomeHome]

To quote an old John Lennon Song:

"All we are saying, is give "DVC Direct Exchanges", I mean peace, a chance!"

Best wishes,
Dave

 

[DVC Mike]

I think the 30 day rule was a very well-thought out rule that pretty-much eliminates spec renting on the DIS. I would not want to see that changed.

Agreed.

 

[Starr W.]

I figure the only thing I have that anyone would want to swap would be my VB points(BC anyone?). A GV at SSR for a holiday time?

But I've been thinking, what would I want to swap for? Maybe HHI in the summer? AKV conceirge? A 3br, I have SSR points to do that. With the kids, god knows when I'll be down for F&W or 1st of December, so I'm not in the market for BCV/BWV or VWL in their popular times. If I was I'd just wl and if it didn't come through I'd just stay at SSR.

 

[Mini Sorcerer's Mom]

I think some of us are being rather pessimistic and over analyzing the 'what if?' If you are so against a 'swap' then do not do one but there are many that agree this would be a great benefit to our membership.

The 'swap' would be needed most at the peak times and done most often at the 11 month window. If, for example, I found a VWL owner willing to make a 220pt. ressie for me but either they were uncertain of their exact trip dates or their first choice was booked I would simply transfer 220 AKV pts. into their account and they can make their own reservation when they are ready.

Plus, we all have access to what is and is not available. I could call DVC membership anytime to see if next Easter at the BCV is open...I can't book it, but I can check. So before I agree to a swap I would make certain what I want is available.

I too say, Give it a chance!!!

 

[Laxmom]

I am interested in exploring anything that will help us maximize our ownership. Why shoot down something when the details have yet to be ironed out? I agree with the previous posters; give it a chance. Do it if you like, don't if you don't. What do you have to lose by checking it out? No one is asking anyone to trade their reservation right this minute. If it works out, great. If it doesn't, nothing lost. We'll never know unless we try.

I am aware of the direct trade portion of TUG and I have looked it over and I might use it for my Marriotts but I would rather deal with other DVC owners when looking at trading any DVC reservations.

 

[FLYNZ4]

I think a LOT of people are making this overly complicated.

All that is being asked is to change the name on an already existing board...

FROM: Trade Wanted (or whatever it is called)

TO: Home Resort Swap Wanted.​

Every other argument... value, availability, desireability, finding people, taxes, etc, etc, etc... is simply noise that is clouding the request.

The fact is the mechanism already exists... and the OP is simply making an observation that current naming is ineffective at attracting current members... and that it would be an improvement in marketing if the name was changed.

/Jim

 

[ZekeKelso]

Every other argument... value, availability, desireability, finding people, taxes, etc, etc, etc... is simply noise that is clouding the request.

I'm pretty sure the powers that be are capable of seeing through all this "noise." They've seen the request and will either grant it, or not.

 

[TenThousandVolts]

I am way too much of a control freak to let someone else make and hold my reservation. The idea is interesting and I have no problem with people doing this- but I could not relax unless I could call MS about my vacation.

If you are comfortable with letting others control your booking, why not just do a "Reservation Wanted" thread and offer to pay via a trade or you could offer $ or a trade if you are willing to rent the points if the trade doesn't come through.

Has anyone successfully done a swap here on the DIS? If so, I would like to hear about the experience.