How often do you use ongoing search?

Polly Metallic · Aug 20, 2014

I almost always grab exchanges online rather than use an ongoing search. I imagine I am an exception to the rule. Do you usually use an OGS? If so how far ahead do you start your search and how long does it usually take to get a confirmation?

DeniseM · Aug 20, 2014

I always use OGS - the online inventory is the leftovers, after the OGS's have been filled. I try to start mine 12+ mos. out. Even if you have an OGS in place, you can still do an Instant Online Exchange if something pops up, so there is no reason not to do an OGS.

There is no rhyme or reason to when you may get an exchange - could be the next day, could be months, could be never. It just depends on how difficult your request is, how strong your deposit is, and when the deposits come in.

susieq · Aug 20, 2014

I always take advantage of the OGS feature ~ like Denise said AT LEAST 12+ months out. I will check myself almost daily also, but there's no reason not to let them try to make a match for you.

DaveNV · Aug 21, 2014

I only tried using it once, and I wasted more than a year for nothing. I had even combined deposits to ensure I had enough TPU to make sure my OGS would work out. (And I lost a year's use on one of the combined weeks in the process.) I never did get what I was after. So it goes.

I was able to arrange a direct exchange with a Tugger, so I ended up getting what I wanted after all. Just not through RCI.

Dave

Beefnot · Aug 21, 2014

With RCI, I am only interested in DVC exchanges, so I need ongoing search. When I exchange with II, I typically do instant exchanges because I am focused on uptrading my 1br deposits for 2brs.

presley · Aug 21, 2014

I do have some ongoing searches in RCI, but they tend to not match because I only want Hilton or DVC.
For II, I do both ongoing for something planned a year or more in advance and I look at online inventory nearly daily to get something close to home.
SFX, I do both ongoing and inventory checking, but there is hardly any online inventory. When I do an ongoing search, the ones a year out match and the ones within a couple months normally don't match.
GPX seems to only work for online looking, as my searches never match, but then I often find what I had a search in place for online.

hjtug · Aug 21, 2014

Beefnot said:
When I exchange with II, I typically do instant exchanges because I am focused on uptrading my 1br deposits for 2brs.

Maybe you are aware of it, but you can get 2br units with 1br deposits at II by doing ongoing searches at resorts that do not have 1brs.

DeniseM · Aug 21, 2014

hjtug said:
Maybe you are aware of it, but you can get 2br units with 1br deposits at II by doing ongoing searches at resorts that do not have 1brs.

Yes and no - your trading power is going to be significantly lower with a 1 bdm. deposit, so you will be low on the list to get the exchange (owners with 2 bdm. deposits have higher trading power.) This works best for off-season.

falmouth3 · Aug 21, 2014

I do my exchanges through SFX. It's rare that I see anything in inventory that I want. I use ongoing searches frequently.

margalita4 · Aug 21, 2014

I'm still learning about exchanges. I exchanged my Orlando timeshare for a Miami timeshare and vacationed there this past July. It was not my first choice but it was available so we took it. We had a great vacation in Miami. I deposited my home resort right after I paid my maintenance fee in January 2014. So my request time was 6 months out, not 12 as recommended. I will exchange again next year in 2015. Should I pay my 2015 maintenance fee now, even though it's not due until January 2015, so I can deposit my home resort and make an exchange request with II? I don't even know if I can pay my maintenance fee before it's due. Will I be more successful in getting my "first choice" exchange? For 2015, we would like to go to San Francisco or San Antonio and we'll need a 2 bedroom unit. I understand these 2 locations are hard to get. Our schedule is not too flexible because we have kids in school so we can only vacation when school is out during the summer. Any thoughts or advice would be appreciated. Thank you.

Dori · Aug 21, 2014

So many of my exchanges over the past 22 year have been scored during the once- famous "Witching Hour". If I was looking for something , I would go to bed late/get up early to snag some excellent choices. Now I usually search on-line. The few times I have done an OGS, results have been hit and miss.

Dori

DeniseM · Aug 21, 2014

Since you can do an OGS and search online, there is really no reason not to put in an OGS.

STEVIE · Aug 21, 2014

Over the last ten years, I have never been successful with an on going search.
Sue

Polly Metallic · Aug 21, 2014

I tend to include borderline resorts and timeframes knowing it will give me better odds of a match. Naturally the resort I least want will be the one I get. I just tend to set my sights low with an OGS. I figure the best weeks and resorts will go to the owners or the people with $1200/week maintenance fee timeshares! Fortunately we can travel during shoulder seasons and often that's a nicer time to go, anyway. Still, I like to think I'm getting equal or better than what I'm trading. I made a list of my trades since 1997 today and put plus, minus, or equal next to each one to reflect the comparison between my traded week and what I received. The most plusses came from my one bedroom Westgate Orlando week. Because I don't value it highly it's easier to get trades I feel are superior, lol!

Polly Metallic · Aug 21, 2014

susgar said:
Over the last ten years, I have never been successful with an on going search.
Sue

Wow. That's scary! I'd be interested to hear a few trades you tried for. You have some nice weeks in your timeshare portfolio.

Beefnot · Aug 21, 2014

presley said:
SFX, I do both ongoing and inventory checking, but there is hardly any online inventory. When I do an ongoing search, the ones a year out match and the ones within a couple months normally don't match.

My one and only exchange with SFX, I matched after only about a month and it was 3 months out from the exchange. Was a pretty good exchange too.

hjtug said:
Maybe you are aware of it, but you can get 2br units with 1br deposits at II by doing ongoing searches at resorts that do not have 1brs.

Yes, that is exactly what I do when I do an OGS in II. This technique has worked well for me.

DeniseM said:
Since you can do an OGS and search online, there is really no reason not to put in an OGS.

Unless you don't want to front the exchange fee.

matbec · Aug 21, 2014

Almost always use OGS

I'd say that 90% of my exchanges have been made using OGS. This is true for exchanges through RCI, II and SFX. I put in my searches as early as possible, anywhere from 2years (for RCI) to 18months (II and SFX). Matches have usually come through no later than 9months out. I also check online about 1-2x a week.

MuranoJo · Aug 21, 2014

I've never done an OGS in over 12 years of t/s ownership.
Guess I've just been lucky to search online once in a while and grab something I like--but it's usually 1-1.5 years in advance.

Some examples are NYC (2 units), Grand Cayman, Aruba, PV (2 units), HI multiple times, including Kings Land, Park City family reunion (5 units), Yellowstone area, Belize (2 weeks).

Granted, a couple of those were bulk banks which I either found by myself or via Sightings.

I think the exchanging landscape is changing though, with not as many nice options showing up online--I may consider OGS in the future, along with my online searches.

Gophesjo · Aug 22, 2014

I'm going to a So Cal Beach resort next week as the result of an exchange that came from an OGS. Next summer's trip with the famiy to the beach in the Carolinas is also an exchange I picked up from an OGS. Neither of these were paid for until received, though they were both 'deposit first' searches. That said, I also believe good exchanges are not as hard to find if you do your homework, regularly checking the leftovers as well as placing the OGS's.

dougp26364 · Aug 22, 2014

Polly Metallic said:
I almost always grab exchanges online rather than use an ongoing search. I imagine I am an exception to the rule. Do you usually use an OGS? If so how far ahead do you start your search and how long does it usually take to get a confirmation?

Over time my habits have changed.

In the past we used OGS frequently. During that time we also used instant exchanges online to move up in size when we had a studio unit deposited.

Lately we've utilized internal system exchanges with HGVC, MVCI and DRI rather than exchanges through either I.I., RCI or any of the independents. Now, when we do exchange, it's been through I.I. using their instant online exchange. Typically our exchanges have been for either Branson in the spring/fall or Breckenridge in the summer/fall. Both are relatively easy exchanges and I like being able to select the exact week, check in day and size of unit without enlisting the help of a vacation consultant at Interval.

It really depends on what you want and/or need. Right now our needs are pretty basic, I know the areas and there's just no need for an OGS in our situation.

PassionForTravel · Aug 22, 2014

I usually do both. I have ogs active and I book online. So far its about 2/3 of my trades have been ones I found online.

Mostly that's because of the frustration of dealing with II's system compared to rci. Not being able to specify the checkin date (that it defaults to thur) and I have to call in is really lame, especially when its autoconfirm. Finally that for an orgs internal Marriott or Starwood you have to pay the higher fee if you include something not in the system even if you confirm within the system.

Ian

DaveNV · Aug 22, 2014

I guess I didn't consider other exchange companies as having Ongoing Searches, since I always thought of this as an RCI term. But I see now that allowing the exchange company to search over a period of time for something I want is the same thing, even if it's not referred to as that. In light of that, I need to amend my earlier comment:

I have had success with ongoing searches with SFX. I have received excellent exchanges from them by depositing a great reservation in advance, and letting them find a match I asked for, to the resort I wanted, in the area I wanted to visit.

My most recent match with SFX was for the exact resort I asked for, on the exact date I wanted it. I have to give them full credit for finding it for me. :clap:

Dave

Polly Metallic · Aug 22, 2014

I have used SFX and TPM and had no choice but to use an OGS with them. I gave them at least a dozen resort/area choices and a wide timeframe. I nearly always got something decent but not spectacular. Once I had to default to an online winter choice with II because SFX didn't come through in a reasonable (IMO) amount of time and I wanted to book airfare and finalize my plans. I don't like waiting till 9 months out. I always used to have confirmations booked 12-18 months out when I grab exchanges online. Not knowing what/if I'm going to get bothers me. I guess that's why I tend to hunt down exchanges on my own.

How often do you use ongoing search?

Polly Metallic

Official TUG Pool Recruiter

DeniseM

susieq

TUG Review Crew: Expert

DaveNV

TUG Review Crew: Expert

Beefnot

presley

TUG Review Crew: Expert

hjtug

TUG Review Crew: Expert

DeniseM

falmouth3

TUG Review Crew: Expert

margalita4

Dori

TUG Review Crew: Expert

DeniseM

STEVIE

Polly Metallic

Official TUG Pool Recruiter

Polly Metallic

Official TUG Pool Recruiter

Beefnot

matbec

TUG Review Crew

MuranoJo

Gophesjo

TUG Review Crew: Veteran

dougp26364

TUG Review Crew: Expert

PassionForTravel

TUG Review Crew

DaveNV

TUG Review Crew: Expert

Polly Metallic

Official TUG Pool Recruiter