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I'm relatively new to TS's and have not joined any exchange company. Since I own 2 Starwood weeks, I've been told that trading with RCI or II is pretty useless since SW determines the week that will be deposited. Thus far, I've rented a week that I couldn't use at a reasonable price instead of trying to exchange it. I was told that SFX could be useful for Starwood weeks and called them to ask how it worked. My TS's qualify for SFX but I'm not sure how their system works. Apparently RCI and II try to match weeks deposited with similar quality and size units that they will give to you. However, the SFX rep said that all of their stuff is 5 Star (which I'm not sure is true looking at their list of resorts) and that if you deposit a 1 BR week, then you can get any 1 BR resort that is in their inventory. The jist is they assume the quality of everything in their inventory is equivalent and just match up the trade based on size. Is in fact the case? If so, does that mean I could likely trade one of my Sheraton 1BR high season weeks and get a 5 star resort in Hawaii or Southern California? Or do they have some internal system that matches the quality levels of trades? After reading some of the recent posts on TUG about SFX, I'm a little gunshy about these guys. Looks like you'd only want to be a platinum member so you could find out what you can get before depositing your week. One thing the rep did tell me is that they (and the other trading cos.) rarely get the real high end resort weeks (like Harborside) because those owners will usually rent them instead of depositing them.
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Robert - thank you for your post. Our business model is fundamentally based on a higher consistency of quality resorts as compared to other companies. As a rule, we only accept Crown and 5 Star rated timeshare resorts. The are only a "handful" of rare exceptions, and those are based on a 5 Star premium demand location that may only have one or two reasonably nice properties, that may be a notch down from 5 Star. It wouldn't make any sense to not approve such a property and deny a Member an opportunity to take a great vacation in a world class premium location, when there are no other timeshare alternatives.Originally posted by RobertD
Although our model is based on Crown and 5 Star rated properties, giving a degree of consistency of quality, there are of course "variables" in the rating system. Depending on how far you want to (over) analyze ratings, you certainly could take all the resorts with the highest designated ratings and create another layer perhaps stating out of these 5 star properties, this one is the least desirable, this one is a notch higher.... and so on and on. Each and every resort is very different, even if they have the same Crown or 5 Star difference.
It's all about balance. If you put too much over the board emphasis on how incredible the property has to be, where it becomes more important to you than the overall vacation experience of the location and resort, then you really shouldn't buy a timeshare.... one should buy a Fractional Interest for $300,000 to $500,000 and have a two to five million dollar home to vaction in. Out of every exchange you find some properties equal to, better than or not as great ... it's a different experience every time that should be weighed against the whole overall vacation.
I haven't read the comments on the other bulletin board, and cannot vouch the "credibility" or lack-of regarding their statements. I have heard from Members on numerous occassions of "misinformation" about our company being posted. It is very easy for people to say what they want when their is no official company representation to guide consumers as to it's accuracy. Perhaps they would like to comment on this board where we too have a voice to respond... and help people.
Regardless of whether you are a Gold or Platinum Member, we have a very high exchange fulfillment rate. Platinum of course has more features and benefits. With regards to Harborside Resort, regardless of which exchange company you use, that is a very difficult resort to exchange into. Most Owners use their time and choose not to relinquish it for trades.
As with any customer, we would want you to feel comfortable. If you are gun-shy, that's okay but perhaps stay with your existing exchange company if that is your comfort zone.
As I stated in an earlier post..."Why restrict your exchange possibilities to the service of just one exchange companies inventory, when through SFX you can request resorts that are listed in both major systems... for no additional cost". It's a common sense strategy and is to your advantage.
Hope this helps... -
Thanks for the information, Mark. If I understand what you're saying, SFX does have a trading value formula for the resorts in its inventory, and all weeks are not equivalent in your system, unlike what the SFX rep told me. This only makes sense in that some resorts / locations have higher demand than others and you have to sort this out in your system. I'm new to TS'ing and don't belong to any trading company and have never done a TS trade but am considering it. I assume the non 5 star resorts you have are in place like Vail in ski season where there's a shortage of TS's and demand is high.Comment
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Robert - although we do have a trading-power formula, for all practical purposes all resorts will trade for all resorts within our system, even though some may say this 5 star resort is better than that one. They are all good quality properties.Originally posted by RobertD
But also keep in mind there are other factors that can have a greater impact that affect Trading-Power.
1. How far in advance of the check-in dates of your deposit did you bank the week? The further ahead you deposit your week, the higher your score.
2. Higher demanded seasons have higher trading power.
3. Size of unit. Larger units have higher trading-power.
4. Supply vs. Demand for property, location and season affect trading-power.
There are some other factors, but these are very important.
In many instances there is a "very thin line" between what is 5 star or not. It's not necessarily ski resorts in Vail. It could be certain areas of Europe or the Caribbean etc. It's a case by case process depending on the Member's needs.
Hope this helps...Comment
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