New to Timeshares and SFX - please help!

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

Hi,

My fiance and I just purchased a timeshare at one of SFX's premier resorts in Cabo San Lucas, MX. We were told by the reps that trading 1 week from this location with SFX would result in obtaining 2 weeks elsewhere. This is what I would like to do, please let me know if this is possible:

I would like to trade 1 week at Hacienda del Mar (in Cabo) in a "Master Suite" for 2 weeks in Italy - in two different cities. This would be for our honeymoon next year (November 12 - November 26). How would I go about doing this? Also, I understand that the website does not have all resorts listed, and Italy is one place where the resorts are not listed - we have not received our book yet. Any ideas of good places in the meantime?

Thanks a lot!

Amanda

[riverdees05 Platinum Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close riverdees05]

I am sure Mark of SFX will be on to address your questions in the near future. In the meantime check out their website.

http://www.sfx-resorts.com/

[Mark @SFX Industry Representative Find all posts View Profile Close Mark @SFX]

Hi,

My fiance and I just purchased a timeshare at one of SFX's premier resorts in Cabo San Lucas, MX. We were told by the reps that trading 1 week from this location with SFX would result in obtaining 2 weeks elsewhere. This is what I would like to do, please let me know if this is possible:

I would like to trade 1 week at Hacienda del Mar (in Cabo) in a "Master Suite" for 2 weeks in Italy - in two different cities. This would be for our honeymoon next year (November 12 - November 26). How would I go about doing this? Also, I understand that the website does not have all resorts listed, and Italy is one place where the resorts are not listed - we have not received our book yet. Any ideas of good places in the meantime?

Thanks a lot!

Amanda

Hi Amanda - I believe one of our staff members has responded to your email on this matter.

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

Hi Amanda - I believe one of our staff members has responded to your email on this matter.

but we'd all like know how SFX is going to work this miracle for this sweet young 'un.

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

Italy in November

Over a year away, and off-season, this may be tough but perhaps not impossible?

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

Hi Amanda - I believe one of our staff members has responded to your email on this matter.

but we'd all like know how SFX is going to work this miracle for this sweet young 'un.

Mark, can you give us a clue?

[Mark @SFX Industry Representative Find all posts View Profile Close Mark @SFX]

Mark, can you give us a clue?

Spence - I have sent Amanda a private message regarding certain quality vs. location concerns of properties in certain parts of Europe. Also factored into this, it's her honeymoon !! It should be something special.

So... for now Amanda is considering all that I mentioned in my communication. Is she decides that a timeshare exchange to Italy is the way she wants to proceed, then we will move forward with the process and start a search.

One of the reasons people use our service is because we are more selective with quality than other exchange companies, and this is important to most people.

[I-DE-HO Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close I-DE-HO]

Spence - I have sent Amanda a private message regarding certain quality vs. location concerns of properties in certain parts of Europe. Also factored into this, it's her honeymoon !! It should be something special.

So... for now Amanda is considering all that I mentioned in my communication. Is she decides that a timeshare exchange to Italy is the way she wants to proceed, then we will move forward with the process and start a search.

One of the reasons people use our service is because we are more selective with quality than other exchange companies, and this is important to most people.

Interpretation: Most T/S in Italy are small (and Standard) and not suitable for a honeymoon vacation!

Phil

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

Interpretation: Most T/S in Italy are small (and Standard) and not suitable for a honeymoon vacation!

Phil

Yes, I have been noticing that during my search based on Mark's advice! However, there are a few gold crowns that SFX sponsors in Italy... A few are in the Tuscan countryside.. I am still looking

I think it would be so lovely to honeymoon in Italy.. I am trying to find one gold crown in the north (around Florence area) and one in the South (around Rome area).. we will see what I come up with --

How hard do you think it will be for me to secure my dates? I can be flexible a bit, but I do want the 2 weeks to be a few days after my wedding (obviously!) which is nov 10 of 2007...

Thanks for everyone's help!

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

I think it would be so lovely to honeymoon in Italy.. I am trying to find one gold crown in the north (around Florence area) and one in the South (around Rome area).. we will see what I come up with --

Italy is a large country North to South, in my opinion Florence is not in the north and Rome is not in the south, they're both rather central.

How hard do you think it will be for me to secure my dates? I can be flexible a bit, but I do want the 2 weeks to be a few days after my wedding (obviously!) which is nov 10 of 2007...

Depending on what you're trading your chances are as good as they'll get for Italy, you've chosen a slow travel time of year to get married. That being said, Italy can be a hard trade.

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

Italy is a large country North to South, in my opinion Florence is not in the north and Rome is not in the south, they're both rather central.Depending on what you're trading your chances are as good as they'll get for Italy, you've chosen a slow travel time of year to get married. That being said, Italy can be a hard trade.

Thanks Spence... I am trading a week from Hacienda del Mar in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico... what do you think? Also, how does it work with trades - if I want to go to Italy in November, will I be trading my TS from Los Cabos only for someone who wants to go there in November? How do you think my chances look ? Also, how long before the trip does SFX get back to you usually?

[I-DE-HO Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close I-DE-HO]

Hi,

My fiance and I just purchased a timeshare at one of SFX's premier resorts in Cabo San Lucas, MX. We were told by the reps that trading 1 week from this location with SFX would result in obtaining 2 weeks elsewhere. This is what I would like to do, please let me know if this is possible:

I would like to trade 1 week at Hacienda del Mar (in Cabo) in a "Master Suite" for 2 weeks in Italy - in two different cities. This would be for our honeymoon next year (November 12 - November 26). How would I go about doing this? Also, I understand that the website does not have all resorts listed, and Italy is one place where the resorts are not listed - we have not received our book yet. Any ideas of good places in the meantime?

Thanks a lot!

Amanda

First, SFX does not own any resorts. They are an exchange co., like RCI & II. They facilitate exchanges for people like you and me. Second, you will not receive two weeks of exchanges for your one week. You will receive one exchange week (if SFX will take your week) and then they may give you one or two 'bonus' certs. that can be used for another exchange IF you can find one you like. There is also an exchange fee of $300 or so with the 'bonus' week. The odds of you getting TWO weeks, back to back, in Italy are very slim.

Phil

[I-DE-HO Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close I-DE-HO]

Amanda,
What is your 'use' time at your resort? Is it a fixed week or a floating week? SFX will only accept Mexico resort weeks if they fall between 1/1 and Easter or 6/15>9/7. In other words prime time. See http://www.sfx-resorts.com/qsg.html

Sounds like a salesman may have embellished the truth a bit.
Phil

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

half way there?

From a previous response in this thread it sounds as if Mark has already accepted Amanda's week and has given her some advice about Italy. Some of us get excited about the inside of our units when we trade, and others get excited about what is outside the unit. Amanda could be very happy spending a honeymoon in Italy, with back-to-back weeks, God willing, and not be too tied in knots about the size of the unit or amenities.

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

Thank you all for your advice etc. on this topic; as I said, we just purchased the timeshare so I am still trying to figure everything out

Our TS unit is usable during the "Red" season, which I understand is the highest season, so I would think that this includes all busy times in Mexico (ie, Jan-Easter).

I am a little nervous after reading Phil's post about not likely being able to obtain 2 back to back weeks through SFX in Italy in Nov 2007. I am wondering if it would be better to try to book one week though SFX (probably the second, because it will be Thanksgiving week and I know that SFX does not black this week out like other companies); then use a trade with RCI for the first week of the honeymoon. Do you think my chances of getting back to back weeks in Italy would be better (I will probably stick with Gold Crowns since this is my first trade and my first time in Italy and I want to make sure I am not disappointed) -- Perhaps when Mark returns, he can weigh in with his professional judgment on this.

Also, I notice that there are a few gold crown resorts (found them on the RCI website) in Italy... can anyone reccommend which ones are good, and how close they are to Florence, Rome and other usual places of interest to visit? I would not be adverse to doing day trips to the city and staying outside the city if this means a better resort.

Thanks again