fixed vs. floating

[kherbold]

I am looking at the sunset Beach and came across a couple of units..on an auction, that were identical... other than, 1 was floating the other deeded for February.

The floating one had more bids... so is that a better deal?

Can the fixed on just be given to resort in exchange for a floating week for that year?

Hope I am making my self clear.

karl

 

[Passepartout]

In order to get a different week with a fixed week, unless the resort has an internal exchange deal going on, you'd have to deposit the week with the exchange co. (RCI or II) then put in a request for the desired week, just like everyone else exchanging into the resort. This would generate additional cost (fees and membership dues) and the possibility of not getting the week you want anyway. You might have some priority of being able to request a week at your 'home' resort ahead of the general public.

Best to keep a fixed week, just that. Then all you have to do is show up on the correct move-in day and you're good. No expense, no hassle. You own it.

I find that starting out with a float- or points based- TS for a first one for flexibility worked well for me, then I found just exactly the fixed week at the resort I wanted to go back to again and again and bought it.

Jim

 

[chalee94]

i would also prefer the fixed week, so long as it suited my schedule.

a floating week "sounds" better - as if you have more options - but in practice, the better weeks during the float period have more competition and can sometimes be harder to get.

for example, a floating platinum week at newport coast includes weeks from june to december...but only one owner can get the 4th of july week while some platinum owners have to get stuck with leftovers in october to december...

 

[theo]

Good point...

<snip> a floating week "sounds" better - as if you have more options - but in practice, the better weeks during the float period have more competition and can sometimes be harder to get.

for example, a floating platinum week at newport coast includes weeks from june to december...but only one owner can get the 4th of july week while some platinum owners have to get stuck with leftovers in october to december...

Newbies may erroneously assume or believe (in the absence of amplifying details being clearly provided to them by the seller) that "floating" somehow means "any week during the year". It ain't necessarily so...

At several different SW FL resorts where I own fixed weeks, "floating" week owners are completely restricted requesting reservations anytime in weeks 5-16. That's most of the winter (and much of the spring too)!

I learned this particular lesson (...yes, the hard way) in my first resale timeshare purchase many years ago.
Lacking experience back then, I did not know enough to ask the right questions about "the devil hidden within the details" when I bought a SW FL "floating" week ownership. Deeds (including that one) generally make no reference to (or any mention of) any existing "blackout" periods. My private reseller conveniently "forgot" to disclose to me that "floating" weeks owners could only reserve weeks between 1-4 and 26-52. With most of the winter excluded, what I bought was basically useless to me; I promptly sold it for half of what I had just paid (...which, fortunately, was resale and not much money to begin with). Unlike my seller I did fully and openly disclose the associated "floating" week ownership restrictions to my buyer.

Short version: before considering any floating week purchase, first find out in clear and specific detail exactly what restrictions or blackout periods might be attached to that particular ownership. Particularly if a clueless eBay mega-seller is involved, contact the resort directly and find out the true facts for yourself.

Assume nothing. Ask questions. Verify everything. If the weeks available to "float" owners don't meet your needs, a purchase can quickly prove to be a big mistake --- I have personally "been there, done that".

 

[Luvstotravel]

We own a float week, and a fixed week, at two different locations. The float week is for any week of the year. Sounds great, but we've learned that if we want our favorite weeks, we have to book early. There's only so many units to go around during those weeks! Lucky for us, we don't mind going there any time of the year.

The fixed one is for a week that works perfectly for both my husband and I, and what we like doing when we go there.

We have the best of both!

 

[theo]

Yes, but...

We own a float week, and a fixed week, at two different locations. The float week is for any week of the year. Sounds great, but we've learned that if we want our favorite weeks, we have to book early. There's only so many units to go around during those weeks! <snip>

My intention was to reinforce that "any week of the year" is simply not an option which even exists at all for some "floating" ownerships --- regardless of any great advance planning and /or earliest possible booking.

"Blacked out and restricted", when imposed by resort policy and practice upon "floating" ownerships, means just exactly that. Nonetheless, you generally won't find that info actually reflected within most deeds...

 

[csxjohn]

My intended point was to reinforce that "any week of the year" is often not even an option in the first place for many "floating" ownerships --- good advance planning and /or early booking nothwithstanding...

I have owned two floating weeks. One in Orlando and one in Steamboat Springs.

Both were spring and fall only, clearly stated in the sale. I pay my MFs on the day they arrive and immediately reserve my week. I have always gotten my first choice because I do it early. The Fl property gets me Memorial Day week most years and when it doesn't I get Labor Day.

Book early!

 

[Timeshare Von]

I have also owned both fixed and floating weeks. The two fixed weeks we had worked well for us in terms of when they were and the season (weather) at that time.

Our floating week is in Hawaii (1-52) and is awesome. There is never a "bad week" to go to Hawaii . . . plus when exchanging in RCI with the new TPU system, some weeks are primo (>45) which can get more than a single week's vacation via exchanging.

 

[ronparise]

I own a floating week that does float across the whole year (It really does I checked) but there is another consideration to be aware of

If you wait too long to make your reservation you could end up with nothing...Thats right, you pay your fees and there is nothing left for you to reserve

With floating weeks, always pay your mf and make your reservations early

 

[Luvstotravel]

My intention was to reinforce that "any week of the year" is simply not an option which even exists at all for some "floating" ownerships --- regardless of any great advance planning and /or earliest possible booking.

"Blacked out and restricted", when imposed by resort policy and practice upon "floating" ownerships, means just exactly that. Nonetheless, you generally won't find that info actually reflected within most deeds...

Oh, I understand. I was just pointing out why we have one of each.

 

[bogey21]

IMO a Fixed Week is better if you plan to use it most of the time or you don't want the aggravation that often goes into getting the Week of your choice using your Floater. I had Floaters early in my TimeShare Ownership career and dumped them all for Fixed Weeks.

George

 

[dougp26364]

The first week we ever purchased was a fixed week. It worked fine so long as we always wanted to vacation on that exact week. The problem was, that week didn't always work into our schedules very well. We don't use that week anymore but exchange it instead, which can increase the cost of ownership since we need to belong to an exchange company and pay exchange fee's.

All the rest of our ownerships are floating and, we've never had a problem reserving the week we wanted. There are some important factors for our success in that we've never tried to book a holiday week and we've always booked 9 months or more in advance. Some people can't plan vacations that far in advance so I can see where floating might be an issue.

On the other hand, a fixed week requires no planning. Either you can go that week or you can't. If you can't, either you lose your usage or, you need to deposit that week and exchange it with an exchange company. In that case, you're back to a similar issue as with floating weeks. Advance planning nets you the greatest number of choices while short notice planning net you the fewest options.

The short answer for us is that floating allows for more flexablity in planning. Both fixed and float require some advanced planning but, with fixed you know when you're traveling (if you go to your home resorts) as that date has been pre-determined and set in stone (unless you want to pay the fee's and attempt to exchange the week).

We prefer floating. It works best for us and allows us to change the dates we travel to fit our needs, not have to fit our lives around to fit our vacation needs. If we needed to vacation on a holiday week most years or, if we absolutely had to have a summer week or any particular season or week, then a fixed week would probably fit our needs better.

 

[theo]

Another option, not mentioned...

<snip... a fixed week requires no planning. Either you can go that week or you can't. If you can't, either you lose your usage or, you need to deposit that week and exchange it with an exchange company. <snip>

...or, rent it out! In those occasional instances when I've been unable to use one of my fixed weeks. I've never had any problem renting the week for 120 -130% of the maintenance fee amount. Maybe I'm an oddball or an exception (...maybe even both ) but I absolutely refuse to ever give any of my prime fixed weeks to the parasitic and opportunistic likes of RCI under any circumstances.

 

[csxjohn]

...or, rent it out! In those occasional instances when I've been unable to use one of my fixed weeks. I've never had any problem renting the week for 120 -130% of the maintenance fee amount. Maybe I'm an oddball or an exception (...maybe even both ) but I absolutely refuse to ever give any of my prime fixed weeks to the parasitic and opportunistic likes of RCI under any circumstances.

 

[e.bram]

Theo:
Tell that to Timeos2.

 

[dougp26364]

...or, rent it out! In those occasional instances when I've been unable to use one of my fixed weeks. I've never had any problem renting the week for 120 -130% of the maintenance fee amount. Maybe I'm an oddball or an exception (...maybe even both ) but I absolutely refuse to ever give any of my prime fixed weeks to the parasitic and opportunistic likes of RCI under any circumstances.

Renting is an option for those who want to put in the effort and put up with those who don't understand non-refundable contracts, scammers and that timeshares are not hotels. There are those of us who just don't want the hassle so I typically fail to consider it. That is unless I'm "renting" to a co-worker and then it's strictly the cost of the MF's plus any expenses such as a guest certificate if that's required by the particular resort chain with which we're dealing. What can I say, I'm lazy in this respect. I suspect the average timeshare own is as well.

As to RCI, they never see my business. I did not rely on the class action against them, which netted everyone $10 or $12 . Instead I cancelled my membership, either use those timeshares or consider exchanges through an independany like SFX. I.I. has always been a viable exchange company for us and we've had a great deal of success getting what we request.