Newbie Question Regarding Swapping

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

Hi Guys

I have not purchased a timeshare yet - I am looking at a few options, I was wondering if you can help me with the exchange.

Please tell me if this is how it works??

I have a red week at a gold crown RCI resort - so I don't plan on using my home resort this year I bank the week with RCI and then I find a resort I would like to go to - they have an available week that I am interested in - do I just book it and I am done pay my $170 or whatever the fee is to RCI - or do I have to get rid of my week at my home resort first?

Also can I see what is available at the other resorts before I bank my week at my home resort?

Thanks for your help - so much to learn.

Paul

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

With RCI you have to bank your week before you can see what is available. And once your week is banked and you find something that is available you can book it. You don't have to worry about whether or not someone else booked your week.

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

But if you are disappointed with what you see after you bank your week, you are pretty much screwed. Unless no one has booked your week yet, and you make a big stink and demand your week back.

Please let us know what week/resort you would be depositing before proceeding with RCI. There are other exchange company options available.
And not all red weeks trade the same. Some red weeks have better trading power than others - for example, a prime summer beach week would trade better than an early fall or late spring, but they might all be designated as "red," depending on the resort.

Interval International, if your resort is affiliated, let's you search before depositing. Some of the independent exchange companies (see the forums here) also let you search inventory before depositing.

In my experience, the best shot at getting a good trade through any of them is to put in an ongoing request. You do need to be flexible. If you are expecting to find a specific resort listed in the resort directory for the exact week you want, it is almost never going to happen. Best to choose a region, or a list of resorts, and as large a window of weeks as possible.

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

Please let us know what week/resort you would be depositing before proceeding with RCI.

It looks like the OP doesn't own a timeshare yet.

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

It looks like the OP doesn't own a timeshare yet.

Ah, true. And a good thing he's asking these questions ahead of time, obviously not the usual!

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

trading power is what is being alluded to. there are good traders and not so good traders. supply and demand is the biggie, many factors.

careful of what you read concerning exchanging. when people say they "see nothing", it could be that they see few options, or could be lots of options but nothing they want to book. I think it can be quite rare that in advance with flexibility that a person can see, literally, nothing to trade into.

best chance at successful trading is flexibility on time or place, hopefully both. the more narrow your desire, the less likely you are to be pleased.

but I believe that best ownership is buy to use.

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

Thanks everyone - I plan on using my home resort if I do purchase - but it would be nice to have an alternate just in case we want to go south or something - how come when I hit forum navigation at the top of this page and then try to go into Exchange opportunities - it says private and won't let me in?

My home resort is only affiliated with RCI - does that mean they are the only one's I can exchange with - if I bank the week - do a quick check of availibility and don't find anything to my liking - can "unbank" it and use it myself?

Paul

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

Thanks everyone - I plan on using my home resort if I do purchase - but it would be nice to have an alternate just in case we want to go south or something - how come when I hit forum navigation at the top of this page and then try to go into Exchange opportunities - it says private and won't let me in?

My home resort is only affiliated with RCI - does that mean they are the only one's I can exchange with - if I bank the week - do a quick check of availibility and don't find anything to my liking - can "unbank" it and use it myself?

Paul

Exchange Opportunities are available to members with a minimum # of posts (I think 30?) or those who make a $ donation to the site. They will show you what we can see, but not necessarily what YOU would see with your week.

RCI is not the only company you can use. You have the right to use the independent exchange companies, just not II.

And yes, you can try the "bank/unbank" trick, but if your week is booked by someone you won't get it back. And it will take RCI a while to set you up online, your week could be gone in the meantime. It's a roll of the dice that I would not take.

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

Thanks for all the answers - a very helpful website.

One more question - if I have a week at my home resort in June - do I need to book in June at the resort I am swapping with?

thanks again
Paul

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

Thanks for all the answers - a very helpful website.

One more question - if I have a week at my home resort in June - do I need to book in June at the resort I am swapping with?

thanks again
Paul

We try

No. You can request any time at another resort. You may or may not get it.

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

if I have a week at my home resort in June - do I need to book in June at the resort I am swapping with?

No. After you deposit your week with an exchange company, you can then "exchange" (after paying the requisite exchange fee) for whatever might be available ---anytime. The time period of your deposit does not restrict the time period of your exchange. Just be well aware right now, before you buy anything, that what's "available" might just be little or nothing, as far as where and when you want to travel...

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

Thanks for the fast answers.

Paul