First post....lots of questions

[kevin316 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close kevin316]

Well I thought I had this timeshare thing figured out until I found this forum, now I have more questions than I thought I ever would.

I am looking for a timeshare with good trading power simply because it would be nice to mix it up from time to time. I have only been exposed to RCI (through family members) and they really like it.

Is there a big difference between RCI and II. I know this is an open ended question but any opinion would be great

Whats better to own, a floating week, a fixed week or points?

We are going to Las Vegas in May and staying at the Grandview. Las Vegas is Red all year but I have read that there are different shades of Red. Can anyone tell me what the best time of the year to own in Vegas would be? The reason I am looking at Vegas is that it is inexpensive to travel to, I could even drive.

How is the best way to protect myself when buying resale? Has anyone used any of the online sites to purchase through?

Thanks in advance for your help. The more I research this the more confused I get.

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

Is there a big difference between RCI and II. I know this is an open ended question but any opinion would be great
RCI is larger and generally has more inventory available.
Whats better to own, a floating week, a fixed week or points?
Depends on you and your vacation patterns.
We are going to Las Vegas in May and staying at the Grandview. Las Vegas is Red all year but I have read that there are different shades of Red. Can anyone tell me what the best time of the year to own in Vegas would be? The reason I am looking at Vegas is that it is inexpensive to travel to, I could even drive.
Week52 New Years Eve
How is the best way to protect myself when buying resale?
Use independent closing/escrow or deal with someone you 'know' like an established member of TS4Ms or TUG who wouldn't want their name sullied.
Has anyone used any of the online sites to purchase through?
Yes.

[tonyg Goomba & Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close tonyg]

Patience should be the key word. As a general rule, I would avoid Las Vegas- tho New Year's sounds like it would be a great week. The problem is that the great weeks usually sell for more money.
As to the difference between RCI and II, there are more than just the numbers of resorts to consider. RCI charges more for exchanges and is suspected of doing more rentals from it's exchange pool. Exchanging through II is more size conscious, so if you go with them buy the size you want. Also consider that there are smaller independent exchange companies out there. Before picking between RCI and II also consider who has resorts where you want to exchange to. RCI has nothing within 50 miles of Acadia national Park, while II has 2 resorts. RCI has a multitude of resorts in South Africa while II has little, if any. You can check the online resort directories or our resort database to see who has what and where. Often a dual affiliated (both II and RCI) will enhance the trading power of that resort. Red weeks vary considerably in their trading power and sometimes what is red with one exchange company is not red with the other.
Ask a lot of questions and do a lot of patient shopping before you buy.

[Pstreet1 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Pstreet1]

You might consider Worldmark. They have resorts all along the west coast and in Canada, and they trade very well with both RCI and II. Worldmark also has a deal with both trading companies that you can request first and deposit only if they have what you're looking for.

We belong to both RCI and II: RCI for the reasons Spense cited and II because II has Marriott and at the last minute it takes very few Worldmark points to secure a Marriott (or other really nice resort); it makes Worldmark points go a very long way.

You can purchase Worldmark "used" just as you can any of the other timeshares you might be interested in.

[m61376 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close m61376]

Instead of making the exchange company a primary factor, I would suggest concentrating on where you like to visit the most and what type of accomodations your like and are willing/able to pay for (we all like as many amenities as we can get, but to some they are more improtant and worth spending the extra $'s for). II and RCI both have their pros and cons- as Spence said, RCI has a bigger selection; II has more of the higher end properties. With II you can request or search before depositing (meaning that if you may want to use your unit if you don't get what you want, you can keep that option) whereas RCI requires you to deposit it first. II's exchange rates are a little less. Both have last minute deals (II's are <59 days and I believe RCI's are <45 days) wherein you can get great exchanges even for less than stellar properties (or great properties off-season). Both offer rentals (RCI seems to be offerring more and more, to the questionable detriment of its exchangers).

Floating versus fixed: If you want to go the same week year after year and don't want to worry about not being able to reserve a specific week in any given year, buy a fixed week. Alternately, if you like to vary the week you travel in, then buying a floating week, allowing you to make a reservation at the resort during a given season, may be better for you.

Red season can vary from bright red to barely pink- and trading power can be very different depending on the week you have reserved, even in the same resort in the same so-called season. Others can better advise you on the best weeks for Vegas, although as Spence stated, week 52 is prob. the best.

There is lots of information here and on Tug about how to buy resale- if you haven't visited the Tug board yet, you should also look there for advice.

Good luck- ask lots of questions as you narrow down your choices and remember- BUY RESALE and save a lot of $$$'s!