Trading Power

[Smitty1 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Smitty1]

Hi

I have been doing a lot of research and I am thinking about buy a TS - I have a question regarding the points system with RCI - I have been reading that there is no trading power when you use the points system - unlike the week system - is that correct?

Would the points system not be perfect for someone purchasing a TS out of "season" ie red weeks?

I have found a few websites that talk about instant exchange also - I don't think its called this anymore with RCI - but when you exchange with the 45 day window - anyone do there exchanges this way?

Just looking for advice on Points vs Weeks when it comes to an off season TS.

thanks
Paul

[Glitter Brunello Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Glitter Brunello]

If you buy an off-season week in points, it will almost assuredly be worth less points than a prime week at the same resort. So a points system really is based purely on trading power, it's just transparent.

There are exceptions, usually within the 45 day window, but to book a prime week that you are looking for in that window takes a good deal effort and luck.

I'm not in points, I'm sure someone better versed will be along shortly.

[philsfan Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close philsfan]

It's all about what you want to do with your points, where you want to go with them and how flexible you are about where and when.

As Glitter said, an off-season week is worth less points. If you only are interested in last minute vacations, it could work great for you. Currently, within 45 days, you can reserve something in the weeks pool for 9K points.

There are many resorts in the weeks pool that you can't reserve using this approach. If a resort has sold any points units, you can only reserve at that resort using a standard reservation. Standard reservations are never discounted.

If you are persistent, you could snag great last minute vacations. I've seen some amazing stuff for 9K points. You just never know when it will be there and you have to check often or call then to set up ongoing searches.

I used the last minute 9K approach to book a week in December in Atlantic City to attend my son's college graduation. I booked a President's Day week in Oceanside, CA in February. We only stayed 4 nights but at those prices it was worth it. I am hoping to grab an extra unit for our Hawaii trip in the fall. We have enough room but an extra unit would make everyone more comfortable. From April thru early December it's usually easy to get a last minute week in Hawaii. I'll be checking out SoCal again this week hoping to snag a Memorial Day unit....

If you want to be able to plan your trips in advance and go to specific places, your best bet is to figure out how many points you'll need to get where you want to go and buy that many or near that many. You can combine points from multiple years so if you want to go somewhere pricey points-wise you can do it if you plan it right. Resorts in the Caribbean and Europe can cost a lot of points.

There's a good points deal for sale in the TS4Ms classifieds right now. I am not selling it but I happen to own the exact same thing.

[Smitty1 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Smitty1]

Thanks for the posts - I am wondering how many points is a good TS worth - even in the off season - the one I am looking at is 48,500 points - is that good - could I get for instance a week in Mexico or some place warm - would that be considered a good trader?

Paul

[joycapecod Silver Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close joycapecod]

Looking from Feb 4 for 8 weeks at one bedroom or larger Resorts of the BEACH in Mexico they range from a low of 22,000 for an unrated unit up to 78,000 for a 3 Bedroom Gold Crown. A one bedroom Gold Crown seems to be in the 45,000 range; 2 bedrooms 61,000.

So, the simple answer to your question is yes, you could get a 1 bedroom unit in Mexico during February or March for the points you would have. Now, is that 22K unit one I would want to spend my vacation in; I don't know...but it's there.

Joy

[Smitty1 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Smitty1]

Thanks - that is very interesting and if you don't have enough points can you purchase more?? What would the price be on that?

Paul

[Kentonmag Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Kentonmag]

Not sure if you are already a RCI member but one thing you need to take into acount with Mexico (Also Dominican Rep.) is as well as Points there is quite often a mandatory All Inclusive fee. Typically, but not always, the number of points required for an All Inclusive resort is less than a non All Inclusive.

Aside from that, I'm a Points member and you can get some good mileage with 48,500 RCI points, especially as others have mentioned if you use them on Last Call vacations.

[SallyHoover Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close SallyHoover]

Would the points system not be perfect for someone purchasing a TS out of "season" ie red weeks?

I have found a few websites that talk about instant exchange also - I don't think its called this anymore with RCI - but when you exchange with the 45 day window - anyone do there exchanges this way?

Just looking for advice on Points vs Weeks when it comes to an off season TS.

Are you looking to use the off season points ts to trade into high season or an off season to trade to an off season or a high season to trade into off season?

Often you get the best value in points by buying the largest unit in the best season to get the most points and use it for multiple vacations in smaller units and/or lower seasons or better yet in the 45 day exchange window into a weeks resort if it comes up and works with your schedule. Buying a low season small unit even if it has low MF will probably not give you many points and therefore you won't have as many options. If you keep your eyes out you can find TS on ebay with a good underlying week and reasonable MF with higher annual points from $1 to $1500 including closing and current years MF.

If you are looking to primarily trade for resorts during the low seasons, a low season TS might work for you.

[philsfan Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close philsfan]

Thanks - that is very interesting and if you don't have enough points can you purchase more?? What would the price be on that?

Paul

Two cents per point is what RCI charges.

[Smitty1 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Smitty1]

Thanks - the TS I am currently looking at would still be considered a "red" week - but not the prime summer months - it is a 2 bdr unit in a gold crown RCI resort - Calabogie lodge - in Canada.

Paul

[Mesonoxious Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Mesonoxious]

The #1 thing to cnsdr whn buyin T/S is the supply vs. demand of your Deeded home resort. Point packages are a crock for the following reason: Big companies like Wyndham, Bluegreen, Hyatt, Hilton all make the argument that at their home resort you pay no exchange fee, meaning you have 50 (most/avg.)-150 (Wyndham) where you don't pay the 150-179 xch fee, and then 2500 (ii) or 4000 (rci) where you do. They say any TS not on the points system is an antique. Nonsense! Couple scenarios:

decent choice:
You buy a week in a place like Orlando or Hawaii - traditional TS. Maintenece fees are about 6-700/ yr. Extraoidinary demand, but dozens of resorts so supply meets demand- trading power average.

Better choice:
You buy a traditional TS in Atlantic City where there is only 1 or 2 TS resorts. Demand not as high but supply is nil, so exceptional trade power. Maintenece about the same.

Bad choices:
small points package where maintence fees are 600 bucks. They deed you out of Vegas or Orlando mostly where they are headqrtrd. Supply meets demand, small amout of points = you just traded the 2500-4k resorts in the exchange for their 50-150.

Large points package
good trade power + the benefit of numerous home resorts, sounds good BUT maintenece goes by points, SO for the benefit of having an extra 2-5% more resorts that you don't pay the 150 $ exchange, you pay roughly 1200/yr in maintenece bc ur paying for 50-150 resorts. Don't pay the 150 at those 3%, just pay an extra 600 every year no matter what.

It's all about supply vs. Demand vs. Maintenence. The point packages don't add up which is why they never tell u during the presentation what the points trade for outside their home network. "call to find out" they say.

Stick to a week is a week with a company that has an a+ with the bbb. Wyndham has an F, bluegreen D+, Hilton and hyatt, A- vacation club, F parent hotel company. Their best stuff makes it into the exch. Book, no need to have your Deed w/ them to use those properties. Go with a smaller company with good customer service in a high demand short supply area. Those are the only ones that will appreciate and hold their resale value.

Hope this helps, not all TS is created equal, but it IS much better than renting!

[Mesonoxious Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Mesonoxious]

Who cares how many home resorts you have if only one is near your home. Who cares about saving 150 if you pay an extra 600? Also, they argue points give you flexibility to get a studio, 1bed, 3 bed, etc. Using AC as an example, and there are other places with high demand short supply you wouldn't think of, wisconsin dells if you are in that area, NYC obviously, though very expensive. But my point is if you own in a short supply high demand area, your studio trades for 2 bedrooms anyway. So who needs flexibility when you get the larger room standard. Comprende?

Sincerely,

Truth to nonsense

[Kentonmag Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Kentonmag]

Who cares how many home resorts you have if only one is near your home. Who cares about saving 150 if you pay an extra 600? Also, they argue points give you flexibility to get a studio, 1bed, 3 bed, etc. Using AC as an example, and there are other places with high demand short supply you wouldn't think of, wisconsin dells if you are in that area, NYC obviously, though very expensive. But my point is if you own in a short supply high demand area, your studio trades for 2 bedrooms anyway. So who needs flexibility when you get the larger room standard. Comprende?

Sincerely,

Truth to nonsense

You really need to research a little more on the benefit of Points. I am both a Weeks and Points owner and at my Points resort I pay ZERO maitenance fees and get in excess of 200,000 points transferred into RCI every year. This year I flew to the UK for $49 + points on a KLM flight that should have cost $1,115, I am going for 2 weeks to Aruba in November points + 2 x exchange fees, My Son + 5 friends went for 4 days skiing (3 bedroom in Canada) it cost around $160 + points (including guest certificate and utilities charges for 3 bedroom house) and I am going, along with 3 friends, to a 3 bedroom x 3 night stay fishing trip for $93 + points in October (this resort is $315 per night, including taxes, regular off the street price. I also still have 50,000 point left and my next 200,000+ points go in to RCI on September 1st. When they go in my first job is to use some of those for my flights for the Aruba trip.
So please do your research, my points usage is extremely flexible and it's all about the knowledge of how to use them to get your best mileage from them.

[vintner Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close vintner]

He didn't get the Bluegreen information right either. Lot of broad statements were made but not totally correct.

[Mesonoxious Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Mesonoxious]

Trading power - points/weeks

I didn't mean to confuse you. Of course you can trade/exchange points but you just need to pay attention to where you are specifically deeded out of and what the peak season there is, which week you actually have, etc. They will tell you you can trade your points for whatever you want, but on the presentation they only show you "in network". They disguise their lack of trading power as "options for you". Those "options" are actually restrictions. I think a week system is more transparent. Just get a peak or high peak week in a low supply area like barbados or Atlantic City and when you trade a 1 BR you will get a 2-3 BR anyway. So who needs "options". If you go with points, pay attention to maintenance fees and owner tor resort ratio. If a company has 50 resorts and 80k owners, you'll have a better chance getting what you want in their network than one with 65 resorts and 500k owners. But for me, like I said, their 50-150 home resorts only equal 2-5% when added to the 2500 in ii or he 4k in rci, so better off just buying a week in a single resort with good trading power (supply/demand) and low maintence. (such as flagship AC for example with ii, but there are others, that is just where I own. Crane residence club in Barbados would be one in RCI )